The singing from the India South Eastern Territory Jubilee celebrations blended into the surrounding tapestry of Indian nightlife. General Brian Peddle and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, world leaders of The Salvation Army, recently joined the India South Eastern Territory for its Jubilee celebrations, followed by a visit to the India Central Territory. In the South Eastern Territory, the celebrations took place at the Booth Tucker Memorial Church Campus, an outdoor setting where the singing blended into the tapestry of Indian nightlife. General Peddle awarded the Order of the Founder to Major (Dr) Ruby Samuel during the service. The leaders also spent time with officers and expressed their pride in the men and women who lead the mission of The Salvation Army in the territory. “Meeting our youth was (also) inspirational as we witnessed talent, an openness to God’s call and security of the Army’s future in this territory,” shared the General. The leaders also opened new prayer halls in the Gnaniahpuram Corps and Kannanoor Corps. A visit to Catherine Booth Hospital was part of the leaders’ itinerary. “We witnessed an ongoing service of medical care while having opportunity to meet men and women who can only be referred to as heroes,” said General Peddle. “Our hospital engages in training with 300 young men and women in full-time studies. They are destined to serve in communities in India and beyond. God bless the India South Eastern Territory and all those who give leadership.” The General and Commissioner moved on to the India Central Territory for a week of meetings. “The first thing that comes to mind is the large crowds gathered that exceeded all expectations and planning,” said General Peddle. “Every meeting – the Youth Rally, Officers’ Councils, Women’s Congress, public meetings – prompted the need for a ‘standing audience’ in addition to those seated. It was impossible to greet everyone, so we resorted to the Army salute and many shouts of hallelujahs! “Equally encouraging was the response to the Word as the challenge was given – kneeling areas as well as aisles filled with praying people. The future of the Army in this part of India is very promising as its witness and impact finds its place in countless communities. “I suggest that we think we know the story of a nation, but when you encounter the people, you find another story – often a better one. By the way, a word of advice, if you travel to India, you will have to surrender your diet plan – the food is amazing! “God bless India and its people. God bless the Salvation Army in the India Central Territory.”

Salvation Army teams in Calgary, Canada, operate mobile winter warming stations to help meet the needs of people living on the streets. For many years, The Salvation Army in Calgary, Alberta, has hosted warming stations for people living on the street during winter. This (northern) season, the stations became mobile, allowing them to be moved around the city for better accessibility. A collaboration with the Calgary Homeless Foundation made this possible. “We are now able to go where there is a need, as opposed to having folks to come to us for support,” said Hooria Ansari, Resource Specialist for the outreach program at The Salvation Army in Calgary. Hooria believes the innovative warming stations also allow workers to reach more clients in need. The mobile warming stations are set up in high-need areas around the city. Inside the tents there are heaters, and clients are provided with hot meals, coffee, and even winter gear. The temporary shelters also allow the outreach program to connect with new clients and assess further need for support. “We do our best to support our friends with a warm meal and with materials that come in through donations such as gloves, toques (beanies) and jackets,” said Hooria. “These are high-need and in-demand items for our clients. A lot of the people we meet are not well equipped for winter conditions.” So far, the stations have been a success. They have been well received by the community and the clients that make use of them. “Often, we hear from some of our repeat clients that as soon as they see The Salvation Army shield, they immediately recognise that it is a warming station and that here they will be taken care of,” Hooria said. The mobile warming stations currently run Monday to Friday from 11am to 7pm. The goal is to soon be running seven days a week. The stations will be in place until the end of March 2023.

