BY LAUREN MARTIN For many years, the Shire Salvos Miranda centre in the heart of the Sutherland Shire, in Sydney’s south, has been The Salvation Army’s hub of food relief and assistance services for the local area. Even COVID didn’t stop its doors from opening. Now, the team has added a vital new expression – ‘Soul Food’ – a faith community around a meal. Lieutenant-Colonel David Godkin, Shire Salvos Miranda Mission Leader, says the evening is specifically designed to nurture the soul – there is no welfare assistance or food hampers given away on the Soul Food evening. People come for food, faith and fellowship, he says, with the tagline for the evening being: Food for your stomach, Hope for your soul, Truth that sets you free. And coming they are – in large numbers. Soul Food is held on a Thursday evening – two nights after the regular Tuesday night ‘One Meal’ food and assistance evening, which attracts between 50-70 people per week. The very first Soul Food faith expression in early August saw 50 people attend, many of them regulars to Shire Salvos Miranda who had invited friends to “their church”, as they are calling it. “Already they feel like this is their place; this is their faith community,” says David. “On our first week, we had some prayer cards that we handed out to people, and they filled them in and put them in the prayer basket. People in corps [Shire Salvos Menai] have been praying for those prayer requests.” “Soul Food needs to be a place that is real and raw – and always Jesus-focused.” Soul Food at Miranda is supported by members of the Shire Salvos gathered worshipping community, which meets at Menai, a few suburbs away. Corps members volunteer to prepare the communal meal, be table hosts, set up, pack up and also give their testimonies. David says that Miranda community members are already putting up their hands to help and share their own stories. “And it’s not just good news stories with a happy ending either; some people want to tell their stories because they are still in the midst of their struggle. We want a real mix of stories. Soul Food needs to be a place that is real and raw – and always Jesus-focused.” One community member who attended said as she left one evening: “I love coming here, there is a really nice peace in the place.” Others have requested a weekly day-time Bible study. Many attending have built relationships over months or years with Salvos at Miranda through its various ministries and services. Now, they can go deeper in fellowship and ask questions about things like faith, hope and unconditional love they have experienced through those interactions. “[Soul Food] is like a breath of fresh air to them. They’re still all coming on Tuesday night for their food hamper and their community meal,” says David, “but there’s a real excitement about Thursday night because it’s their faith community. It’s special.”

Damaris Frisk, Salvation Army International Emergency Services (IES) director, led a ‘Prepare’ training session in Poland this week for 30 delegates from the Czech Republic, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. The mission of IES is to provide support and assistance to territories, regions and other countries affected by disaster and conflict around the world. The IES teams work in partnership with local Salvos and other organisations to raise awareness of their vision and provide support, coordination and facilitation of programs, training and resources. Australian officer Captain Kathleen Johansson, who now serves in Riga, Latvia (Sweden and Latvia Territory), was one of the delegates. “I’ve wanted to get a look into how The Salvation Army is organised to work in response to disasters and other emergency situations for a very long time,” she said. “So, this is like a little dream come true.” Captain Oleg Samoilenko, who serves in Warsaw, Poland (Germany, Lithuania and Poland Territory), also said the training “brought me one step closer to one of my dreams – taking part in a Salvation Army IES mission.”

The Salvation Army’s Magpie Nest housing program will continue to improve the lives of more than 100 people experiencing or at risk of homelessness thanks to funding from the Victorian Government. Minister for Housing Colin Brooks, attending the annual AFL finals celebration at The Salvation Army’s Magpie Nest Café in Bourke Street, announced the investment of more than $2 million to continue supporting some of Victoria's most vulnerable. A partnership between The Salvation Army’s Melbourne Project 614 and Collingwood Football Club Foundation, Magpie Nest provides accommodation to 130 people a year, with 45 two-and-three-bedroom homes. The program aims to make a genuine difference in the lives of people experiencing homelessness by giving them a network of support services as well as safe and affordable accommodation. It targets the most vulnerable people in the community, including people sleeping rough, couch surfing or living in sub-standard accommodation. The program provides housing across Melbourne and support from case workers who provide individual support and care including links to mental health, drug and alcohol services, legal, employment and training services. There is also an emphasis on residents engaging in community activities, such as sports, arts and cultural programs. “Magpie Nest gives people experiencing homelessness the support they need to rebuild their lives. We're delighted to be working with the government and Collingwood Football Club to help more Victorians,” said Project 614 Corps Officer Major Brendan Nottle. Edited from an article courtesy of Mirage.News

