The Australian and Indonesian delegates gave cultural presentations on their respective territories. BY SIMONE WORTHING   “SPEACO was fantastic … there was an incredible wealth of information from all of the speakers,” said Captain Adam Peterson, Territorial Chaplaincy Specialist. Adam was one of four Australian delegates to attend the recent South Pacific and East Asia College for Officers (SPEACO) in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The college ran from 17 June to 5 July. Captain Robyn Lorimer presenting on the Australia Territory. “Beyond the classroom sessions, though, gaining an understanding of what The Salvation Army looks like beyond the Australia Territory was impacting,” Adam added. “Talking with officers who are serving in appointments that can be difficult and at times dangerous, while speaking with such passion of God and the Army’s mission was inspiring and revealing in terms of what is possible and what God is doing around the world. To be informed, challenged and inspired while in the company of amazing officers from the SPEA zone was an absolute gift to me and hopefully one I can repay through my own service.”   Major Phil Gluyas, Captain Robyn Lorimer and Captain Phuong Reynolds were the additional three Australian delegates.    Different locations SPEA zonal leaders and guest speakers were an integral part of the college. “The South Pacific and East Asia College for Officers is facilitated by the South Pacific and East Asia Zonal Office every three years and runs for three weeks,” explained Major Meaghan Gallagher, Assistant Under Secretary for the SPEA Zone. “This College for Officers is held in different locations throughout the zone, with the last three being in Australia, Indonesia, and this year in Thailand.   Meaghan serves in her appointment under Commissioners Robyn and Wayne Maxwell, SPEA Zone leaders. All three are from the Australia Territory.   The mission statement for the college is: “SPEACO exists to develop spiritual leadership, personal holiness, as well as affirm a sense of value and worth to God within the Army.  It also exists to strengthen commitment to officership, gain an informed appreciation of the various cultures within the zone, and share the vision of the Army’s mission throughout the South Pacific and East Asia.” Major Peter Farthing leads one of the sessions at SPEACO. The territories and region within the SPEA Zone nominate delegates for the college.   “Delegates attended around 50 sessions led by [Australian] Principals Majors Peter and Kerrie Farthing and International Secretaries for SPEA, Commissioners Robyn and Wayne and Robyn Maxwell, and a number of guest speakers,” shared Adam. “Each territory made cultural presentations and had their own responsibility.   “All the speakers were terrific. Hebrews 12:1-2 was the Scripture passage for the time away, and other key passages included Acts 1:8 and Micah 6:8 .” Personal impact At the conclusion of the first week, Commissioner Robyn Maxwell wrote, “A stunning week filled with beautiful worship, singing and reading the Word in different languages. Enriching Bible teaching from Major Peter Farthing on the Gospel of Luke, holiness by Lieut. Colonel Nigel Cross [Chief Secretary of Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand Territory], and Spiritual Formation by Major Kerrie Farthing.  Australia and Indonesia territories presented to us an inspiring session sharing a little of their culture as well as a glimpse of what the Lord is doing in their territory!”   Four Australian delegates and five leaders and presenters, including SPEA Zonal Leaders, Commissioners Robyn and Wayne Maxwell (centre) were part of the recent SPEACO event in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Captain Robyn Lorimer, Executive Assistant to Territorial Leaders and Secretary for Spiritual Life, also shared some of her impressions and experiences of SPEACO.   “So many beautiful friendships and memories are being formed … Friday was a very special day as Commissioners Wayne and Robyn shared devotions with us and told the story of Wayne and how he had his cardiac arrest and yet survived,” she wrote. “And to see him standing in front of us fit and healthy was an absolute miracle of God.   “Were blessed to sit under the leadership of Lieuts-Colonels Nigel and Stacey Cross who spoke about holiness … I particularly enjoyed the topic on self-care and how we work that into holy living … during the Aussie cultural display, we invited everyone to share Vegemite and it was hilarious, but also great to see that many of them enjoyed it.   “God has been very evident from the start … and was present in all that we did.”   The delegates also visited an Elephant Freedom Village run by a family belonging to the Karen Hill Tribe of Chiang Mai and dedicated to the wellbeing of the elephants. Commissioners Robyn and Wayne Maxwell at the Elephant Freedom Village. “It was an amazing experience seeing the elephants up close,” shared Robyn Maxwell. “Nothing quite like being hugged by an elephant – or two! Following this we spent time with a family who served us coffee in their village and shared their handmade products with us. Precious moments shared with them as we sang some worship songs in our different languages, ending our visit with a special prayer being prayed over their family.” For additional photos, click on the slideshow below.

