The Salvation Army sees first-hand the social injustices experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across the breadth of our services. For this reason, The Army supports an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice being enshrined in the constitution as a social justice response. Hear from Territorial Commander Commissioner Miriam Gluyas and Chief Secretary Colonel Winsome Merrett on the Army’s commitment to providing support to the Voice through active community engagement and discussion.

Bruce suffered from a broken relationship, homelessness and illness. With the help of the Salvos, he now has a place to live, attends church every Sunday and is connected to various community groups in Caloundra. Through all these trials, Bruce says he is now stronger in his faith and mental outlook.

Major Jeff Waller and the Salisbury Salvos Stores team in Adelaide’s north – (from left) Anne, Kylie (store manager) and Elizabeth. By ANTHONY CASTLE The Salvation Army provides material and physical support in a range of ways but also provides spiritual support through its chaplaincy services. Chaplains minister in different environments throughout Australia and provide pastoral care and practical support to staff, volunteers and community members. Major Jeff Waller is a chaplain with Salvos Stores, offering care and support across South Australia in this role for the past four years. “I visit the stores and connect with staff and volunteers in each location,” says Jeff. “I visit rural stores about three times a year, and more if needed. If a store wants me, I can be there the next day. The main thing is being able to present a safe and confidential space. While many of our stores are passionate about The Salvation Army and raise funds to do the work, I’m able to bring support and care for them.” Major Jeff Waller has been a Salvation Army officer for 25 years, currently serving as a Salvos Stores chaplain in Adelaide. Photo: Duan Kereru Jeff started his working life as a tradesperson. Originally from Waverley Temple Corps in Melbourne, he became a Salvation Army officer and served in places like Greenwith, Campbelltown, Bendigo and Mildura. “I’ve been an officer for 25 years, but I was a boilermaker and a welder for about 10 years,” Jeff explains. “As a young guy growing up in the church, I had a sense of calling. Probably like anyone, I wrestled with it. Those years in a trade allowed me to grow up, though, to work with diverse people and that life experience was foundational.” Chaplaincy is a free and confidential service, and chaplains are listeners who respect the cultures and religious traditions of those who seek help. Jeff oversees 43 Salvos Stores across South Australia, connecting with people from the metro region to places like Whyalla to Mount Gambier. “I’m providing pastoral care and support to the stores, doing everything we can to get broader information out there,” Jeff says. “I make our store customers and staff aware of what the local Salvation Army offers and advocate for the services in corps and social. We can be a conduit, sending people along to kids club, companion club, parenting programs, Doorways, youth homelessness – all the various ministries and services that corps offer.” In addition to supporting stores, chaplains can support Salvos Stores personnel, including HR, administration staff, area managers, and warehouse and logistics staff. “Our managers can have conversations with their staff, but that isn’t always easy when it comes to significant pastoral care,” Jeff explains. “When you’re running a retail store with a team of 30-40 volunteers, it makes a huge difference for the manager to be able to hand a person over to me to provide pastoral care and support.” Jeff is an avid runner and has completed marathons with the Salvos Striders running team. Photo: Duan Kereru The role of a chaplain is quite broad and varied, and services may include pastoral care, advocacy, counselling, spiritual guidance, or whatever assistance people might need. “There was a teenager who came into one store, a volunteer who wasn’t travelling well and couldn’t afford his medication,” Jeff explains. “It was a simple prescription, so the store manager and myself assisted him in getting it filled. Within a fortnight, there was a radical transformation in this guy’s wellbeing. When his pushbike was stolen, half a dozen of us at the store chipped in and got him a bike and a helmet.” While Salvos Stores chaplains build functional relationships with The Salvation Army’s social programs and corps centres, community engagement is an integral part of the mission, with many opportunities to do much more than refer to services. “For that young man, to face those challenges, it was the end of the world,” Jeff explains. “But the change we’ve seen in his headspace has been huge. He’s really turned a corner. The store has been able to meet him where he’s at, with a transformation as real as any you can see in a church. The store is much more than just a store.”

