My grandfather, Jock Inglis (right), with Salvation Army Red Shield Representative Albert Moore in Palestine during World War Two. By PHIL INGLIS The Salvation Army has a very close relationship with the men and women of our armed forces. We are renowned for our down-to-earth, fair-dinkum care, concern and support. During World War Two, my grandfather, Jock Inglis, served as a personal servant to a Salvation Army representative (chaplain) in North Africa, the Middle East and Papua New Guinea. There are great photos of him handing out tea, coffee, cigarettes, writing paper and other comforts to soldiers in The Salvation Army ‘Hop-In’ tents. This kind of support continues to this day wherever significant numbers of Australian military personnel are found. One of the other, more visible, ways we offer our support is through the marches and services held on Anzac Day. At dawn services across Australia, Salvation Army brass bands have marched and played for decades. What has been interesting is to see that over the past 15 years or so, Anzac Day services have changed dramatically. Initially, Anzac Day memorial services were modelled on Protestant Christian funerals. They included prayers, hymns and a sermon from a priest or minister. Over the past couple of decades, as World War One and Two veterans fade in our memories, organisers have started to search for different ways to be relevant to younger generations. The songs and stories that surround Anzac Day have begun to change. In some locally run Anzac services, hymns about God are being replaced with songs about Australia, prayers to God are being replaced with poems about Australians, and sermons from padres are being replaced with addresses from military officers. War and violence are regrettable but sometimes necessary by-products of our broken world. While trying to be more relevant, they have removed many of the references to God and inadvertently changed something significant about Anzac Day. In times gone by, when we went to war, we went believing it was the right thing to do. Even though war is horrific, traumatic and destructive, we were confident that a higher power believed it was necessary to combat a greater evil with a greater good. Many memorials described the sacrifice of people as being for “God, King and Country”. When we remove God from our understanding of military history, we are left with the belief that we fight on the moral authority of our government, a far less impressive entity than God. From a Christian perspective, when we refer to God on Anzac Day, we are particularly reminded of the life of Jesus Christ. A life that teaches that violence is not the ideal pathway for humanity. War and violence are regrettable but sometimes necessary by-products of our broken world. So, when we refer to God, it’s a sobering brake on human violence and injustice. We are reminded that Jesus, God’s only Son, died as a humble and contrite sacrifice for all humanity to bring peace – a peace that we are always and ever called to pursue. Major Phil Inglis is the Faith Communities Development Coordinator for The Salvation Army Australia

We believe hunger has no place in the 21st century and is entirely preventable.   The world faces an unprecedented hunger crisis.  The storm of conflict, climate change and rising costs are driving children, and families into extremely vulnerable situations.     The number of people affected by acute food insecurity has nearly doubled over the past three years, from 135 million people across 55 countries in 2019, to a record  258 million  in 58 countries in 2022.    Join The Salvation Army and other churches and Christian organisations for the third annual Weekend of Prayer and Action on 11-13 October 2024.   We are sharing updated information, liturgies and action-oriented resources for your families and congregations.  Resources will be made available in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.   Download resources from World Vision here .

Made in collaboration with The Salvation Army Museum in Melbourne for Anzac Day, the museum team shows us five objects that represent the Salvos during wartime.

