Christmas Connect Magazine 2014

The Salvation Army

Ron Wilson remembers Cyclone Tracy – 40 years on

JESSICA’S JOURNEY Support of Salvos is personal for TV star

•BILL GRANGER’S SUMMER MENU•

Need staff this Christmas?

We can help.

The Salvation Army Employment Plus are experts when it comes to matching the right people to the right jobs – and we’ll give them the training and skills to start right away.

Since 1998, our experienced employment teams have successfully worked with more than 200,000 businesses and matched more than half a million Australians to jobs.

We work with businesses to provide job screening, on-the-job mentoring and, for eligible job seekers, we can even access wage subsidies.

If you’re a job seeker, our professional staff can help you get back into the workforce. No matter what your background is, we’ve got the people and the programs to help. We know where the local jobs are, and we’ll help you find them.

Call 136 123 or visit employmentplus.com.au

Commissioner's message From the desk of The Salvation Army’s leader

cover story

08

Cutting through the bling Jessica Rowe shares how her support for The Salvation Army stems from her battle with postnatal depression.

W

hat are you doing for Christmas? It’s a common topic of conversation at this time of year. Inevitably, people will describe their plans to visit a parent’s house, drive to a family holiday destination or prepare for a gathering at their own home.

It’s amazing to consider that, more than 2000 years since its inception, the advent of Christmas is still so powerful that in almost every country across the globe, people will put on hold their ordinary routines and take time out to connect with loved ones.

Christmas is about connection.

At The Salvation Army, we know something special happens when humans connect with one another. It’s the way we are designed to live – in community. Our expressions of connection are as varied as a group of mothers sharing a cuppa at a local Salvation Army playgroup, to a Salvo Care Line volunteer sharing in the heartbreak of a distressed caller with no-one else to turn to. We know this world can be an isolating place and we want to make sure no-one has to go it alone.

Why?

features

06 The Ham Family

For the last 17 years one family has volunteered at The Salvation Army’s Christmas Day lunch for lonely and disadvantaged people in Sydney, writes Lauren Martin.

12

This Christmas, I encourage you to take the time to truly connect. With your family, your loved ones, your Creator.

And we invite you to connect with us at The Salvation Army. Celebrate with us at one of our many carols events and Christmas Day services, join us as a volunteer or guest at our Christmas connect lunches or partner with us by donating to our Christmas appeal.

Laughter in the midst of tears Connect’s Naomi Singlehurst discovers how a family found joy last Christmas while faced with devastating circumstances through the help of The Salvation Army.

14

Because all those years ago, when God so loved the world that he sent his only son, Jesus – born on the first Christmas Day – he did so out of an overwhelming desire to connect with us. God created us, he loves us, and he wants us to live in connection with him and with those around us.

Christmas in full bloom Janelle Bloom, television chef and presenter for Ready, Steady, Cook, shares her own recipes you can use on your table this Christmas.

James Condon Commissioner The Salvation Army NSW, ACT and Qld “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, English Standard Version).

If you would like to provide feedback about this magazine, email communications@aue.salvationarmy.org The Salvation Army I WILLIAM BOOTH, Founder I International Headquarters, 101 Queen Victoria street London EC4P 4EP I André Cox, General NSW, ACT and Qld, 140 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000 I James Condon, Commissioner, Territorial Commander Bruce Harmer, Major, Communications and Public Relations Secretary I Editor, Esther Pinn I Contributors, Lauren Martin, Benjamin Moyes, Bill Simpson, Naomi Singlehurst, Bill Granger, Janelle Bloom, Lyn Beasy, Kristen Hartnett, Sue Elliott, Captain Sandy MacDonald and Lieutenant-Colonel Miriam Gluyas.

Connect graphic design, John Eadie and Emma Park I Kids Connect graphic design, Emma Park I Connect cover photo, Adam Hollingworth Kids Connect cover photo, Shairon Paterson I Connect and Kids Connect are a publications of the Communications Team I Editorial and correspondence: Address: PO Box A435, Sydney South NSW 1235 I Phone: (02) 9266 9690 I salvos.org.au I Email: communications@aue.salvationarmy.org Published for: The Salvation Army, NSW, ACT and Qld, by Commissioner James Condon Printed by: Satellite Digital, F37/16 Mars Road, Lane Cove West, NSW, 2066

101-year-old Salvo, Ruth Gluyas, still collects for The Salvation Army’s Christmas Appeal.

Photo: Philip Sutcliffe

istmas r h C t a re ays the w l a s Salvo •The twenTIES•

In 1926 The Salvation Army packed and handed out food hampers to needy families.

Photos courtesy of The Salvation Army Heritage Centre

04 / Connect 2014

•The FORTIES•

During World War Two The Salvation Army distributed Christmas gifts to our troops.

Bicycles were used by Salvation Army pastors for rural ministry.

At Christmas they would be loaded up with gifts and hampers for delivery to isolated homesteads.

WORLD-WIDE The Salvation Army has been bringing Christmas cheer to people for ALMOST 150 years through singing carols, present and hamper distribution and Christmas luncheons. Ruth Gluyas, a 101-year-old Salvo who still collects for the Christmas and Red Shield Appeals each year, shares her memories

I

come from a family of nine – there were three girls and six boys. My father died when I was one year and 10 months old. I know my mother had to be very careful about spending money as there was not a lot – but there was always something at Christmas time.

At this time a couple of my brothers were away working in the mines, but they always came home for Christmas and it was a wonderful family time. I remember at least two white Christmases in Ballarat when we went outside and made snowmen!

After a while, my mother remarried. I can remember her making Christmas pudding, which she tied in a cloth and hung in our dairy.

In my early teens I would sing carols all night with others from The Salvation Army in Ballarat. We left the church hall at about 10pm on Christmas Eve on the back of a truck. We would then drive around singing, playing instruments and tambourines until about 5 o’clock on Christmas morning. We would end up at the home of someone from the Salvos for breakfast.

We had poultry, so there was always nice roast duck. We had pigs as well and I remember my step-father sending us kids up the road while he killed one for our roast pork. They would squeal something dreadful and dad didn’t want us to hear.

There was always fresh vegetables from our garden and mum would make fresh cream from our cows. I also remember mum getting the train into Melbourne to buy our Christmas presents – one present each. I can remember getting a doll one year and one of my sisters receiving a hair brush.

When I was about 10, our family moved to Ballarat as my oldest brother was stationed there as a Salvation Army pastor.

My mother loved all the children in our street. The week before Christmas every year we would make cakes and she would invite every child for a party at our place. She made sure she had a lolly for every child.

Although there was only ever one present each for us on Christmas Day, there was always a Christmas tree in our home which we decorated with ripped up newspaper.

A COMMITTED VOLUNTEER Ruth has been a faithful Salvation Army volunteer since those early days. Every year she collects for the Christmas and Red Shield Appeals with a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye.

“It’s great to be able to go and collect and have the opportunity to meet people in the community. We can show the community that we care, because we do,” says Ruth.

“My favourite part about collecting is thinking about all the good that will be done with the money, and the people in need that it is going to help.”

Go to salvos.org.au to find out more about The Salvation Army’s services.

over a century of caring · Recovery Services: 500 people cared for each week* · Aged Care Plus: 2,600 elderly residents cared for each day* · Welfare assistance: on average 1,500 homes assisted each week* · Christmas gift items: over 52,000 distributed in 2013* · Homeless services: 15,800 people accommodated each year* · Domestic violence: 1,100 women helped each year* · Employment Plus: 20,000 job vacancies filled each year · Family Tracing: 1,500 people located each year

· Salvo Care Line: 80,000 calls taken each year · Youth support: over 240 young people cared for each week* · Salvos Counselling: 2,300 people supported each year* · Financial counselling: over 6,400 people receive help each year* · Small loans: over 300 people receive loans each year* · Chaplaincy: over 31,000 people speak to a chaplain each year* * NSW, ACT and Qld only

•The SEVENTIES•

•The EIGHTIES•

•today•

When Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin in 1974, Salvos and volunteers spent Christmas Day packing food parcels for those affected.