The Salvos team – (from left) Amy Matthews, Derek Brown, Beena Saju, Major Dean Clutterbuck, Sally-Ann Clark and Aaron Pimlott – at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Peninsula Support Hub (homelessness) in Moreton Bay City, Queensland. The last month has been a busy and exciting one for Queensland’s homelessness team.   Aaron Pimlott, Queensland State Manager for Homelessness, said the team “broke ground” in the City of Moreton Bay, “delivering a homelessness support hub, called the Peninsula Support Hub, in collaboration with the State Government, on 25 June”. Major Mark Everitt speaks at the ground-breaking ceremony. Mayor Peter Flannery, Yvette D’Ath MP and Cr Karl Winchester attended the ceremony, 60km north of Brisbane. Also present from The Salvation Army were Major Mark Everitt (Queensland Divisional Commander), Captain Dean Clutterbuck (Corps Officer Redcliffe City), Derek Brown (Qld Team Leader, Strategic Partnerships), Beena Saju and Sally-Anne Clark (Regional Homelessness Managers) and Amy Matthews (Mission Team Leader, North Brisbane, Caboolture and Sunshine Coast).   “The new build will provide specialist homelessness support, which our amazing team will deliver on,” Aaron continued. “We will also be joined onsite by the Breakfast Club and together provide much-needed assistance for those at risk of becoming homeless or those experiencing homelessness.”   Social housing land purchase Aaron also shared that The Salvation Army is set to expand its social housing stock after purchasing land at Kangaroo Point, a Brisbane inner-city location just across the Brisbane River from the CBD. “I am beyond excited to share this news and to celebrate with our team and across the sector this significant achievement and milestone as we continue our mission to end homelessness.   “People who are experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of becoming homeless need sustainable housing that is affordable and inclusive of support to sustain their tenancies. That’s how we end homelessness.” – Aaron Pimlott, Queensland State Manager for Homelessness “The secured land will one day become home to dozens of families and individuals facing homelessness. The land represents the first investment in social housing in inner-Brisbane by The Salvation Army since the sale of the Pindari property at Spring Hill in 2022.”   Aaron said that this is an important step towards providing more housing options for those struggling in and around the inner-city. “People who are experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of becoming homeless need sustainable housing that is affordable and inclusive of support to sustain their tenancies. That’s how we end homelessness. We are very excited to announce the purchase of this site in helping us achieve this goal.” Housing first Post-pandemic, The Salvation Army has been strategically moving towards a ‘Housing First’ approach, moving away from future crisis and short-term accommodation options and focusing new initiatives towards long-term and permanent social housing solutions with appropriate tailored support.   “After the sale of Pindari, we have been actively seeking suitable development sites near the city to help us achieve our mission of increasing social housing in Brisbane,” said Aaron. “Further capital funding still needs to be sought to construct at least 60 social dwellings and we are confident of securing this in the near future so we can begin construction.   “The Salvation Army has an ambitious plan to build hundreds of new social housing units across the state, with new developments underway or being planned for Cairns, Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Toowoomba and the Gold Coast.” ‘Breaking ground’ at the Peninsula Support Hub (homelessness) site in Moreton Bay City, Queensland.

Major Michelle and Niall Gibson are Rural and Remote Chaplains in Katherine, NT. BY MAJOR MICHELLE GIBSON*    Living in Katherine, Northern Territory, I’ve flown in and out of Darwin International Airport many times – but never in The Salvation Army’s small Cessna 182 ... until recently.    My husband Niall and I are The Salvation Army’s Rural and Remote Chaplains in the NT, based in Katherine, 300km south of Darwin. We were ready to fly home, so, there we were, in the little Cessna, lined up on the taxiway with small planes, a commercial plane and a huge RAAF plane.    The control tower advised us that the military planes would be prioritised as they were participating in an exercise. So, the huge plane went, then a small plane, then the big commercial one, until we were alone. We were told to wait three minutes for the wake from the commercial plane to disappear before venturing onto the huge runway.     The Gibsons on the runway waiting for the all-clear for takeoff. Niall has had his Private Pilot Licence for quite a few years, and I have flown in and out of many airports and small remote airstrips with him. However, I don’t think I have ever felt as small and insignificant as I did that day, sitting on that huge runway. It was scary! When Niall first started flying, we lived in Albany, Western Australia. I was always comforted when he’d make a radio call and we heard back, “Albany Aerodrome”. This meant that no other planes had made a call in the last five minutes; we were on our own and could land safely.    These days, we fly in and out of a small airstrip not far from an Air Force base. Sometimes they are ‘active’ so the person in the tower gives us instructions. Other times, when they are not active, we listen to the radio calls from other planes to help us navigate when it is safe to land. We often say that although it’s a bit of a nuisance to wait for clearance to take off and land, it really is safer when the person in the tower controls where planes are.    Looking down on a runway at the tower at Darwin Airport. So, returning to sitting on Darwin’s huge runway, the tower knew where we were. I couldn’t see the air traffic controller. From my side of the plane, I couldn’t even see the tower, but I could trust the person to tell us when it was safe to go. They wouldn’t let anyone else enter the runway while we were still there.    As we left the airport, they had us on their radar until we had left the controlled air space. We might have only been a dot on their screen, but they knew where we were and where any other planes were too.    