The officers and corps leaders of the Ukraine Division, Eastern Europe Territory, support each other and their displaced and suffering communities, relying on God for faith and courage. Early on the morning of 24 February 2022, the sound and impact of heavy shelling woke many Ukrainians. Russia had invaded Ukraine and a war had begun. This war continues today, killing and wounding hundreds of thousands, displacing millions and destroying cities, towns and villages across the country. The Eastern Europe Territory (EET), led by Australian officers Colonels Cheralynne and Kelvin Pethybridge hosted a day of prayer for the war-torn Ukraine Division on Sunday 26 February. It's never too late though, to pray for Ukraine. Please see the information at the end of this article for details on downloading the English-language poster, PowerPoint prayer presentation, and other resources for prayer. Below we share the text of three testimonies – from Major Kostiantyn Shvab (Ukraine Divisional Commander), Major Daniil Lukin (Kropyvnytskyi Corps Officer) and Natalia Rak (soldier and corps leader at Dnipro Corps, Ukraine, with her husband Dmytro). Major Kostiantyn Shvab To watch Major Shvab's video testimony, click here . Well before 24 February, all my colleagues and acquaintances, from Ukraine and abroad who are confident in politics and are connected to different authorities, were saying that the war is going to start in Ukraine. My friends from different parts of the world tried to convince me to take my family abroad. But we decided to stay. I knew that the war was going to begin, but I firmly believed that God would save us. I couldn’t believe how, in the 21st century in the centre of Europe, such horror could ever happen. The day of 24 February started for me with telephone calls from my friends and relatives who described the horrors of the war. They said they heard rockets, saw tanks, heard explosions. Our life has changed. Endless crowds of people from Eastern Ukraine were fleeing to Europe via parts of Western Ukraine. They passed through Vinnytsia, (where Majors Kostiantyn and Irina Shvab were then corps officers) both during the day and at night, regardless of the curfew. The arrival of people was endless. We opened the Vinnytsia Corps doors for people to sleep over. The number of people was too great for the corps building, so many of them stayed at our home. Our home was filled with people, different people, every day. Our house was so full that I had to step over people in our bedroom to get to the bathroom. People were sleeping on the floor because we had nowhere to put them. But people cried and thanked us for sheltering them. From the first days of this war, horror gripped every Ukrainian. I do not know how God gave us the strength to hold on – a strength he still gives us. There was still some hope in our hearts that God was in control, and everything would end well. I remember when I was delivering humanitarian aid in the Kyiv region. I was driving along the road that had recently seen tanks passing, and I saw destroyed cars – cars carrying peaceful people who were shot and burned alive. I saw destroyed houses. It is horror. It is pain and tears. Despite all of that, I had hope that God was giving me hope. He still gives me hope to this day. Not just me, but thousands like me. We have hope that God is in control and will bring us all out. I see and hear today that other states, other organisations, are helping Ukraine. My heart is filled with hope, my heart is filled with joy, that we are not alone. At the same time, every care shown for Ukraine, and for Ukrainians, fills my heart with the light that God controls everything. We are not alone, and we are not destined to perish. I thank everyone who helped us, who is helping us. I thank God that I belong to The Salvation Army which, from the very first days of the war, has taken an active role in alleviating the suffering of other people – many people, adults and children. We clothe, feed, encourage, help in every way. I am proud to be a part of The Salvation Army which brings comfort, support and encouragement. Even today, bombs and rockets are still whistling over us. There is still a threat of death over us today, but I don’t know. I am not afraid. I know that God holds us in his hand. Major Daniil Lukin To watch Major Lukin's video, click here . The light always wins because the one who created the light is stronger than the darkness. The war caught me unprepared. I cannot say that I did not know that the war could start. My mind told me that war was inevitable, but my heart continued to believe that it could be avoided. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers who gathered near the borders of my Motherland with full weapons, with jet fighters, with tanks, with artillery, said the opposite. On the morning of 24 February, I woke up to the roar of fighter jets and the sounds of distant explosions. I was not ready for that. I don't know at all how you can prepare yourself for that – to prepare for the fact that all your plans are no longer worth anything, your way of life is completely destroyed, stability and security have just left your house with a loud slamming of the door. Although no, it wasn't a slamming door – it was another explosion, this time even closer to my house. I don't know how to prepare myself for this. Instead of normal emotions, I feel fear, uncertainty, sadness. The future no longer seems bright and clear. It has plunged more and more into the darkness and there is only one thing that can stand against the darkness – a light. In Genesis 1:3-4 it says, “And God said, ‘Let there be light’, and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness." God is the source of light, He is the author of light. He is the one who dispelled the darkness. He did it at the creation of the world. He did it 2000 years ago, and he continues doing it today. I found light in God for myself and for my future; and the