Toy runs have always been part of The Salvation Army’s Christmas history. Here, Majors Hyde and Jenkins accept donated toys from members of a motorcycle club in 1982.

The Salvation Army has been singing Christmas carols in local communities for 150 years. Every year, Salvos perform at the Sydney Carols in The Domain event, raising money for The Salvation Army.

We’re about people finding freedom / 05

Hayley (left), who has been volunteering for the Salvos at Christmas since she was 15, continues the family tradition by now including her 18-month daughter, Adabelle.

Above all the commercial hype, Christmas is primarily a time that we spend with our loved ones.

But some Australians are choosing to connect with strangers at Christmas through selfless acts of volunteering

By Lauren Martin • Photos: Adam Hollingworth

06 / Connect 2014

M

eet the “Ham Family”, affectionately named for 17 years of volunteer service carving Christmas hams for The Salvation Army Sydney Streetlevel Christmas lunch.

There’s Brian, the dad, who carves the bones and fat away; Lynda, the mum, who slices the de-boned chunks, with Hayley (daughter), Dave (son-in-law) and – the newest “Ham Family” addition – Hayley and David’s 18-month-old daughter, Adabelle.

“We don’t just cut the hams,” laughs Lynda, referring to the 250kg of ham and pork products that are generously donated each year by NSW Farmers and Australian Pork Limited. “We’ve cut up pork and turkey, cooked crackling, and prepared puddings and salads – we do whatever needs to be done. As a family we feel it is really important to help.”

It was this motivation that led retired school teachers, Lynda and Brian, and their daughter Hayley (then 15 years old), to get in touch with The Salvation Army in 1997. They were encouraged to help with preparations for the annual Christmas luncheon, an event that has grown from small beginnings in the late ’90s to now hosting 1200 lonely and disadvantaged people every Christmas Day.

The Sydney Streetlevel Christmas luncheon caters for 1200 people at Sydney Technology Park. Photo: Rachel Poon

“I think all of us look forward to it every year,” says Hayley.

“It’s enjoyable and it’s just part of that couple of days of celebration where you can sit and take some time out and be grateful for everything that you have … and try and do something for other people.”

“As a family we feel it is really important to help.”

Brian has mastered the art of carving a ham, a skill he uses every year when volunteering at the Salvos annual Christmas lunch in Sydney.

It’s one of many Christmas events that The Salvation Army runs across the country to bring hope and connection to those in need.

For Hayley, now 32, the experience of volunteering has been life-changing. “I do remember our very first year,” she says, referring to the luncheon that was then held at The Salvation Army’s Oasis Youth Support Network for homeless and disadvantaged young people. “It was a very different world to the northern suburbs of Sydney [where the family lived], and quite confronting in a few ways.”

She hasn’t missed a year since – one year flying back from a Queensland holiday early to attend, and last year she and husband Dave took their new baby daughter, Adabelle, with them. In 2013, Lynda and Brian, who are in their 60s, decided to volunteer closer to home and now spend Christmas Eve preparing for celebrations at The Salvation Army’s church in Manly.

The Salvation Army’s Robyn Evans, who currently runs the Sydney Streetlevel Christmas luncheon, says being able to count on volunteers like the “Ham Family” is essential to its success.

“Our volunteers are priceless. We couldn’t serve the community without them, especially at Christmas. Their spirit of generosity and service is never to be undervalued,” she says. “The ongoing service of people like Lynda and Brian has been truly appreciated and had a generational impact as we now see their children and grandchildren coming along to help us. What a great legacy to gift the community at Christmas.”

The Salvation Army’s Streetlevel Mission is located in Sydney and Brisbane. The inner-city sites offer a range of services to the community including emergency assistance, Centrelink support, a food market, cooking classes, community breakfasts and church services.

Salvation Army Christmas lunches are held at these locations and across Australia. To find times and locations closest to you, please go to salvos.org.au/Christmas salvos.org.au/Christmas / 07

Cutting

through

the

08 / Connect 2014

Television personality Jessica Rowe speaks candidly with LAUREN MARTIN about her support of The Salvation Army which stems from her battle with mental health issues

Photos: Adam Hollingworth

A

t first glance, Jessica Rowe is all glitz and sparkles. In fact, she has said, “You can never have enough sparkles on your clothes or in your life”. Her playful pink hair, sparkly nail-polish, bright lipstick smile and easy laugh can see her plonked into one of those golden-girl stereotypes.

But Jessica Rowe doesn’t like stereotypes, nor the judgement that precedes them. “What I’ve always loved about the Salvos is that there’s no judgement. It’s just, ‘What can we do and how can we help you?’” she says. “I can’t help but be moved by that.”

The 44-year-old mother of two knows first-hand the judgement that people can so easily pass. She’s worked her entire career in front of a television camera, open to the comments and criticism that simple things such as a change in hair colour can bring. “As a society we are very quick to judge. We are quick to blame, we’re quick to sort of go, ‘Oh it’s their fault, it’s their problem, what’s their issue?’”

Although she grew up in an incredibly loving, supportive family, she often dealt with the stigma of having a mother who suffers with bipolar disorder. As an adult, Jessica has been a passionate mental health advocate and even co-authored a book with her mother about her family’s experience with mental illness.

Yet when she herself suffered post-natal depression after the birth of her first daughter, Allegra, in 2007, she still found it incredibly shameful to speak out about it.

“That really shocked me,” she says. “Because I thought, ‘If I feel ashamed – someone who has plenty of support around me, I understand mental health issues, I know where to go where to get help, I have the economic means to get help – if I have all of that in my corner, and I still feel ashamed, how hard is it for some people who don’t have even one of those things in their corner?’”

She could have kept up appearances, kept up the pretence of being a mum who “had it all together”, but deep down she knew what she had to do. “It was initially so difficult to be so open about my own personal experience with post-natal depression but I realised that if I didn’t I would be a hypocrite.”

So despite the stigma, she did speak out, and in a very personal way. And it’s that honesty that draws people to her.

With thousands of Twitter followers, readers of her blog and books and viewers of Channel 10’s morning talk show, Studio 10, Jessica Rowe’s love of life and candour about even those hard-to-talk-about bits, is what really cuts through the bling.

Jessica says she has a messy house. She’s disorganised.

She does school pick-up, folds the laundry, helps with the homework. She has good days, she has bad days, and she’s not afraid to admit that at times she feels like a failure.

For a strikingly beautiful, “has it all” television star, Jessica Rowe is heart-warmingly normal! “Yes, of course I am!” she laughs. “And I think too I’m just honest … I’m just me.” >>>

We’re about people finding freedom / 09

Keeping Christmas Simple This Christmas will be a simple affair for Studio 10 personality Jessica Rowe, her husband, Channel 9 reporter Peter Overton, and their two children, Allegra and Giselle. But that’s just the way they like it. “What very much Peter and I try to do is keep it low key,” she says.

“I think Christmas can be a very difficult time because there’s this pressure for it to be the most amazing day, for everyone to get along well, for the kids to have great presents, for it just to be magnificent – when for a lot of people it’s not that. It’s a very stressful time and when your life doesn’t fit the picture-postcard it can be even harder.”