Thinking on this later, I thought about how trusting this unseen person is like trusting God. God is like the air traffic controller. We can’t see him, but we know He’s there. The person in the tower has our best interest and the best interest of all the other planes in the area. We are more than a dot on the screen for the air traffic controller. We are people who need to be kept safe. God, too, has our best interests at heart. We are important to him.  God has got us on his ‘radar’. Sometimes, when there is an Air Force exercise, we cannot fly directly to the places we visit for our work. Once, when we were going to a place almost directly west of Katherine, we had to fly north, west, and then south to avoid the big Air Force jets.     There’s a Bible verse that says, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps” (Proverbs 16:9 NLT ). We might decide to do this or that, but if we trust God, he might advise us to go a different, safer way – his way.    I thank God that when I am in situations that make me nervous, like being on a huge runway, he is my strong tower (Psalm 62:3), watching over my every move.     *Major Michelle Gibson is a Rural and Remote Chaplain for the Salvos in the Northern Territory

The Salvation Army in Tanzania will use recently donated mattresses for a women's hostel currently being built. Each week throughout this year, Salvationists around the world are uniting in prayer for a particular territory or region of The Salvation Army.   Prayer requests are shared by the focus territory/region to help us pray with precision and power for one another.    This week (29 July-4 August) we are praying for the Tanzania Territory. The Self-Denial altar service in Tanzania took place last month. Please pray for: ·       The Women’s Ministries Department. Pray for more spiritual inspiration as they look at enhancing support for young girls in Tanzania, particularly those who need special attention due to being trafficked, living with HIV/AIDS and other challenges. ·       The Women’s Ministries dormitory project. After realising that girls are struggling to find safe places to stay, especially those in universities, the Women’s Ministries Department has initiated a dormitory project that will accommodate 40 students. The aim is to accommodate up to 100 students. Pray that the project be expanded to cater for the need. ·       The Youth Department and our young people. Pray that as they grow, their love for God and for the church will grow too. Pray that they will dedicate their lives to serving others and serving the Lord in the ministry they are called to. ·       The country of Tanzania as it prepares for local government elections in October 2024. Pray for peace and smooth elections. ·       The cadets of the Defenders of Justice session as they prepare for their July field campaign. Pray for their safe journey and the spiritual harvest. For more information about the Tanzania Territory, click here . For more information on the International Prayer Focus 2024, and to download the calendar, click here .

Commissioners Wayne and Robyn Maxwell, South Pacific and East Asia Zone leaders, received a warm welcome in the Solomon Islands. BY SIMONE WORTHING Commissioners Robyn and Wayne Maxwell, leaders of the South Pacific and East Asia Zone (SPEA), visited the Solomon Islands District last week, which is part of the Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands Territory.   After a very wet, but very warm welcome to the capital, Honiara, the Australian officers began a busy schedule around the district. Commissioners Maxwell toured the coconut oil plant at Gateway Corps. Fellow Australians Majors Robert and Vanessa Evans, district leaders, took the Maxwells on a Social Enterprise tour to learn about Kokonut Pacific and how The Salvation Army Solomon Islands has established a DME (direct micro expelling) coconut oil plant at Gateway Corps in North Malaita to fund local mission and ministry. “We also got to see their expansion into cocoa and how this could open another social enterprise opportunity for our village churches,” said Robert.   The Commissioners also met with Solomon Islander leaders and candidates, spending time together over a meal. “We were blessed by their testimonies and also that they had travelled so far to meet with us!” said Robyn. The Maxwells shared with leaders and candidates and listened to their testimonies. On the Sunday, more than 180 Salvationists gathered at Honiara Corps to welcome the international guests and worship together. The timbrel brigade and dancers gave a vibrant cultural welcome to the Commissioners, who enrolled nine junior soldiers and nine senior soldiers, commissioned three local officers and conducted the Self-Denial altar service. A fellowship lunch followed.   The Honiara Corps gave a warm cultural welcome to the visiting zonal leaders. The Maxwells also participated in the Burns Creek Outpost’s service. Wayne dedicated the container shelter constructed with Mission Support Project funds and community support to accommodate the Learning Space and Outpost. Robyn shared a word of encouragement with the community and Salvationist Elizabeth Tolilalo led a Jolly Phonics lesson and action song with the Learning Space children from Burns Creek for the international guests.   Robert and Vanessa escorted the Commissioners on a ‘Social Justice Tour - Hope Trust and World Vision to connect with “two significant mission networks that have a memorandum of understanding with The Salvation Army Solomon Islands,” explained Robert. World Vision and Hope Trust have a memorandum of understanding with The Salvation Army. “We are so privileged to visit the Solomon Islands and share in worship with the Honiara Corps and Burns Creek Outpost, as well as spend time with the church leaders and candidates, and significant mission networks,” shared Robyn. “We received a beautiful cultural welcome. Our hearts were enriched by the ministries, the joyous worship and the beautiful people who captured our hearts.   “Thank you, Majors Robert and Vanessa Evans and Aux-Captains Ramo’oroa Wency and Fostina, for your wonderful welcome and the hospitality shown to us, and for the Kingdom difference you are making in the Solomon Islands. Rejoicing with you over all that the Lord is doing in and through you and your precious people!” For more photos, click on the slideshow below.

