To read Keitha’s Promoted to Glory notice and appointment history, click here

The Salvation Army has been instrumental in the Homeless World Cup events around the world. BY REBECCA PARISH As the world turns its attention to football and the excitement surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico, another global tournament is quietly transforming lives far beyond the spotlight. It is the 2026 Homeless World Cup, also taking place in Mexico. Although centred around the ‘beautiful game’, The Homeless World Cup is a very different event. Australia has a national team in the tournament. The Salvation Army in Norway has sent a team. You can read more on the Homeless World Cup Facebook site. Power of football (soccer) Hosted in Oslo, Norway, the 2025 Homeless World Cup brought together players from around the world; people who have experienced homelessness, addiction, mental ill-health, displacement and isolation. Through football, they discovered something many thought they had lost: belonging, purpose and hope. For The Salvation Army in Norway, the tournament is about far more than competition. It is part of a year-round ministry using ‘street soccer’ to support people rebuilding their lives. Unity and a sense of belonging are part of the impact of ‘street soccer’. “A ball can change the world,” says Jostein, head coach of the Norway men’s national street soccer team. Himself once in treatment for drug addiction, he was introduced to street soccer in 2007 and has witnessed its impact ever since. “It’s not always about winning,” he explains. “The players who are in the tournament, they already won a lot of struggles back home.” More than just a game Street soccer is a fast-paced version of football played four-a-side on a small pitch. But behind the intensity of the game lies a deeper purpose: community, recovery and dignity. Many players taking part in Norway’s program have experienced homelessness, imprisonment, refugee displacement, addiction or mental-health challenges. Through The Salvation Army’s aftercare-focused approach, participants are encouraged not only to stay sober but also to develop life skills, confidence and healthy relationships. “We give them meaning, we give them mastery and life skills so they can manage to take part in society,” explains Signe Haukvik-Haugen, manager of the women’s street soccer program in Norway. The program helps participants learn how to process emotions, navigate relationships and rebuild self-esteem. “One of the most important things is to see resources in the human being,” she says, “because they don’t see it themselves.” Personal impacts That sense of transformation is visible in the stories of players like Hanna, who has struggled with anxiety, addiction and emotional trauma. “I have found peace in street soccer,” she says. “It’s a place where you can come to just be yourself.” For Andreas, the requirement for sobriety during activities creates a safe and stable environment. “You always feel included. You always feel like you are part of the team,” he says. “It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor or small or tall. You’re always welcome.” The Homeless World Cup offers participants a rare opportunity to represent their countries on an international stage, but organisers stress that the tournament is only one part of a much bigger journey. “What’s important for us is that it’s not a one-time thing for the players,” explains Benjamin Brekke Narstad, part of the organising committee for Oslo 2025. “It’s a relationship that we’re building over time, so they’ll always have a place they can come back to when life is hard.” Alongside the sports, there are opportunities for bringing together policymakers, universities, churches and community organisations to discuss practical solutions to homelessness. The Salvation Army’s work around the tournament also extends beyond the football pitch. Alongside the event, leaders hosted the Cities Ending Homelessness forum, bringing together policymakers, universities, churches and community organisations to discuss practical solutions to homelessness. Far-reaching benefits For organisers, the tournament demonstrates how faith-based organisations can work visibly and practically within communities. “We’re not just in our own church venue,” Benjamin says. “We’re out on the streets. We’re visible. We’re really working hands-on.” The measurable impact can be seen not only in increased confidence and self-worth, but also in reduced drug and alcohol use, stronger support networks and long-term community connection. By the end of the tournament, medals and match results seemed secondary to the victories taking place away from the scoreboard. The event is marked by much celebration and joy. “The games they play in the Homeless World Cup are not the biggest games they have in life,” says Jostein. “Everybody made it. It’s been fantastic to meet them, get to know them, and see that they can fight back in life.” As global audiences celebrate football’s biggest tournament this year, the Homeless World Cup stands as a reminder that the beautiful game can do more than entertain. It can restore confidence, rebuild lives and offer people a second chance; one match, one friendship and one moment of hope at a time. To view the video Homeless World Cup – Norway's Story, click on the arrow in the image below. This story first appeared on All the World. Rebecca Parish In-House Content Writer and Editor at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters in London