Jessica can vividly remember spending long chunks of her childhood Christmases in the car.

Her parents divorced when she was quite young and Christmas was always spent going between each family: “and that’s just stressful!”

So on Christmas morning, Jessica and Peter have some family around, the kids play with their cousins, later in the day some friends might pop in ... no traditions have to be met, no “certain foods” have to be cooked, it’s simply a day to rejoice with family and share in their kids’ sense of magic and excitement.

“It’s an opportunity to get together and celebrate how blessed we are to have one another. And mangos – I always think of mangos at Christmas.”

Some props from the cover photo were sourced from Salvos Stores.

Go to salvos.org.au/stores to shop online or find your nearest store.

10 / Connect 2014

She’s relishing her most recent role as a presenter on Studio 10. After 10 years reading the news, her passion, humour and personality are finally hitting centrestage. Sitting alongside her co-presenters, Ita Buttrose, Joe Hildebrand and Sarah Harris, Jessica is free to speak out on issues she’s passionate about.

“I feel so lucky to finally have that opportunity because I think there’s a lot of issues that we often don’t talk enough about because they can be difficult, they can be confronting and challenging. But we need to, if we’re going to move forward as a compassionate country, we need to have sometimes difficult discussions about what is happening, about what reality is for many people and how we can fix it.”

Supporting The Salvation Army is one way Jessica is trying to address the social issues that she is strongly committed to. She is also Patron of the Mental Health Council of Australia and an ambassador for Beyond Blue – a national initiative to raise awareness of anxiety and depression.

She can always remember her mum encouraging her and her siblings to always support the Salvos. “I know that the work that The Salvation Army has done supporting people with mental health issues is pretty incredible too, so that was another thing that’s drawn me to them over the years,” she says. “There [are] a whole lot of people who, through no fault of their own, do not get the same chance in life [that I’ve had]. And to me, that’s not right and that’s not fair.

“And I know life isn’t meant to be fair but we have to in some way redress the balance and so I suppose that’s why I have always been passionate about social justice issues. And what the Salvos do is that they look at ways to redress that balance and to give people who have not had that fair start in life that we all deserve; they come up with ways to try and give them a chance.”

Jessica Rowe’s life experiences, as hard as they have been, have helped her develop a compassionate soul and an empathetic heart. Rather than being bitter, she feels blessed to be able to connect with and encourage people who are hurting by sharing her own heartaches, her own struggles and the ups and downs of being an incredibly busy mother, wife and TV personality.

“You never learn about either yourself, or life, when things are great because you don’t have to, you can just sort of cruise and skate along,” she reflects.

“But the reality is, life can be pretty ... [terrible] at different times! But that’s when you learn what you’re made of [and] what matters.”

If you need help this Christmas, call Salvo Care Line, day or night on 1300 36 36 22.

Help your Community When you shop at your local Family Store, all proceeds go towards transforming lives in your local community.

Your support helps the Salvos provide much-needed services to Australians who are doing it tough.

Go to salvos.org.au/get-involved/shop-with-us to find your nearest Family Store.

Family Stores

Paul (top left), his wife Hazel and their two children with presents they were given by The Salvation Army.

Laughter O in the midst of tears

ver the past four years, Hazel has been forced to endure the pain of watching her husband Paul go from an outgoing, loving family man and provider, to dependent and childlike.

Paul has terminal brain cancer and is living on borrowed time.

A strong and determined woman, Hazel has had to become his full-time carer, basically operating as a sole parent and struggling to cope on a markedly reduced income. Worst of all, she says, is seeing the effect it has had on her two children.

By Naomi Singlehurst • Photos: Adam Hollingworth

In late 2009, the bottom fell out of the world for Hazel, Paul and their children, aged six and eight at the time. Paul, a long-haul truck driver, started complaining of tiredness and, after a series of tests, was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Surgery on the extremely rare lymphoma followed. Then chemotherapy. There was an encouraging period of recovery, but then came more bad news. A second tumour on his frontal lobe was discovered.

The couple was told it was terminal but that treatment might buy Paul six to 12 months. Four years on Paul is miraculously still alive, but requires Hazel’s full-time care. She explains that today he is much like a dementia patient, or a child. “Some days are harder than others,” Hazel says. “You see such a change from the person he was when we married. It’s just hard to watch.”

One of the greatest heartbreaks for Hazel is knowing the effect the trauma has had on their children. “Our boy is ADHD with slight autism and he has some receptive language difficulty,” she says. “We’ve been honest with him right from the beginning and he struggles with the idea of death.

12 / Connect 2014

Hazel’s two children came home smiling after attending The Salvation Army’s Red Shield Summer Camp at The Collaroy Centre.

Major Ian Channell, from The Salvation Army’s Maitland City church, gave a helping hand to Hazel and her family during a difficult time last Christmas.

Hazel says she is overwhelmed by the generosity shown to her family.

“For me to see my kids smile, to know that they’re having some fun and that they’re just being kids—that’s the most important thing.

For a week, they had no worries in the world.”—Hazel.

“Paul wants to be cremated and his ashes taken out to sea because he loved diving. But our son really struggles with that and asks his dad ‘why’ and ‘how am I going to visit you?’.

He struggles with that emotionally and he struggles with schooling, so he has his hard times.

“Our daughter will talk about her dad dying, saying that when he dies he’s always going to be in her heart, or watching down on her.”

The family’s much-reduced income was initially liveable. But Hazel says bills started to mount up. Hazel never asked for help, but her mother, aware her daughter was struggling, finally rang The Salvation Army just before last Christmas.

“I felt like I was failing as a mother, as a parent, and as a wife,” says Hazel.

At the same time, Hazel and Paul were treated with a stay at The Salvation Army’s cottage at Budgewoi on the NSW Central Coast. A member of the Maitland Salvation Army church works at Port Waratah Coal Services, which generously donated $500 to cover some of the family’s costs at this time.

Hazel says that care made a massive difference, but the joy the kids experienced at camp was priceless. “They absolutely loved it. They went to the beach, Wet’n’Wild, Taronga Park Zoo and the aquarium,” says Hazel. “They absolutely loved the whole experience. They’ve had to see so much. Their dad isn’t like other dads and it’s hard for them both.”

“Towards Christmas time I was thinking, ‘I don’t know what I’m going to do, I’ve just got nothing to give these kids’. In the past, we always had nice little bits for Christmas.”

Asked why such a relatively small thing can make such a difference when life is so hard, Hazel smiles, but starts to cry. Stumbling a little to find words, she says: “It just makes me happy. It just takes a load off my shoulders knowing that they’ve had fun.

Major Ian Channell, from The Salvation Army’s Maitland City church, organised some food and toys for the family. He also arranged for the family to have some time away. The children attended The Salvation Army’s Red Shield Summer Camp at Collaroy, on Sydney’s northern beaches.

“They’ve realised there are other children that have had a hard life as well and they’re not the only ones. I’ll be telling all my friends when Red Shield comes up that the kids went on that camp because people donated. It meant they could smile again and just enjoy being kids for a week.”

Email collaroy@collaroycentre.org.au to find out more information about The Salvation Army’s Red Shield camps.

Go to salvos.org.au/Christmas to donate to The Salvation Army. salvos.org.au/Christmas / 13

Connecting over food this Christmas

with Janelle Bloom

Photos: Ben Dearnley; Steve Brown and Benito Martin

I just love Christmas and the summer holiday season. It’s the time of year when I wind down from my heavy work schedule to spend quality time with family and friends. Every gathering revolves around food, as you can imagine. Lots of planning goes into our Christmas day-night. Everyone contributes to the feast which is why it’s so special. And the leftovers, of which may feed an army, never go to waste – these are shared around, too. From my family to yours, Merry Christmas.