darkness receded. His light has one important characteristic – it does not only light you, it gives you the power to shine yourself. To shine where it is darkest. You can't avoid lighting yourself when his light is in you. Today, this is often expressed in help for those people who suffered from the war in Ukraine, which has been going on in our country for a whole year. There are millions of people in Ukraine today who have lost everything: houses, property, lost friends, relatives, lost hope. They need help and support. They need light. And the light that is in me – it prompts me to do everything that depends on me, so that they receive this help, support and see the light. The light that chases away the darkness. The light always wins because the one who created the light is stronger than the darkness. Despite all of that, Ukraine fights, holds on and is healed by the love of people who support each other every day, giving love and care to those who need it most. People share water, food, clothes, blankets, and shoes, but there is nothing more valuable than time, attention and love. The love of Christ, which penetrates through people into this troubled world, is the light that helps us survive physically, emotionally and spiritually. The smile of a child who recently saw his friend torn apart, the one he played with yesterday. A child’s hug, the one who stopped talking because a rocket flew straight into his home. The lively eyes of a boy whose father was killed in combat – these are the things that do not fade away and is the same light. Children are exhausted by the war, teenagers are in search of themselves, women have lost their support, men do not understand what to do, grandparents have had to leave their entire lives and start again from scratch, volunteers, and ministers who 24/7 reach out and distribute, comfort and love. These are the people who inspire and hold Ukraine because they do not give up ... because they live. Our [Salvation Army] team in Dnipro consists of an actor, a store owner, an animator, a boy with a disability, a biochemist, a rescuer, a few teachers, a translator and many other people. We have become one family who, despite everything, brings the love of Christ into people’s lives. Natalia Rak Ukraine – explosions, fear, cold, despair, pain, tears, hunger, confusion, sadness, rage. Ukraine is filled with all of that. Every centimetre of this land is ‘burning’ – somewhere like in Bakhmut because of fire, somewhere like in Mariupol from sheer horror, somewhere like in our Dnipro from a hole the size of the lives of people who died in a destroyed house. Natalia (bottom right) and her team serve others in Christ’s name and strength, in the Dnipro Corps and community. Despite all of that, Ukraine fights, holds on and is healed by the love of people who support each other every day, giving love and care to those who need it most. People share water, food, clothes, blankets, and shoes, but there is nothing more valuable than time, attention and love. The love of Christ, which penetrates through people into this troubled world, is the light that helps us survive physically, emotionally and spiritually. The smile of a child who recently saw his friend torn apart, the one he played with yesterday. A child’s hug, the one who stopped talking because a rocket flew straight into his home. The lively eyes of a boy whose father was killed in combat – these are the things that do not fade away and is the same light. Children are exhausted by the war, teenagers are in search of themselves, women have lost their support, men do not understand what to do, grandparents have had to leave their entire lives and start again from scratch, volunteers, and ministers who 24/7 reach out and distribute, comfort and love. These are the people who inspire and hold Ukraine because they do not give up ... because they live. Our [Salvation Army] team in Dnipro consists of an actor, a store owner, an animator, a boy with a disability, a biochemist, a rescuer, a few teachers, a translator and many other people. We have become one family who, despite everything, brings the love of Christ into people’s lives. God opens his arms in this terrible time for everyone, again and again. He seems to hold every Ukrainian, every disappointed soul, wipes away the tears of despair and sadness and gives a reason to smile, and feel joy and happiness in the everyday. This is our tired but happy Ukraine. Ukraine with the desire for peace in our hearts and around us. We are strong in Jesus Christ. We are free in our Saviour. We are healed by his wounds. We are enlightened by his love. Resources The resources for prayer are simple ones that can be used both individually and corporately in a variety of ways. The themes – peace, protection, provision, endurance and strength for those displaced and far from family – can be used as the basis for private prayers and devotions anywhere, as well as incorporated into Sunday worship through prayer stations and responsive prayers. The posters are available in English, are based on Isaiah 41:10 and contain the words: “From the ruined cities and villages, covered with the fragments of a once peaceful life, prayers flew like alarmed birds, begging for protection for the children, elderly, relatives and friends ... Insightful and fervent prayers rush to heaven – ‘Lord, help!’ “Brave, persistent, desperate and incredibly strong; frozen with fear, vulnerable, those who do not stop believing and hoping, Ukrainians – our prayers for each of you! For the end of the war, for recovery, for your families and homes, for your land! “God himself says: ‘There’s no need to fear for I’m your God’. He gives strength, hope and safety. His love embraces everyone.” For more information and to download resources in English, scan the QR code, or click here Resources are also available in the languages of the nations making up the EET – Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania and Ukraine.

