“I expect to pass through life but once. If, therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.”
Editorial
What is The Salvation Army?
The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church.
Vision Statement
Wherever there is hardship or injustice, Salvos will live, love and fight alongside others to transform Australia one life at a time with the love of Jesus.
Mission Statement
The Salvation Army is a Christian movement dedicated to sharing the love of Jesus by:
• Caring for people
• Creating faith pathways
• Building healthy communities
• Working for justice
The Salvation Army Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet and work and pay our respect to Elders, past, present, and future. We value and include people of all cultures, languages, abilities, sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions, and intersex status. We are committed to providing programs that are fully inclusive. We are committed to the safety and wellbeing of people of all ages, particularly children.
Community for all
Finding Freedom: Diversity in Community, is the theme for Refugee Week 2025 (15-21 June). The Refugee Council of Australia is continuing its three-year theme of Finding Freedom, with this year’s focus emphasising the vital role community plays in all our lives, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, language, disability, sexuality and age.
In this edition, we focus on the humanity behind the noise and the news cycles around the refugee ‘issue’; and on seeing the people and reading the stories of those who risk so much for freedom and a new life.
Founders: William and Catherine Booth
Salvation Army World Leaders: General Lyndon and Commissioner Bronwyn
Buckingham
Territorial Leader: Commissioner Miriam Gluyas
Secretary for Communications and Editor-In-Chief: Colonel Rodney Walters
Publications Manager: Cheryl Tinker
Editor: Simone Worthing
Graphic Designer: Ryan Harrison
Enquiry email: publications@salvationarmy.org.au
All other Salvation Army enquiries 13 72 58
Press date: 16 May 2025
Printed and published for The Salvation Army by Commissioner Miriam Gluyas at Focus Print Group, Chester Hill, NSW, Darug Nation lands.
We get to know the stories of three refugees who have left their birth countries, for a range of reasons, in search of safety, dignity, acceptance, support, understanding and hope – the kind of life we all want for ourselves and our loved ones.
We can each welcome and make a difference to those seeking refuge and belonging - check out our social justice pages for ideas.
For these stories and more, go to salvosonline.org.au
Simone Worthing Editor
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Remembering refugees
The humanity behind the headlines
by Anthony Castle
I remembered to speak with a friend recently. I had intended to contact them in the lead up to Refugee Week but failed. My friend is an advocate who has worked for the freedom of people seeking asylum, and migrants, for 15 years. Australian policies continue to utilise detention and deterrence against many people seeking asylum and I was hoping to ask her about the issue. I had not, however, for one simple reason; I forgot.
It seems sometimes that it is becoming easier to forget things. We live in an age of information saturation and constant disruption. Studies have found that attention spans have shortened in the last 20 years, with memory declining alongside frequent use of multiple forms of media. In many ways, the same platforms and smartphones that drive us to remember things can cause us to forget them as well.
Moving on?
While the refugee issue was once an overwhelming part of Australia’s media noise and news cycle, many seem to have moved on. The arrival of boats and failures of offshore detention were breaking news in years past. While those who arrive by boat are still threatened with, and may be subject to, mandatory detention offshore, we don’t hear about
The
ability to seek asylum is a basic human right.
it as much. While a decision by the government in 2023 enabled 19,000 refugees to apply for permanency in Australia, there are still many who have no chance to prove their refugee status. The issue never really went away.
Perhaps this has less to do with technology and as much to do with the difficulty of the issue itself. The harms of mandatory offshore detention are welldocumented, with a record of neglect, assault, child abuse, and 14 deaths. The debate is also polarising and can bring out the worst in political divisions. It might be hard to remember all this, but I wonder about what else we forget in the process.
There is a passage in Scripture, an instruction woven into the story of the Exodus: “You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt” (Exodus chapter 22, verse 21, New Living Translation).