Captain Martin Herring is The Salvation Army’s National Children’s Secretary based in Melbourne. Captain Martin Herring is the National Children’s Secretary and has led the Children’s Ministry team since 2022. Having grown up in The Salvation Army, Martin has been an officer since 2012 and has a passion for improving the place and importance of children in faith communities. He spoke with Salvos Online journalist ANTHONY CASTLE about his role   What’s the key work your team does?   The development of children’s ministry throughout corps is our main priority. We place a strong focus on equipping leaders for effective children’s ministry. We encourage and promote the nurturing of children’s spiritual development, and we endeavour to foster growth in children’s ministry through research that broadens the support that we can offer corps.   There are three main groups of people that we focus on influencing: • Local leaders and leadership at all levels of The Salvation Army.• Parents, supporting them to disciple their children, and there’ll be more on this coming in 2025. • And, of course, the children engaged with a local corps and those yet to be.   Our overall goal and hope are the development of God-relational children, not just God-smart kids, and to see more families engaging with Jesus through The Salvation Army.   What are some of the challenges you face in Children’s ministry?   They range from equipping and raising up leaders, to resource updates and development, to upskilling leaders to better engage with neurodivergent children, to changing culture to support parents better, to the declining number of children and families. But it is so important to stay hopeful.   Our assessment research in 2022 revealed that 59 per cent of corps are engaged with children in some way, and approximately 40 per cent have dedicated children’s ministries. While that raises concerns, other denominations have expressed envy when I have mentioned those figures. The Salvation Army is a unique denomination with a range of opportunities to engage with children and young families. We need to keep exploring ways to connect with them in the local communities. If we can introduce children to Jesus, then the potential is high that it could turn into a lifelong faith.   Where do you suggest we begin when it comes to engaging children and young people in ministry?   Firstly, there’s three simple things that we can all do. Learn their names and converse with them regularly and connect with the parents. Take a knee or sit on a chair to talk with them at their level, being safe and talk with them in open areas. Listen to, and value, their life stories and experiences of God and explore their ideas for the church. Be curious about what we could learn from them. Along with this is intentionally including them regularly and meaningfully in as many aspects of corps experience, from worship experiences through to leadership meetings. And welcoming their voice and inclusion is important and beneficial for the whole community.   What does it mean to have a theology of children? What Biblical perspective can we bring to the presence of children in our communities?   Martin at a recent event with Kidzone mascot Cousin Koala. Our team’s ‘why’ statement talks about children having a ‘belongingness’ to the kingdom of God. This is bringing together the inclusion and full acceptance of children by Jesus in Mark 10 and Matthew 18, and the compassion of God towards children evidenced in Deuteronomy 1:39. So, we can calmly nurture them in a positive relationship with Jesus through to the time that their awareness of right and wrong matures, and, with the leading of the Holy Spirit, they realise their need of forgiveness from Jesus that will lead them to a deeper, but not more genuine, relationship with him.   This year, IHQ released a statement on the theology of children and young people. It ties together six ways of seeing children more as God sees them. Children are made in the image of God and are gifts of God; they are developing and dependent, yet spiritual and capable. They are models of faith and partners in mission. It is really affirming to have support like this from IHQ. (Click here for more information.)   What’s the next step for the Children’s Ministry Team connecting with corps and faith communities?   Looking ahead to 2025, we will be developing a new Children’s Ministries web page that we refer to as the Kid’s Ministry Launch Pad. This page will be a comprehensive, easy-to-use access point to all The Salvation Army Australia children’s ministries resources, including existing resources on the Tool Kit and other related information. It will include a section for 0-5 years ministries, 6-12 years ministries, parents support, intergenerational ministries advice and resource links, and children’s ministry leaders development tools. It will also include access to research and deeper thinking about children and children’s ministries. Our aim is for it to be the go-to site for children’s ministries in The Salvation Army Australia that is easy to use and accessible for everyone. For more information and resources, check out these websites: • Children’s ministry resources, click here • Children’s ministry website, click here • Safeguarding children, click here

Sally says that a huge part of her recovery from addiction was learning to be grateful. Here, she shares her story of coming to The Beacon* in Perth and how, with the help of chaplain Major Deidre Dearing, she learned to love herself through being loved and accepted by others. *The Beacon is a housing accommodation centre in Perth, Western Australia. Through the support of the Red Shield Appeal, The Beacon offers not only accommodation but a range of support services, training programs and case management to help people move out of homelessness.