Pastor Layla Nahavandi hosts The Eagle and Child podcast, released through Theos University. Each episode takes us on a pilgrimage through the great minds of church history. REVIEWED BY JESSICA MORRIS In Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews, he strove to encourage believers with the reminder that they were “surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1). But unless you have a theology degree or a particular interest in world history, there’s a good chance you will miss some of these ‘witnesses’ or heroes of the faith who came after Revelation was written. C.S. Lewis? Sure, we all know about the man who created Aslan. J.R.R. Tolkien, the hand behind mighty hobbits and concerning amounts of Dwarvish? Tick. John Wesley? Probably, depending on your denomination. Martin Luther? Absolutely, although how you think of him will rely on your Protestant or Catholic background. But what about the rest – the ones we often quote on Instagram without context or those a smoke-filled church tends to forget? Enter The Eagle and Child podcast. Named after the restaurant in Oxford, England, where Lewis, Tolkien and the rest of the Inklings would meet to discuss literary ideas in 1939, this Australian production is hosted by Pastor Layla Nahavandi and released through Theos University. Each episode is a pilgrimage through Orthodoxy and history, featuring a guest who boasts consummate amounts of knowledge about a hero of the faith, with many being lecturers and holding PhDs (or working towards them) in areas of Christian history and the direction of the modern church. Pastor Layla Nahavandi lives in Melbourne and travels around the globe, speaking and preaching to bring about revival. Nahavandi is a theologian in her own right and a member of the faculty at Theos University while also being an evangelist at Neuma Church in Melbourne. The 33-year-old is working towards her PhD in theology focused on the early Church, and her unique life perspective makes the podcast all the richer. Nahavandi is half-Persian and half-Irish, a British-born and Kiwi-raised Aussie whose family came to salvation after being Muslim in the 90s. Her hosting gives a bubbly and willing exuberance to each episode – and we sit alongside her, as you would in a history class at Bible College, learning the fascinating, great, bizarre and concerning details about women and men who have encountered God in incredible ways. The thinkers, revolutionaries and saints highlighted by each guest will stretch even the most knowledgeable theologians among us. There are the pillars we expect – like I said, Lewis and Tolkien are frequently sighted, and we learn about their bizarre friendship and how Lewis fell in love after marrying for convenience. Then there is Charles Spurgeon, John Bunyan and Deitrich Bonhoeffer. Delightfully, Nahavandi also focuses on fierce women of the faith. And we meet Saints Perpetua and Felicity, Teresa of Avila and Marguerite Porete. Sadly, there are no episodes on Catherine or William Booth yet – but feel free to join me in lobbying for their inclusion! If you enjoy church history or want to deepen your faith by understanding the rich heritage the modern church stands on, then The Eagle and Child podcast is a must-listen. The Eagle and Child podcast is free on Spotify , Apple Podcasts , YouTube and other podcasting platforms. Connect with The Eagle and Child podcast on Facebook or Instagram .