Thanks to your generous donations to the Self Denial Appeal, women like Rose have been equipped with the skills and support to change their lives, and those of their families and communities. For women like Rose (see video below) hope, worth, dignity and transformation are not just words. Programs like the Worth Project for women in the Kenya West Territory, funded by the funds raised through the Self Denial Appeal, mean life with a stable income, better education, new skills and hope for the future, is now actually possible. They are no longer locked in grinding poverty with no hope in sight for themselves or their children. Rose has now gone from a mud hut and relying on her husband’s inadequate income to learning to read and write, running her own business, educating her children and growing enough food for the family and to sell. She wants her next purchase to be a motorbike – to carry more food to the market store, and to go to church to praise God for all he has done in her life and in her community. Self Denial in Australia The Salvation Army’s work in Kenya and Papua New Guinea is highlighted in this year’s appeal. The theme for the Self Denial Appeal 2023 is ‘A Gift from the Heart’. It encourages us to consider the blessings we have from God and how we can use those to bless other people. Please consider donating to this year’s appeal – it’s not too late! Your donations can help The Salvation Army meet their commitments in the field to people like Rose. Donations can be accepted until 30 June (end of Financial Year). When you give to the Self Denial Appeal you can choose to give your gift to mission support OR community development. Mission Support funds are non-tax-deductible. They support the evangelical ministries delivered in developing countries. These funds are also used for the provision of church halls, residences for officers, computers and training. Community Development donations are tax-deductible and only support community development projects. Examples include projects for poverty alleviation, clean water and microfinance. For more information or to safely donate online, click here.

Jonno feels blessed to serve others at Brisbane Streetlevel. By CLIFF WORTHING On New Year’s Day 2022, Jonno was discharged from a Brisbane hospital after a suicide attempt. His psychiatrist challenged him with a blunt assessment of his future and what he could do to stop drinking. Jonno’s slide into alcohol addiction sprang from an attempt to deal with challenging early-life experiences. “I struggled to deal with the wreckage of the past and an uncertain future,” he says. “I’ve learned to live in the moment more, to look at those things but not dwell on them.” Jonno began his journey of recovery through connection with others. “Until then, I felt like I was on a hamster wheel with no way off.” He was given a list of local Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings, and “within 15 minutes, I knew I was in the right place,” he says. “People were telling stories similar to mine, but they were sober, and they were happy.” A graduate of the Salvos’ Brisbane Recovery Services (Moonyah) – which later became Jonno’s sponsor – had a conversation with him after the meeting, offering to help him through his recovery, and has stuck with him since. Jonno with volunteer Bernetta preparing a meal for the Streetlevel community in Brisbane. Jonno then spent time in Moonyah himself. “I had a choice of life or death,” he says. “I think seeing people living a solution gave me enough hope to believe I could too.” After three months at Moonyah, a Salvo friend suggested he go to The Salvation Army’s Streetlevel Mission (drop-in centre) because they needed a chef, which was Jonno’s professional training. “I am so blessed to cook and serve at Streetlevel,” he says. “I check in with the regulars and look out for new faces, which is something that gives value to my life, and hopefully to theirs.” As well as serving at Streetlevel, Jonno cares for his physical and mental wellbeing through participation in the Streetlevel Striders parkrun group. He also attends God’s Sports Arena (GSA), a Salvos church supported financially and with resources by Brisbane City Salvos. GSA is focused on supporting Brisbane’s vulnerable population, and Jonno often brings food and makes coffee for the meetings. “God’s Sports Arena is a beautiful place where there is love, encouragement, and no judging,” he says. “We have open and honest conversations, lots of free-flowing connections, opportunities to heal, and it’s where I find peace. “As well as needing God, I’ve learned we need other humans. My recovery showed I couldn’t run on my own steam, and I hope I can help others on their journey too. “Helping others is vital,” he adds, “because it gets my mind off self. Plus, it is great to share my journey and to share our experiences, strength and hope.” If you or anyone you know needs help, contact: Lifeline at www.lifeline.org.au or call 131 114. Headspace at headspace.org.au/online-and-phone-support/ or call 1800 650 890. Mensline Australia at mensline.org.au or call 1300 789 978.