CHRISTMAS STUFFED ROAST CHICKEN Serves 8

Ingredients 250g packet SunRice Microwave long grain rice 150g rindless bacon, chopped 1/3 cup pistachio nuts, toasted, chopped ½ cup dried craisins ¾ cup grated tasty cheese ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped 4 green onions, chopped 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 lemons, halved 2x2kg fresh chicken, cleaned

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C fan forced. Tip the rice into a large bowl, use your fingers to separate the grains.

Put the bacon into a frying pan over medium heat, cook, stirring often for 3-4 minutes until light golden.

Add to the rice with pistachio nuts, craisins, cheese, parsley, green onions, 2 tablespoons of the oil and juice of 1 lemon. Season well with salt and pepper, mix well.

2. Spoon rice mixture into cavity of the chickens, tie legs together to secure. Rub chickens all over with remaining oil, season well.

3. Put side by side into a lightly grease large roasting pan with the remaining lemon. Roast, for 1¼-1½ hours or until cooked through. Stand for 15 minutes before carving and serving.

Tip

Cooking your own chicken is way cheaper (and much nicer) than purchasing the barbeque variety. When you go to buy your chickens always compare the fresh price with the frozen one. Often one is far cheaper than the other. If you purchase frozen chickens, remove them from the wrapper and place onto a tray, allow 1-2 days to thaw in the fridge.

14 / Connect 2014

POTATO SALAD WITH SPRING GREENS Serves 8, as a side

Ingredients 1.5kg Baby Cream Delight potatoes, unpeeled 1 cup fresh or frozen broad beans 1 cup fresh or frozen peas 6 green onions, thinly sliced 100g snow pea tendrils or baby spinach 125g feta, crumbled ½ cup flaked almonds, toasted Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper Mint dressing 2/3 cup crème fraiche or Greek yoghurt 2 lemons, juiced 1/3 cup firmly packed mint leaves

Method 1. Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Add a good pinch salt. Cover and bring to the boil over high heat. Remove the lid and cook for 15 minutes or until just tender when tested with a skewer. Meanwhile, if you’re using fresh broad beans and peas, remove them from their pods.

2. Bring a small saucepan of salted water to the boil and add the fresh or frozen broad beans and peas. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until bright green. Drain and refresh in bowl of ice-cold water.

Drain and pat dry with paper towel. Using kitchen scissors, snip outer skin of broad beans and pop the bean from the skin, discarding skins.

3. Drain the potatoes and set aside for 10 minutes. Cut in half and place into a large bowl. Add beans, peas and the green onions.

4. To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend or process until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the warm potatoes and toss gently to coat. Allow to cool to room temperature.

5. Add the snow pea tendrils or spinach, feta and almonds, toss gently, season with salt and pepper and serve.

Tip

Crème fraîche is the French equivalent of sour cream. It’s slightly acidic with a texture more like light sour cream. The great thing about crème fraîche is it can be used for sweet or savoury, it can be whipped like cream and does not split or curdle when heated.

For Janelle’s delicious cherry brownie cheesecake recipe, go to salvos.org.au/Christmas

We’re about people finding freedom / 15

Mouthwatering recipesfor

summer

Self-taught chef, food writer and owner of restaurants in Sydney and overseas, Bill Granger shares simple recipes you can enjoy in your own backyard this summer

16 / Connect 2014

Photos: Kristin Perers

BAKED RICOTTA & ROAST NECTARINE CHUTNEY

Method

Serves 6 as part of a spread

2. For the chutney, place the nectarines on a baking sheet and top with the onion, chillies, mustard seeds, spices and sugar. Roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden and softened. Squeeze over the lime juice and set aside.

Ingredients For the roast nectarine chutney 6 nectarines, stones removed, cut into large wedges 1 large red onion, sliced 2 red chillies, sliced 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds 1 teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon ground allspice 3 tablespoons soft brown sugar Juice of 1 lime For the ricotta: ½ teaspoon coriander seeds ½ teaspoon fennel seeds 500g ricotta cheese 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.

3. For the ricotta, lightly toast the coriander and fennel seeds in a frying pan over a low heat, until their aroma is released. Stir into a bowl with the ricotta and olive oil. Take 2x30cm square pieces of baking paper and lay them on top of each other at different angles. Spoon the ricotta into the centre. Gather the paper to form a parcel and secure with string. Put on a baking tray and cook for 20 minutes, taking care the paper doesn’t come into contact with the top of the oven.

4. To serve, untie the parcel and drizzle with olive oil. Enjoy on naan with the roast nectarine chutney.

SPINACH & POTATO TARTS Serves 6 as part of a spread

Ingredients 800g new potatoes 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to drizzle 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds 6 curry leaves 2 garlic cloves, chopped 2cm ginger, grated 200g baby spinach 325g packet ready-rolled all butter puff pastry 5 tablespoons Greek-style yoghurt 1 green chilli, sliced ½ teaspoon chilli flakes

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with plenty of cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes or until just tender. Drain in a colander and leave to cool for a few minutes. Put on a board and cut into bite-sized pieces.

2. Place a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat.

Add the oil and, when hot, add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring, until their aromas are released. Stir in the potatoes and season with salt, then fold through the spinach. Cook until the spinach is just wilted, then set aside.

3. Unroll the pastry onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Use a sharp knife to cut it into 6 equal squares, then mark a 1cm border around each one, being careful not to go all the way through to the base. Bake for 15 minutes, until cooked.

4. Spread a thick layer of yoghurt at the base of each pastry case. Pile the potato and spinach mixture on top. Scatter with the fresh and dried chillies, and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Return to the oven for 8-10 minutes, until golden.

CHICKEN & TOASTED RICE LARB

Ingredients

Method

Serves 6 as part of a spread

1 tablespoon jasmine rice 1 garlic clove, chopped 1 lemon grass stalk, white only, finely chopped 1 green chilli, chopped 2 tablespoons light-flavoured oil 500g chicken mince 3 spring onions, finely sliced 2 teaspoons caster sugar 2 tablespoons fish sauce 4 tablespoons lime juice, plus wedges to serve 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes, plus extra to serve 1 kaffir lime leaf, finely sliced 2 cos lettuce, broken into leaves bunch coriander, leaves picked

1. Toast the rice in a small, dry frying pan over a medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly until the rice is lightly toasted.

Transfer to a pestle and mortar (or a food processor) and pound until finely crushed. Remove and set aside. Bash the garlic, lemon grass and chilli to a paste.

2. Heat a wok over a high heat, add the oil and, when hot, add the mince and spring onion. Cook until the mince is browned. Remove the wok from the heat, add the garlic and chilli paste, sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, chilli flakes and lime leaf, and stir to combine.

3. To serve, pile the larb onto a big platter and sprinkle with ground rice and extra lime wedges, put the crisp lettuce leaves in another dish and the coriander in a third; let your guests dig in and make themselves a larb parcel on their plate. Serve with extra dried chilli flakes. salvos.org.au/Christmas / 17

Overcoming loneliness at Christmas Christmas is usually seen as a time to celebrate but for some, particularly the aged, it can bring up feelings of grief, loss and loneliness, writes LYN BEASY

L

evels of loneliness are on the rise in our society, with nearly a third of Australians professing to be lonely at any one time.

The hardest-hit group tends to be the elderly, with symptoms of loneliness often most extreme at Christmas time. This can be due to the large number of bereavements in an older person’s life, ill health, immobility or isolation from family. And loneliness in the elderly is known to have a negative impact on health and overall wellbeing.