Joel McKerrow is the ‘Artist in Residence’ for the 2024 Community Arts Engagement Conference. BY DEAN SIMPSON Joel McKerrow ‘speaks the language’ of creatives.   The Melbourne-based creative specialist is this year’s ‘Artist in Residence’ for the Community Arts Engagement Conference (C^E24) to be held in Melbourne on 16-18 August.   Hosted by the territorial Worship Arts Australia team, the weekend event will bring together creatives from across the Australia Territory and beyond.  Community Arts Engagement Coordinator Jason Simmonds. “Joel is a writer, educator and spoken word artist, and we are very excited to have him contribute creatively to C^E24,” said Jason Simmonds, the team’s Community Arts Engagement Coordinator.   “He’s an engaging performance poet who will bring together much of the learning across the weekend in a form that is easily digested and engages people through story. Joel has extensive experience working with students, teaching the creative process of both poetry and story-writing, and he has a unique way of communicating that connects with people’s imagination and heart.   “So, we are very excited to get inside Joel’s head over the weekend and learn how we can creatively transform Australia one life at a time, with the love of Jesus through music, the arts and creative practice.”  Joel is a lecturer at ACOM, part of the Sydney College of Divinity, and his depth of spiritual insight shines through his storytelling.   He admits he is “obsessed with creativity, story and imagination, and the way they might just change everything”.   In addition to acting as the conference “poetic scribe”, Joel will present a workshop entitled ‘Subversive – Creativity and Social Change’.   “The society we live in is a story-telling society,” he said. “The values upheld, the shape of relationships, the search for meaning ... all of these things are influenced by the stories that we listen to.   “Our creativity, therefore, when it seeks to tell a new story, actually has the potential to change the society around us.” The Worship Arts Team believes that the arts provide a great way to engage communities and, in doing so, build caring and healthy communities where people can encounter Jesus.   Learn more about Joel here Registrations for the community arts engagement conference close at midnight on 1 August (interstate registrations have now closed). Find out more about the conference and register here

Captain Sophio Bakhtadze (right) with some of the ladies at the Georgian summer camp. A recent five-day summer (northern) camp for women and children in Baukriani, Republic of Georgia, gave everyone the opportunity to relax, make new friends and enjoy new experiences in a loving and caring environment. To see the impact of the camp, with its theme ‘beautifully created’, click on the video below.   Georgia is part of the Eastern Europe Territory, along with Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine.

Major Peter Brookshaw and two of his biggest fans at the book launch – Keeva Bartsch (left) and Ethne Dodson.  BY DEAN SIMPSON       A 10-year journey was fulfilled at the weekend when Major Peter Brookshaw launched his first self-authored book at Morley Corps in Perth.   More than 50 people turned up on Saturday 27 July to support Peter and his new book, Who Am I to Change the World – From a Comfortable Couch to a Courageous Calling (Salvos Publishing).   Guests at the book launch line up for Peter to sign their book. “The launch went really well ... we had the gazebo set up, a barbeque morning tea, the Salvos Store and café was open, so the place was buzzing,” said Peter, who is the Corps Officer at Morley with his wife, Major Jo Brookshaw.   “A lot of our corps members were there, but it was heartening to see four ministers from local churches there as well.”   Book launch celebrations continued during the Sunday morning meeting at Morley when Publications Manager Cheryl Tinker interviewed Peter on the platform. Peter then gave the sermon based on some Scriptures and messages from his book.   Publications Manager Cheryl Tinker interviews Major Peter Brookshaw about hs book. Peter said the seeds for the book were planted a decade ago while he was the corps officer at Craigieburn (Vic.).   “I’ve always enjoyed writing as a creative outlet, and I kind of started out blogging. In ministry, I’ve always tried to encourage people and bring out the best in them, you know, try to inspire people to make a difference in their world,” he said.   “A lot of teaching these days is about the words of Jesus – loving with all our heart, soul, mind, strength – and how that leads to a calling and a search for purpose in life.   “So, I began thinking about a book to put all these thoughts and ideas together ... a framework to build upon. I chipped away at it for several years at nighttime; then it really began to take shape over the past two years. To see the book actually launched was very satisfying.”   Peter with two fellow ministers who atended the launch – John Hardy (left) and Chris Friend. Peter and his wife Jo have been officers for 16 years. They served at Palmerston Corps in the Northern Territory for four years, then Craigieburn for eight years, and now four years at Morley.   Peter describes himself as a pragmatic Salvationist with a Christianity-with-sleeves-rolled-up attitude.   “I think I’ve put into book form what I’ve already been communicating as an officer all these years – albeit with a bit of dad-joke humour – but I really hope I can inspire people reading it, especially if they are searching for more in their spiritual walk with Jesus.   “Each of us has a unique calling, which makes each calling courageous. But sometimes, we need to discern what that is. It’s easy to say that if you have the gift of teaching, then teach; if it’s leading, then lead; if it’s helping, then help ... but sometimes we need the incentive to get off the comfortable couch and put that calling into action. I hope my book can help someone in that way.”   Peter said Who Am I to Change the World was a book for all ages.   “I think it’s accessible across all the generations ... it will really benefit a younger reader embarking on life, someone looking to enhance their spiritual walk, right through to the elderly. I mean, we had two 90-year-olds at the launch buying the book ... we’ve all still got something to bring to the Lord.   Major Peter Brookshaw's new book is $25 and available from Salvation Army Supplies. “I encourage you to read his book and to also have a friend read it so that you stay accountable, helping to ensure you don’t just get off the couch, but you have the courage to stay off it.” The book is $25 and available from Salvation Army Supplies and bulk orders from Salvos Publishing . Click through the slideshow below to view more photos of the book launch: Photo 1: Peter with Mike Matich. Photo 2: Peter with Father Patrick Toohey. Photo 3: Peter with John Wynne. Photo 4: Peter preaching on the Sunday morning.  Peter has co-authored two other books with Stephen Court, which are also available from Salvationist Supplies.   They are: Jesus Christ! Nine lies, half-truths and outrageous misconceptions about the most revolutionary person who has ever lived. Available here . Holy! Nine lies, half-truths and outrageous misconceptions about the most radical experience you’ve never lived (contact Salvation Army Supplies ). Peter Brookshaw with General Lyndon Buckingham promoting the book at the General’s rally in Perth on Wednesday 28 August.