Nigel Clark (Aurora Energy CEO), Stacey Milbourne (Salvation Army Doorways Manager) and Stuart Foster (Salvation Army Community Services – General Manager) at the announcement on 15 June. The Salvation Army in Tasmania has received a boost to its work supporting those struggling to make ends meet across the state. At an official function in Hobart on Monday 15 June, the state’s electricity retailer, Aurora Energy, announced it would donate $200,000 to the Tasmanian Government’s Energy Hardship Fund, administered by The Salvation Army Tasmania. Salvation Army Doorways Manager Stacey Milbourne said this support will make a huge difference for those who have to choose between heating their homes, putting food on the table or paying rent. “At a time when many individuals and families are facing increasing cost-of-living pressures, this support will make a meaningful difference,” she said. “We are incredibly grateful to Aurora Energy and the Tasmanian Government for recognising the growing need in our communities and continuing to stand alongside Tasmanians experiencing hardship.” Aurora Energy CEO Nigel Clark said the State Government would also top up the fund by $150,000. “So together, we are doubling existing support from $350,000 to $700,000 over the next 12 months,” he explained. “We know household bills can hit hard over winter, and we hope this announcement makes life a little easier.” The NILS Network of Tasmania, on its Facebook site, also lauded the announcement and the partnership. “That’s a great outcome – great work Aurora Energy, Tasmania Government and The Salvation Army Tasmania ... [this] will help so many people struggling in the year ahead.” For further information on how to access this support, contact your local service provider, Energy Hardship Fund (EHF) - Find Help Tas.

Commissioner Miriam Gluyas (right) joined Captain Anthony Hunt and Major Heather McKeown for the official opening of the new Beenleigh Corps, Queensland. Photos Gordon Beitz BY SIMONE WORTHING Territorial Commander Commissioner Miriam Gluyas has officially opened and dedicated the new Beenleigh Corps building in a new location south of Brisbane. The corps, halfway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, is overseen by Major Heather McKeown (Team Leader) and Captain Anthony Hunt (Team Member). The officially opening was held on Sunday 24 May, although services have been held at the new site since March. Major Heather and Captain Anthony cut the cut at the new corps opening. “It was a beautiful and significant day for Beenleigh Salvos,” said Heather. “We are deeply grateful to Commissioner Miriam Gluyas for joining us and helping us mark this important moment in our story. “This building is not simply a place to gather – it is a place from which we are sent. As we celebrated Pentecost, we were reminded again that God fills his people with hope, courage and purpose for the sake of the world he loves. “Our prayer is that Beenleigh Salvos will continue to be a people of hope in the Beenleigh community – caring for people, creating faith pathways, building healthy communities, and working for justice. “To God be the glory, and for the good of our community.” A fresh start Captain Anthony Hunt recently spoke to Salvos Online about the Beenleigh Corps and its new beginning. How long has the corps been in the new premises? We had our first Sunday service on 22 March this year, followed by opening to community engagement activities the following week. Why has it moved to the new location? Our previous site at Bahrs Scrub was no longer fit for mission. It was isolated from the wider community and made it hard for people to engage with us as the corps focused more on meeting the growing needs of the Beenleigh community. Our current location places us within the heart of the Beenleigh CBD, in the centre of the action. What programs and services are available in the new building? We offer Doorways support with our caseworker, Rhona. We have showers, laundry facilities, a food pantry, and a great kitchen for serving people when they come in for support or a chat. We also have Sunday services, and on Tuesdays we focus on our spiritual needs – with a prayer meeting and Bible discovery groups. Many locals came to the official opening and toured the building inside and out. What are the focus areas for the corps? Our primary focus at the moment is meeting people where they are at and listening. We want to be a corps that exists for the good of our community and not presume what that good is. How has the community responded to the corps in its new location? We have already had a lot more engagement from those who are facing a wide range of difficulties within our community – homelessness, cost-of-living pressures, family and domestic violence, just to name a few. We are definitely seeing people come back on a regular basis, either to be supported or just drop by for a chat. Are there any particular challenges, or new joys, that you are discovering in the new location? As with all new spaces, the biggest challenge is working out how best to use the space. Having two entry points mean we need to be aware of when people come into the building. One of the great joys is that our location puts us near the local primary school, and we see some great potential for relationships to grow in that space. What are some of the hopes and plans for the future in this building? Our biggest hope is that we, as a corps, don’t see this space as an arrival but as a launching pad for further ministry. We believe that our street address is no accident, and that the Spirit is going before us, preparing the hearts, minds and souls of all who enter in at 44 Kent St, be it to seek support or be a support. Is there any one change that you have particularly noticed? Just about everyone who enters the space for the first time mentions how at home they feel. We see this as such a positive as we want people to feel welcomed and embraced by the Beenleigh Salvos. READ MORE: Beenleigh Salvos Stores a temporary church home

