all the world (april 2016)

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Rebuilding pRogRamme bRings new oppoRtunities

Haiti

CLIMATE CHANGE – so what?

Refugee response across EUROPE

HONG KONG – changing times

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APRIL–JUNE 2016

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03 UPFRONT From the Editor

04 HAITI Rebuilding after the earthquake

07 COMMUNICATIONS Do you share your faith online?

08 HOME AND AWAY Thoughts from here and there

10 NORWAY AND GERMANY Responding to the refugee crisis

15 THE ENVIRONMENT How climate change is affecting t the world’s poorest people

18 FACTFILE Vital statistics from Hong Kong

19 HONG KONG Education and integration

22 SNAPSHOTS News from around the world

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Cover photo by Ruth Samuels

EditoR Kevin Sims

dESign and aRtwoRK Berni georges

EditoRial offiCE the Salvation army international Headquarters 101 Queen Victoria Street london EC4V 4EH, United Kingdom

tel: [44] (0)20 7332 0101; fax: [44] (0)20 7332 8079

Email: [email protected]

foUndER william Booth

gEnERal andré Cox

CoMMUniCationS SECREtaRY Major Brad Halse

EditoR-in-CHiEf Major Martin gossauer

Published by andré Cox, general of the Salvation army

Printed in the UK by lamport gilbert Printers ltd

© the general of the Salvation army 2016

apRil–June 2016 | ALL THE WORLD | 3

Kevin Sims, Editor

f R o M t H E E d i t o R

The power of the personal

‘People relate best to stories about other people – flesh-and-bone, air-breathing humans’

circumstances, so Jesus did the same when he highlighted the humanity of a Samaritan to a Jewish audience.

Reading through this issue of All the World, the power of the personal becomes quickly evident.

In Germany and Norway, for instance, refugees are being assisted by The Salvation Army. But they’re not just refugees, they’re people – a fact that can be missed when reading some media reports. Two of the Salvationists who volunteer with the Army in Norway are former Afghan refugees who were themselves shown love and care.

As another refugee makes clear, his experience of The Salvation Army is that the same love and care is offered irrespective of any difference in background, race, religion or culture: ‘It’s just human helping human.’

Through the years, many phrases have been thought up to describe the work of The Salvation Army: ‘Heart to God, hand to man’, ‘Where there’s a need, there’s The Salvation Army’, ‘Doing the most good’, ‘Belief in action’ – the list goes on.

‘Human helping human’ is not a bad addition to the list, but it doesn’t address the reason why The Salvation Army offers its care and support.

How about returning to Jesus’ priorities – love God and love people?

I don’t claim to be a marketing guru, but I reckon ‘The Salvation Army – loving God, loving people’ has a ring to it. It’s simple, inclusive, memorable, inspired by Jesus and – adding an important sense of the personal – lived out every day by more than a million Salvationists, friends and staff around the world.

I don’t travel much with work but, at the end of January, I stepped away from my desk and headed to Hong Kong for an international conference

on Disaster Risk Reduction. I was joined there by project and

development workers from around the world, looking at how The Salvation Army, with its expertise in disaster relief and development, can work with communities to prepare for disaster so they can cope better when the worst happens.

Bacially, we may not be able to stop the earth shaking or the river flooding, but we can teach people where to shelter in an earthquake or organise swimming lessons for children.

As an editor, I led a workshop on how most disasters are caused by bad spelling, poor punctuation and shoddy grammar.

OK, that’s not true (though I have seen some disastrously bad examples of all three!). I was there to speak about story-telling and story-sharing.

Talking over meals, the people at the conference shared amazing stories – but as soon as they went into ‘professional report-writing’ mode, the life and interest were sucked out of their recollections. My role was to help them to see this, and to bring the humanity back into their reports.

I encouraged them to consider one person or one family they had encountered as part of their work, and to share how this person/family had made an impact. It was fascinating to see how some people really struggled. By habit they wanted to keep things impersonal (‘the community did...’) when I wanted them to relate real stories of individual people.

I explained that this was something Jesus was brilliant at. Even in his parables, Jesus spoke about individuals – a farmer, a shepherd, a woman who lost a coin.

The truth is that people relate best to stories about other people – flesh-and-bone, air-breathing humans. Someone just like my neighbour, my sibling, my friend. Someone like me.

When Jesus was asked which was the most important commandment he chose two – ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’ (Matthew 22:37, 39 New International Version).

Love God and love people. Pretty simple!

What Jesus then did was tell a story in which ‘my neighbour’ turned out to be the last person his audience would expect. And just as I encourage All the World writers – and those delegates in Hong Kong – to make their stories personal, to bring out the innate humanity of people from differing cultures and

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everything on the side of the road. Until at 4:53pm a 7.0-magnitude earthquake ripped its way through that normality, devastating the capital and affecting the whole country in its aftermath.

The earthquake claimed the lives of more than 220,000 people, and destroyed or damaged 293,383 houses, making 1.5 million people homeless. The flags flying at half-mast along the streets of Port-au-Prince serve as a

ON the morning of 12 January 2016, as we drove towards The Salvation Army’s new clinic and social services building in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, I thought

about how normal everything looked. On the same day, at the same time six years ago, life probably looked just like this: normal. People going to work, children on their way to school, men and women selling any- and


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sign of the country’s continued grief.But despite the very real sense of

loss that is still felt, the clinic and social services building was buzzing with excitement, hope and joy. The dedication of the new building in Delmas 2 – one of the most deprived areas of the city, and which was heavily affected by the earthquake – brought together clinic staff, members of the community, the Ministry of Health, and even TV cameras to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the earthquake, and to look to the future.

Long associated with poverty and disadvantage, the Delmas 2 area is now the location for a number of large-scale rebuilding projects implemented by The Salvation Army, which has been at work in Delmas 2 since the mid 20th century. It is clear that the community holds the

Army’s continued care and presence in high esteem.

During the dedication, various representatives stood to give passionate speeches about how the Army has changed lives in the community. For one woman, The Salvation Army had been there for her throughout her life; enabling her to safely give birth to each of her children in the clinic and treating her when she was ill. She proudly claimed it as ‘my Army’.

For many others in Delmas 2, The Salvation Army is a source of hope for a brighter future, which seems to be emerging from the rubble right before their eyes. A few yards down the road from the clinic is the new school, College Verena, which – when complete – will have a capacity of 1,500 students

between the ages of three and 18 years old. Next door, the front of a new church building is taking shape which will, in time, be used for conferences, youth councils and school assemblies with the students from College Verena.

Signs of change are springing up all over Haiti, but not all are in the form of new buildings. Movements are beginning right at the heart of communities – starting small, steadily building capacity and resources, and tackling community needs one step at a time. This is how real and lasting change happens. One way in which The Salvation Army is facilitating this kind of change is through Community Action Teams (CATs).

CATs are doing great things in places like Luly, a small coastal community about 60 kilometres north of Port-au-Prince. Ninety per cent of community members make their living from the local fishing industry, either as fishermen or as fish sellers (normally women). Starting with a seed fund from a Salvation Army project, the Luly CAT, made up of community members and Salvation Army soldiers (members) and officers, has started to provide support to improve livelihoods by renting out boats and making fishing equipment available to fishermen who currently do not have their own materials.