How it all started ... Steve Medved holds his Articles of War Soldier’s Covenant alongside Blue Mountains Team Leader Major Mark Brooks in April 2022. After a period of closures and COVID-19 pauses in ministry in the Central West NSW regional centres of Bathurst, Mudgee and Lithgow, God is raising up his Army again. By LAUREN MARTIN Steve Medved is no stranger to church planting. He spent years planting churches in Sydney before burning out and taking time out to re-evaluate God’s calling for his life. The evangelist has now found his ‘sweet spot’ in The Salvation Army. Enrolled as a soldier and appointed as Mission Team Leader of Bathurst Salvation Army in 2022, Steve has been planting small, organic faith groups in the central west NSW towns of Bathurst, Mudgee and Lithgow and delighting in how God is bringing people to faith and service. “In the past, I’ve done a church plant, and you start a Sunday service, and then go out to the community and tell them that we are here and ask them to come and grow the Sunday service,” says Steve. “This is back-to-front – we started Bible study groups, which I’m calling ‘Church on Tuesday’ or ‘Church on Thursday’, and it’s grown from there, and now because it’s growing, people want to see a Sunday service!” Steve and the Lithgow small group that meets in the corps hall one a week. In Lithgow, just west of the Blue Mountains, The Salvation Army has not had an operational corps for many years but continued to run its Family Store, a place of love and acceptance for anybody in the community. Its store manager was part of the corps and had a real heart to see the ministry grow again. “She is such a good invitationalist,” Steve says of Teresa Pilla, Lithgow Family Store Manager. “It’s a great partnership. She meets people and is constantly asking them to connect with us at Bible study.” He says the once-a-week Bible study in the corps building is an inviting space for all – particularly new and non-believers. “We have a lot of people involved in the groups who aren’t Christians yet and who sit under the Word for weeks and then become saved. It’s really unique compared to what I’ve been involved in, in the past. “The older Christians that have been with the Lord for years, when they are seeing this, they are thinking, ‘This is different.’ And they’re getting excited.” Lithgow Family Store Manager Teresa Pilla invites many people to Mission Leader Steve Medved’s small group. Jasmine Bristol was one of those people invited by the Family Store manager to attend Steve’s weekly Bible study. A former Buddhist, she says her introduction to Jesus and the relationship she now has with the Lord has been “life-saving”. “Steve just discipled me from the word go, without me even realising,” she says. “He didn’t judge me, he just filled me with so much love and really helped me grow spiritually in the direction of God.” She says her life has completely changed now that she has real hope and knows God has a good plan for her life. “Our family life is now completely different. We appreciate what we have instead of looking at what we want. [Having faith in Jesus] takes away lots of negativity.” Not only does she attend the weekly Bible study, Jasmine and a few new Salvos are working through a discipleship program with Steve, and she also attends a different denomination’s ‘Growth Group’ another night of the week. “That’s with a different church, but I don’t worry about different denominations because we are one. Being a new Christian, I bring a bit of enthusiasm and joy in! Iron sharpens iron, and we are growing together.” Steve says it’s a joy to see Jasmine and others like her grow in maturity in Christ so quickly. “Growth happens in small groups. These disciples are now starting to make disciples.” The official opening of Bathurst Salvos Stores. Bathurst Mission House In the nearby larger rural centre of Bathurst, a new Mission House was opened in April 2022, and earlier this year, a Salvos Store opened that was a transition from the previous Family Store. Some of the connected men in the town wanted to start a men’s group, so Steve saw what God was doing in that space and encouraged and equipped the men to make it happen. “We had the first one last month,” he says. “It’s more just a connection with men outside of the church in an informal setting around coffee and something to eat at a local café. Men can feel like they can walk in and just connect – just a bunch of guys talking.” (And with Steve there, you can be sure Jesus will always get a mention!) A woman connected with the Salvos now wants to start a young mum and bubs group. Steve (at front) with the Bathurst small group. “I’ve been praying for workers for the harvest [Mathew 9:38], and now I’m getting them! Essentially, we have new growth at Lithgow, Mudgee, and Bathurst – God is raising up new Christians to be his Salvation Army here. We are growing in these towns, and the vision is to start small groups outside the city centres. “Everything we do is an outreach. The whole focus is all about souls … It’s so good to see these people are starting to lead other people to faith!” Please keep Steve and the new disciples in Bathurst, Lithgow and Mudgee in your prayers.