Moree Salvos Program Coordinator Jason Poutawa takes boys from the Moree Junior Rugby Club through the Positive Lifestyle Program that has been adapted for teenagers. By ANTHONY CASTLE The Positive Lifestyle Program (PLP) is used by Salvation Army chaplains, counsellors and volunteer facilitators throughout Australia. Originating in Canada, the eight-module course was introduced to Australia by The Salvation Army in the 1990s to be used in courts and prisons. A new youth resource has been adapted from the PLP, aiming to equip local leaders to engage with high schools, and the material has found its way into a rugby club in northern New South Wales. “I’ve used PLP over a range of settings in ministry and work,” says Jason Poutawa, Program Coordinator at Moree Corps. “When the rugby club asked me to be involved in what they do, I suggested we take all the teen boys, from ages 14-18, on a camp. I said let’s focus on footy and teamwork, and I will incorporate activities into the sessions so that the PLP is team-oriented.” Released October last year, the National Youth and Young Adults Team adapted the material for young people following discussions with the then National Coordinator for the Positive Lifestyle Program, Robyn Lorimer. Adapted by John Marion and James Gallagher, the adult material was made relevant to the lived experience of young people and suitable for a group context. While Jason has been at Moree for six years, he has 15 years of experience working with marginalised young people. “A number of the boys here in Moree can be quite isolated in the country. Some kids are struggling in their economic circumstances, in their social circumstances, in the family unit. Drugs are a huge temptation for young people. Teens having babies early, criminal activity and violence, all the things that are consistent with the challenges in Moree. Footy is a big part of how people find belonging – there isn’t much else that’s healthy.” Jason worked with 15 boys from the Moree Junior Rugby Club over a weekend camp. Jason engaged 15 young people from the Moree Bulls Junior Rugby Club. The material at the weekend camp explored important topics and challenges that young people face. “One of the good sessions was around assertiveness,” explains Jason. “How they go about their first instincts and what they can do to change their direction about conflict. They came up with their own tools for problems solving. It was a ground-breaking time.” The resource positions local expressions to journey alongside high school-aged young people as they develop tools in areas like self-awareness, anger, depression and loneliness, stress, grief and loss, assertiveness, self-esteem, and future direction. “We hear from the front lines all the time that they need something for young people’s mental health,” explains John Marion, youth specialist with the Youth and Young Adults Team. “There is a large need for schools to help young people with wellbeing and resilience, and we know that in PLP, we had content that could help. What we needed was to put it in ways that young people could understand and that could be effective for them.” PLP runs across eight sessions that encourage young people to explore their emotional and psychosocial development in group settings through activities and fun learning methods. The course can run in high schools, youth groups, social services, after-school programs, rugby camps, mentoring groups, and Bible studies. “Young people have found the material engaging,” John says. “Facilitators find the material helpful, easy to use, giving them ways to start conversations. Schools love it and ask for the resources to run it again. Parents are reporting back that their children are positive, more hopeful and have the tools they need for the problems they face.” The National Youth and Young Adults team is developing further projects, including resources for young women and training and support for the material that ensures the impact of PLP will continue. “I will be using it for years,” Jason says. “A lot of the kids came back and said they had a great time. Parents contacted me the next week, parents I don’t even know, to say thank you, that their kid found it impacting. I reckon it’s one step away from overt youth ministry. The faith values and the material are aligned, putting our worldview into something positive that can influence people’s lives.” For more information, visit the National Youth and Young Adults page .

States in the India Western Territory include Goa (pictured above), Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. Photo by Jess Aston on Unsplash 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, 7-13 October, we are praying for the India Western Territory . States included in this territory are Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. The gospel is preached in English, Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi and Tamil. Praise and thanksgiving: We praise and thank God that the Territorial Candidates Council selected 17 young people as candidates for the sessional year of 2025-27. Candidates contact classes are already taking place. The territory has taken steps to encourage and prepare future candidates by connecting with them and giving them guidance for their preparation. More than 40 future candidates were already dedicated for the mission of The Salvation Army. Please join with us in giving thanks to God. We praise and thank God for the opening of new places and new extensions.   Prayer requests: Pray for the territorial strategic priorities for 2024-28: ‘Empowering People, Equipping Systems and Engage in Mission’. After much discussion and prayers at various levels, the territory set twelve strategic goals and circulated throughout the territory to move forward with their action plans. EMPOWERING PEOPLE:  Every corps, centre, division and territorial headquarters prepared their strategic action plans to empower children and youth, men and women, officers and local officers, employees and all stakeholders. Kindly pray for our mission of empowering people.   EQUIPPING SYSTEMS:  This year various assessments, upgrades and some property re-developments will take place for the good of the territory. Please pray for various leadership teams to seek God’s guidance and his wisdom in taking right steps for the future of the territory. ENGAGE IN MISSION:  The territory is focusing on mission and evangelism. We thank God for the extension work in Sangli, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kapparada and Dharampur. Last year we opened The Salvation Army in Goa. This year we sent officer couples to Nasik, Aurangabad and Baruch to open the work. Please pray for our extension work and for the officers and their safety, health and resources.   Kindly join with us and pray for the forthcoming visit of General Lyndon Buckingham and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham in February 2025. Please pray that the outcome of the visit will be the deepening of the spiritual life of children and youth, women and men, local officers and officers. Prayers are requested for preparations and planning for the General’s visit. To find out more about India Western Territory , click here .  For more information on the International Prayer Focus 2024, and to download the calendar, click here .