Megan Elms at the Quiz Night. Image: Supplied BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE The Salvation Army’s Youth Homelessness team in Adelaide recently held a very successful fundraising event in collaboration with Revolution Church in Salisbury. The Youth Homelessness and Revolution Church Quiz Night, an annual event aimed to tie in with Red Shield Appeal, was bigger than ever, with 180 attendees, multiple corporate partnerships and more than $11,000 raised on the evening. Program Manager Youth Homelessness SA Megan Elms said this year’s event raised several thousand dollars more than any previous Quiz Night, with last year’s event donations totalling about $6500, a previous record. She said it meant a great deal to the team that despite a cost-of-living crisis, there was so much belief in The Salvation Army’s work. She said many of the donations on the night came from people who may not have been particularly wealthy but had a strong investment in work which they knew to be impactful. “People are down and out, but I feel like in my job, I just see people’s generosity,” Megan said. “Even in the midst of [the cost-of-living crisis], people are willing to give to something that moves them or is a good cause. “I just think that’s amazing. I cannot believe we raised this much money in this era of the world we’re in right now.” She said on the previous Sunday morning, she had told Revolution Church members that the event would raise $10,000, but she didn’t quite believe it was possible. “I don’t know why I said it,” she said. “I just said it on a Sunday morning, and then I started panicking because everyone started saying, ‘Yeah, we’re going to raise $10,000’. I was like, ‘that's so much money, we’ve never done anything like that’. Anyway, we exceeded it, somehow! I don’t even know how we did that, but we exceeded $10,000. We met our target and more.” Megan said attendees across 16 tables included State Member for Playford John Fullbrook MP, Divisional Commander Captain Scott Frame and Area Officer for Northern SA Captain Natalie Frame, Youth and Young Adults Secretary SA/NT Captain Aaron Coombes and other TSA personnel, as well as several tables full of attendees who were new to the event. “The whole point is to [think about] how we reach the people who don’t do it every day, and that’s what we did,” Megan said. Alongside the trivia, the night included pulled pork rolls for purchase, a talk by Rosealeigh, who also spoke at the Youth Homelessness Matters Day event at Ingle Farm, and a silent auction. Many Adelaide businesses contributed to the auction, with donations including a voucher to Mount Osmond Golf Club, a $100 voucher for Tree Climb and an eight-week gym membership from The Yard Campbelltown, whose owner came to Australia as a refugee. As her first Christmas gift in Australia was from The Salvation Army, the generosity of the donation came partly from a desire to give back. In a more eclectic twist, staff and residents at Burlendi Youth Shelter had grown some enormous pumpkins, which they donated to the auction. One sold for $230, and then the purchaser donated it back to be sold again for $250, bringing it to a total price of $480. To make the story even more outrageous, the pumpkin turned out to be rotten, but the donations will go to alleviating youth homelessness across the Adelaide region. The enormous pumpkin which brought in a total of $480. Image: Supplied Megan said the goal of the night was to progressively tell the story of what the team does throughout the night, using videos, talks and statistics to map the picture of youth homelessness in Australia. She said since the night, she had heard that attendees had been having conversations in their personal lives with people about what youth homelessness looked like. “For me, there’s a win where one, we’ve raised money that’s going to go straight to young people who are in need, but two, people have walked away with knowledge and maybe a different viewpoint than they had before of what youth homelessness is, and [we are] breaking down some of those stereotypes, which is what we want to do too,” she said. Snapshots of the Quiz Night. Images supplied

Cadet Benn Nicholson outside Ingle Farm Corps in South Australia. Image: Kirralee Nicolle BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE Cadet Benn Nicholson now spends his days talking to people in need of physical and spiritual support, and helping children and young people to find their place in Christian community. At Ingle Farm Corps north of Adelaide, he has found a niche where his love of Jesus and his love of people can be fulfilled. But when it comes to God and the church, he hasn’t always felt he belonged. Addiction to multiple substances, homelessness, broken relationships and unknowing participation in a fringe religious sect gradually shaped Benn into someone he barely recognised, and someone he had always feared he might become. “I grew up in a house where we had certain morals and certain ways we conducted ourselves, but especially in ice addiction, you start crossing