Fishing traps are provided to fishermen in need, who then pay for them in manageable instalments. Some people may ask: ‘Why not just donate the equipment? The people are poor, aren’t they?’ But while many members of the community may be lacking in finances, they are not content with relying on others to survive. They want to build a future where their families can thrive, and to know that they made it possible.

By enabling individuals to manageably purchase the traps, the fishermen gain

‘The Salvation Army had been there for her throughout her life; enabling her to safely give birth to each of her children’

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opposite page: the new Port-au-Prince Corps (church) building – currently under construction – already makes a strong statement on the city skyline; left: a student at the Salvation army’s Balan School, near the border with the dominican Republic; above: the Salvation army corps and school in the fishing community of luly


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Ruth samuels is Community development Coordinator (americas & Caribbean and europe Zones) at the salvation army’s international Headquarters

the tools to fish, which will increase their income, while crucially investing back into the CAT so they can help others. The work becomes sustainable, meaning the community can continue its projects in the long term without reliance on finding donor support. The work in Luly is still in the early stages, but there is real excitement about the difference it will make in the lives of many people.

In another part of Haiti, a small corps (Salvation Army church) is using its limited resources to impact the community in a big way.

Balan is a village located around 45 minutes’ drive from the border with the Dominican Republic. The climate is hot, dry and dusty. As we drew closer to the village there was a noticeable change in the plant life, from vibrant green and floral trees to cacti.

One of the big problems the people face in Balan is accessing the markets for food. The closest market is four kilometres away in the next town, so villagers either face an exhausting journey on foot in the scorching sun or have to find expensive transport.

The produce at the market often costs more than people from Balan can generally afford, with a carton of 30 eggs costing 200 Haitian Gourdes (approximately US$3.00). Through the corps poultry project, villagers from Balan can now buy eggs locally at a reduced

cost – around 150 Haitian Gourdes – without the expense of travelling to the next town.

Lieutenant Louis Wousdel is the corps officer (minister) in Balan. ‘I love this community,’ he told me. ‘This is the poorest community I have ever seen – and I’m from the north [where is it really poor]! Yet, they love to come together to help one another, and they are always helping the corps.’ Some members of the community have donated their time to be volunteer cooks for Balan School’s feeding programme, providing a meal for the pupils each day, and being active participants in a project to improve the nutrition of the children.

The corps has a small patch of land on which the lieutenant (with the help of his uncle) grows a variety of fruit, vegetables and crops. It is amazing to see trees full of papayas and bananas, beans, olives, aloe vera and squash, all growing in a little corner of the desert-like environment wwof Balan.

When there is an abundance of produce Lieutenant Louis shares it with the community. What is really encouraging about this is that the lieutenant is passionate about meeting needs and has not been held back by the things he does not have. His perspective has been instead to see and value the resources the corps already has, in order to find ways of meeting those needs. And this brings him real joy!

It is something I hope others in Haiti, and other communities around the world, will take on in their own situations: to know that there is always something of value, however small, that we can bring to the table to kick-start change in our communities.

above: lieutenant louis wousdel, corps officer at Balan, collects eggs that were provided through a poultry project; right: members of the community action team in luly, which is providing traps for local fishermen


David Giles, Web Manager at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters (IHQ), is enthusiastic about social media and has already

described some helpful best practice to readers of All the World in his article ‘A (Christian) User’s Guide to Social Media’ (October–December 2014). And, arguably just as important, he explained some pitfalls to avoid in ‘How Not To Do Social Media’ (July–September 2015).

Now he’s seeking to discover how social media-savvy Salvationists and friends are expressing their faith online. His post-graduate research project seeks to understand the factors which influence how open people of faith choose to be with their social media presence.

The outcomes will help in David’s studies but will also assist the IHQ Communications team in its approach to the effective use of social media.

‘Much has been written about how Christians can use social media to good effect,’ he explains, ‘but surprisingly little has been done to study whether the democratisation of social media is providing an effective means by which messages of faith and hope can thrive.’

It’s a timely study too. In December 2015, the phenomenon of ‘prayer shaming’ – attacking those who post prayers on social media – was described following the terrorist shootings in San Bernardino, USA. As had become common, a #PrayForSanBernardino hashtag had gained momentum on

Twitter shortly after the incident became public knowledge. Some users of this hashtag were criticised for preferring to talk of prayer rather than taking more tangible action. The issue even affected 2016 presidential candidates in the USA, with a selectively cropped comparison of social media output being used by a leading news magazine to allege that ‘Democrats do things but Republicans just pray’.

In February 2016, the Church of England was criticised for tweeting a link to a news article about high-profile atheist Professor Richard Dawkins having a stroke. The message to the church’s 58,000 Twitter followers read simply ‘Prayers for Prof Dawkins and his family’. What may have been intended as a sincere message of well-wishing has been

interpreted by some as provocative and offensive trolling.

Through early questionnaire responses and face-to-face interviews, David has discovered that many Christians are cautious in their use of social media and are actively self-censoring to avoid contentious issues. Perhaps most strikingly though, the criticism is not always from without.

‘What is becoming clear,’ says David, ‘is that Christians are also wary of the reaction of other Christians, where personal beliefs and understanding of doctrinal issues do not align. That’s something we all need to learn from. How can Christians agree to disagree in a gentle and holy way?’

As more people turn away from major media outlets in their search for information, many non-Christians will get their understanding of what it means to be a Christian from people they ‘meet’ through social media. This in turn leads to an important question for every Christian who shares thoughts, views and lives online: ‘What does the Body of Christ look like on social media?’

People of all faiths are encouraged to take part in

the Faith In Social Media survey at www.faithinsocialmedia.org

and to share the link with others.The survey runs until 1 June 2016, and the results will be published

later in the year.‘Many Christians are cautious in their use of social media and are actively self-censoring to

avoid contentious issues’

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MEGAN GANDEEmegan gandee works for the salvation army in the united states of america

a seRies looking at tHe tHougHts and expeRienCes of people woRking foR tHe salvation aRmy in tHeiR CountRy of biRtH and otHeRs giving seRviCe abRoad

What is your role in The Salvation Army? i’m Communications manager for the salvation army world service office, better known as sawso. What would be your typical day? i start with lots of coffee, catch up with colleagues then dive into the endeavour of sharing the salvation army’s global work – and sawso’s supporting role – to a number of audiences. this may include strategising with colleagues about what to feature from upcoming projects or international trips; planning content; writing pieces for internal publications; developing our annual report or quarterly newsletter for our donors; or working on our website, www.sawso.org. in all of this work, it is our hope that people will come to a better understanding of sawso’s work and role in the global mission of the salvation army. How did you meet The Salvation Army? my mother-in-law is on the advisory board in alexandria, virginia, and asked me to go to an event when she couldn’t attend. it was there i learned about the breadth and depth of the salvation army’s services in the us and was completely inspired! i had no idea the organisation was meeting so many needs. at the time i was working as an event planner, but i immediately felt called to apply for a position at usa national Headquarters in the national Community Relations and development department. i later switched over to sawso, which has been an incredible opportunity with many fun challenges.

Do you have a ‘claim to fame’? i wouldn’t call it a claim to fame, but people are often intrigued about my native american background (Chippewa) and that my mother is a member of the tribe in wisconsin.