A new interactive calendar is available on the International Headquarters website to count down the days to the High Council next month. Readers can now mark the days until the High Council members arrive at Sunbury Court in south west London with an interactive calendar on The Salvation Army International website. Starting on Monday 24 April (London time), return to the above page each day and click on the relevant ‘days to go’ tile for a new fact about the High Council, prayer or reflection. After gathering at Sunbury Court, council members will travel to London for the Welcome to the 2023 High Council on Saturday 20 May. High Council formally commences on Monday 22 May. Council members will spend time in prayer and discussion before engaging in the solemn task of electing the next General. Find out more about the council's membership and processes in A Guide to a High Council . You can also follow events on IHQ social channels. To check out the interactive calendar, click here .

The Kwibuka Flame of Hope stands in a garden area at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. BY LERISSE SMITH This year marks the 30th anniversary of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda – one of the darkest chapters in human history. More than one million Tutsi children, women and men were systematically killed in less than three months. The statue ‘Kwibuka Flame of Hope’, a gift from the Republic of Rwanda, was installed on 11 September in the north garden area at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The Kwibuka flame symbolises the resilience and courage of Rwandans since the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, when more than one million people were killed following years of misinformation, disinformation and hate speech exacerbating ethnic tensions. “The Kwibuka Flame of Hope will burn forever as a visual reminder for the international community and the many visitors to the United Nations (UN) on the need to speak out and say no to hate,” said Melissa Fleming, Under-Secretary-General of the Department of Global Communications. “This is also a tribute to the immense courage and resilience needed to rebuild after such a profound loss and trauma.” The Kwibuka Flame of Hope is the first permanent tribute to the 1994 genocide installed at the United Nations Headquarters. It is publicly visible from the Visitors’ Plaza, adjacent to the entrance at 46th Street and First Avenue. The statue consists of a grey flame extending from a bi-levelled black round base with the wording ‘The 1994 Genocide Against The Tutsi In Rwanda … Remember – Unite – Renew’ with Kwibuka Flame of Hope at the base of the statue. Kwibuka means ‘to remember’ in the Kinyarwanda language. The term denotes the annual period of mourning coinciding with the genocide, which began on 7 April, through Liberation Day on 4 July. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, spoke at this year’s International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda. “We will never forget the victims of this genocide,” he said. “Nor will we ever forget the bravery and resilience of those who survived, whose courage and willingness to forgive remain a burst of light and hope amidst this dark chapter in human history. “This year, we remind ourselves of genocide’s rancid root: hate ... Today, around the world, the darkest impulses of humanity are being awakened once more by the voices of extremism, division, and hate. To those who would seek to divide us, we must deliver a clear, unequivocal and urgent message: never again.” Additionally, António called for people to pledge to stand as one against all forms of hatred and discrimination on the solemn day of remembrance. “Let’s ensure that the acts that began on 7 April 1994 are never forgotten – and never repeated. Anywhere.”