those boundaries and you start doing things that you said you would never do. You start becoming a person you never thought you would become,” Benn says. “When you're in the throes of it, you’re not really aware. You are aware of what you’re doing, but you’re not dealing with it, [and] you’re not accepting it. “It’s not until you’ve got a sober mind and you look back on it – [then] you’re mortified at some of the things you did and the person that you were becoming. It’s a sad thing, because you see a lot of people start off in life with a lot of potential, and then after a few years of addiction, they’re a different creature.” And Benn did become a different creature. After starting his career on building sites as a labourer, Benn worked in precast yards as a crane operator and dogman – the person who signals to the crane operator where to place loads. After this, he moved into the mining sector, where he worked both in cranes and as a poly welder, joining plastic piping. Benn working in the mining sector as a poly welder. Image: Supplied “That whole lifestyle – you work hard, but you also play hard,” Benn says. During this time, while he was in his early 20s, Benn found himself looking for something more. He began participating in a church group which seemed to offer a new way of life. Previous members of the group recently testified to the recent Victorian Legislative Assembly’s Legal and Social Issues Committee’s inquiry into the recruitment methods and impacts of cults and organised fringe groups about cult-like control practices within the group. “It’s very us against the world,” Benn said of his experience at the group. “Everything you do is done with them … church is first and foremost.” He says he felt pressure to attend church events during the week, which created tension with his workplace. He also was also forced to attend prayer and fasting days, which ran on a gruelling schedule. “That’s quite a drag,” he says. “It really is. It’s meant to be edifying and purifying or whatever, but I know a lot of people dreaded those days. I think it was almost a control mechanism over the people.” Even as a young man with no children, Benn noticed the children at the church were afraid and forced to follow rules to feel loved. It left him uneasy. Benn says growing up, he had minimal exposure to religion, and so he believed what he was experiencing was a normal church environment. He says leaders at the church portrayed other churches and religious groups as “wishy-washy”, and gave an impression that theirs was the “one and true church”. “All these other denominations and churches, they’re all pretenders and they’re not serious about their faith – you believe that, and then you start spreading that and saying that,” Benn says. But Benn says he eventually left that church for personal reasons as well. “I wanted to step back from that because I was still a young man and I was missing out on nightclubs, girls, partying and all this sort of thing,” he says. “And I wasn’t quite ready for that [to be gone]. I fell away because I hadn’t finished living the way that I wanted to live.” But living the way that Benn wanted to live eventually left him in a very vulnerable place. By his late 30s, he was selling drugs and dealing with an addiction to ice and cigarettes. He eventually found himself jobless, homeless and living in a shipping container located in a Toowoomba storage facility. For a couple of dark months, he paid $25 a week to rent the container, which had no running water or heating. His health was suffering greatly, and he was afraid he might freeze to death. While he had turned his back on selling drugs, addiction was still weighing heavy on his life. “I felt isolated,” he says. “I felt alone. Feelings of despair [started] creeping in. It’s like a darkness, especially when you’re living in this shipping container … in an industrial estate, you actually feel like you’re buried. Everyone else is getting on with their lives, and raising families and building careers. “And here my life’s become this.” Relationally, Benn was also in a dark place. “My mother would help out where she could, and the door was always open,” he says. “She always was concerned about me. A couple of times throughout my life, I’d go back home and sort my life out, and then go back into the world. The door was always open.” But his mum set a boundary as she noticed her son slipping into deeper and darker places. Benn says she had to “put her foot down”. “There was a point where Mum said, ‘Look, I’m not giving you any more money or helping you with this,’” he says. This felt like a new low for Benn. “I started to feel like others in addiction who don’t have family, because I know there’s people out there that they have nothing and no one, and you see them on the streets,” he says. So, Benn decided he needed to radically change his life. He locked the shipping container and caught a bus down to his mother’s house in Coffs Harbour. Benn (left) with his mum and brother. Image: Supplied “I had like $20 to my name,” Benn says. “It was either I buy something to eat or buy a pack of cigarettes. I thought ‘If I buy cigarettes now, when does it stop?’ So, I didn’t buy cigarettes. I stopped cold turkey. I stopped smoking, [and] I stopped using drugs all in one go. I went home to my mother’s [for a] new beginning, but I knew because that had happened a few times in my life, I felt I needed to change within. “Otherwise, I was still that same old creature, just in a sober body.” Benn set about a process of change which, eight years on from that crisis point, continues to shape his life. He began attending the Narcotics Anonymous program at The Salvation Army Coffs Harbour, and also Sunday services. After experiencing a high-control religious environment, Benn says The Salvation Army was a space where the messaging wasn’t “driven down his throat”. “I was accepted and then I was welcomed into The Salvation Army, but say I missed a Sunday, they weren’t ringing me up and saying, ‘Where are you?’,” he says. “I just didn’t feel that pressure of having to be someone that’ll fit into a mould.” And Benn doesn’t like to fit into a mould. He no longer views addiction or being a former addict as part of his identity, rather, he embraces a life and faith that holds complexity and nuance. He likes to sit in a dark room and ponder God’s presence, but also listens to heavy metal. He finds great joy in serving others and helping lead others towards God, but also takes medication for depression. Though he felt distant from his artist father growing up, Benn embraces the artistic gene he has inherited, and likes to paint for enjoyment. When it comes to his faith, Benn describes himself as “a bit of a mystic”. One of Benn's paintings. Image: Supplied “It’s not all about knowing, it’s all about experiencing,” Benn says of his faith. “I like to encourage people, build people up, and that helps me. Being patient with people, to help people live up to their full potential – that encourages me. It makes me feel like I’m doing what God requires from me, because I do feel God always intend us to live that rich and full life. And that helps me live that rich and full life as well.” Benn says growing up, he dealt with a lot of negative self-belief, and that this is something he is sure many young men experience. He says he is passionate about communicating to young men that it’s possible to grow up and feel differently. He says he spent a lot of time regretting his actions, and feeling deep rejection when relationships ended. But now, he feels a lot of peace. “There was a time when I was growing up, I was afraid of who I would become one day and now I am that man, and I like who I am,” he says. “I’m comfortable with who I am.” And as for how he sees God – a very special person is never far from his mind when he thinks about the grace he has received. “I feel that the God of love is a little bit like my mother,” he says. “The door’s always open. There’s always an opportunity for repentance. “That’s what salvation’s always about, isn’t it?” READ MORE: Road to officership begins

This Refugee Week, we celebrate the valuable contributions refugees make to our society and acknowledge the strength and resilience many have shown in their journeys. From fleeing military violence in Myanmar to war in Congo and persecution across Asia and Africa, these remarkable individuals share their stories of risking everything to find safety for their families.

Each week through 2026, Salvationists around the world are uniting in prayer for the same territory or region of The Salvation Army. Prayer requests are shared by the territory/region to help us pray with precision and power for one another. This week (15-21 June), we pray for The Salvation Army in the Indonesia Territory. The Indonesia Territory has 912 officers (772 active, 140 retired); 94 cadets; 23 Aux-Capts; 309 corps; 110 outposts and societies; 50,117 senior soldiers; 13,966 adherents; 9002 junior soldiers; 1576 employees. Colonels Hosea and Liliana Makagiantang lead the territory. The work of the territory · Health services · Education · Disaster response · Children's homes · Older people's homes · Modern slavery and human trafficking response Praise points · We thank God for the successful convening of the 5th National Easter Congress, held in Central Sulawesi, with The Salvation Army Indonesia Territory serving as host. The gathering was attended by 22,500 Salvationists, friends, and members of other Christian churches. · We also give thanks for the successful conduct of the Home League Workshop Program and Rally for the Java-Bali Division, strengthening fellowship, discipleship, and mission engagement. Prayer requests · Pray for deep and sustained spiritual growth among all Salvationists in Indonesia, that every member may live as a faithful witness and a living example of the love of Christ. · Pray for all those who work and serve within The Salvation Army's institutions, including Territorial Headquarters, Divisional Headquarters and Regional Headquarters, The Salvation Army Health Foundation and The Salvation Army Education Foundation. May all officers, employees, and volunteers live and grow in holiness, faithfully upholding Salvation Army policies and regulations, as well as complying fully with government laws and requirements. · Pray that the financial resources needed to sustain and further develop The Salvation Army's mission in Indonesia will be provided in abundance, and that the territory will continue to grow towards financial sustainability and self-reliance. · Pray for the impact of the Ordination, Commissioning, and Sending Out Week of new officers held on 12 June 2026, that God will anoint and empower them for faithful service. · Pray for the reception of new cadets entering the Training College in August 2026, that they may respond obediently to God's call and be well prepared for officership. To find out more about the Indonesia Territory, click here. To find out more about The Salvation Army’s prayer focus, and to download the 2026 prayer schedule, click here.