Do you have a ‘hero of the faith’? i’m a lutheran and a lover of history, so martin luther is definitely my hero of the faith. the risks he took in standing up to the Catholic Church and defending his convictions are inspiring. He translated the bible, making it accessible to all, and introduced singing to the Church! He was a blessed instrument of god. i think of him often and reflect upon his writings, including many common prayers and hymns.

What is your favourite Bible verse? ‘therefore, i urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of god’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to god – this is your true and proper worship. do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. then you will be able to test and approve what god’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will’ (Romans 12:1-2 New International Version).

What is your favourite Salvation Army song? ‘when i survey the wondrous Cross’ (song 208, The Song Book of The Salvation Army) or anything else by isaac watts!

What do you like most about the USA? the entrepreneurial spirit, particularly within the millennial generation, where fearlessness, individualism and righteous discontentment breed risk-taking and innovation. the strength and creativity of entrepreneurs who are seeing needs and opportunities in the market, and brainstorming ways of meeting those needs, is inspiring. we’re experiencing the benefits of entrepreneurs from all around the world, and i’m grateful for them.

What aspects of another country’s culture do you wish were present in the USA? i visited western kenya in 2015 to get a better understanding of sawso’s woRtH project (an awesome programme that provides micro-finance, vocational and business skills training, literacy and self-help groups for women). i was inspired by their strength of faith and their celebratory customs and excitement for visitors. i went home with a new-found appreciation for the kenyan spirit and vowed to share it with my neighbours in the us!

If you were elected General, what would be the first thing you would change? i would do away with ibm lotus notes [the email and admin system used by the salvation army internationally]!

If you could work for The Salvation Army anywhere else, where would you choose? i had such joy getting to know everyone from international Headquarters in london. [editor’s note: megan was part of the international communications team at the international Congress in 2015.] what a lovely bunch! so, in my limited exposure, i would say london. though i should note i have volunteered to work in the Caribbean territory ...!

What skills do you use most in your work? mostly communication and people skills. it seems most of my time is spent writing. my motto is ‘you get more bees with honey’, and this is the principle i try to apply in working with colleagues and partners throughout the day.

What skills do you have that you would like the opportunity to use more? i enjoy problem-solving. i also get a kick out of branding. if, in my spare time, i could sit around and think up small business ideas, and the branding behind them, i would be extremely fulfilled creatively.

How would you like to be remembered? i would consider it a success if i was remembered as someone who loved others and lived out the Christian faith in word and deed.

What’s so special about The Salvation Army? the salvation army is special because it has been immensely blessed. the organisation is seemingly dichotomous in that it is extremely humble in its work yet possessing a presence worthy of bragging about that spans 127 countries and continues to grow. most people in the us are unaware that the salvation army exists beyond this country, which seems like an injustice based on the millions of lives that are impacted each day. yet the impact is there and donors continue to give. all we can do is keep praying for god’s continued blessing and do our best to share the army’s amazing work and story with anyone who will listen!

Megan shares her

#RedKettleReason – why she would

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MAJOR LYN HILLS

& away originally from the united kingdom, major Hills is currently serving in estonia

What is your role in The Salvation Army? my husband, major Cedric Hills, and i are regional leaders in estonia. my appointment is Regional director of women’s ministries.What would be your typical day? i spend most of my time planning and preparing programmes such as officer days, regional headquarters quiet days, corps (church) visits and camps. so usually i am looking forward to the next event! preparation is time-consuming as everything needs translation. i am so thankful for my colleague, evelin, who is not only full of great ideas but also has excellent language skills. the days out of the office delivering programmes, sharing with officers, being at corps or involved in camps are much more fun!How did you meet The Salvation Army? i was taken to the salvation army in a pram, so i grew up with an integral sense of god’s presence. Do you have a ‘claim to fame’? we spent five years in germany on a british forces base and i had the chance to do the military assault course, drive a tank and had a rifle to shoot on the range (i am not sure how wise that was!).Do you have a ‘hero of the faith’? my heroes of the faith are ordinary people who go the extra mile. i am thankful for local officers such as young people’s sergeant-major david Hopkin, who saw something in me as a teenager and encouraged me. for Corps Cadet guardian shirley spreadborough, who faithfully week by week taught me the word, how to pray and encouraged me to seek after god. some years ago i visited a children’s home in mexico where an officer-couple not only ran the children’s home, but the wife had also formed a women’s meeting/home league and was starting a sunday worship meeting for the local community. on top of that she had had a ministry to children who lived in the town’s sewers. in addition to her own children and the 90 in her care, she had rescued and adopted a child from the sewers! i cannot remember her name but she was an amazing woman of god. What is your favourite Bible verse? we were given a verse at Harpenden Corps on 1 January 1984 – the year we entered training – and i have carried it with me ever since: ‘for i am certain that nothing can separate us from his love: neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers or powers, neither the present nor the future, neither the world above nor the world below – there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of god which is ours through Christ Jesus our lord’ (Romans 8:38-39).What is your favourite Salvation Army song? number 34 in The Song Book of The Salvation Army (written by John gowans): ‘i believe in transformation, god can change the hearts of men, and refine the evil nature till it glows with grace again. others may reject the weakling, i believe he can be strong, to the family of Jesus all god’s children may belong.’How do you think that working in Estonia differs from working elsewhere? estonia is still a young army – it is not bound by the traditions and structure that can sometimes get in the way, but it still needs some of the foundational structure that makes us the salvation army. in parts of the world our spiritual input into our social services programmes is restricted. at Hope House, a rehab centre for around 25 men, as part of their rehabilitation they sign a contract to say they will take part in work therapy, attend prayers, bible study and sunday worship at the corps. at the moment we have no restrictions to our programme. this freedom brings us the joy of seeing lives transformed by the gospel.What do you like most about Estonia? tallinn is a unesCo world Heritage site and a beautiful city. i think of londoners on the tube and realise i am blessed as i have the most beautiful journey into work every morning throught the forest and along the

seafront with a wonderful view of the city. traffic? what’s that?! even on a bad day it only takes half an hour to get to the office. What do you miss most about the UK? being near my children and grandchildren.If you were elected General, what would be the first thing you would change? i would review the way our social services programmes can be restricted when we rely on government funding. i believe our ministry is for the whole person – body, soul and spirit (or soup, soap and salvation!). we have an answer to people’s needs in the power of a life-changing gospel.If you could choose to work for The Salvation Army anywhere else, where would you choose and why? i’m almost frightened to put this in print! Cedric spent a lot of time in kenya during his days in international emergency services and lost his heart to the country and the people. although i have never been privileged to travel there i have met friends from kenya and am challenged by their vibrant trust and faith.What skills do you use most in your work? Common sense.What skills do you have that you would like the opportunity to use more? walking alongside people in a one-to-one ministry is something i have valued in previous appointments. the ability to do that is limited when communication is through translation.How would you like to be remembered? for making a difference – not in a dramatic way but simply by making a difference every day.What’s so special about The Salvation Army? the ability in every generation to find relevant ways to faithfully offer heart to god and hand to man.

left: lyn learns about trust and faith while taking part in a tree-top adventure walk with Captain anna Kotrikadze during a regional headquarters ‘quiet day’; below: lyn – with Cedric – prepares for regional family day



G E R M A N Y A N D N O R W A Y

JOHN Anscombe, Director of the UK Territory with the Republic of Ireland’s Video Production Unit, and Neil MacInnes, his chief cameraman, have travelled

to many parts of the globe over the years making films for The Salvation Army. Nothing fazes them too much.