This command exists within a particular biblical narrative, but has relevance for us, too. It instructs us to show compassion to those who come here, to work for their freedom, but also to remember that we ourselves may have similar stories. Some on these lands are First Peoples, with a sovereignty that goes back 60,000 years. Others have a story here that begins with the arrival of Europeans following colonisation or the advent of immigration following World War II. In fact, one in three current Australians
were born overseas and almost half of Australians have a parent born in another country.
The real story
I remember to speak with my friend and ask them why we forget, about those still in detention, still with no certainty, and about our own histories. There are reasons, they explain; the issue has changed over time. The debate about those seeking asylum, and specifically those arriving by boat, can harm the vulnerable. My friend suggests that the point is not to return to the days of noise and news cycles, but to remember the people seeking asylum. Not to remember the ‘refugee issue’, but to continue to remember the people at the heart of it.
This year, Refugee Week expands on its theme of Finding Freedom and we shouldn’t forget the importance of this issue. While there were fewer than five children left in immigration detention at the end of last year, there were still 979 people in these facilities and there are up to 10,000 people seeking asylum here who have no certainty or pathway forward.
The Salvation Army has long recognised that the ability to seek asylum is a basic human right, and advocates for the freedom and safety of all people. There is still work to do, no matter how hard. In an age of information saturation, let’s not forget, but focus on the real story: the humanity of those who come here, as many of us came here before them.
Stop and listen to the story
In northwest Victoria, on the banks of the Murray River, lies Mildura – a small city of under 60,000, but rich in cultural diversity. In 2023, AMES Australia reported that Mildura is home to people from around 80 nationalities, including communities from India, Iraq, Iran, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Congo and Burundi. Seasonal worker programs and refugee resettlement initiatives have helped shape this cultural melting pot.
Amid this, Sunraysia Salvos has been providing care and assistance to people from across the world who are making Mildura home.
Recently, many refugees from Afghanistan have arrived, initially supported by AMES case workers. Former Sunraysia Salvos corps officer (pastor) Major Debbie Serojales, recalls that these families began arriving in small numbers but soon became regulars at the Doorways program, which provides emergency assistance and case management.
“They don’t know how to manage funds initially, and they’re trying to start a new life,” Debbie said. “They can’t afford the rent, and everything’s expensive.”
One refugee, Sanatollah, spoke no English and
visited twice a week for fresh fruit and vegetables. On her final day at Doorways, Debbie had a profound conversation with him. For the first time, he learned she was a Christian pastor – the equivalent of a mullah in his faith. Despite their differences, they shared mutual respect.
“He said, ‘The Salvation Army for me is a place where I am safe’,” Debbie recalled.
Besides providing food, Doorways helps build lasting relationships, supporting the refugees in settling, learning to manage money, practising English, and building relationships across cultural divides. Many refugees, like Sanatollah –who spent over a decade moving through Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey – have travelled much further than just from their country of birth to Australia.
Sanatollah with Major Debbie Serojales, former Sunraysia Salvos officer (pastor).
“It’s easy to make assumptions,” Debbie said. “But they’ve come with so much more to their story. And it’s so important to make sure we take the time to stop and listen.”
– Kirralee Nicolle
Lope discovers a place of safety
I was raised in a large Christian family in Papua New Guinea (PNG).
When I was eight, my father passed away. Despite hardships, my mother loved God and took great care of us.
At 17, I moved to Port Moresby to go to a secretarial college, then to a technical college. I had a good career working for law firms and organisations across PNG.
At 21, I married and had a daughter, but I was diagnosed with a medical condition that meant I couldn’t have more children. We adopted a son from my best friend, who passed away soon after.
My marriage ended and I was devastated when my mother also passed away. I relied on my faith and family for comfort during this difficult time.
After I met my late partner, we often travelled between PNG and Australia. When he suddenly passed away, I was alone and vulnerable, facing hostility and threats on my life due to his background. I was abandoned by most of
my friends, and I fled to Australia for safety.
I applied for a protection visa, but my initial application was denied. My lawyer advised against an appeal, but my faith encouraged me to proceed alone. Eventually, I was granted the visa. I saw this as a testament to God’s faithfulness. I was led by God to forgive everyone who tried to harm and reject me.