Helping others with loneliness, especially at Christmas, needs to become a community issue. We all need to be more conscious of connecting with our more elderly citizens who are alone or experiencing loneliness. When we are lonely, the last person we want to spend time with is ourselves.

One way to alleviate loneliness is taking the step to reach out to others. A simple way of connecting is to check in and say hello to isolated neighbours, particularly if they are elderly.

Offer to do some shopping for them while you’re out. Organise a group of friends to visit their local aged-care centre and sing a few carols, help decorate for the festive season, or leave some small care parcels for each resident.

being alone without being lonely, of being happily alone. It’s a positive and constructive state of engagement with oneself.”

Sometimes, we need to tune out the “noise” in our lives, like those offered by social media, to reconnect with ourselves and with others in more meaningful ways. Seeking solitude requires taking the journey inward to discover who we are and beginning to accept ourselves for who we are. We can then move outward towards connecting to others in a more satisfying and fulfilling way.

Christmas can be a deeply spiritual time. This season allow yourself those moments of solitude where you can find inner peace and contentment as you contemplate the wonder of who you are in Christ, without comparison. Instead of hiding from the world, turn to Jesus who, having suffered the pain of rejection himself, understands our hurts and need for relationship. The Christmas message means God reaching out to us, right where we are, to be our best friend.

Instead of standing on the outside looking in, come into his presence and the warmth of fellowship with him. As our Lord and Saviour, he offers us a life of hope and a release from the hurt of loneliness.

Be aware that, for some people who feel isolated, joining into someone else‘s Christmas festivities can often highlight what they don’t have. Being alone doesn’t have to equate with being lonely, as being alone some of the time is essential for our mental wellbeing. So don’t be offended if they decline an offer to join your Christmas Day lunch.

If you are feeling lonely this Christmas or need help, you can call Salvo Care Line, day or night on 1300 36 36 22. The Salvation Army has a professional counselling service with locations across NSW, ACT and Qld. Go to salvoscounselling.salvos.org.au

The flip side to being alone is to seek solitude. In his book Solitude (2011), Simon Parke writes, “Solitude is the state of

By Lyn Beasy Salvation Army consultant psychologist

18 / Connect 2014

Ageing is a fact of life and The Salvation Army Aged Care Plus affordable Home and Community Care Services can help your loved one stay at home as long as possible.

Call 1300 111 227 today to talk about our options. www.agedcareplus.salvos.org.au

By Bill Simpson

Ron Wilson’s long association with The Salvation Army started 40 years ago in the aftermath of Cyclone Tracy.

Photo: Shairon Paterson

F

News presenter Ron Wilson has never forgotten the generosity he experienced from The Salvation Army in the aftermath of Cyclone Tracy

orty years ago this Christmas Day, Cyclone Tracy roared through Darwin destroying Australia’s northern-most city.

Sixty-five people died, hundreds were injured and 30,000 of Darwin’s 49,000 population were left homeless.

National television and radio news presenter Ron Wilson – then a 20-year-old radio rookie – and his family survived the cyclone, but lost their home and everything else.

The Salvation Army were there providing crisis support for Ron and his family. The shared experience launched a close relationship between Ron and The Salvation Army. In the 40 years that have followed, Ron has remained a supporter of The Salvation Army.

20 / Connect 2014

Ron has been the face and voice of many Salvation Army promotional events, including Red Shield Appeal launches, and has made personal appearances to promote the work of The Salvation Army.

He says he will always make himself available to support the Salvos because of what they did for him and his family in Tracy’s aftermath.

Ron and his family – parents and one brother – had been living in Darwin for four years before Tracy struck. They had immigrated to Australia from Northern Ireland, living first in Melbourne and then Darwin.

He was acutely aware of the coming cyclone as Christmas 1974 approached. Ron was an announcer working on Darwin’s

8DN radio station. He had been broadcasting warnings for several days.

But Tracy was far more ferocious than first anticipated. The Wilson family home was just one street back from the beach on Darwin’s most northern suburb. It took a direct hit. As early morning Christmas Day winds intensified and their house shook, Ron and his family sought refuge beneath mattresses on the lounge-room floor.

Agonising hours passed as they heard the horrid sounds of smashing glass and stripping of timber. As they reappeared from beneath the mattresses, they discovered their home was gone.

Even today, Ron finds it difficult to retell the story. It still emits strong emotion. “Within 24 hours of Tracy’s havoc, The Salvation Army was on the streets,” Ron remembers.

“Simple things; but things we needed right then and there … food, clothes, a helping hand … a smile and encouragement to keep going,” he says.

arranged for mum and me to travel to Wollongong, where we were met by a Salvation Army officer, who had rented us a unit and paid the first month’s rent.”

“The unit building was brand new. It was probably better accommodation than I had ever lived in before. Not only that, but it was furnished – all brand new furniture. Never once was I asked to fill out a form, prove my need or given a lecture.

“It was just friendship and help. Eventually, we rebuilt our family and our lives. And that is why I will always do whatever, whenever, for the Salvos.”

“The Salvos stuck it out with us in the miserable conditions with no electricity, no running water, no sewerage facilities, in the oppressively humid heat and drizzling rain in the weeks that followed.”

Within two months, Ron and his mother were on an evacuation flight to Sydney. His father remained in Darwin to help rebuild, while his brother had left for Canberra and university enrolment.

The only possessions Ron and his mother had on arrival in Sydney were the clothes they were wearing and a few more in a small bag.

“As ever, the Salvos were at Sydney Airport when we touched down,” Ron says. “We spent the next six weeks at the East Hills migrant hostel. It was a very frustrating time – no money of our own, no job, no friends; just bad memories.

“It was just friendship and help. Eventually, we rebuilt our family and our lives. And that is why I will always do whatever, whenever, for the Salvos.”

Ron has since had a highly successful media career, including a 30-year association with Channel 10 as news presenter on the national breakfast program and evening news, and presenting news broadcasts on several Sydney radio stations.

He is currently breakfast newsreader on the NOVA FM national radio network.

“The Salvos seemed well aware of the risk of depression and through their daily visits encouraged us on all of the positives that lay ahead.

“Salvation Army officers [pastors] visited us every day, without fail. Each day they handed us a $20 bill. It doesn’t sound like much today, but it was enough for treats like a bar of chocolate. It also allowed me to work a nearby public phone into overtime trying to track down a job.”

Ron was successful in finding a radio job at Wollongong station 2WL (now WaveFM). “A week later, the Salvos

We’re about people finding freedom / 21

G I F T S

F R O M

T H E

S K Y

For years Simon and Natalie Steele lived “the great Australian dream”—a house on the water, barbeques with family and friends and their fair-haired kids growing up splashing in the surf. Christmas Day always involved a swim—or two, or three! But six years ago, the family’s world dramatically changed when they felt a calling to the skies, writes LAUREN MARTIN

N

ow ministers with The Salvation Army, Lieutenants Simon and Natalie Steele admit they weren’t looking for a lifestyle change, but, as it would turn out, God had other plans. The Salvation Army was looking for new Outback Flying Chaplains, and Simon was a qualified pilot.

“We saw the role as a great opportunity,” says Natalie of the family’s snap decision to move to Mount Isa in outback Queensland. “We came into it with a sense of adventure, knowing it’s a season in our life and that it’s God’s place for us.”

Natalie says it’s been a huge change. The lack of mobile phone coverage, internet and shopping malls in the city of 21,000 people certainly makes for a simpler lifestyle than that experienced by families in larger, urban cities.