Having said that, even they were a little surprised to find when we landed in Berlin one cold evening in late January, that our plane had departed Gatwick Airport in London with no luggage loaded. Not just our luggage. No luggage at all!

There were some tense moments over the next hour or two at Berlin Airport as passengers tried to find out when their luggage might arrive. In our case, it

included most of our camera and filming gear. Fortunately, late that evening it did arrive and – after a hurried trip back to the airport – we had all our gear by the early hours of next morning.

And good thing too, because the three of us had an early start. We needed to be on the street by 5.30am to accompany a Salvation Army mobile canteen from Berlin South-West Corps (church) which goes regularly to a location in the middle of the German capital where each day hundreds of refugees assemble to try and get their applications for refugee status processed.

Given it was -11°C on the street, the hot cups of coffee, tea and chai offered by the Army are much appreciated by those who, in some cases, had been lining up for hours before we got there.

The refugee application process is a long and tiring one for those seeking some stability in their lives. They are prepared to endure long hours of waiting in the cold to get their cases heard.

John and Neil, in filming not only the Salvation Army officers and volunteers but also several of the refugees, naturally attracted much attention. Many were keen to tell their story and plead for further help and assistance in their attempt to gain refugee status.

It was a brutal experience to observe, and not just because of the bitter cold. The refugees’ stories, wherever they were from, were often brutal in their detail. What did amaze us, however, was the relative calm with which the refugees managed their situation. They waited, with dignity, though often in apparent discomfort. And many had been there day after day, and would likely have to return many more times. The process is a long one.

documenting salvation army refugee responses in germany and norway

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above: a refugee who is receiving help from the Salvation army in Raufoss, norway. He speaks warmly about the assistance he has received, saying that everyone is treated the same, irrespective of background or religion. ‘it’s just human helping human,’ he told the film crew



The other powerful impression from this experience was to observe the commitment and dedication of the local Salvationists and their volunteers. On the morning we visited to film, Captain Matthias Lindner, the officer (minister)from Berlin South-West Corps, was there, assisted by Major Ruth Walz and her daughter. This is a regular commitment by these people and many others as well. Christian compassion in action.

We filmed for a few hours, before our hands were almost too frozen to handle the equipment, and then headed back to the home of divisional leaders Majors Poldi and Ruth Walz for breakfast with them.

Once thawed and filled with good food and hot coffee, we bundled into the divisional commander’s van and headed for Leipzig, a couple of hours to the south. There we spent the next two days with more remarkable Salvationists and refugees.

Majors Mark and Barbara Backhaus lead the Leipzig Corps and Community Centre. In a plain-looking complex in a typical residential area are located the corps worship hall, the Backhaus’s living quarters, accommodation for 12 Syrian refugees, a small thrift shop and various other office and general meeting spaces. Appearances can be deceptive. No space is left unutilised!

And then just down the street, perhaps a hundred metres away, is a major new facility, a combined thrift shop/second-hand goods store specially assembled to provide low-cost goods for the refugee population now settled in Leipzig. Staffed by a mix of paid and volunteer staff, but mainly the latter, it provides a vital service to those refugees trying to

re-establish themselves with some degree of normality.

What is really critical to understand, however, regarding The Salvation Army’s work with the refugees in Leipzig, is the very deliberate and successful attempt to create strong community. There is a real community feel between the refugees and the German Salvationists and volunteers – one that is regularly experienced, for example, by means of sharing a meal together.

We experienced this strongly when invited to join in a communal feast on the Saturday evening. And a feast it was, with all the food being prepared by the Syrian men with great effort and flair. Sure, we filmed the proceedings before we downed cameras to eat with them, but this was not a one-off for the visitors from London. It is part of the community being built by the Army in Leipzig.

From Leipzig we moved on to Naumburg on the Sunday morning to engage with the local corps and, again, to meet with refugees being assisted there by The Salvation Army. Several were in the worship meeting that morning, many of whom had been baptised at a nearby church in the previous weeks. It was clear that they are warmly embraced by the corps community.

After lunch it was back to Berlin to prepare for the second leg of our film-making trip. The German leg had been busy, and we travelled many miles by courtesy of the divisional commander. But beyond the filming and interviewing business of these days, the overwhelming sense was of privilege. And the privilege was ours; ours to meet and observe those working with the refugees; ours to meet the refugees themselves.

Next day, by early afternoon we had landed in Oslo, Norway, confronted by a landscape deep in snow. The previous week the temperatures had reached -20°C – even the locals had felt the cold! Fortunately it only reached four or five below in our days there.

From the airport we headed north, driving for a couple of hours to the classic small Norwegian rural town of Raufoss, to visit the corps located there.

The first surprise as we entered the impeccably kept and presented Salvation Army hall was to be met by two Ghanaian Salvation Army officers! Captains Matthew and Rose Nanan are the corps officers and, while they were born and grew up in Ghana, it was only after Matthew went to Norway to undertake university studies that they met The Salvation Army and decided to join. They subsequently felt the call to officership, and went to the training college, eventually leading to an appointment to Raufoss.

That surprise over, another one presented itself when we were introduced to Sam and Sara Roen, two local Salvationists who coordinate the family support service for refugees run from this corps. Why did they surprise us? Because ‘There is a real community feel between the refugees

and the German Salvationists and volunteers’ CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

above left: John anscombe and neil Macinnes film a worker at the Salvation army’s warehouse in leipzig, germany; top: Majors Mark and Barbara Backhaus, corps officers in leipzig; above: a refugee shows his gratitude for the hot drink provided by the Salvation army in Berlin


PHOTOS by major brad Halse

one of 12 Syrian refugees who are housed by the Salvation army in leipzig, germany, helps to prepare a communal meal

a refugee family being cared for at a Salvation army-run accommodation centre in teisen, norway


two Salvation army workers in Raufoss, norway, prepare care packages for refugees. the woman on the right is Sara Roen, who came into contact with the army when she and her husband were refugees from afghanistan. today they are both uniformed Salvationists


‘Regardless of whether the refugees were from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan or an African nation they were all treated with love, respect and dignity’

giving out hot drinks to refugees who gather in sub-zero temperatures in Berlin, germany

activities are provided for refugee children in the accommodation centre in teisen, norway


the video team captures the snowy scene outside Raufoss Corps in norway


just a few years ago they were themselves refugees, from Afghanistan.

Helped by The Salvation Army, they were profoundly influenced by the love they received and so they committed themselves to God, became Salvationists and now serve in a voluntary capacity. It is a wonderful story.

Over the next couple of hours we engaged with the officers, Sam and Sara and other local volunteers as they helped and served a great number of refugees who came to the hall for food, friendship and support.

Regardless of whether the refugees were from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan or an African nation they were all treated with love, respect and dignity. It was a classic case of Christian love in action. Good to watch. And experience. When the last of the refugees had left the warmth of the hall to walk to their housing in sub-zero temperatures, we packed our gear and headed back to Oslo for our remaining three days.