The Green Light Project team in the red-light district of Athens is fighting against human trafficking and modern slavery and is seeing a positive impact on victim-survivors. As nations around the world observed World Day against Trafficking in Persons earlier this week (Tuesday 30 July), The Salvation Army continues reaching out with a message of hope as it partners worldwide in the fight against modern slavery and human trafficking (MSHT). One example of the Army’s work is the Green Light Project in Greece. This community-based centre in Athens’ red-light district supports women who are undergoing sexual exploitation and trafficking and their children with a range of services and programs. The project team walk alongside survivors as they regain their physical and emotional health and gradually reintegrate into society.  Rebecca Misthou, Green Light Project and Anti-Human Trafficking Developer of  The Salvation Army’s Italy and Greece Territory , says: “It is with joy that we share that over the past three years, we have started seeing changes in the red-light district of Omonia since several women with whom we have been case working are transitioning out and have exited MSHT. It has been a long journey as they have been encountering many challenges and trauma yet moving forward.” The Salvation Army helping people on the streets of Athens. One particular challenge for survivors of MSHT is the lack of legal documents. In Greece, as in many countries, this excludes survivors from legal employment and access to state-related social welfare benefits. Through in-house programs and local partnerships, the Green Light Project supports women during the long process of applying for a residence permit. Several of the women linked to the project have received their residence permits after previous failed applications and a wait of around two years. Some now have part-time jobs with non-profit businesses in the Athens Freedom Network, a group of Christian-based organisations in the city. The Salvation Army in Italy and Greece is looking into more ways to improve survivor access to legal and dignified employment. A voice of advocacy The Green Light Project has raised a voice of advocacy for the survivors of MSHT through ongoing connections with non-governmental organisations and state agencies. This way of cooperating is still relatively new in Greece, but conversations about MSHT are opening up and there is intentionality in bringing together society’s forces to tackle the problem. The Green Light Project is strengthening its presence and aiming to play a significant role in the work against MSHT in Greece. As Rebecca says, “Making the world safer and more dignified is challenging but not impossible.” ISJC Prayer Campaign This year, The Salvation Army International Social Justice Commission (ISJC) is holding a Global Weeklong 24/7 Prayer Campaign for Victims of MSHT. The campaign will involve seven days of continuous prayer in the week leading up to this day from 15-22 September. Salvation Army officers, employees, partners and friends are welcome to sign up to pray for 30 minutes between 15-22 of September. For more information, campaign instructions and to sign up, click here . For more information on the Green Light Project, click on the slideshow below. For more information on The Salvation Army’s global impact on anti-human trafficking and modern slavery, click on the slideshow below. Child-trafficking According to the United Nations, “This year’s global campaign for World Day Against Trafficking in Persons urges accelerated action to end child trafficking. Children represent a significant proportion of trafficking victims worldwide, with girls being disproportionately affected. Your voice matters. Together, we can make a difference. For more information about the United Nations campaign go to www.endht.org To follow The Salvation Army International Social Justice Commission  for more information, click here . To follow The Salvation Army International Youth and Children 's page, click here .