Young people from around Romania gathered in Brazov County for the annual Divisional Youth Camp. Young people from the Bacău, Bucharest, Buzău and Iasi Corps gathered in picturesque Făgăraș, central Romania, for the 2023 Divisional Youth Event. The theme of the camp was ‘Reconnect’. Sleeping in tents was a highlight of the camp. The young people had the opportunity to reconnect with themselves, with others and last but not least, with God,” said Major Ionuts Sandu, Romania Divisional Commander. “The highlights included connecting with nature, sleeping in a tent and a visit to Parc Adventura in Brasov.” Each day, the youth participated in worship, teaching sessions and a range of activities. There was free time and plenty of opportunities for one-on-one discussions and personal responses to God. Divisional leaders, Major Roxanne and Ionuts Sandu, set the example on the high ropes course. As the camp concluded, Lieutenant Andrei Fănică, divisional youth secretary, quoted Philippians 1:6, telling the youth that he was “confident that He who hath begun this good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. “God is working in a beautiful way in our division. All glory to him!”

Linsell Lodge is a thriving aged care centre in Adelaide's north that keeps its residents active by offering various activities, including events in support of the Red Shield Appeal. The ‘Lifestyle’ team at Linsell Lodge Aged Care Centre in Adelaide has been keeping its residents busy with “big days out” as well as supporting the Red Shield Appeal. Residents at The Salvation Army Aged Care complex look forward to the Red Shield Appeal every year and hold activities and fundraising ventures in support of nearby Arndale Corps. “We have an ongoing relationship with our local Arndale Corps, so they usually get in contact with us and arrange for some of the red buckets,” Centre Manager Kate Parker said. “The event is quite dear to us because we do it every year.” This year, the day included special guests and a ‘staff versus residents’ putt-putt golf day. “The corps officers at Arndale came to have afternoon tea with us (including Red Shield cupcakes), and they participated in most of the activities,” Kate said. “In the spirit of the Red Shield Appeal, residents and staff also dressed in red.” Kate said this sort of event – organised by the centre’s Lifestyle Coordinator Lee Montgomery and chaplain Peter Anderson – was a tangible way to stay connected to the wider organisation. “The main thing is that this isn’t just a one-off, this is something we do every year, and our connection to The Salvation Army and other expressions is something that we keep a focus on all the time. I think that’s very, very important that we do that as The Salvation Army Aged Care.” The Angle Park complex offers many other activities and events throughout the year. However, visits to the op shops are most popular among the ladies. Linsell Lodge residents Maureen, Pat and Lyla take a well-earned rest after their big day out op-shopping. For Linsell Lodge resident Pat, she is stunned by the vast array of items available in an op-shop, such as books, china, and glassware. “They’ve got everything,” she says. “From being a library to having jewellery – you name it, it’s there!” Resident Lyla has also noted that she “has bought a couple of jumpers” – just in time for the wintery weather. When it comes to planning the Lifestyle calendar, Lee explains that it is “pretty much driven by what the residents suggest” before stating, “We take a lot of input from what the ladies tell us, we have the Ladies’ Group once a month, so one month we will do something in-home and they will plan what they want to do for future days and outings.” Resident Maureen has nothing but praise for the centre. “The carers, the staff – they’re all absolutely wonderful,” she says. Maureen also enjoys the days out, saying: “I like going out and having a good time. I love going out with the girls.” For Maureen, there is also a rewarding feeling of giving back and being rewarded for this generosity. “The best part is, if you make a donation, you get a discount on what you buy, and if you show them your pension card, you still get a discount,” she said.

When we extend a place at the table to others, we simultaneously offer them a place of safety, love and acceptance. As we reflect on Refugee Week, Adrian Kistan (National General Manager of the Intercultural & Disability Inclusion Team) encourages us to consider the many displaced people around the world and how we, as followers of Jesus, might extend a welcome, an embrace and a warm-hearted seat at the table.