General Brian Peddle opened the recent Others - Trade for Hope exhibition at International Headquarters. Others Trade for Hope – a social enterprise of The Salvation Army – recently celebrated its 25th anniversary of promoting hope, independence and dignity for more than 800 Kenyan and Bangladeshi women and men, many of whom have experienced vulnerability and exploitation. Since 1997, Others has been combating social injustice by using fair-trade principles to fight poverty for people in vulnerable communities. Its artisan partners create beautiful products that are available for purchase in the USA, Norway, Canada, Iceland and New Zealand. Australians can order through the USA website here . To watch the 25th-anniversary ceremony from IHQ in London, click here Others helps combat widespread poverty, creates sustainable employment, educates the next generation and, above all, provides freedom from exploitation. More than 80 per cent of Others’ artisans start small businesses and purchase assets that build a sustainable future for themselves and their families. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Others hosted an exhibition and special launch event at Café 101 at The Salvation Army International Headquarters in London. General Brian Peddle, the Chief of the Staff (Commissioner Lyndon Buckingham) and other invited guests gathered on 17 April to mark the occasion. The anniversary provides an opportunity to showcase the beautiful handmade products created by Others’ artisans and their stories. Whether crafting embroidered hearts, hand-loomed textiles, carefully crafted wooden products or its popular sisal baskets, Others is on a mission to continue providing opportunities for people to turn their lives around for 25 more years. The Others Trade for Hope exhibition showcased the lives of Bangladeshi and Kenyan artisans transformed by the initiative. Stories of changed lives Magdalene, from Kenya, tells how her life has changed because of Others: “I have learned so many handicraft skills from the women in Others. I sold some of the products I made and have been able to take my children to school. Being a single mother and grandmother, this is a strength for me. The group has given me a sense of purpose, and I feel that I belong. My life has improved, not only financially but also emotionally.” Others Trade for Hope’s mission aligns with seven of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals: no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, and reduced inequalities. Behind every Others product is a unique story of dignity, independence and hope. Others Trade for Hope Others Trade for Hope (Others) is a Salvation Army initiative creating jobs for women and men to escape poverty and human trafficking in Africa and South Asia by creating handmade, fairly traded products in safe working conditions. For more than 25 years, Others has trained and empowered women to develop an artisan trade resulting in intricate, desirable apparel, accessories, home and kitchen items, and seasonal products. With more than 800 artisans, Others aims to create a pathway to independence for artisans to support themselves and their families for generations. To watch the 25th-anniversary ceremony from IHQ in London, click here ​For more information, visit www.tradeforhope.com . You can also find Others on Instagram: @othersnorway and @othersusa .

The Salvation Army in Australia is supporting the people of Myanmar in prayer. After years of cruelty to their own people, just after Easter, the Myanmar junta’s air force dropped multiple bombs on a civilian gathering of several hundred people in Sagaing Region while attack helicopters strafed the crowd. Later the same day, jet fighters returned to kill anyone left. On Sunday 30 April, 5pm (AEST), there will be an ecumenical and interfaith service supported by The Salvation Army, held at Collins Street Baptist Church, 174 Collins Street, Melbourne and live-streamed here . Here is a prayer you may like to include in your Sunday meeting or use in your personal prayer time. God of mercy and justice, In love and sorrow, we pray for the people of Myanmar. We ask that those with power to end the violence will do so – that the perpetrators will turn and seek the way of truth and light. We ask that the international community pressure the military junta to step aside and allow for a genuine democracy that will respect the wellbeing of all people in Myanmar. Lord Jesus, may the people of Myanmar know your loving presence with them at this time. Help them to know your comfort and healing in their pain and grief. We long for the day when ‘“words are hammered into plowshares and when justice will roll on like a river and righteousness like a mighty stream”. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. Amen. Colonel Winsome Merrett Chief Secretary