There we spent our time at a remarkable refugee accommodation centre in Teisen being run by the Army. Started at the request of the Norwegian

Government last September to help by accommodating a large number of refugees – up to 250 at any one time – the service has been full on since then.

Staff and volunteers were recruited amazingly quickly. The needs were great; the attitude was simple: just get it done to set things up.

A few months into its operation the centre is a classic hub of activity. Refugees from many countries stay here. Single men, couples, families. A total mix. Notionally they may only be required to stay at this facility for a few days before being assigned longer-term accommodation; in reality the majority of people we spoke to had been there for two or three months.

The time for their refugee applications to be processed can be long. Boredom is a real problem in this type of accommodation facility, so the staff and

major brad Halse is Communications secretary at the salvation army’s international Headquarters

volunteers try to create an environment where people, from the children to the adults, are engaged in different activities. Language classes, recreation, educational events, shopping, cooking lessons and trips off-site … all are built into life at the centre.

At the end of the day, it is a case of The Salvation Army doing something, anything, to assist people in need. It is not going to solve the challenges presented by the large numbers of people travelling to Europe seeking refugee status. The Army knows this. What it does do, palpably, is provide a caring human face, and more, to those who need someone to listen, to help, to explain.

The Salvation Army in Norway, as in Germany, can be proud of its officers, soldiers, employees and volunteers who are working so hard in these places. For we three, it was a privilege to meet and engage with so many of the workers and the refugees.

Look for the film clips on our websites and via YouTube in due course. You will be pleased you did!

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

‘Refugees from many countries stay here. Single men, couples, families. a total mix’

above left: as part of the programme in teisen, norway, a refugee offers English language lessons; above: Petra Kjellen Brooke, who is coordinating the Salvation army’s refugee ministry in norway; left: Captains Rose and Matthew nanan, orginally from ghana but now corps officers in Raufoss, norway, where they oversee a significant refugee assistance programme

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For the latest news on The Salvation Army’s Europe refugee response – including videos by the UK team – go to: http://sar.my/europerefugees


Cause no harm

T H E E N V I R O N M E N T

THE Salvation Army’s historical venture into the business of buying and selling tea is reflected in the lyrics of a song from the 1960s Salvation

Army musical Take-Over Bid. ‘Oh, there’s nothing like an Army cup of tea ...’ went John Gowans’s lyric. ‘They produce it on the spot from Hong Kong to Aldershot. Oh, there’s nothing like an Army cup of tea!’

As far back as 1898, Commandant Herbert Booth launched the Missionary Tea League whereby members pledged only to drink tea supplied by Salvation

Army operations in India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), under the brand name Hamodava – a Singhalese word for ‘Salvation’. Simultaneously, The Salvation Army purchased land in South Asia and employed indigenous tea farmers; an innovative foretaste of the Fair Trade concept, perhaps.

I’ve never been to Aldershot, but I recently visited Hong Kong, and my visit there reignited concerns about such ventures and their importance as part of the Army’s holistic international ministry. Perhaps you prefer coffee to tea but, whatever your preference, please allow me to outline the background to my interest.

Tea and tomatoesEvery year, I grow tomatoes in a little plot of land behind my house. Last year’s crop failed to ripen, the tomatoes remaining green and then turning black – I couldn’t

even use them for chutney! I am reliably informed that global climate change had affected many other tomato growers too – it wasn’t just my efforts that failed. In 2015, here in the United Kingdom, we experienced bouts of unusually warm weather during winter, resulting in the early flowering of some plants.

Thankfully, those changes don’t affect me too much. I am fortunate enough to be able to get replacement tomatoes from the supermarket and even buy chutney to my heart’s content, but for others, globally, such alterations in temperature and crop management can have a significant impact on income and lifestyle. The tea farmer in India, or the coffee farmer in Uganda, for example, might lose entire crops because an unpredictable climate has altered flowering patterns drastically. Or a Kenyan farmer can be devastated when the maize seed she planted withers and dies because the rains don’t fall.

Tuvalu and temperatureTuvalu’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Aunese Simati, talks about the need to secure safe places for displaced families: ‘You often hear people say to move to higher ground or to move inland. In Tuvalu’s case,’ he explains, ‘there is no higher ground

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above: Children in the democratic Republic of Congo eat a paste made from the ground leaves of the moringa tree. Moringa (also known as the miracle tree) has leaves which are rich in nutrients and can be effective in stopping malnutrition. growing these trees helps with reforestation efforts and reduces the effects of carbon emissions

as the salvation army’s international projects officer, Major Heather Poxon is highly aware of the effects of climate change on the daily lives of the world’s poorest people. the disruption to weather patterns is leading to significant problems with water supply and food-growing around the globe. the major tells All the World that, for the salvation army as an international movement – and for its members and supporters as individuals – it’s time to think of others in the way we conduct our business and lead our everyday lives.

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‘The media is overwhelmed with reports of increasing environmental migration

by people fleeing drought or flood’

as we are an atoll nation, just over two metres above sea level. We don’t have the luxury of higher grounds. If you move inland, you hit the other side of the island. The highest building is the three-storey government building in Funafuti, which is used as an evacuation centre in times of natural disaster.’

The media is overwhelmed with reports of increasing environmental migration by people fleeing drought or flood. The stark reality is, plants and animals – vital food sources – are becoming extinct or unsustainably rare. Disasters seem to be more frequent. Quite probably, we could all relate one story or another of strange weather patterns locally, nationally or internationally.

What, then, are the facts?The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change stated that this planet’s surface temperatures increased by 0.85° between 1880 and 2012, and that this was most likely due to increased greenhouse gas emissions. This has led to warming of the oceans, melting of ice sheets, glaciers and

Arctic sea ice, sea level rises, and more extreme weather events. This warming is predicted to rise if we continue to emit greenhouse gases at present rates. Ninety-seven per cent of climate scientists agree that humans are causing this climate change.

Thermometers and theologyPsalm 24:1 (New International Version) tells us: ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.’ The apostle Paul reminds us that ‘all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together’ (Colossians 1:16-17).

When God created the world he said that it was good and beautiful (Genesis 1:31). He entrusted this world to our stewardship (Genesis 1:28). Tragically, we have exploited it with our tendency towards a mind-set of grabbing and growing without sufficient thought of reasonable limitations or the effects of such development and growth.

As God’s people, Bible believers, do we maybe need to revisit the idea

that Planet Earth is our shared home? Is it possible we have neglected that concept, to the catastrophic detriment of innocent others? We human beings are interconnected; we cannot therefore pick and choose which parts of our behaviour we prefer without strong consideration of how that behaviour impacts the lives of individuals, families and entire communities whose needs are already great. It has been said it is only the sick bird that will soil its own nest. Human beings, uniquely, have soiled this stunningly beautiful and intricately complex planet.

Thrift and thoughtfulnessIt is not without significance that the words ‘ecology’ and ‘economy’ have a common root which means ‘housekeeping’. The implication is obvious! We cannot separate ecology and economy; neither may we continue to make decisions about what we buy or how we live on the basis of cheapest options or largest profits. In terms of ecology, that is a spectacularly dangerous economic philosophy. Frankly, someone, somewhere, will bear that cost of our decisions, and pay the price. Awfully, it is often those who can afford it least who bear the burden of shoddy housekeeping not of their making.

dulia, from Yunnan province in China, harvests mulberry leaves to feed silkworms. as part of a Salvation army project, Mulberry trees were planted along the river instead of maize, which has shallow roots and is pulled up every year, leading to landslides when the rains come. the mulberry trees have good root systems and are left in place from year to year. Since the trees were planted there has been a noticeable reduction in landslides.