Auxiliary-Lieutenant Rosy Keane and Major Sandra Nottle in front of the prayer wall at Project 614. BY LERISSE SMITH   It all began with a treasure trove of thrifted frames tucked away in a huge storage trunk.    When The Salvation Army’s National Secretary for Spiritual Life, Auxiliary-Lieutenant Rosy Keane, started collecting a cache of beautiful second-hand frames in her homeland of New Zealand many years ago, little did she know the collection would eventually become the catalyst and focal point for the exciting new prayer initiative for Melbourne’s Project 614 – the ‘Prayer Exchange’ wall.    “God clearly drew my attention to the trunk,” she reflected.    “Major Sandra Nottle had wanted to create a special prayer room at Project 614 and wasn’t too sure how it was going to look. I embarked upon praying for the space and God gave me the words, the process and drew my mind to the huge trunk of thrifted frames I’d brought over from New Zealand.”    Rosy’s choice resulted in the new prayer initiative, which encompasses the large assortment of frames hung on a huge wall space at Project 614, with hand-painted clouds forming the backdrop.    A backdrop theme of hand-painted clouds was important for the new prayer wall. The concept for the Prayer Exchange wall was simple: an inviting place where people could walk off the street, take a handwritten blessing/prayer from inside a frame, and then be invited to write a prayer in return if they so desired.     “It’s a non-threatening way to essentially start to talk to God or to hear from God,” Rosy said. “Project 614 Melbourne is doing prayer differently and in a way that inspires and encourages us all, too.”    The collection of the special frames began more than 15 years ago for Rosy and holds a significant meaning in her life. They have long formed a special part of her ministry and were hand-painted in the same colour.   The large ones were bought together at a Salvation Army Family Store (thrift store), where she worked to support herself while studying at university. The small ones were collected over many years later in New Zealand while Rosy was managing The Salvation Army’s youth services boutique family store.    The small frames were placed around the entire border of that family store. The other ones were used in prayer rooms and multiple events over the years. At one prayer event, she asked people to write down and describe a portrait of God and his characteristics, which were then placed inside the frames.      When Rosy moved to Australia with her husband, Scott, she organised for the treasured frames to be shipped over in a huge steamer trunk. She had no definite plans for them until she met with Sandra and her husband, Brendan, Corps Officers at Project 614, who discussed wanting to do something with the big blank wall at the premises and creating a special prayer room. Major Sandra Nottle hangs a frame on the prayer wall. The corps officers spoke about the local businesspeople and people needing health services who regularly visited the centre in Bourke St requiring assistance. It was then that Rosy embarked on praying, and the vision for the Prayer Exchange became clear.    The prayer wall started to take shape a few months ago, with Rosy, Scott and the Nottles working tirelessly for the vision to become a reality.   A backdrop theme of hand-painted clouds was important. The aim was for people viewing the prayer wall to lift their eyes to the clouds and gain a sense of God being with them, especially as the idea of prayer for some people seemed so abstract.     With the wall of frames now complete, Rosy is appealing to all associated with The Salvation Army to get behind the project and support Project 614, from THQ work teams to Salvos Stores to church life groups. She said prayers of blessings could be directly sent to Project 614 so the frames could start to be filled.      Furthermore, a special online chapel will be held on Wednesday 14 August, where Rosy will invite people to write their own prayers of blessing in the chat to display on the Prayer Exchange, which she will then hand deliver to Project 614.     When reflecting on the importance of prayer and the concept of praying, Rosy thought of her own community, both Christian and non-Christian alike, commenting how she noticed prayer was really difficult for them. She also recalled some people being anxious and shy about praying during The Salvation Army’s 22 days of prayer in 2022 and not feeling comfortable saying prayers out loud.     “I really got a sense that there was a fear of being judged or fear of praying wrong,” she said. “That was concerning for me – and a big wake-up call.”     “I’m passionate about people breaking free of fear and stepping into what the Holy Spirit is calling for them to do.” So, the following year, when Rosy and The Salvation Army team ran the prayer space, they tried to mitigate this by providing different ways to pray.   Different officers and Salvos ran the devotions with new approaches, including different tactile practices, using a devotional field guide (like seeing birds in the wild), and looking into a burning candle flame to create a new space for prayer. There was also the option to go into breakout rooms to pray together or to pray silently.    Gathering people together and going through spoken-word practices where they wrote prayers together in a supportive and encouraging environment was also an absolute joy for Rosy.     “It helps people pray,” she said. “What comes out of this coming together is a renewed sense of ‘I didn’t know what I was capable of’ and being honest to who they are and what God says to them. I’m passionate about people breaking free of fear and stepping into what the Holy Spirit is calling for them to do.”    Her passion for the Prayer Exchange has also come from her own spiritual walk and experiencing firsthand how the power of prayer and speaking the Scripture has impacted her life.     “I love poetry. I love scripture. I love the intersection of Psalmistry and inspiration of the Holy Spirit and prayer ministry’” she reflected. “But the most simple prayers are the ones that have changed my life. Simply praying Scripture over myself.”     And the power of prayer and speaking Scriptures over her life have been especially evident in recent times when Rosy was diagnosed in surgery with stage four Endometriosis – a condition she has suffered her entire life, causing extreme pain and suffering but which remained undiagnosed for so long due to the medical profession telling her it was normal.    It was only when she had surgery that her medical specialists informed her how bad her condition had been, resulting in much relief for Rosy, knowing she was not crazy.     “There is a grief process of why me, why this? But then there was me crying out to God, “Speak to me through this; tell me it has been a quarter of a century of really extreme pain ... what is going on?” she said.     “I said to God, ‘I need to know a little bit of where you were in all of this?’ And God just said really clearly it has taught you to hope. God did not cause me to suffer. But in the world that we live in, where disease and pain and medical gaslighting and everything else is a part of life, especially for women’s health, that actually God was able to make sense of something for me. That my enduring, my persevering, my pushing and pushing for 24 years to get a diagnosis and surgery, that it has taught me to hope.     Scott and Rosy Keane help install the beautiful frames onto the new wall. “And so, the prayer in Lamentations 3 that I didn’t even really realise I was praying every single day over myself, especially when the pain was at its worst. I would speak it over myself ... this I have called to my mind that I have hope because of the Lord’s great love. I am not consumed as his mercies are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. Sometimes, I would say to myself I am not consumed, I am not consumed by the pain, even when I couldn’t think straight because of the pain. Looking back, Christ in me is my bastion of hope. There is nothing that I don’t believe God can do. Hope is the pillar of faith, hope and love. Hope is so strong in my life. I realised every single day I called out hope, that every single day it was a choice. Hope was revealed to me.”     Rosy added that she believed prayer did not exist in a vacuum of just ‘wishing.’     “It’s actually that guttural cry of our heart, and often scripture is the best prayer we have,” she said.  “One of the beautiful aspects is testifying who God is and the power of prayer through sharing my story.”     Looking to the future, Rosy is excited about how the Prayer Exchange will positively impact people’s lives. She hopes The Salvation Army will embrace the new prayer initiative and its social services at Project 614 through prayer and practical support, such as the physical act of writing prayers for the Prayer Exchange. Her other great hope is for the vulnerable people and businesspeople who walk into the premises that might be at the end of their rope or never talk to God to be blessed.     “My hope is that in reading these words of blessing, they hear God, start listening to God, and once they read the prayer of blessing and see it written, that they know it’s not mass-produced, it’s not an advertisement. It’s thoughtful. It’s genuinely saying to them, ‘I see you; God sees you,” she said.     “And in return, maybe through this, you can see God.”