I began volunteering at a Salvation Army store where I felt a sense of belonging. I prayed for steady work and was soon offered the role of store supervisor.
My store manager invited me to a Salvos church where I felt welcomed and supported. I joined the worship team and became a soldier (member) and then [joined] the leadership team.
Today, I am blessed with a granddaughter and two grandsons, and I find joy in giving back through my work and ministry. Through every struggle and joy, I have grown closer to God, knowing that his hand guides me toward peace and purpose. – Lope (name changed for privacy)
The Salvos regularly assist refugees and asylum seekers around the country. Stock image.
Treatment of refugees and asylum seekers
The United Nations defines a refugee as “any person who, owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his/her nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, unwilling to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country.”
Australia is party to the UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (Refugee Convention) and its Protocol, which creates minimum standards and broad obligations surrounding the fair and humane treatment of refugees. We have obligations to protect the human rights of all asylum seekers and refugees, regardless of how or where they arrive in Australia, and their visa status. We have also committed to preventing refoulement — the return
or expulsion of persons from a country they seek protection from, if their life or freedom is threatened or there is risk of irreparable harm or human rights violations upon return.
Communities that promote solidarity and diversity and that welcome multicultural communities are essential in sharing the global responsibility for all people who are displaced by violence or persecution, or who face grave dangers and cannot be protected by their own government. In the past decade, the number of people displaced from their homes worldwide has doubled, with approximately 110 million people displaced in mid-2023. Of these, 62.5 million people remain displaced within their country of nationality, and 47.8 million are seeking international protection.
47M REFUGEES ARE CHILDREN
47 million refugees are children, and 1.9 million children were born as refugees.
75 per cent of the world’s refugees and people seeking international protection are hosted by low- and middle-income countries.
WE HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
URGE ACTION FROM GOVERNMENTS
The Commonwealth Government can enact and reform legislation that promotes the fair, just and humane treatment of refugees and asylum seekers. Policies should prioritise compassion, be non-criminalising and rights-focused, and uphold international human rights obligations, including the UN Refugee Convention.
Australia can collaborate with international bodies to address global displacement issues and provide targeted assistance for those experiencing humanitarian need. This could include increasing refugee resettlement quotas and expanding complementary pathways programs to provide more opportunities for those in need of protection to access safety and security within Australia.
Governments can provide support to initiatives driven by the community that are working towards helping refugees become valued members of our communities.
WE CAN IMPLEMENT CHANGE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WORKPLACES
All organisations can foster a culture of inclusion, diversity and understanding. This
could include supporting initiatives that educate the public about the experiences of refugees and asylum seekers to counter misinformation.
In workplaces, we can create and expand opportunities for refugees and asylum seekers and implement inclusive hiring practices that recognise diverse skills and experiences. Refugees and asylum seekers have so much to offer.
Local communities can also explore sponsoring and welcoming refugee families through community refugee sponsorship programs.
WE CAN HAVE INFLUENCE IN OUR PERSONAL LIVES
As individuals, we can stay informed about the challenges faced by refugees and asylum seekers. We can minimise stigma by dispelling myths and misconceptions by educating friends, family and colleagues.
We can contribute financially, donate goods, or volunteer our time to organisations providing essential services to refugees.
AUSTRALIA RECOGNISED OR RESETTLED
180,073
REFUGEES
OVER 10 YEARS TO DEC 2022
Over the 10 years to December 2022, Australia recognised or resettled 180,073 refugees, 0.75 per cent of the global total of 23.99 million refugees recognised or resettled in that period.
Flip your focus Flip your focus
The impact of encouragement
by Major Belinda Davis
As some readers may know, I am a keen participant in parkrun. I attend this free, community-focused, volunteer-run activity most Saturday mornings. Just recently, I completed my 233rd 5km event as a park runner and my 42nd week in a row – accomplishments of which I am quite proud. Usually, I have no problem in getting up and ready for this early (for a Saturday morning) adventure. Even if I am reticent, once I am at our regular parkrun location I brighten when I see familiar faces of other members and head out on the familiar track.