Members of the Victorian Divisional Spiritual Life Forum (from left) Kate Baudinette, Pete Brookshaw, Mark Patman, Michelle Foley and David Parker. BY LAUREN MARTIN A series of Spiritual Life Forums being set up across the country will help inform leadership about God’s direction and The Salvation Army’s spiritual focus for the Australia Territory. The divisional forums were first conceptualised in June 2025 in response to feedback given during divisional ‘listening visits’ conducted by the national Spiritual Life Committee (SLC). “The Spiritual Life Team realised the need to hear what God’s voice is saying to the frontline to inform the wider discernment of the Spiritual Life Committee,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Reid, Assistant to the Territorial Commander. In setting up a Spiritual Life Forum (SLF), each division was asked to prayerfully consider its membership and to make sure it included different generations of soldiers, adherents, Christian employees and young people who are actively affiliated with corps. Assistant Divisional Commander for Victoria Division, Major Kate Baudinette, said their Divisional Spiritual Life Forum (DSLF) meets monthly and consists of 10 members who are “spiritually attentive, engaged in their local context, and able to reflect on what they are sensing God is doing.” Major Kate Baudinette says the forums ‘take the spiritual temperature’ of the division. “The DSLF plays a really significant role in helping us ‘take the spiritual temperature’ of the division. It provides space to listen deeply — to God, and to one another — rather than simply focusing on activity or outcomes,” she said. And there are a number of themes emerging from the members’ prayer and discernment: • The need to grow a deeper culture of prayer, particularly for the raising up of leaders • The hearing of encouraging, and also challenging, experiences of discipleship • The call to invest in underdeveloped areas of ministry (particularly with men) • A sense that God is at work and an invitation for The Salvation Army to respond “One of the things I’ve appreciated most about the DSLF is the posture it creates. It’s not primarily a decision-making group, it’s a discernment space,” she said. “We’re intentionally asking questions like, ‘Where do we see God at work?’, ‘How are people responding?’, and ‘What is the Spirit inviting us into?’ “That posture has been really life-giving. It reminds us that spiritual leadership begins with listening — and that our role is to join in with what God is already doing.” Feedback from each Divisional Spiritual Life Forum is provided to the Spiritual Life Committee, whose members are charged with guiding the movement to live out its faith, focusing on prayer, listening to people and making Jesus central to all they do.

To read June’s Promoted to Glory notice and appointment history, click here

Shire Salvos volunteers (from left) Mahalia, Rachael, Ezara and Bella with Shire Salvos Menai Children and Families Ministry Coordinator Bec Cundasamy. Image: Supplied BY LAUREN MARTIN When a local teacher reached out to Shire Salvos in southern Sydney and offered her time and skills to support young people, a new ministry was birthed. Homework Club is an after-school activity that runs on Tuesdays during the school term at Shire Salvos Menai. Its aim is to connect families to assistance and resources for children who may be struggling at school and are unable to afford a tutor. “Since it began, a range of primary and early high school students have been coming along to receive support from our growing number of volunteers,” says Shire Salvos Menai Children and Families Ministry Coordinator, Bec Cundasamy. “Over time, there has been a noticeable shift, not just in their academic progress, but in their confidence.” The Homework Club is for children in Years 5 to 8. Volunteers from the corps provide a small, healthy afternoon tea, and volunteer tutors assist the young people with their homework. “Young people who once hesitated are now looking forward to their math or English classes at school rather than avoiding them,” said Bec. “Some are talking about reading at home again, and others have proudly shared about achieving higher marks on school tests than before they began coming to Homework Club.” The ministry is showing that small acts of kindness do make a real difference in people’s lives. Shire Salvos Menai has a prayer team that is committed to praying for meaningful connections and faith pathways to be made with those who attend. “It is such a joy to see the kids grow in their confidence,” said Bec. “Who knows how the Holy Spirit will shape this investment into the future.”