Due to the easy availability of app-based betting and gambling, young people are at an increased risk of developing a gambling habit. Image: iStock BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE A classroom full of teenagers with additional needs, a support dog, teachers and caregivers. It isn’t the setting you would normally imagine for a lively conversation about gambling. But with Australians now spending more on gambling and betting than any other nation, The Salvation Army’s education efforts are expanding into new, younger environments. The Salvation Army’s Melbourne Counselling Service Community Engagement Practitioner, Simran Pande, said that when she first started at the service, she assumed the typical gambler was always a man in his 50s or 60s, particularly someone who was retired and had a lot of free time. But the reality turned out to be quite different. “I realised that the most common age for someone to gamble in Australia is actually from 18 to 24,” she said. “And that shift has been largely because of how accessible [it is]. Sports betting is now one of the most common types of gambling in Australia. I could be sports betting on my phone during work, and no one in my life would know.” I’m at a Know the Score training session at Croxton Specialist School in Northcote, Victoria. Simran is educating students in Years 11 and 12 about the different types of gambling, why people gamble, statistics on how much money Australians spend on betting and gambling, and how gambling advertising works so well. The event is one in a three-part offering from Melbourne Counselling Service, which also includes a training session on the link between gaming and gambling and another on general financial literacy. At one point, Simran pauses the session to answer a series of questions from a student trying to understand the difference between arcade games and gambling. “But you use a ticket to try to win items, so is that not gambling?” the student asks. Simran Pande educating students at Croxton Specialist School on the realities of gambling. “If you are spending a lot of money that wouldn’t otherwise spend, it might be gambling,” Simran says. “Gambling is about risk versus reward.” Students are visibly shocked when Simran reveals that, on average, Australians gamble twice as much as Americans do, that we have few legal restrictions on gambling access, and that Australian betting companies spent over $238 million on free-to-air advertising between May 2022 and April 2023. “Gambling is riskier when it’s continuous, easy to access and almost limitless,” she tells the students. “Twenty-four/seven access to gambling is a very dangerous factor.” Simran also educates the students on the different kinds of bets – bonus bets, multi-bets, free bets – and how to be aware of what they attempt to do psychologically to the user. Croxton Year 11 and 12 Coordinator Connie Skliros sees gambling education as important knowledge to pass on to a group such as her students. She said particularly with coin features on gaming apps, her students could easily develop patterns of gambling without realising it. She said she would like to see more control over which apps and games vulnerable teenagers could access, making it harder for them to fall into a trap. “They don’t realise the impact that it has on their lives,” Connie says. “And they’re quite vulnerable, too, because they quite often get a Disability Support Pension … [so] they’ve got a little bit of cash.”   “Often they have no idea that [they are] actually gambling.” Simran agrees that coin features on apps are a way of grooming users towards the normalisation of gambling and says algorithms tend to foster a “gentle” introduction to more heavy-handed gambling habits. Because gambling in Australia is so prolific, Melbourne Counselling Service is not only working to treat the concerns around gambling with financial counselling and care for those facing addiction but also provides harm minimisation through training programs such as the one at Croxton. The service also sends Venue Support Workers into venues such as casinos to identify and respond to evidence of persistent gambling behaviours and raise awareness of support services available. As a former alcohol and other drugs support worker, Simran is no stranger to the effects of addiction. Heartbreakingly, she has found gambling to be a more isolating addiction than most. “Sometimes we get people from multicultural communities who come in and gambling is haram , or not allowed in their culture,” Simran says. “And so that leads to so much shame and dishonesty within their community.” Recent data from the ANU Centre for Gambling Research found an exponential increase in online gambling over the past 15 years, and researchers found online gambling was associated with more frequent gambling and an increased risk of gambling-related harm. Participants in the study who engaged in online gambling also reported a higher rate of loneliness in the previous week than those gambling in venues. Simran says while risk factors for gambling addiction are similar to those of other addictive behaviours – trauma and mental illness, financial instability and housing instability, to name a few, there are unique, troubling incentives for those who develop an addiction. She says that for women who are at risk of domestic violence, gambling venues offer more than just a mental escape. “A lot of women that we get coming through our office go to pokies venues because they are a safe place for them to go when home isn’t safe,” Simran says. “Somewhere with electricity, food and water.” It strikes me that perhaps the worst vices offer just enough benefits to keep users coming back, first as an idea of something new to try and eventually as an attempt to simply survive. With Australian life rapidly becoming more unaffordable and relief getting harder to find, gambling companies will continue to reap the benefits of human suffering. Hopefully, with the help of training such as that offered by Melbourne Counselling Service, today’s school students will be able to stay just one step ahead. To find out more about Melbourne Counselling Service, see here .