Elle Smith says she has grown closer to God since she started working for The Salvation Army as a Doorways caseworker in Coffs Harbour (NSW). She shares her story with Salvos Online. AS TOLD TO LAUREN MARTIN I started working for the Salvos as a drought relief assessor. Prior to that, I had only been working as a barista at Maccas, so this was my first big job out in the workforce. It was just a beautiful way to start my professional development. My team leaders were gorgeous, constantly checking in on me, always offering a listening ear, great guidance and good mentors. Then an opportunity to work for The Salvation Army’s PAL [Phone Assistance Line] came up, and I was offered to work there full-time. At the time I was only 18. I was still quite young, so I was so grateful that they didn’t see my age as a sign of inexperience. I have lived experience. Then, I had an opportunity to move up to Coffs Harbour [on the NSW mid-north coast.] I had completed my Diploma [in Case Management], and a year later the Salvos contacted me and asked me to apply for a Doorways Case Management position. The values that the Salvos have – I see it in everyone who works in the organisation – it’s such a beautiful place to be surrounded by amazing people. I went for the interview, and I was very lucky to get the job. I was brought up a Catholic and went to a Catholic school, and as I went through high school my faith was no longer a priority for me. But it was always something underlying. When I had troubles, I did always pray, but I had lost touch with [my relationship with God.] Being surrounded in my work by Andrew, Jeanette [Coffs Harbour Corps Officers, Majors Andrew and Jeanette Van Gaalen] and a lot of the volunteers who have such strong faith, it was an inspiration to me to get back in touch with that. It aligns so well with me and how I view the world. I was a little bit nervous to speak about it at first. It was almost like I felt like I didn’t have enough experience. But I had an amazing support network. The Van Gaalens and their children have been really good to me ... letting me ask a lot of questions. I did a lot of readings and asked a lot of questions! Then I had the opportunity to be baptised, and that was such a special experience. Since then, I have felt God every day, and I find a way to connect with him more and more now. When I speak to members of the community that I am trying to support, I feel God in me. He speaks through me – everything feels so light. Knowing I have someone that I can turn to and talk to anytime and can love me unconditionally no matter what – is just such a beautiful feeling. When I first started working for the Salvos, I could see God shining through all these people. Now, I get to be one of those people. I think if you just let God shine through you, people will see, and they will ask and want to be part of it!

Human trafficking is the fastest-growing criminal enterprise internationally. To be able to expand its Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Response (MSHTR), The Salvation Army has established Communities of Practice by geographic zone, intended to equip people in every geographic unit where The Salvation Army has a presence, to engage in this battle. Walking down a narrow lane in Mumbai, India, you notice women in brightly coloured saris and heavily made-up faces, milling around in the street. The drudgery of everyday life spills into the lane since the concrete rooms they rent inside are too small for cooking or sharing a meal. This is a morning in one of Mumbai’s oldest and most notorious red-light districts. You step into a drop-in centre, run by The Salvation Army, filled with neatly groomed children all in school uniforms. The children receive an early lunch after the centre’s morning activities before they head off to school in the afternoon. The walls are decorated with their artwork, a photo board of previous activities and events, reminders of their rights as children, and daily affirmations. Many of these children have been born into the red-light district, often to mothers who have been trafficked and have little choice but to continue the trade. The Salvation Army project here is called ‘Jeevan Asha’ – Jeevan is mostly translated to ‘life’, and Asha means ‘hope’. In addition to the drop-in centre, this recently licenced building is also used as a night shelter for boys who live in the red-light district. This night shelter is critical to safety as an alternative to wandering the streets or sleeping outside, while their mothers are working. The third main component of this Jeevan Asha project is outreach to the women living and working in the red-light district. This is a long-established area with women who may have been working there for decades. Many share anecdotal stories of becoming victims of trafficking as young teenagers. This red-light district is in the heart of Mumbai city, which boasts the most expensive real estate in India. The rent for a small room is exorbitant and prevents many women from making headway on debt that keeps them enslaved. The high cost of real estate increases eviction and dispersal rates of workers as the high-density red-light district is slowly being demolished and turned into offices and apartments. This leaves them without anywhere to go, compounding their existing vulnerabilities. These women often have little or no social support outside of other women in the red-light district. Meagre financial resources, few alternative options for employment, and little likelihood of being allowed to rent or lease a different place leave them with limited future prospects. The need is great for outreach to these women, to work alongside them, to find alternative means of survival and places to stay to live a ‘Jeevan Asha’ – life of hope. This is a story of one Salvation Army project, working to combat the atrocities of human trafficking and modern-day slavery. The magnitude of human trafficking and modern slavery is approximately 50 million people globally, up nearly 20 per cent over five years. This story is reprinted from The Salvation Army World Service Office annual report 2023. To download this report, click here .