Photo: Heather Poxon


C O U N T R Y O R T H E M ET H E E N V I R O N M E N T

The maxim – the golden rule – must be: how will this affect others? Where, for example, does the chain of manufacture and purchase begin, long before I buy, say, a cheap pair of jeans? In an unregulated sweatshop in Bangladesh? How might my purchases affect generations who follow me?

Have you ever stayed in a guest house or hotel (or visited a Salvation Army hall!) where there is a notice on display requesting that the kitchen/bathroom/toilet be left as you yourself would like to find it? It’s not such a bad rule of thumb for dear old Planet Earth, and it only requires a modicum of thought beforehand.

So when we in the International Projects Section – and many other Salvation Army development workers around the world – work with conservation agriculture, for example, we work to leave a healthy/healthier earth in our wake. When we support agroforestry projects, intercropping, bee-keeping,

caterpillar raising (caterpillars are a cheap and tremendous source of protein!); when we encourage an increase in biodiversity and a decrease in the use of artificial pesticides, I believe we co-labour with God the Creator to care for (t)his earth. We also seek to mitigate against the inevitability of future disasters caused by climate change.

Top brass and tacticsThankfully, governments worldwide are (at last!) starting to take these urgent issues seriously. Last year, in Paris, representatives of 200 countries came together for intense discussion and agreed an encouraging and heart-warming deal on the environment. They made a commitment to reduce carbon emissions and to regularly review the progress of their plans. Finance will be provided to poor nations to help them cut emissions and cope with the effects of unusual and extreme weather. Countries affected by climate-related disasters and

problems will be granted crucial financial and practical aid. Thank the Lord for such political will and action. Pray for more!

Temperance and treesThe renowned economist E. F. Schumacher said: ‘We still have to learn to know how to live peacefully, not only with our fellow person, but also with nature itself, and, above all, with those higher powers which have made nature and have made us; for assuredly we have not come about by accident and certainly have not made ourselves.’

Ultimately, whether or not the planet is significantly enriched by our being here, is it not perfectly logical for Christians to want to live in such ways that cause no harm to those with whom we share this existence? If righteousness for righteousness’ sake is sometimes our only motto and incentive, is not living simply so that others may simply live a sane and sapient mandate?

Martin Luther said, ‘Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.’ What will we plant today, literally and metaphorically, for good or ill?

top right: the Salvation army in the democratic Republic of Congo is teaching women how to make a beehive. Keeping bees helps to preserve the biodiversity of an area, encourages the protection of forests and – through selling honey and other products – can provide a substantial income

Bottom right: Shamadidi, from Yunnan province in China, is pictured boiling water on her biogas stove. the Salvation army is working with her community to encourage the use of biogas for cooking rather than wood. in the long term, this should help slow down the rate of deforestation, which in turn leads to erosion and desertification.

Honest gudu, a farmer in Kenya, with his maize crop which has been grown using conservation farming methods. these methods help to keep the structure of the soil healthy, moist and weed-free. they help farmers to withstand the negative effects of longer dry seasons and unexpected rains.

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article written with Stephen Poxon


HONG KONGTHe SalvaTiON army iN HONG KONG

the Salvation army began its ministry in Hong Kong in March 1930, following a request via government House to start women’s work. Majors dorothy Brazier and doris lemon opened a home for women and girls in Kowloon, with the work overseen from Peking (today known as Beijing). a headquarters was established in Hong Kong in 1951.during the Second world war, Hong Kong was occupied by Japanese forces and all Salvation army work had to close. all, that is, except the Kwai Chung girls’ Home which – according to the Salvation army’s official history – remained open ‘thanks to the heroic resourcefulness of Major Brazier, based upon her own faith in the protecting love of god’.

today, the Salvation army’s Hong Kong and Macau Command has 16 corps (churches), 2,467 senior soldiers, 30 adherent members and 405 junior soldiers.the command oversees 33 crèches and schools, offering care and quality education to more than 7,000 children.the 80 social services units assist more than 579,000 people a year.Because of this huge amount of social and schools ministry, the command has almost as many employees as senior soldiers – 2,411.the China development office in Hong Kong oversees two offices in mainland China, through which a wide variety of development and disaster relief projects are organised.

•the name Hong kong means ‘fragrant Harbour’ in Cantonese.

•the origin of the whole of Hong kong taking on the name is complicated, with several conflicting stories! the most likely comes from the tradition of producing incense, which led to the bay from which the produce was transported taking the name Hong kong, with a nearby village becoming known as Hong kong village. this is first recorded during the ming dynasty, which lasted from 1368 to 1644. a local is said to have told a british trader to Hong kong village that the place was called Hong kong. the british assumed that Hong kong referred to the whole island, and the name stuck.

•the Hong kong of today is actually made up of Hong kong island, kowloon peninsula and the new territories (which includes 200 outlying islands).

•Hong kong’s official name is Hong kong special administrative Region of the people’s Republic of China.

•until a government decision made in 1926, Hong kong was commonly written as one word: Hongkong.

the flag of Hong Kong comprises a white, five-petal flower set in a red field. when its design was proposed to the Chinese national People’s Congress in april 1990, the following explanation was given: ‘the regional flag carries a design of five bauhinia [Hong Kong orchid] petals, each with a star in the middle, on a red background. the red flag represents the motherland and the bauhinia represents Hong Kong. the design implies that Hong Kong is an inalienable part of China and prospers in the embrace of the motherland. the five stars on the flower symbolise the fact that all Hong Kong compatriots love their motherland, while the red and white colours embody the principle of “one country, two systems”.’

•archaeological surveys suggest that people have inhabited Hong kong for up to 39,000 years.

•the area used to be a centre for salt production, from the third century bc through to the imperial Chinese era. under the tang dynasty (618–907 ad) the region developed into a major trading centre.

• in 1842, as part of a treaty at the end of the first opium war (between british forces and the Chinese Qing empire) Hong kong island was ceded to britain. this was expanded in 1860 to include the kowloon peninsula and stonecutter’s island. the rest of modern Hong kong – mainly comprising the new territories – was obtained by britain on a 99-year lease in 1898.

•on 1 July 1997, at the end of the 99-year lease, the whole of Hong kong was returned to the Chinese government – even though the lease was only on part of the land.

•when Hong kong was first ruled by britain, the population was around 75,000. when the colony was handed back to China in 1997, it was home to almost 6.5 million people. today, the population of Hong kong is around 7.3 million.

•Hong kong is one of the most densely populated regions of the world. in 2015 its population density was recorded as 6,654.74 people per square kilometre. if the united kingdom had the same population density as Hong kong, it would be home to 1.6 billion people (25 times the current number)! if Canada had the same population density as Hong kong, its population would be a staggering 66.44 billion!