This is enhanced out on the course as I like to speak words of encouragement to every other participant I see – “great job”, “keep going” and “you’ve got this”. I know how hard running or walking 5km can be, so I figure this activity needs to be acknowledged.
A few Saturdays ago, I woke feeling disinclined to emerge from the cocoon
of my warm bed to dress, and then exert significant energy for up to 40 minutes, wondering what is the point of it all? My husband encouraged me to get ready, citing that once I get moving, my viewpoint usually turns positive.
Determined gloominess
On this occasion, it did not. I felt like I had a dark cloud surrounding me. When we arrived, I didn’t want to get out of the car or speak to anyone beforehand. I was determined to, begrudgingly, just walk, get it over with and then head home.
Once the Run Director yelled “Go”, I started to run. I had resolved not to enjoy this, so I kept focusing on the negative aspects of trying to get past the slower participants in the inevitable bottleneck at the start of every parkrun event.
I wanted to remain within my force-field of gloom, so I didn’t bother with my usual encouraging interactions with others. Every step felt
like pure drudgery. Once I reach the 1.4km mark, some of the faster runners are usually heading back towards me. With each approaching ‘speed freak’, I kept my eyes downcast, refusing to make eye contact with them and therefore feel obliged to comment.
I must admit, this mindset was like wearing a physical burden that made it even more difficult to lift my feet and find some momentum. It was exhausting, truly and utterly draining. I saw it as like trying to run in a metal suit of armour, but I didn’t know how to shake free from it.
Shedding the load
At 2km, I started to see more and more familiar faces who looked almost expectantly at me for my usual comments. I chose to offer sporadic encouragement to one or two and, with each phrase, I seemed to shed a piece of the armour that had been weighing me down.
By the time I reached the 2.5km turnaround point, I was able to willingly cheer on each person that I passed, and my ability to keep moving with more intention increased. After the 3km mark, due to the course layout, I knew I wouldn’t see anyone else, and I wondered if my enthusiasm would wane, but it didn’t. I had only spent 1km (seven minutes) with this changed
mindset, but it was more than enough to sustain me to the finish line.
What was the difference? Changing my focus from my misery to others was enough to lift my mindset and propel me to complete the task. It also kept me positive for the rest of the day. It reminded me of this verse in the Bible: “So encourage each other and build each other up, just
as you are already doing,” (1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 11, New Living Translation).
The power of a genuine, positive word can not only have an impact on the person you are encouraging, but on yourself as well. It lifts spirits and makes a real difference. Why not try it today? Especially if you are having one of ‘those’ days.
Genocide survivor finds a place to belong
Creating hope through neuroscience
by Lerisse Smith
One fateful day changed the trajectory of Celestin’s life forever.
On 18 April 1994, the 15-year-old African student lost 74 of his immediate and extended family members in the Rwandan Genocide when bombs and grenades rained down on their housing compound.
“I lost my father, brother, two sisters and immediate families that had run to our place to seek protection,” he shares.
Remarkably, Celestin survived the horrific event. He escaped to 19 different places over the next three years. He traversed an unimaginable journey of pain and suffering at the hands of those who wanted to kill him, before returning to school in 1997 after peace was regained in the country. The Rwandan State Government ensured those who survived the genocide could live, and
helped support Celestin to get back on his feet.
Remarkably, one house on his family’s residential compound remained standing, so Celestin settled back into the home and started to gather young children and teenagers who had no home. He ended up caring for 16 children.
“We struggled together and went to a school supported by the State Government through the Genocide Survivors Fund,” he shares. “Among those 16 children, seven are now in the medical field, and others have completed university degrees in different fields and are married with children.”
Celestin completed high school in 2002 and then undertook a medical degree. He arrived in Cairns in 2010 after gaining refugee status with a humanitarian visa.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing at James Cook University.
Neuroscience
Celestin’s Christian family was betrayed during the genocide by a pastor they initially revered and supported. “So, from that time onwards, I hated to be called a Christian,” he says.