New Salvation Army soldier James Brennan feels like he has found his spiritual home at Swan View Corps in Western Australia.  After moving to a new city, James Brennan was longing for a spiritual home. Then God led him to the Swan View Salvos, and he felt called to something more – soldiership. He shares his story below. In 2019, I moved to Perth from Bathurst, NSW. When I arrived, I tried to connect to churches in my area, but no matter how hard I tried or how many times I went, I just didn’t feel a connection. But this year, things changed – I felt a call, a need to find a place where I could belong. That’s when I was told about a Salvation Army shop no more than 800 metres from my home! About 20 years ago, I had been part of the Salvos in Geraldton, so I was happy to hear of a shop near me, and I went searching. James celebrates becoming a Salvation Army senior soldier during a Sunday service at Swan View Corps in September. From left: Major Jennifer Armstrong, adherent Anne Tonner, flagbearer Eric Smith, James, adherent Alice Go and Major Naava Brooks. When I arrived, the shop was closed, but I met an amazing woman of God – Major Naava Brooks. As we talked, she mentioned that she, with Major Jenny Armstrong, were the majors of the Salvos church here. The moment there was mention of a church, I felt drawn to it and needed to go. When I walked through the doors on Sunday, I heard Naava say, “Here he is.” I felt welcome. At first, it was very different – a lot of elderly and the service was very different to what I was used to, so I said I would come back the following week. The sermon was fantastic, I felt more connected, the music was still different to me, but the message was clear. I started to feel like this could become my new home. As I kept coming, I got to meet and become friends with some amazing people. As the months went by, I grew more invested and connected, and I could feel God bringing me home. I wanted to offer myself in service, to really be part of my new spiritual home. So, I spoke with Naava to learn about how to become a member. I was given two options, adherent or soldier, and I knew immediately what and how I was to belong to this home ­­– this family of God. I wanted to fully surrender to him, to be the man of God he wanted me to be, so I gave him all of me. Being a soldier of The Salvation Army means a complete surrender to God in every way, in every part of my life. I now live for him, and I have never been so happy. I feel fulfilled in God, stronger in him, and so grateful he accepts me. For all he has done for me, I could do nothing less in return. It is in my heart to share the gospel – the Good News that Jesus saves. No matter who you are, Jesus is ready and waiting for you. His love, grace and mercy endure forever and ever. He loves you right where you’re at, and to share his love and word with those around me is just fantastic.

Women and girls from the Mwanza Corps of Monze District, Zimbabwe, commemorate International Day of the Girl Child 2024. 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 (21-27 October) we are praying for the Zambia Territory. Prayer requests: For God’s provision and sustaining grace during the current drought in Zambia, and that ministries of The Salvation Army will continue to meet increasing individual and community needs. Pray for a good rainy season to resolve the national hydro-energy crisis. Pray for wisdom for government officials to manage this challenging situation to minimise loss of life due to malnutrition. For the spiritual growth of salvationists, and that the mission will expand to areas of Zambia where there is no Army presence. For the financial sustainability of the territory, allowing the mission of the Army to flourish and the officer and infrastructure needs to be adequately met. For the social ministries of the territory, including the Chikankata Mission, Mitanda Home for the Aged and various health services, schools, pre-school groups, community work and community development projects in the country. That officers and salvationists will be ‘mobilised to take part in Building a Vibrant Modern Territory, Obedient to God and Relevant in the 21st Century’ – the theme of the new Territorial Strategic Plan (2024-2028). Pray that the territory will have the necessary resources to implement the strategic plan. For the Officer Training College staff, the newly commissioned officers of the Defenders of Justice  session (October 19) and the accepted candidates for the next session, beginning in January 2025.   To learn more about the Zambia Territory, click here . For more information on the International Prayer Focus 2024, and to download the calendar, click here .