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‘the Salvation army’ in Cantonese (spoken by almost 90 per cent of the population) is ‘Kau Sai Kwan’


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I LEFT Hong Kong with the words of Lieut-Colonel Ian Swan (Officer Commanding, Hong Kong and Macau Command) playing over in my mind. ‘Don’t let anyone tell you

The Salvation Army isn’t in China – it is, because Hong Kong is part of China.’

Strictly speaking it’s an autonomous ‘Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China’, but the colonel is right – The Salvation Army in Hong Kong, with its churches and wide-ranging social provision, is part of China and has been since the British Government handed over the reins in 1997. The vision of The Salvation Army’s Founder, William Booth, that the Army would have a ministry in this huge country, is still being fulfilled 100 years after the first Army ministry took place there.

Hong Kong is remarkable in so many ways, a tip of rocky outcrop on the edge of a massive landmass, a meeting of traditional British, Chinese and the sleek, ultra-modern. For a first-time visitor like me, it was unexpectedly beautiful, with a regular sea view or green mountains forming a contrast to endless high-rise buildings. The built-up and the natural sit side-by-side in surprising harmony.

Of course, Lieut-Colonel Swan knows that Hong Kong isn’t the same as mainland China. The Salvation Army engages in community work and emergency responses on the mainland, but they look different to what takes place in Hong Kong. Relationships with the Chinese Government are friendly, but there are still limits on what can happen. You won’t see evangelism or church gatherings organised by The Salvation Army on the mainland. Instead, the Army has become a valuable partner in providing emergency and development services, demonstrating the love of God through actions.

Back in Hong Kong, where The Salvation Army has been active since 1930, the work continues to expand and cope with the changing face of this Special Administrative Region.

On Lantau Island, hundreds of high-rise apartment buildings have been constructed in the past decade. At the heart of the Yat Tung Estate, in Tung

by Kevin Sims

Chung, is The Salvation Army’s Lam Butt Chung Memorial School – nestled in the heart of tall buildings like a small child among a sea of adults.

The area is quite deprived. The apartment blocks are not old, but they are already looking tatty around the edges. The community is too far from downtown to make commuting viable but too new to have created its own areas of employment. Many of the families who come to Hong Kong from the mainland are settled here, with a large number unable to work while their papers are processed.

In many communities like this, the sense of deprivation and uncertainty translates into desperation and difficulty in the school system, but not at the Lam Butt Chung Memorial School. The

Principal, Daniel Lo – a Salvationist – beams with pride as he shows us around the school. It may not be ostentatious but it is smart and well cared for, and the children show obvious respect not only for their surroundings but also to each other and to their teachers.

The school has around 700 pupils, ranging in age from six to 12. There are around 25 children per class, allowing for a high quality of education.

It is open to application for children of any faith or none but it makes no effort to mask its Christian values and background. Everywhere you go through the school, on almost every wall and

‘Hong Kong is remarkable in so many ways – a meeting of traditional British, Chinese and the sleek, ultra-modern’

above: making decorations for Chinese new Year at the tung Chung family Support Centre

Working together in China’s ‘special’ region

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stairwell, there are illustrations from the Bible, from Creation and Noah’s Ark through to Jesus’ earthly ministry.

Envoy Simon Wong (Community Relations Director), who has worked for The Salvation Army for many years, explains that, although less than 10 per cent of Hong Kong is Christian, almost all the top schools are run by Christian organisations.

Daniel feels that the Christian underpinning brings extra responsibility to his school. ‘How can you says “Jesus loves you” if you’re not loving your student by teaching him or her well?’ he asks.

Results are positive, with the pupils achieving grades that are well above the average expected in such a low-income area.

The emphasis is very much on teaching the child while working with the family. Daniel shows us a selection of small rooms, barely more than cupboards, each of which is almost filled by an upright piano. These are rehearsal rooms, where children learning the piano can come to practise. There is little or no chance that they would have a piano in their homes. Daniel explains that the school has a strong tradition of music, with its handbell groups receiving recognition locally and overseas.

Walking through the school, there is a clear sense of community. It’s approaching Chinese New Year, so special classes are taking place. In the main hall, children are learning the traditions and approach of Chinese opera. In classrooms, some children are working on ideas of how they would transform unused parking space into a facility that would be useful for local elderly people. The programme has included time going out into the community to speak with

people in order to understand their needs.Another classroom sees some of the

youngest children learning traditional board games while, a few yards away, a class is shown 3D modelling techniques in the computer lab.

From the school we are taken across the estate by Major Agatha Wong, one of the corps officers (ministers). She is the meeting point for the different ministries, linking the school and its children with the rest of the people in this community – and working alongside The Salvation Army’s Tung Chung Family Support Centre, which operates from a modest office five minutes’ walk from the school.

When we arrive at the centre, a group of women is gathered in the meeting room. The table in front of them is covered in craft materials and they are

making decorations for Chinese New Year. We learn that, for many of these women, this will be their only social interaction while their children are at school.

This goes to the heart of what the family support centre is doing – providing social links so people look after each other, even if they are no longer surrounded by their wider family.

The social workers we meet paint a bleak picture. People in Tung Chung lack external support. They are isolated because of the distance to Kowloon, where most of the jobs are, and many people in the area are among the 150

a day from mainland China who are coming to live in Hong Kong as part of a government programme – around 55,000 a year … every year for the foreseeable future.

There are many difficulties that arise with this flood of new people. Language is one barrier, with newcomers speaking Mandarin rather than Cantonese. Some

‘The emphasis is on bringing people together and improving lives so a support network can be built across the community’


the implications of the Pearl River Delta ‘mega-city’ planned by the Chinese Government, which will eventually be accessed by a new bridge from Hong Kong. The mega-city, made up from the urbanisation of land between five cities, has grown from a mostly rural population of 27 million in 2000 to more than 58 million people today (just less than the populations of the United Kingdom or Italy!) with projections showing that this could grow to more than 200 million in the next decade or so.

No one quite knows how this will affect Hong Kong, but it is likely that the problems being addressed at the family centre in Tung Chung will become more common.

The Salvation Army’s Hong Kong and Macau Command is making every effort to be prepared for the changes that will come in this ‘Special’ part of China and on the mainland. In the meantime, the interaction between school, corps (church) and family centre that I saw in Tung Chung continues to be a good model.

And, as the school’s brochure makes clear, this ministry is all done in the name of Jesus: ‘Our school community,’ says the School Vision, ‘in sharing the love and truth of Jesus Christ, will grow in knowledge, maturity and care for others, especially those with greatest needs.’

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arrive as single parents with children, meaning it is very difficult to form social bonds outside the home.

We learn that there is a particular problem with old men from Hong Kong seeking young marriage partners from mainland Chinese villages, some with a 50-year age gap or more. What happens when the young women have children causes a variety of issues. Sometimes the father becomes ill or even dies, leaving a young single mum in an unfamiliar location with no family support. In other instances, the young wife gets her residency papers and then leaves her elderly husband, meaning that – at an age when he struggles to look after himself – he then has to find a way to bring up their children.

The family support centre seeks out situations like this, offering practical and emotional support. Their figures show that they have reached about 1,000 families in Tung Chung – and they emphasise that they mainly work with families rather than individuals.

When they have worked successfully with people, usually after a year, the support team encourages them to become mentors, helping others in their community. One person who had

computer maintenance skills now helps other families on the estate. Others receive training in hairdressing and then offer their skills in a local elderly care centre.