Celestin (right) is prayed over as he is enrolled as a Salvation Army soldier of the Cairns Corps. Celestin Gasake has a remarkable life story, a testament to sheer survival and relentless resilience. In a special interview with Salvos Online journalist LERISSE SMITH, the newly enrolled Cairns Corps soldier discussed his journey of surviving against all odds and his passion for using neuroscience and prayer to transform lives.   It was one fateful day that was to change the trajectory of Celestin’s life forever. On 18 April 1994, the 15-year-old African student lost 74 of his immediate and extended family members in the Rwandan Genocide when bombs and grenades rained down on their housing compound where everyone lived together. Remarkably, Celestin survived the horrific event. “It happened on one day, in one second, in one minute,” he says, reflecting on the incident. “I lost my father, brother, two sisters and immediate families that had run to our place to seek protection. Our house was a bit more protected and everyone in the family/extended families trusted the place as it was well built and fenced with electric wires.” Celestin Gasake pictured with his family. Having recently completed his PhD in neuroscience, Celestin has a burning passion for enhancing the quality of lives of people throughout the world impacted by severe trauma. Meet Celestin today, and you will meet a man who speaks in a measured and calm tone, carefully contemplating his words before expressing them. He is also a man who stands tall and loves God, his family, and his church community at Cairns Corps in Far North Queensland, valuing the sanctity of life more than most. This Army soldier is also a man on a mission. Having recently completed his PhD in neuroscience, Celestin is passionate about enhancing the quality of life of people worldwide who have been impacted by severe trauma. Surviving the horrific genocide not only changed his life immeasurably but also birthed a passion for helping others who have experienced civil war, persecution and natural disasters by studying the effects of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) on the brain. The neuroscientist’s aim to enhance the lives of others is twofold. To assist both the pharmaceutical field to develop new medicine to help people cope with PTSD and to help educate individuals about how their brains respond to persecution, war and natural disaster events so they can understand their PTSD reactions and accompanying emotions are not tied to their personality or indicative of irrational thoughts. Additionally, the universities of Rwanda and Queensland have expressed interest in his studies to further their knowledge and treatment of war and natural disaster survivors. While Celestin prefers not to talk about the unspeakable atrocities that he and his beloved family and community suffered in the genocide, he openly discusses his mental and physical scars. “I really don’t want anyone to know me because of the PTSD,” he says reflectively. “It is stuck into me. But there are people like me who have experienced war and those who have even experienced natural disasters, and that’s the reason why I am doing neuroscience. A young Celestin Gasake. “My interest was really sparked after Cyclone Yasi hit Cairns in 2011. I was nursing and could see in the hospital how people were affected mentally by the cyclone, including farmers, where the event took everything from them. I compared myself and my experience of people wanting to kill me in the genocide. So, I saw the intensity of what these events can do to people and how the brain can be damaged.” His brain studies revealed how the impact of highly traumatic events, such as suffering persecution, could lead to deformities on the brain, especially in those aged 15 to 30 years.  “I want people to know that PTSD does impact the brain, that they are not going crazy, and that if people are really struggling, it’s because of the impact on their brain,” he said. “I also want to imbue hope in those affected by war, persecution and natural disasters that the neuroplasticity in the brain can heal itself and to a point where they can continue living their best life.” Hope is of paramount importance to Celestin, who has held it close to his heart – from surviving the genocide through to becoming a neuroscientist and calling Cairns Corps home. His faith in God and the power of prayer are also crucial. But he’s the first to say that living out the Christian walk has not been easy or smooth. Journey of pain Born and raised in a Christian home in Rwanda, his family was to become popular and well-known in society. His father was a local politician, and his brother was a doctor. When the genocide started, Celestin’s family and brother were a target because people would read the news of what an amazing person his brother was in his medical role and how he undertook many activities to help the community.   The brother founded a disability organisation to support neglected individuals with disabilities. He dedicated 45 hours a week to helping them on the streets, bringing many to his home. He purchased houses for disadvantaged people, ensuring they received care and support from his family and used his own money to meet their needs, including food and medical assistance. Tragically, the brother died in the genocide when bombs and grenades targeted his family’s compound, consisting of five homes, which housed over 70 members of his family and extended relatives. With most of his family killed, Celestin escaped to 19 different places during the next three years. He traversed an unimaginable journey of pain and suffering at the hands of those who wanted to kill him before returning to school in 1997 after peace was regained in the country. The Rwandan State Government ensured those who survived the genocide could live and helped support Celestin get back on his feet. “So, from that time onwards, I hated to be called a Christian ... From that day, it stuck in my head that they were the ones who hunted and finished off my family.” Remarkably, one house on