Disney’s latest space opera ANDOR offers a new perspective on an old universe. BY ANTHONY CASTLE ANDOR is the newest Star Wars streaming series and a layered exploration of identity and oppression set five years before the original film's events. The 12-episode series tells the story of Cassian Andor, a thief who becomes a revolutionary and chooses to fight against the fascist Galactic Empire. Andor is a cynic and an opportunist, making his own luck in the galaxy, but after being harassed by security officers, falsely imprisoned and used for slave labour, he realises the injustice of the power structures around him. Created by Tony Gilroy for the streaming service Disney+, ANDOR is a prequel to the Star Wars film Rogue One (2016). Diego Luna reprises his role as Cassian Andor and serves as executive producer of the series, having incorporated his own migrant experiences into the story. Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) in Lucasfilm’s ANDOR, exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved. The series offers all the motifs associated with the franchise, with Neal Scanlan providing the designs for the creatures and droids, and there are familiar faces for the fans in the ensemble cast. Genevieve O’Reilly reprises her role as Mon Mothma from Rogue One (a character initially glimpsed in Return in the Jedi in 1983), and Forest Whitaker is back as the rebel extremist Saw Gerrara (also seen in Rogue One ). Where ANDOR makes its mark is not in how it recaptures the nostalgic motifs of earlier films but where it chooses a different path. Star Wars is known for its fast-paced pulp adventure, punctuated with romance and pop spirituality, exploring the dynamics between fathers and sons, but Andor reinvents each of these elements. ANDOR approaches the core components of Star Wars , but from a certain point of view. Rather than having a fast and propulsive narrative, the series builds slowly in establishing its premise and themes. Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly) in Lucasfilm’s ANDOR, exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved. The lead character isn’t given a love interest, but an unsettling chemistry develops between the antagonists (played by Kyle Soller and Denise Gough). Where the Star Wars trilogies often focus on the damaging legacy of the patriarchy and the relationship between fathers and sons, each of the main characters in Andor is shaped by motherhood. The core ethos of the classic Star Wars trilogy is often summed up with the wise words of Jedi Master Yoda, “do or do not, there is no try”. ANDOR expresses this differently, with the revolutionary writer Nemik (played by Alex Lawther) encouraging characters to fight what is wrong in their worlds with a new maxim, “remember this, try”. Star Wars is best understood as a fairytale, with heroes discovering who they are and how they will right what is wrong in their world. ANDOR captures the franchise’s sense of saga and spectacle with a stunning performance from Stellan Skarsgard as a spy, thrilling heist and prison break sequences, and an expansive production design by Luke Hull. While fans and audiences can be thrown when old properties try new things, the reinvention at the heart of ANDOR reminds us why these stories mattered, to begin with. ANDOR tries something different and succeeds, offering a new perspective on an old universe. While ANDOR may be Star Wars from a certain point of view, the core message remains the same. All of us must choose who we become, and when it comes to fighting the hardship and injustice in our worlds, we must all remember this; try . ANDOR is rated M for language and violence. Streaming now on Disney+.

Commissioner Miriam Gluyas welcomes you to the new Salvos Online website that launches today. Hi everyone. Good news! Today, we have taken another step forward in centralising the important work and stories of our movement by merging Others Online and Salvos Magazine (web) into one new online channel: Salvos Online – Connecting Salvos in Mission . Salvos Online will now be the home and heart of Salvos community news and include stories, features, videos from Salvos Studios , book releases from Salvo Publishing , links to Kidzone and mySalvos and much more. I encourage you to regularly visit Salvos Online to read, watch and engage with the many Jesus-centred, Spirit-led and community-focused work happening across our nation. You can also subscribe to receive a monthly e-newsletter here >> . This newsletter will also be available in a printable PDF. For those who enjoy reading and/or circulating our print materials, Salvos Magazine and Kidzone will continue to be printed in a hard-copy format, available weekly. Bless you, and happy reading. Commissioner Miriam Gluyas Territorial Leader

A recent NSW/ACT regional youth gathering involved a day at Jamberoo Recreation Park on the South Coast. (Below) Many of the 240 young people who attended took part in the evening service at Wollongong Corps. Earlier this month, the youth and young adults team held its first large regional gathering since before COVID-19. “It was amazing that we had engagement with more than 240 young people,” said Lauren Luiker from The Salvation Army’s National Youth and Young Adults team. Many people from different corps travelled several hours to experience a day at Jamberoo Recreation Park in the Illawarra and a night service at Wollongong Corps. Guest speaker, Shire Salvos Team Leader Mark Soper, shared the gospel, and several people responded. “We saw both salvation and recommitment that night across the room,” said Lauren.

Krzystof shares his incredible story of enduring 16 years on the streets before finding a home and security through The Salvation Army.