One of the social workers explains: ‘They find strengths they never knew they had!’

The emphasis is on bringing people together and improving lives so a support network can be built across the community. Elderly people are mobilised to be part of the community, and parents are taught how to look after their children more successfully.

‘After five years,’ we are told, ‘family cohesiveness has risen by 50 per cent.’ Parent-child relationships are improving and there is better communication between the generations.

The centre receives generous support from the Jockey Club of Hong Kong and a funding organisation called The Community Chest. Some of the funding is coming to an end, leaving doubts about how much of the programme will continue. There’s no doubt that the need is great – and likely to become greater. More than 100,000 people are expected to move into the nearby area in the next few years, and that’s without considering

opposite page: pupils at the Salvation army’s lam Butt Chung Memorial School learn to play board games

left: one of the many Bible illustrations at the school; right: Principal daniel lo (centre) with Envoy Simon wong (right) and international visitor lieut-Colonel thomas M. Bowers, from the Salvation army world Service office

Below: the school computer lab


C O U N T R Y O R T H E M EC O U N T R Y O R T H E M EC O U N T R Y O R T H E M E

FrOm arOUND THe WOrlDSNAPSHOTS

tHRougHout lent 2016, the salvation army’s international Headquarters (iHQ) in central london hosted a remarkable artwork that was created on the premises and formed part of a ‘pilgrimage for art-lovers’ through the traditional 14 stations of the Cross, marking the different stages of Jesus’ journey to Calvary.

the ‘stations of the Cross’ exhibition – which ran from ash wednesday until easter monday – sought to tell the story of the passion in fresh ways. other venues, scattered across central london, included st paul’s Cathedral, the tower of london and the national gallery.

an inital approach to host one of the stations was made to iHQ in august 2015, when artist terry duffy – co-curator of the exhibition – met members of the iHQ Communications section. He explained that he wanted iHQ to host station ten: ‘Jesus is stripped of his garments’, and that the salvation army had come to mind because of the way it helps people in need, including those who have lost all they possess.

terry and fellow curator dr aaron Rosen – an academic at king’s College london – assigned güler ates to create the piece for iHQ. güler, a lecturer at the Royal academy, is best known for photographs of mysterious figures in shimmering, diaphanous veils, drifting through opulent spaces.

the idea was to create something dramatic that would catch the attention of passers-by. the artwork would pick up on two themes – the suffering of Jesus as remembered at this station of the Cross, but also the suffering of thousands of refugees who are fleeing to europe to seek safety. güler was particularly inspired by the photos and reports of two-year-old aylan kurdi, who drowned in the mediterranean sea trying to cross to europe with his syrian family. what brought this story home so clearly to güler was that she had just given birth to a son – dylan – and that she was a refugee herself, having fled turkey when she was young.

under güler’s direction a huge collage was created in the gallery space next to the public cafe. for four weeks, güler and a team of volunteers – including refugees, and staff and officers from the salvation army – hand-stitched used and worn-out children’s clothes to a huge piece of backing cloth. the final work measures more than 10 metres high and six metres wide.

güler worked closely with members of refugee women’s groups, some of whom donated clothes. others poured their experiences into messages written on some of the clothes, from words of hope and peace to poignant messages such as

INTERNATIONAL HEADqUARTERS

art for the heart

‘why did my son have to die?’ – which has particular power when linked to the Crucifixion.

once the work was finished, it was taken on a perilous, difficult journey over the River thames and back across the millennium bridge to symbolise the loss and trauma suffered by refugees who are forced to leave their homes and travel long distances to seek safety and welcome. at times, when the blustery wind caught the fabric, there were worries that the whole piece would be blown into the thames. a few items were blown into the river and not replaced.

a dramatic video of this journey can be seen on the stations of the Cross page of the salvation army’s international website, at sar.my/stations2016. the video includes interview footage with güler in which she explains her approach to the commission and also talks about her overwhelmingly positive experience of working with the salvation army.

in time for ash wednesday, the artwork – now known as ‘sea of Colour’ – was hung in place at the front window of iHQ. throughout lent many people stopped to look, take photos and read the information about the work which brought to mind the suffering of Jesus but also – as the discarded clothes seem to hold the shapes of the children who had once worn them – a reminder of the children who suffer every day in the hope of a better future.

‘Güler worked closely with members of refugee women’s groups, some of whom donated clothes’

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S N A P S H O T SA

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ERT

PlEaSE MaKE CHEQUES PaYaBlE to ‘tHE SalVation aRMY’, addRESSEd to:

Communications Section, the Salvation army international Headquarters, 101 Queen Victoria Street, london EC4V 4EH, United Kingdom

Please include your name and address

Salvation Books publications are also available from territorial trade/supplies departments and on www.amazon.co.uk, although prices may vary

Email [email protected] for further information

USA

Services with a smileChris Priest, Territorial Director of Communications for The Salvation Army’s USA Southern Territory, was passing through Atlanta International Airport when his attention was drawn to a new touchscreen inform ation point. While many of the headings were illustrated as expected (knife and fork

AUSTRALIA

United!

CHange is on the cards in australia, where the salvation army’s two territories, australia eastern and australia southern, are to be merged into one – called, simply, the australia territory. the new arrangement is set to be in place by 1 January 2019, though it may be sooner if the process goes well.

Commissioner floyd tidd will take up the new appointment of national Commander on 1 June 2016 to oversee the merger. He describes the unification as ‘an important milestone that will further enhance the salvation army’s ability to provide life-changing social and spiritual services to the people of australia’.

this decision has been reached following a lengthy and exhaustive review with people at all levels of the army across

australia and at international Heaquarters (iHQ). at various times since the salvation army in australia was separated into two territories in 1921 there have been discussions within australia, and at iHQ, concerning whether the mission of the salvation army might be better served by the unification of the two territories.

an extensive study took place into the costs and benefits (financial and missional) of such an approach, as well as the issues to be considered in the implementation of any form of unification.

a financial analysis of the proposal resulted in a confident expectation that unification will bring about substantial savings, which will be invested in a mission development endowment fund to ensure the sustainability and further development of effective mission in a single australia territory.

for ‘food and beverages’, blocky taxi and bus silhouettes for ‘ground transportation’), the illustration for ‘Other Services’ was something unexpected

The image could be nothing other than the insignia found on Salvation Army uniform lapels around the world – an ‘S’ on a hexagonal background!

It’s not known who put the illustration on the screen, but it goes to show that – for those seeking services – there’s no doubt that ‘where there’s a need, there’s The Salvation Army’!

the creation of this single territory will also ensure that the army speaks in australia with a single voice and has a consistency of approach in all of its programmes, personnel management and business dealings.

the international leadership of the army seeks the prayers of all for the ongoing process of bringing these two territories together.

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Books by female writers

serveserve

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In the bitter cold of a European winter, The Salvation Army offers more than a warm drink or place to stay to some of the thousands of refugees who arrive on the continent seeking safety. Through the work of dedicated staff, officers and volunteers it provides hope, comfort, support and love.

The photos on this page, taken by Major Brad Halse, show

some of the people helped through The Salvation Army’s refugee

response in Germany and Norway

http://sar.my/europerefugees

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all the world (april 2016)

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