No time is this more evident than at Christmas. Instead of a “mad-rush” to get all the shopping and preparations done, the Steeles say that the closer it gets to Christmas in Mount Isa, the quieter the city becomes. “It’s very much about a time of resting and being together, it’s a winding-down time,” Natalie explains.

The Steeles spend much of December in a Robinson 66 Turbine helicopter, delivering presents to disadvantaged children in remote indigenous communities and farmers on isolated properties, and Christmas hampers to schools in isolated communities.

Simon says his favourite part is being able to share the real meaning of Christmas with the kids: “I always teach them about

Throughout December Lieutenants Natalie (left) and Simon Steele bring smiles to children’s faces by delivering gifts to children living in isolated regions in Queensland.

Photo: Adam Hollingworth

22 / Connect 2014

giving and receiving and the joy of that, and about the story of Jesus and the story of how God gave his wonderful gift.”

Each child is given a gift (donated through The Salvation Army Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal) and after that they are given the opportunity to select a second present – one they can give to a friend or family member.

The Christmas visits last all day and are enjoyable for both children and adults. There are games, special food and squeals of excitement as the helicopter arrives and departs.

“The kids are a real delight,” says Natalie. “They love seeing Simon coming in with the chopper and making lots of noise and raising the dust.”

On the flight home, Simon and Natalie watch the colours of the outback change as the sun sinks toward the horizon. “It’s an absolute harsh beauty,” says Simon. “It reminds me of God and how amazing he is.”

To see Lieutenants Simon and Natalie Steele bring Christmas to the bush, search “The Flying Padres Bring Christmas to Urandangie” on YouTube or go to youtu.be/10P_soIXS8Q The Salvation Army were able to purchase this helicopter through funds donated by Parmalat – the makers of Paul’s Milk.

Above: Lieut Natalie Steele (left) hands out gifts to children in outback Queensland.

For the past six years, Lieut Simon Steele has been flying into regional farms and communities to offer a helping hand via a helicopter. Photo: Shairon Paterson

PRESENCE THE REAL PRESENT

The Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal has been working together with The Salvation Army for more than 25 years to make Christmas brighter for thousands of families in need.

Gifts can be donated at any Kmart store in the weeks leading up to Christmas. For more information, go to salvos.org.au/Christmas

A FLYING VISIT

S

I

The project offered farmers living in remote areas around Quambone, in central NSW, the services of 17 volunteers over two days in December. It was sponsored by Canberra East Rotary Club.

Mark and his wife, Captain Jo, have witnessed the staggering desperation of many farmers, rural businesses and communities after years of drought, flood and more drought.

alvation Army rural chaplains in central NSW, Majors Maree and Trevor Strong, instigated the Farm Hub Project at the culmination of the National Year of the Farmer in 2012.

Rotary members and their partners raised funds and assembled 40 Christmas hampers, before joining Salvation Army volunteers to help with a range of jobs on farms including cleaning, fixing windows and fly screens, repairing a tractor, roofing and building.

“Every farmer was just over the moon and so appreciative of the gifts of labour,” says Maree. Since then, The Salvation Army’s presence in Quambone has continued. Last year they painted and revamped the general store and post office.

The renovations are part of a community development project, which also includes repairs on local farms and farmhouses, running activities at the Quambone, Marra and Carinda primary schools, building community groups, and providing emotional support, a listening ear and friendship, especially to farmers experiencing tough times.

Salvation Army Rural Chaplain, Major Trevor Strong is on hand to assist outback communities in Quambone, Central NSW, at Christmas.

n the past year, Salvation Army pilot in southern Queensland, Captain Mark Bulow, has driven 47,000km, clocked up 200 flying hours and visited 120 stations, providing care and support to struggling farmers.

They provide flood funds, food hampers and fencing supplies, and assist communities struggling with drought. Last Christmas, Mark and his team travelled to six rural towns, blessing community members by carolling and handing out gifts to children.

While material help is appreciated, Mark says offering a listening ear and spiritual and emotional support is vital.

“Human interaction is essential to those living in remote areas,” he explains. “Although we live in a world that has the phone, internet, Facebook, Twitter and Skype, nothing can break the isolation of our vast country like a face-to-face visit.”

Captain Mark Bulow spends many hours in the sky visiting regional farmers to deliver food hampers or provide a listening ear. Photo: Shairon Paterson

salvos.org.au/Christmas / 23

Is Christmas too commercial?

By Lauren Martin

I

t happened gradually in our family. “This is getting out of control,” somebody said one year. “There are just too many presents at Christmas, we need to cut down.” So we started a Secret Santa for the adults – after all, Christmas is all about the kids, right?

A few years later there was another discussion.“The kids are getting way too many presents, it’s over-the-top,” we decided.

We wanted our kids to have values, know the true meaning of Christmas – it’s not all about getting “stuff”.

This year the discussion began again. “Do we really need to do the Secret Santa? After all, we’re adults, if we want something we can just go and buy it ourselves.” And, “Christmas is just about being together as a family, we don’t really need presents.”

Fair enough. Most people will agree that Christmas (just like Easter and Valentine’s Day and all the other “Hallmark” occasions) is far too commercial. But in all our striving to get back to the “true” meaning of Christmas, I started to wonder if letting go of the gift-giving was really the answer.

The very first Christmas centred on a gift. It’s written in the Bible that “God so loved the world that he gave his only son …”

(John 3:16, English Standard Version, emphasis added) Jesus – a gift for all of humanity.

Giving is a caring, thoughtful, selfless act. It creates a loving connection with others. To give a gift is an emulation of God’s love for us, a fulfilment of the new commandments that Jesus spoke of in the Bible: to love God and to love others (Matthew 22:36-40). Giving – when caring, thoughtful and selfless – is never commercial or materialistic.

Giving does not need to require a “thing” that is gift-wrapped and perfect. It could involve the giving of a person’s time or skills, the donation of funds to a worthy cause, or an experience to enrich relationships.

Perhaps this year, in order to draw closer to the true meaning of Christmas, we need to give more, not less.

A festive toast to clean drinking water B

efore The Salvation Army stepped in, Liu Li Xia had to walk a long distance to collect water for her household.

The water wasn’t very clean, but it was all they had, so they drank it. Sometimes it made them sick. And even though they used it sparingly, there still wasn’t enough for washing. Liu Li washed her family of four’s clothing in the local river.

The situation was so bad in her Chinese village of Luoling that even school children had to help in the effort to gather water – taking them away from their studies for several hours a week.

The Salvation Army in Hong Kong was aware of the hardships being faced by villagers and wanted to help, but lacked the finances to provide them with clean water.

They contacted The Salvation Army International Development Office (SAID) in Sydney, Australia. Through generous donations to the Salvos Gift Catalogue, SAID was able to fund a clean-water tank and pipe system in the village.

Liu Li’s home was fitted with taps and basins, making it a gift that keeps on giving.

24 / Connect 2014

“It’s now more convenient and saves me time and energy,” she says, beaming. “I don’t have to go to the river to wash my clothes … I have more time to help my children with their homework.”

SAID works to alleviate poverty and empower communities in Africa, Southeast Asia and the Pacific. They work with local people to improve water, health and sanitation, education, and the economic empowerment of women and families.

You can help SAID this Christmas by giving a gift that will bring lasting change to women, men and children around the world. Check out the gift guide at salvosgifts.org.au Above right: Liu Li Xia no longer walks long distances to collect drinking water for her family of four.

10 steps to Christmas shopping KRISTEN HARTNETT, salvation army Moneycare Counsellor, shares her plan to help cut the financial stress out of your Christmas START EARLY

Don’t wait until the tinsel is up and the carols are playing – start planning your Christmas as early as possible. This will give you more time to set aside money and look for the gifts you want at pre-Christmas sales.