Hearing the cry of the Uluru Statement from The Heart will go a long way towards healing the hurts of the past and fostering reconciliation. By MAJOR GRANT-SANDERCOCK-BROWN “It happened in the past. It wasn’t my doing. They should just get over it!” This is a commonly heard rhetoric when the subject of Australia Day, the Uluru Statement from The Heart or even netball sponsorships comes up. Such statements express a rather breathtaking lack of a sense of history and the profound long-term impact of trauma. So, if you have said or even thought of these phrases, I urge you today, on Australia Day, to think a bit more deeply. You see, I could also make all those statements about Gallipoli and the first Anzacs, and they’d be just as true – Gallipoli happened in the past, I was not present, I was not responsible, so should I just forget about it? Most Australians don’t dismiss Anzac Day as a meaningless past event. Instead, we recite en masse, “We will remember them, lest we forget.” We say rightly that the Gallipoli campaign in 1915 helped to shape our national identity and forge our Australian character. Most would agree that significant events in the past still impact us today, therefore, we remember them. We celebrate or mourn, or sometimes both, and we are right to do so. And yet, inexplicably, we refuse to acknowledge the significance of the great and grievous wounding of our First Peoples and its ongoing impact. How could we not see the parallel? I live and work where I do because, at some point, Aboriginal people were displaced and killed. You do too. And that displacement was brutal. We can’t just forget about it. But if that historical view is too big a picture, we could imagine it more personally. If your mum was taken from her family, against her will, her identity reinvented without her permission or desire, if she ended up with psychological wounds that impacted her sense of self and of belonging, would you say to her, “It happened in the past. I don’t want to hear about it. Move on.” Or worse still, if your mum had been assaulted and her assailant lived next door, would you say, “Just get over it.” I don’t think you would. “We will be a better Australia when we have done so” How, then, should we frame this challenge of the impact of colonisation? In a debate on reparation for the descendants of slavery, British-American author Christopher Hitchens, using the taking of the Elgin marbles from Greece as an analogy, challenged his audience to ask three questions: “Was there a taking, a rape and a dispossession? Can it be made good? If not, can some of it be made good?” They are three good questions, and we should ask them of ourselves. And I think we know the answers. There was a taking, a rape and a dispossession, and while we can never put 1787 Australia back together, we can certainly make partial reparation. We can do so through continued acknowledgement of Country and the celebration of our First People’s culture; through seeking reconciliation and through listening more and speaking less to our First People; through hearing the cry of the Uluru Statement from The Heart and to committing ourselves to enshrine a First Nations Voice in the Constitution. We will be a better Australia when we have done so. I would love us to shake off the remnants of the empire and continue to create new ceremonies, new traditions, new understandings, and new ways of being that acknowledge our past, the good and bad. Doing so could forge an even richer, more honest, more compassionate identity as Australians. I too believe that ‘ancient sovereignty can shine through as a fuller expression of Australia’s nationhood’. Every Anzac Day, I say, “We shall remember them, lest we forget”, and feel in some way connected to those who’ve gone before me to make my life possible. And when our First Nations Voice to Parliament meets for the very first time, I’ll think of the thousands and thousands of voiceless Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who couldn’t have imagined themselves finding a meaningful place in Australia’s life and laws and remember those who’ve fought to make the voice a reality. And in honour of them, I’ll say again, “We shall remember them, lest we forget.” Major Grant Sandercock-Brown is a lecturer at Eva Burrows College in Melbourne

The Salvation Army High Council in May will elect a new General to lead the international Salvation Army. High Council 2023 to begin in May The 2023 Salvation Army High Council will be held at Sunbury Court Conference Centre, commencing formally on 18 May 2023. According to Mark Bennett, Senior Legal Counsel to the General and International Headquarters (IHQ), “The purpose of the High Council is to elect a new General for The Salvation Army in accordance with the Salvation Army Act.” Recognised as a deeply spiritual occasion as well as being a legal requirement, the High Council offers the international leadership of The Salvation Army the opportunity to elect the man or woman of their choice to lead the Army for the next five years. Every active Salvation Army officer is eligible to be elected as General. Global leaders will be issued a formal summons to attend the High Council by the Chief of the Staff, Commissioner Lyndon Buckingham. He will then