To read the tribute, click here

By MAJOR SANDRA PAWAR One hot and humid Tuesday evening in Athens, Greece, I found myself at a cafe in Omonia Square for almost two hours. Sitting outside drinking my Diet Coke, I was enveloped in cigarette smoke from other cafe diners. The smell of smoke bothered me, but I found myself transfixed, unable to move. I was both fascinated and horrified by what I was seeing happen around me. I was sitting in one of the busiest squares in Athens, just yards from Omonia station, and many people were passing by me: tourists getting off the open-top tour buses, business people rushing home from work, and shoppers heading to the stores. It all looked very normal, but as the sun began to set, something was happening that was disturbing and unsettling. Among the people coming and going, I saw many young teenagers wandering the area, yet they never seemed to go anywhere as the Greek locals did. Instead, I saw them waiting around corners, sitting on ledges, and circling the same area again and again. They had no joy in their eyes, they were not laughing, and they seemed only focused on one thing: getting the attention of the older men wandering around the square. Now and then, I saw them approach these older men or the older men approach them. These encounters did not resemble familiarity or friendship; they looked like business transactions. During those two hours, I must have seen at least four older men take off with younger boys. At one stage, I saw an older man standing among five young teenage boys, and he stayed with them for at least 30 minutes. I could not hear his conversation with them, but I saw his interactions and how he touched these boys. He was touching their faces, chests, and buttocks, making gestures about shaving, walking with them to places around the square, introducing them to other men and handing them money. This man eventually came over to a young man near me who said “no” and shook his head. The older man persisted and started to get angry. He spoke very sternly to the young man and finally coerced the teenager to go with him. Another young man, so thin his collar bones protruded, wandered past the cafe at least five times. The last time he walked past, some expensively dressed older men had just arrived. They asked him to sit with them. They fed him and then left, taking him with them. This evening spent at a cafe in Omonia Square broke my heart and spurred me to research the plight of unaccompanied minors, first within Greece and then globally. Unaccompanied minors are often the forgotten ones in the refugee crisis, slipping through support mechanisms and getting erased by overwhelming and impersonal statistics. My experience in Omonia Square haunts me to this day and is a constant reminder that these young people, these children, are more than just a statistic; they are very real people with very real stories, experiencing real heartbreak. That day in Omonia Square, I went to bed with a heavy heart, broken by all I had witnessed. I knew without any doubt that God was inviting me to care about his children, especially those refugees and asylum seekers. He reminded me that night that those young boys in Omonia Square matter to him, and they need to matter to me too. You might not have unaccompanied minors from Syria, Iran or Pakistan in your community, but you have children, teenagers and young adults who are just waiting for you to care for them, to advocate for them. Ask God to show you them this week and ask God for opportunities to bring hope into their lives. If you ask him, I know he will do it. Major Sandra Pawar is an Australian Salvation Army officer serving in the USA

A Salvation Army group marched behind the Army’s official banner displaying the Red Shield and five inclusion icons at the WorldPride March in Sydney earlier this year. By KIRRALEE NICOLLE For the past several years, The Salvation Army has been on a journey of inclusion. This has included the launch of the Reconciliation Action Plan in December 2020 and the release of the Inclusion Statement in July 2021. When Salvation Army mission delivery centres in Victoria recently received Rainbow Tick accreditation, it demonstrated a commitment to fostering a welcoming and safe environment for the LGBTIQ community. The Rainbow Tick is a form of accreditation that serves as a framework for organisations to demonstrate that they are safe and inclusive for the LGBTIQ community, according to Rainbow Health Victoria. A total of 35 Salvation Army centres across Victoria received the three-year accreditation on 12 May, including Territorial Headquarters in Blackburn. This accomplishment was largely due to the work of the Head of Social Mission, Major Jenny Begent, and her team. Jenny said this was vital as many Salvation Army staff and clients identified as LGBTIQ. “We wanted the Rainbow Tick because we want to be inclusive,” she said. “We want to provide safe spaces,” she said. Jenny said the team was very grateful for the assistance of chief secretary Colonel Winsome Merrett, who had assisted in the discussion process with Rainbow Health Victoria. “The Salvation Army has always been about the marginalised,” Jenny said. “This is a group of people who are marginalised, and so we want to be able to provide the best possible service to those people, and not just a service, but a place to belong.” The Salvation Army’s Upton Road Youth Service was Australia’s first faith-based charitable service delivery centre to receive Rainbow Tick Accreditation in 2019. Upton Road client services coordinator Brittany Williams said the team saw it as vital to be an inclusive space, especially due to the demographic of clients they regularly encountered. The Rainbow Tick accreditation is just one demonstration of The Salvation Army’s efforts towards greater safety for all. The Salvation Army’s other recent move towards inclusion for all was to announce public support for the Indigenous Voice to Parliament as a social justice response.