his family’s residential compound remained standing, so Celestin settled back into the home and started to gather young children and teenagers who had no home, and he ended up caring for 16 children. “I was the oldest man,” Celestin recalled. “So, I had to work hard to make sure that they ate. We struggled together and went to a school supported by the State Government through the Genocide Survivor’s Fund, thanks to the current government, who stood with genocide survivors and revived their life. Among those 16 children, seven are now in the medical field, and others have completed university degrees in different fields and are now working, married with children. Most importantly, they are all true Christians who praise the name of the Lord, day and night.” Faith dilemma Celestin completed high school in 2002 and then undertook a medical degree as a legacy to his brother. He arrived in Cairns in 2010 after gaining refugee status with a humanitarian visa. He studied at James Cook University and earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing since his medical degree was invalid because he was a non-Australian citizen. Christianity and having a close relationship with God were far from Celestin’s mind, having been betrayed during the genocide by a pastor they initially revered and supported. He had approached the pastor for support but was stunned to discover the pastor and several people associated with him had intended to kill him.   “So, from that time onwards, I hated to be called a Christian,” he said. “From that day, it stuck in my head that they were the ones who hunted and finished off my family.” “Prayer will bring everything to you, whatever you want ... I can tell you; you will get an answer.” Years later, a cousin encouraged him to start a new journey and return to church as a legacy to his Christian parents and happy times praising and worshipping God. He decided to attend church as his cousin was the only person left in his family, and he did not want to disappoint her. “I said to her: ‘I will do it, just let’s go in the church’,” Celestin recalled. “But honestly, from 2003 to 2015, I used to go in the church just to fill the gap. I got married in 2011 and raised my kids in the church. On the outside you could see me going to church with my tie and being happy. But inside, I was not.” Emotional reunion The eventual turning point came on 18 March 2015, when a major breakthrough occurred in his life. An auntie had informed him that his mother had survived the genocide and was alive, something he did not know as they became permanently separated when they ran for their lives during the bombing. The neuroscientist had tried looking for his mother in neighbouring Tanzania for years but to no avail. So, he decided to pray for three days, determined to get an answer from God to find out where his mother lived for the long-awaited reunion. “Prayer will bring everything to you, whatever you want,” Celestin said. “I can tell you; you will get an answer.” And he did. A call revealed that his mum had lived in Tanzania for 21 years. She had been so traumatised by losing her family and feeling hopeless that she never wanted to think about going back to Rwanda as she knew no one was left in her family. It was an emotional reunion when they met. “We shed a lot of tears,” he said. “Because of reuniting with my mum, I said Jesus is alive! That was the catalyst for me.” Salvation Army soldier From then on, Celestin embraced his walk with Christ and joined Cairns Corps in 2020. He recalls initially thinking pilots were part of The Salvation Army church because he didn’t recognise the Army’s uniform! Celestin pictured with Major Ben Johnson, Cairns Corps Officer, who has deeply impacted the neuroscientist with his dignity, integrity and passion for helping others. A further significant influence on his life was Major Ben Johnson, Cairns Corps Officer, who deeply impacted the neuroscientist with his dignity, integrity and passion for helping others. “Ben is a man of integrity and a true Christian,” he explained. “I have been able to relearn from him and he made me love being a Christian, to love The Salvation Army, and to keep my faith in God. You live in this world, and you can see these people that can take you somewhere and show you the way to go – and that’s what he did for me. He’s just totally sold out for Christ and a man who never stops helping special people like us who are in a new foreign land where we don’t have anywhere to go and don’t even know what to do.” As a newly enrolled soldier, Celestin is proud to wear his Salvation Army uniform. His faith is also stronger than ever. “It is believing the things we cannot even see,” he says. “I now have somewhere to belong that’s wonderful. I lived with God in difficult times when we were being bombed, killed and persecuted. At the time, I could say God, God, God, but I did not know the intensity of God within me. “But now, living in a country like Australia where there’s opportunity, my faith is growing, and it’s because I know Jesus is there for me. God is truly amazing to me.” The Kwibuka Flame of Hope was recently unveiled, symbolising the resilience and courage of Rwandans since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, when more than one million people were killed Credit: UN Photo/Manual Elias To read the full story on the Kwibuka Flame of Hope, click here To read the story of the Cairns Corps enrolment ceremony, click here