SQUIRREL YOUR MONEY AWAY

Do you have a Christmas savings account? If not, create one.

Even if it’s a simple “change jar” for coins that you bank at the end of the week, it all adds up and will give you a good headstart for your Christmas spending.

REMEMBER

Think back to last Christmas. Where did you overspend? Write down what you would like to do better this year.

ON THE HUNT

Take a look around your house – do you have presents stored for future use? Note what you already have so you don’t forget.

PLAN

Make a list. Who do you need to buy gifts for this year? (Check off gifts you already have.) What food items will you need to buy? Don’t forget to budget for wrapping paper, cards, petrol for long drives or anything else you will spend money on at Christmas that you don’t include in your weekly expenses.

DISCUSS

Christmas is a time for connecting with those we love. Speak to friends and family members to set up realistic expectations: “Who is buying for whom?” “Around how much money will be spent on each gift?” (Often it is easy to cut down expenses on children’s gifts.)

CREATE

Homemade gifts lower expenses and are a wonderful, unique expression of your love. Freshly baked treats tied in a festive bow might make the perfect gift for a teacher or friend; handsewn or knitted baby toys or clothes are cherished. Show off

your talents with creative wrapping – affordable presents can look extravagant (see page 28 for budget gift-wrapping tips).

CHECK

Now you have checked your home for already-purchased gifts, discussed with family and friends the expectations at Christmas time, and made a list of items you need to buy or create, take a moment to check your list one last time. Is everything there? Are there any other ways you can save?

DO THE SUMS

Carefully add up each item in your list. Then add a buffer of about 10 per cent to the final tally to account for emergencies or anything you may have forgotten. Consider the final dollar figure and work out how many weeks you have left before Christmas. Can you save that much money in time? If not, where will you reduce expenses? (You may need to go back and re-do some of the earlier steps in this process.)

SHOP

The very last step in the process is to go shopping! Stick to your list and your budget, using your savings – not credit cards – to make your purchases.

REMEMBER: The cost of a gift is not a reflection of your love.

Not only are the best things in life free, the best things in life are not “things”.

View more Moneycare tips for your Christmas at salvos.org.au/Christmas If you do get into financial difficulties and need help, contact a financial counsellor. The Salvation Army Moneycare financial counselling service provides help to people in financial difficulties and crisis. It is a free service.

Go to salvos.org.au/moneycare for more information or call Salvo Care Line on 1300 36 36 22.

We’re about people finding freedom /25

Whether you’re looking for a Christmas gift, a festive party dress or summer fashion, Salvos Stores eco–stylist Faye De Lanty, founder of Fashion Hound blog and expert shopper, styles this season’s looks from local Salvos Stores

EVERYDAY ACCESSORIES

Glitter bangle: $3; Turquoise ring: $10; Diamond-inspired ring: $5; Black handbag: $10

“It’s really blowing people’s minds on how stylish and chic second-hand can be if you just do a little bit of research and get to understand how to op shop. So I love hearing people say, ‘Is that from the Salvos?’.”

PARTY OUTFIT

Cocktail dress: $40; Statement necklace: $8; Shimmer clutch: $5

“Every store I go to you can always find something wonderful. They get a lot of great brands, good quality, wonderful vintage and there’s so much stock. You’re spoilt for choice really.”

Photos: Luke Brailey 26 / Connect 2014

SUMMER WEAR

Pink-strapped bag: $5; Simple white top: $5.50; Sunglasses: $6; Floral pants: $8 To shop at your nearest Salvos Stores or online, go to salvos.org.au/stores

Visit salvos.org.au/stores for more information or call 13 SALVOS (13 72 58) to donate goods.

MySalvosStores @MySalvosStores

salvos.org.au/stores 13 SALVOS (13 72 58)

SUE ELLIOTT, from the Salvation Army’s Moneycare program, suggests a simple, cost-effective way to add a personalised touch to your gift-wrapping this Christmas

JANELLE BLOOM shares an easy shortbread star recipe which will make the perfect Christmas gift THE STAR OF ALL CHRISTMAS GIFTS Shortbread stars Makes 32 250g butter, at room temperature ½ cup caster sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups plain flour, sifted ⅓ cup white sugar 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

CELLOPHANE BAGS WORK A TREAT Cellophane bags, as opposed to sheets of cellophane, make wrapping homemade baked goods a breeze and are available in a variety of sizes.

1. Place baked goods (see recipe on your right for shortbread stars) into the cellophane bag.

2. Gather the top edges of the bag and seal tightly, close to the gift, using a single piece of ribbon (rubber bands or sticky tape would also work). This will allow you to decorate your bag without having to hold the cellophane in place.

3. Decorate the top of the bag using curling ribbon (using one edge of a pair of scissors to create beautiful curls), storebought ribbon bows or a tie a simple bow with a piece of twine. You may also wish to fasten a Christmas decoration, cookie cutter or gift tag to the outside of the bag.

Tips • Simply trim the top of the bag if there is too much cellophane.

• Create a gift hamper in a basket with a variety of individually wrapped items in cellophane bags, and then use a large bag around the entire hamper.

Method 1. Preheat oven to 160°C fan forced. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, caster sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy. Add the flour and stir until the dough comes together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until smooth.

2. Cut the dough in half, press each piece of dough into a 2cm-thick round. Wrap in greaseproof paper and refrigerate until firm enough to roll out.

3. Roll the dough out until 1cm thick. Using 5cm star cutters, cut biscuits out and place onto a tray lined with baking paper. Place the trays in the freezer and chill for 10 minutes until firm (this helps shortbread hold its shape while baking). Press any unused dough together, re-roll and repeat.

4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until light golden.

5. Combine the white sugar and cinnamon. Remove the shortbread from the oven and stand for 5 minutes on trays. While hot, brush with water and sprinkle or toss in cinnamon sugar. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

Tip Making your own cinnamon sugar is far cheaper than purchasing the premixed one from the supermarket.

These stars are a great gift to give to kids’ teachers.

• Depending on the size you require, oven bags can be a more cost-effective solution than cellophane bags.

Shop around to find the best prices for your gift-wrapping supplies at supermarkets, discount variety stores and craft supply shops. Go to salvos.org.au/Christmas for more gift-wrapping tips. For more information about Moneycare, go to salvos.org.au/moneycare 28 / Connect 2014

By Captain Sandy MacDonald

7. Get cooking From simple pikelets to a complete meal, the kitchen can be a fun focal point during holidays with the bonus of mastering life skills. Get the kids to plan, shop for and cook a meal. I’m hoping my six-year-old will be able to feed our family a meal other than fairy bread (her current specialty) come Australia Day! 1. A gift solution When family members enquire about Christmas gift suggestions, ask for movie tickets. Seeing the latest movies with somebody else paying is a great holiday activity.

Alternatively, organise your own movie or TV series marathon.

2. Get wet There are a lot of ways to beat the summer heat with water: the beach, a lake or river, the local pool, a water fight, a slip’n’slide or just a sprinkler in the backyard. Challenge your family to enjoy as many different types of wet days as possible. Buy a multi-visit ticket to your local pool to get better value for money. Don’t forget to slip, slop, slap!

3. Go to the shops You don’t have to spend money to get out of the house, enjoy the air-conditioning and keep the kids entertained – many shopping centres and community centres offer free activities during school holidays. (Avoid mealtimes if you’re concerned about the cost of buying a meal out.)

4. Don’t completely abandon routine Sure, a break to the daily rhythm is beneficial, but if every day is unpredictable it can be tiring. If Wednesday is “park day”, you all know what you’re doing each Wednesday and you don’t have to listen to cries of, “Can we go to the park today?” every other day of the week.