Salvation Army personnel attended the National Press Club of Australia in Canberra yesterday to support Nick Kaldas, Chair of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicides, who addressed the audience. Major Brett Gallagher, Chief Commissioner for Red Shield Defence Services, Captain Ali McKeand, Veterans Ministries Coordinator, and Major Peter McGuigan, Head of Government Relations, listened to the Commissioner’s speech and responses to questions from the media that followed. In his speech, Commissioner Kaldas challenged Australia to develop a new strategy to address the trauma experienced by current and veteran soldiers (Army, Navy and Air Force). “Afterwards, we spoke with the Commissioner about his speech and The Salvation Army’s role in supporting the nation's troops and veterans spiritually, emotionally and physically,” said Peter. “The Royal Commission’s report will be handed down in June 2024 after nearly three years of deliberations and hundreds of meetings across Australia. The Salvation Army addressed the first hearing of the commission held in Brisbane.”

In the first devotional of a monthly series, General Lyndon Buckingham reflects on the biblical account of the woman at the well. There are some amazing stories in the Bible. I love the stories where people are having an encounter with Jesus. There’s one recorded of a Samaritan woman who meets Jesus sitting by a well. After what was a powerful encounter, she immediately returns to tell people in the village all about it. John’s Gospel records it like this: “Then leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, ‘Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did.’ They came out of the town and made their way toward him” ( John 4:28-30 ). The Bible tells us that many became believers because of her testimony. Never underestimate the power of your testimony, your story of what the Lord has done for you. I want to encourage us as Salvationists to continue to look for opportunities to share our testimony and to tell the story of God’s redeeming love in Jesus Christ. I leave you this morning with a verse from 1 Peter 3:15 , “But in your hearts set apart Christ Jesus as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that is in you.” This week I pray you will have lots of opportunities to share the good news. God bless you. To watch the video of this devotional, click .