In the second of a series spotlighting this year’s cadets of the Rescued session, Salvos Online journalist LERISSE SMITH chatted with Wati Seeto about waking up at 3am with a deep certainty that God was calling her to officership, being a big-picture leader, her love of crafts – and her go-to pick me up song, ‘The Only Way Is Up!’ Wati, rewind for us ... when did the call to officership hit, and what made you say that big ‘yes’? I first sensed God’s call in my late teens, but I kept putting it off to focus on my legal career. Everything shifted after a congress in New Zealand in 2023. At 3am on 13 October, I woke up with a deep certainty that God was calling me to officership. I remember saying, “Lord, I don’t know how I’m going to do this, I’m in the middle of a contract, I’m too old, and I’m already doing ministry at work.” But God didn’t let go. After talking with my husband, who was fully supportive, I applied and was accepted for training in the NZFT [territory]. In 2024, I submitted an expression of interest for Australia so our family could be together, as my husband was already living here. Where are you serving at the moment - and what’s your role? I’m at North Brisbane corps and learning from Corps Officers Majors Scott and Sharon Allen as part of the corps officer team. It’s a lot of observation and learning for me. It’s a big corps. I am involved wherever I am needed. North Brisbane is a pilot corps for The Salvation Army’s intercultural STAGES project so, that’s something I am passionate about and really want to get fully involved in. Wati was appointed as the first Financial Services Ombudsperson for Fiji. ​​ Any standout moments that are shaping you as a future officer? It has been realising how much of this season is about what God is doing in me. After 20 years of constant professional and corps involvement, 2026 has become a God‑given space of physical rest and deeper spiritual formation. I’m learning to let God reshape me from the inside out. I’m also being stretched and encouraged by the leadership I’m observing in Scott and Sharon, which is becoming an important part of my formation as a future officer. Where are you feeling stretched right now? The discipline of simply being still. It’s not natural for me. I’m a doer, always leading, organising, or moving something forward. This season is teaching me to slow down, to stop filling every gap with activity, and to focus on growing deeper spiritually rather than constantly producing or achieving. What strengths do you lean on most? I’m a big‑picture leader with spiritual gifts in leadership and administration, shaped by years in the legal profession and my work as the Financial Services Ombudsperson at the central bank. Working with people, navigating complexity, and championing social justice are core strengths. I’ve also had significant experience in human rights training, financial inclusion, and partnering with People Living with HIV (PLHIV) organisations and women’s groups, work that has deepened my commitment to development, dignity, and community empowerment. Wati (third from the left) has had significant experience in human rights training, financial inclusion, and partnering with People Living with HIV (PLHIV) organisations and women’s groups, work that has deepened her commitment to development, dignity, and community empowerment. Which focus areas of officership really fire you up – and why? I love working with teams – empowering, equipping, and building up local leaders so they can strengthen their own corps and programs, rather than stepping in to do the work for them. That’s what healthy officership should look like wherever we’re appointed: developing others, not centralising everything in ourselves. While I naturally gravitate toward areas in my wheelhouse, I’m committed to learning new things and growing so I can better support the people and communities I serve. If you could design your dream appointment today, what would it look like – and who would you most hope to impact? It would sit at the intersection of Mission Support and Faith Communities Development, where strategy, spiritual formation, and organisational strengthening meet. I’m energised by roles that help the army grow – not just numerically, but in depth, health, and missional clarity. When taking some time out, Wati loves crafting, including macrame and getting stuck into puzzles. The cadet likes to do things with her hands, especially when she has a lot on her mind and needs to think through things. My ideal appointment would allow me to work alongside corps, centres, and leaders to build capacity, strengthen governance, and shape sustainable systems that help communities flourish. At its heart, this dream role would be about impacting people who carry responsibility for others – officers, local leaders, volunteers, young leaders and emerging voices who want to see their communities thrive but may feel stretched, under‑resourced or unsure how to move forward. Ultimately, the people I most hope to impact are those who are shaping the future of The Salvation Army – helping them create environments where justice, compassion, and faith can take root and grow. And just for fun ... when you switch off, what do you love doing? I love crafting. I like puzzles. I like to do things with my hands, especially when I have a lot on my mind and need to think through things. I will do macrame or make jewellery, but I don’t really switch off; I use these activities to aid my thought process when I have things or ideas to think through. READ MORE: Rescued and ready to go!