preside over the opening of the High Council until a President has been elected. The public welcome to the High Council and farewell to General Brian Peddle and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, World President of Women’s Ministries, will be held on 20 May 2023 in Westminster Central Hall, London. For regular updates, please visit IHQ social media and the IHQ website World leaders visit Rwanda/Burundi and Caribbean Territories The General and Commissioner Peddle try their hands at traditional music during the celebrations in the Rwanda and Burundi Territory. A contingent of Salvationists greeted General Brian Peddle and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, World President of Women’s Ministries, on arrival at Kigali international airport on 16 February as they commenced their visit to the Rwanda and Burundi Command. The next day, the international leaders participated in officers’ councils before viewing a construction site for the officer training college. The following morning the General and Commissioner Rosalie visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial, where they learnt more about Rwandan history and paid respects to the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. In the afternoon, they met with members of the command Governance Board and toured the command headquarters, meeting officer and employee staff and planting fruit trees in the compound. The command concert and celebrations during the visit included the General enrolling 95 soldiers and commissioning and ordaining 11 cadets. The Peddles also visited the 16-nation Caribbean Territory last month to celebrate 135 years of The Salvation Army’s presence, service and ministry. Headquarters is located in Kingston, Jamaica. The children and youth of the Caribbean Territory enhanced the time of worship during the celebrations in Kingston. The Army ministers in English, Dutch, Creole, French and Surinamese, with expressions and services including education, children’s homes, homes for the aged, shelters for the homeless, medical work and the School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. “Worship in the Caribbean has its own enthusiastic style, which is often expressed using Island rhythms,” said General Peddle. “I thank God for the passion expressed in worship and for the commitment to God’s Mission in this part of the world. “This was evident as many re-dedicated their lives and sought God through moments of renewal. As is often the case, the youths were front and centre and you could only admire their gifts and talents and the way they have surrendered them to the Lord. “We were pleased to be hosted by the Governor General and the Prime Minister, who spoke of the Army’s value to the Jamaican people. God bless the Caribbean Territory!” New Zealand Salvos respond after Cyclone Gabrielle The Salvation Army in New Zealand has been an active part of the emergency response to Cyclone Gabrielle, which devastated large parts of the North Island from 12-16 February. Tragically, 11 people lost their lives during this time. The Salvation Army has been on the ground since Cyclone Gabrielle hit, helping those impacted by the devastation left behind. During the immediate aftermath of the cyclone and beyond, Salvation Army teams assisted impacted communities in the following ways: Teams on the ground in Civil Defence Centres assisting where needed in Auckland. A team was deployed to an Auckland apartment complex to offer welfare and psychosocial support to people evacuating their complex. Teams in welfare centres in Whangarei assisting with assessments and food preparation. The Salvation Army Napier community provided much-needed catering to firefighters throughout the worst of the storm and clean-up. Volunteers helped pack parcels at Mt Wellington to support Salvation Army teams in hard-hit Gisborne and Hawkes Bay. Salvation Army officers have been visiting people in Piha and Muriwai following Cyclone Gabrielle. They’ve been handing out information from the Council on where people can get support, as well as chatting, encouraging and letting people share their stories. In Muriwai, officers worked at the Ranger’s Hut and golf club offering support and comfort to those they came across. They were also on hand to offer psychosocial support to the people of Dominion Road when they were evacuated. Most people grabbed what they could and left in their cars. Please continue to pray for everyone who has been affected by the cyclone and for Salvation Army staff as they carry out important work. New Zealand is part of The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory. Nigerian Salvos pray for peaceful election The Salvation Army in Nigeria is working to support a peaceful election and response to results. The Salvation Army Nigeria has been holding peace-building training in preparation for the country's election season. Through a series of peace awareness workshops, radio and TV outreach efforts, and street marches that were funded by The Salvation Army World Service Office (SAWSO). The Salvation Army actively promotes nonviolence and wants to de-escalate tensions before they flare into conflicts. The Nigeria Territory organised 31 days of prayer and fasting for a peaceful election.