BY ANTHONY CASTLE Major Catherine Spiller is the coursework coordinator at Eva Burrows College and a researcher specialising in worship and disability. While she was an associate corps officer at Mooroolbark Corps (Vic.) several years ago, Catherine started to build inclusive models of worship, searching for bigger ways to do church. “We started to see an increase in people with disability attending the corps,” Catherine explains. “I was asking, what’s going on here? I was also observing the more severe the disability, the harder it was for a person to engage. Mooroolbark Corps (in Melbourne’s east) is a beautiful place with an atmosphere of welcome, but there was still a sense that there was more we could do to offer greater inclusion of people.” Catherine’s Doctorate of Ministry has focused on how to better include people with intellectual disability in corporate worship. Inclusion is often thought to be about the design of facilities, such as bathrooms and entrance ramps. While accessibility is a key issue, the larger question is how people with intellectual disabilities are centred in what communities do. “We think of physical space as ticking the inclusion boxes, but it’s actually saying, how do we ask people to participate on a Sunday?” Catherine says. “If you can’t read or speak, suddenly the bulk of what we do becomes very difficult. Can we actually provide multiple ways for people to have access and foster greater participation? I am also a parent of an adult child with an intellectual disability so, for me, I was asking, ‘How can I include him in worship more?’” The initiative was part of a larger project of missional experimentation at Mooroolbark Corps, consulting with the corps and community. The corps spent a year reaching out to businesses and stakeholders and talking with people on the street to understand what the local needs and opportunities might be. “It was clear that the corps had a passion to look outside the 10am Sunday service,” explains Captain Ashley Proctor, Mooroolbark Corps Officer since 2017. “We started on a journey. We spoke to key personnel in the local area. We spent a long time in prayer about what God was calling us to do and where God was working. From that, we moved into the field of disability and inclusion.” The resulting decision was not to replace Sunday morning meetings at Mooroolbark Corps but to reimagine how those gatherings invited people to participate and to trial more inclusive models of worship across 12 weeks. “Both Catherine and I have kids with disability, and a number of other families have clear needs,” says Ashley. “We wanted to try and work with that and build a community around them. When we look at what we do on a Sunday, it’s very easy to have the same format. We can take it for granted that everyone can sit and do what we do.” The resources developed for Sundays restructured the points of participation in worship so as not to be so reliant on literacy and verbal communication skills and the core actions of reading and singing, sitting and listening. “One of the things we played around with was the call to worship,” Catherine says. “We would pick the Psalm from the lectionary reading and think about how we could invite people to participate. It was about creating multiple options for people. The congregation could read, speak, sign or even choose not to participate. I did not want to start a disability ministry but wanted to discover what it means to be the Body of Christ worshipping together.” The work at Mooroolbark Corps resulted in resources that were rolled out across the 12 weeks. These resources could be distributed more widely in future for those wanting to grow more inclusive faith communities. “My son is limited in his speech,” Catherine says. “One Sunday, he was invited to lead the final song. He got up, grabbed the microphone and gestured to everyone to join in with the song and actions. He had a blast doing that, there was a distinct shift in him after that experience. He started to welcome people, engaging people at the door, learning names. It was as if he felt ‘this is my place, this is where I belong’. It wasn’t evident before that moment. The impact shows that an inclusive model of worship isn’t just experimenting with bigger ways to do church but an experience that’s transformative, revealing a bigger understanding of the Body of Christ. “When we invite people to participate, it’s quite wonderful,” Catherine says. “We receive gifts from people that God has equipped people to give. It’s transformative for people to participate fully.”

By JAMES BURNS Are you an optimist or a pessimist? A worrier? That’s me! Anxious? Yes, sometimes. Philippians 4:5-6 tells us that “The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything.” But perhaps you’ve read that many times before and even feel it doesn’t work. We often sing, ‘This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ But do we always feel like that or sometimes sing it through gritted teeth? You may have heard the song ‘Jesus is All I Need’ by Hans Knutzen that includes the words, ‘When I'm crying like a lost child in the dead of night, Feeling left behind, nowhere to go.’ And respond by saying, “I know that feeling.” But we’re not alone, for in Psalm 6:6-7 we find these words, “I am worn out by grief; every night my bed is damp from my weeping; my pillow is soaked with tears.” But are you really a lost child? No, for God knows exactly where you are and what you’re going through. He’s with you! Even if at our lowest, it seems otherwise. Thank God that the Bible is full of honest laments – particularly Psalms – when David and others complained to God about their lot. But God is not offended by that – he wants us to be honest with him. Whenever I’ve read the story of The Lost Sheep, I previously thought of it applying to someone else, perhaps someone who was no longer a believer. But what if it’s about me? What if I’m feeling lost because of various life concerns or because I have strayed away from God’s way? If that’s you, cry out, “Jesus, come for me!” In Genesis 1: 3-5, we read that in the beginning, God made a day. Not a week or a fortnight, but a day. And that reminds me of the song, ‘One Day at a Time’, sung by Lena Martell, which got to No.1 in 1979. In particular, the words of the chorus that say, ‘Just give me the strength to do every day what I have to do.” In his book The Day is Yours, Ian Stackhouse wrote about a friend who, during a bad bout of depression, applied the discipline of living one day at a time. “He would wake up each morning and ask Jesus if we can do today – we being the operative word – and then, having received some kind of affirmation from the Lord that indeed it was possible to do today, proceeded to live that day. Then the next day, he would do exactly the same thing, and then the next day, and the next day. As he describes it, it was a one-day contract.” In the Lord’s prayer, we ask, “Give us this day our daily bread” – but these days, we generally know where our next meal is coming from, so how does that apply today? I’m reminded that when tempted by Devil, Jesus quoted the words of Deuteronomy 8:3, “Man must not live on bread alone but on everything that the Lord says.” But how do we know what that is? By reading our daily bread – the Bible. I recently read a devotional that stated, “Help me to arm myself with Scripture. Help me to learn it, live it and use it, especially when the heavy pull of temptation or testing drags me down.” If we break a leg or have physical problems, as Christians, we don’t feel guilty then, so there is no need to when we suffer anxiety or depression. Nor when we must take medication or engage in talking therapies. If Jesus was standing beside us, would we still be afraid? Matthew 28:20 reminds us that he said, “Surely I am with you always”, so cry out to him when we’re attacked by anxiety. In her book Glorious Weakness, Alia Joy wrote, “There are so many among us who hurt, and we may never know we’re sitting next to someone barely holding all the pieces together when we gather together on a Sunday to sing rickety hymns and hear God’s word cracked open for us.” Perhaps we need to be honest and share our anxiety with a trusted friend, hopefully in our corps. After all, if we can’t be honest there, where can we be? And if someone does confide in us, may we be willing to support them in their journey. *James Burns is a freelance writer from the Dunstable Corps in the United Kingdom.