Having recently completed his PhD in neuroscience, Celestin is passionate about enhancing the quality of life of people worldwide who have been impacted by severe trauma.
His aim is twofold: to assist the pharmaceutical field to develop new treatments to help people cope with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and to help educate individuals about how their brains respond to persecution, war and natural disaster events. The universities of Rwanda and Queensland have expressed interest in his studies.
His brain studies revealed how the impact of highly
traumatic events could lead to deformities on the brain, especially in those aged 15 to 30.
“I want people to know that PTSD does impact the brain, that they are not going crazy, and that if people are really struggling, it’s because of the impact on their brain,” he says.
“I also want to imbue hope … that the neuroplasticity in the brain can heal itself … to a point where people can continue living their best life.”
Emotional reunion
The eventual turning point came on 18 March 2015. An aunty informed Celestin that his mother was alive, something he did not know as they became separated during the bombing.
So, he decided to pray for three days, to find out where his mother lived. A call revealed that his mum had lived in Tanzania for 21 years. She had been so traumatised by losing her family and feeling hopeless that she never wanted to think about going back to Rwanda.
It was an emotional reunion when they met. “We shed a lot of tears,” he reflects. “Because of
f A young Celestin.
Celestin (right) is prayed over as he is enrolled as a Salvation Army member of Cairns Salvos.
Cairns Salvos celebrates Celestin’s enrolment as soldier (member).
reuniting with my mum I said, Jesus is alive! That was the catalyst for me.”
Growing faith
From then on, Celestin embraced his walk with Christ and joined Cairns Salvos in 2020. His faith is now stronger than ever. “It is believing the things we cannot even see,” he says.
“I now have somewhere to belong that’s wonderful.
I lived with God in difficult times when we were being bombed, killed and persecuted. But now, living in a country like Australia where there’s opportunity, my faith is growing, and it’s because I know Jesus is there for me. God is truly amazing to me.”
For the full version of this story, go to salvosonline. org.au
Cheese and chive puffs
Ingredients
1 cup water, 125g butter, 1 cup plain flour, 4 eggs, 1 cup grated cheese, 2 tbsp chopped chives Method
Preheat oven to 200°C.
In a saucepan heat water and butter until boiling. Reduce to low heat.
Add flour and mix well. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
Add eggs to the dough one at a time, beating well after each egg.
Add cheese and chives.
Spoon mixture onto a greased baking tray and bake for 25 minutes until golden brown.
☺ Believe in Good: Tips
“If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.” – Zig Ziglar
Be a friend to someone today!
1. In 2019, Eliud Kipchoge became the first man to run a marathon in under two hours. In which European city was this?
2. Which band recorded the bestselling album Band on the Run?
3. Who plays the runner in the 1976 film Marathon Man?
4. Who played the lead role in Run Fat Boy Run?
5. Which are the fastest land mammals in the world?
On this day
9 June 1934
Donald Duck makes his film debut. The shorttempered duck, typically wearing a sailor suit, made his first film appearance in The Wise Little Hen. He is one of Walt Disney’s most famous cartoon characters. ��
�� Have a laugh
What do they serve at the runners’ training camp?
Why did the marathoner constantly play a prank on his team-mate?
�� Word search
Why was the DJ disqualified from the race?
Fast food. Because it was a running joke. Because he kept changing tracks. It ran out of juice.
Why did the orange stop running?
Why did the man with amnesia go for a run?
To jog his memory.
Tum-Tum
On which page of this week’s Salvos Magazine is Tum-Tum hiding?
✏ Answers
Tum-Tum: is hiding iunder the man’s arm on page six.
Quiz: 1. Vienna, Austria 2. Wings 3. Dustin Hoffman 4. Simon Pegg. 5. The cheetah.
Words are hidden vertically, horizontally, diagonally, forwards and backwards. Enjoy!
“I was alone as a stranger, and you welcomed Me into your homes and into your lives.”
Matthew chapter 25, verse 35b The Voice translation