5. Camp out at home Camping in the backyard can be fun – we’ve even set up our tent in our lounge room! Eat camping food, have a sing-along and tell silly or scary stories by torchlight.

6. Visit Mum or Dad at work I have a friend who, every school holidays, takes her kids by train into their dad’s work for a look around the office and lunch together. Don’t underestimate public transport – it can be a real adventure of its own.

8. Learn a new skill Borrow books from the library, ask a friend or family member to teach a craft, attend a class or look online for lessons. Learn to draw, knit, cross stitch, dance, do calligraphy, garden or conduct science experiments.

9. Try “tech-free Tuesday” Get the kids on board with brainstorming in advance the types of activities to do on days when there is no TV, computer, iPod or phone.

Getting unplugged is good for all ages!

10. Meet up with mates That first day back at school can be intimidating for a child who hasn’t seen any of their school friends for six weeks.

Go to salvos.org.au/Christmas to contact your local Salvation Army church or centre about the school holiday activities they run. salvos.org.au/Christmas /29

The unexpected package “Thelma shared that she had never had a real Christmas with anyone, not where she felt cared about and included. This was the first time.”

By Lieutenant-Colonel Miriam Gluyas

I

t was to be a different Christmas that year, one that hadn’t excited me in the lead up, but one that would change me forever. Every Christmas of my life had been spent with my family, except this one. I had to stay in Sydney for commitments there.

Disappointing, but necessary. And so a group of us shared Christmas dinner together, with a very special guest.

Our guest was a little old lady, with more wrinkles than I had ever seen on anyone, small in stature, but often feisty. When I first met Thelma, she simply didn’t like me, but over the time we became good friends. She kept most things to herself, but it was obvious that the years had taken their toll. We enjoyed the turkey and baked vegetables, put on our party hats, shared around the table, and it seemed that everyone was having a great time.

With a break in the conversation, our group produced some very small gifts, one for each other and one for our special guest. Thelma looked at the gifts in front of her, was silent for what seemed like an eternity, and then the tears flowed. And she told us her story.

No-one had ever wanted her. She lived in foster homes for many, many years. She never felt like she belonged anywhere. She felt like she was the “extra”, in the way. Life was difficult. She had no-one to call her own. She felt it. She lived it, every day. An incredible sadness came over her. And then, something happened that moved everyone in the room. Thelma shared that she had never had a real Christmas with anyone, not where she felt cared about and included. This was the first time. She wept again, and we wept with her. She opened those small gifts like they were precious, of unimaginable worth. To her, they were.

That Christmas was to change my life forever. I was so grateful for the blessing of my family. Now, who do I need to look out for? Who needs to be loved and included? It’s not about me and what I want. I need to look out for others.

I realised that God turns up in the most unexpected places, through the most unexpected people, and changes my life and theirs forever.

The story of Christmas is that of Jesus turning up in an unexpected place, in a very unusual way, in amazing circumstances. Born of a virgin, in a stable, to be the Saviour of the world. God, coming to earth in the form of Jesus to show us his incredible love, to show us how to live, to provide forgiveness and life in abundance.

Who would have thought that a baby in a stable could offer life to each of us, an incredible gift, of infinite value?

You, too, may need that love, forgiveness and grace, and relationship with someone who loves you unconditionally.

Take time to connect this year, with friends, family, and others who God may send as “unexpected packages”, and don’t forget who it’s all about.

Lieut-Colonel Miriam Gluyas works for The Salvation Army in Papua New Guinea.

Go to salvos.org.au/Christmas to connect with The Salvation Army in your local area.

30 / Connect 2014

Directory of Salvation Army social services ACT AND SOUTH NSW Canberra Recovery Services Centre Fyshwick, ACT 02 6295 1256 Men – accommodation and support Griffith, NSW 02 6964 3388 Shoalhaven Bridge Program – drug and alcohol out-client service Nowra, NSW 02 4422 4604 Women and men – accommodation and support Leeton, NSW 02 6953 7266

CENTRAL AND NORTH QUEENSLAND Mount Isa Recovery Services Centre Mount Isa, Qld 07 4749 2553 Youth – accommodation and support Bundaberg, Qld 07 4151 3400

NEWCASTLE AND CENTRAL NSW Dooralong Transformation Centre Wyong, NSW 02 4353 9799 Newcastle Doorways Community Welfare Centre Newcastle West, NSW 02 4929 2300 Oasis Youth Network Hunter Hamilton, NSW 02 4969 8066

NORTH NSW Family Housing Mid-North Coast Region Coffs Harbour, NSW 0457 130 397 Family Housing Northern Rivers Region Goonellabah, NSW 0448 614 718

SOUTH QUEENSLAND

Brisbane Recovery Services Centre (Moonyah) Red Hill, Qld 07 3369 0922

Oasis Youth Support Network Surry Hills, NSW 02 9331 2266

Brisbane Streetlevel Mission Fortitude Valley, Qld 07 3852 4438

GREATER WEST NSW

Church Communities for Children Slacks Creek, Qld 07 3290 5200 Families – accommodation and support Noosa, Qld 07 5447 1184 Gold Coast Recovery Services Centre (Fairhaven) Southport, Qld 07 5630 7939 SAILSS Darling Downs Toowoomba, Qld 07 4639 4026 Ipswich Community Welfare Centre Ipswich, Qld 07 3812 2462 Logan City Community Welfare Centre Woodridge, Qld 07 3808 2564 Men and families – accommodation and support Toowoomba, Qld 07 4639 1998

Youthlink Canley Vale, NSW 02 9725 7779 2168 Food 4 Life Market Busby, NSW 02 9826 7819 Food 4 Life Market Warwick Farm, NSW 02 8798 5928

MAJOR SERVICES THROUGHOUT NSW, QLD AND ACT Aged Care Plus – permanent accommodation and care services for older Australians agedcareplus.salvos.org.au Employment Plus – support for job seekers employmentplus.com.au Family Tracing – search and reconciliation service for close relatives who have lost contact salvos.org.au/familytracing Moneycare – financial counselling salvos.org.au/moneycare

Men and women– supported accommodation Brisbane, Qld 07 3832 1491

Salvos Care Line – trained counsellors available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year 1300 36 36 22

Southport Community Welfare Centre Southport, Qld 07 5591 2729

Salvos Counselling – personal, relationship and family counselling salvoscounselling.salvos.org.au

Women and women with children – accommodation and support Gold Coast/Southport, Qld 07 5591 1776

Salvos Legal – commercial and humanitarian law salvoslegal.com.au

SYDNEY EAST AND ILLAWARRA First Floor Program – support for families affected by drug and alcohol and/or mental health issues Wollongong, NSW 02 4229 1079

Adults – supported accommodation [families] Caboolture, Qld 07 5495 4400

Illawarra Community Welfare Centre Wollongong, NSW 02 4225 1372

Brisbane Central Community Welfare Centre Fortitude Valley, Qld 07 3252 8608

Men with children – supported accommodation Sydney and Illawarra, NSW 02 9212 1065 02 8218 1211 (intoxicated persons unit)

Salvos Stores – second-hand clothing and furniture salvosstores.salvos.org.au For welfare assistance, chaplaincy services and other Salvation Army social services near you, go to salvos.org.au/Christmas

The Salvation Army hosts Christmas carols and Christmas Day services across NSW, Qld and the ACT. To find a Christmas event near you, please go to salvos.org.au/Christmas We’re about people finding freedom / 31

salvos.org.au/Christmas 13 SALVOS (13 72 58)