Following the break-up of her marriage, Carly was in a dark place. She attended a community dinner at Caloundra Salvos (Qld), enjoying a free cooked meal and some company. That first contact with the Salvos blossomed into something a lot more. Carly now attends the Positive Lifestyle Program and has found a friendship circle and support network that she never expected.

To read Gloria’s tribute, click here

BY CLIFF WORTHING How did a First Nations man from the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes in Idaho, United States, end up as Queensland Youth Services Manager? Firstly, a mission trip to New Zealand. Troy Yancey loved it so much that he decided to stay. In the 20 years he lived in New Zealand, Troy married, TeKaari Reedy, a Māori from Ngati Porou/Ngati Wai, and they now have four children and one grandchild. He studied at Massey University and Idaho State University. He has worked a variety of jobs in the children’s and youth sectors. Five years ago, the family went on holiday to Australia. They loved it so much they decided to stay. The family moved to the Sunshine Coast north of Brisbane just before COVID-19 arrived. Recently, Troy decided he wanted to return to a team environment, so he applied for his current role, which started in November 2022. “I like to develop staff to reach their capacity, draw upon their strengths so they better care for our clients and grow our services,” Troy said. “My job is to help them shine!” For most of his career, Troy’s psychology background has supported his work in schools, prisons, the mental health sector and early childhood. In addition to his professional roles, Troy and his wife have also fostered over 23 children. “I’ve always had a thing working with kids, especially those who are struggling or in trouble. I appreciate their personalities, problem-solving skills, and ability to think on their feet,” he said. “Every child needs to feel safe, be loved, and be given a chance. I love those kids because I was one of them.” Troy is enjoying working with the various youth services around Queensland and getting to understand how The Salvation Army works in this space. “I really believe strongly in the possibilities,” he said. “It’s been a lot of fun building relationships with the corps.” One project Troy is working on with the local corps is a short to medium-term housing project for youth in Bundaberg. “There is some pretty cool stuff happening in the regions through the Salvos,” he said. “I’d have to say it’s one of the best organisations to work for because it is well-resourced to make an impact,” Troy said. “I’m finding that things either happen at the speed of light or take so long, but I see we can do so much stuff together as the corps and social mission streams work together.” Troy mentioned his faith journey began through his paternal grandparents. As he watched siblings and friends go to prison or join gangs, his grandparents introduced him to God and church life. “God has been life-saving for me personally,” Troy said. “My life’s work is to give back and help people choose a better path.”