Rachel (left), Robert and Tanya at home watching a livestream of the Campsie Corps Sunday morning service. BY ANTHONY CASTLE   Ivy is the parent of three adopted adult children with disabilities. Each Sunday, Ivy and her niece Rachel go online to participate in the livestream of the meeting at Campsie Corps, Sydney.   The Salvation Army has embarked on a digital journey of digital accessibility, making its presence online more inclusive for people like Ivy and Rachel.   Rachel (left) and her aunt and full-time guardian Ivy. “I’ve been attending The Salvation Army for over 50 years, and there were always problems with inclusion within the church,” Ivy explains. “There was a side door, and we entered through the kitchen. My father had to build a ramp for wheelchair access. The corps has been renovated since then, but it wasn’t easy before.”   Rachel was originally cared for by Ivy’s twin sister, Margaret. When Margaret passed away at the start of 2020, Ivy became Rachel’s guardian in addition to her two adopted children, Tanya and Robert. Rachel is immunocompromised, unable to attend church in person, and needs alternate ways to connect with the community.   “Rachel became immunocompromised, and we hadn’t really been aware of what that meant until COVID happened, and we started talking about it,” Ivy says. “People don’t realise the extent of the risk, that infection could kill her. I can sometimes be overly protective, but the specialist view is that it’s not worth it, particularly with churches that can be big places for spreading infection. That’s the reason why I still don’t take her in person.”   The sound desk at Campsie Corps looking after the livestream of the Sunday morning service. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in restrictions in March 2020, with many churches stopping in-person services and embracing livestreaming. Nearly a quarter of Australians attended religious services online in 2020 and 2021, a trend that has shaped how people digitally access church communities going forward. This has proven a meaningful lesson and an opportunity to better include those who have always lived with disability.   “Livestreaming is very important for Rachel,” Ivy says. “It’s keeping her connected and she’s feeling safe. It’s good for older people too. It’s keeping in contact with people they’ve known for years.” Campsie Corps Officer Major Peter Davey said he was proud of his team’s dedication to livestreaming services. “We have a number of people who access the livestreaming ... not only disabled folk but elderly corps folk and other shut-ins,” he said. “In fact, we have one member who had a serious accident recently, so we're going around to the house this week to set them up to stay connected with the corps through the livestream service.”   The Salvation Army’s journey towards digital accessibility isn’t just about livestreaming but has also included increasing compliance with the global Web Content Accessibility Guidelines to make its web presence more inclusive .   Leah MacGibbon, General Manager of Digital Marketing, led the team to learn about accessibility, how to apply it, and how to advocate for it. Leah collaborated with Joseph Pinkard, Disability and Inclusion Lead, to ensure The Salvation Army became digitally inclusive for those who give and those who need support.   “When I first arrived, The Salvation Army website was at 60 per cent accessibility compliance,” Leah explains. “Recognising it was at a low compliance, we knew we had a lot of work to do. When I arrived, the website had an accessibility toolbar that allowed the user to change colours and font size, but these toolbars are only as good as your website accessibility is in the first place.”   Leah’s team oversees digital engagement, social media and provides support to 300 corps and other services. The toolbar on The Salvation Army’s site has since been removed, and inclusion compliance greatly improved. The Salvation Army aims to reach 100 per cent accessibility compliance, and in January 2024, it reached 97 per cent compliance.   “Accessibility ends up helping everybody,” Leah says. “Having a bigger font means everyone can read it more easily, not just someone with low vision. If you put a ramp to your Salvos Store, it doesn’t just help someone with a wheelchair, it helps parents with prams, a delivery person with a trolley. Whatever part of accessibility you’re dealing with, digital or otherwise, you’re including everyone in the end.”   Leah MacGibbon (left) and Joseph Pinkard (right) and the digital inclusion team. Digital accessibility will continue to be an important focus for The Salvation Army, for those seeking services and support and those connecting with communities on livestreams from their homes.   “We’ve always been active in the church, regardless how we connect with it,” Ivy says. “I’ve always said, ‘As for my house we will serve the Lord’, and we do that in our homes. That’s the most important thing, regardless of where you go, whether it’s digital or at the church. It’s Christ within you.”    If any would like to be a part of The Salvation Army’s digital inclusion journey, they can provide suggestions, advice, or feedback regarding their interactions with our digital platforms via email at  accessibility@salvationarmy.org.au