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Participants of the 2025 CALD Emerging Leaders Training (ELT) receive their graduation certificates. The Salvation Army has trained another cohort of Culturally And Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) emerging leaders, equipping them for ministry across Australia.   Over the past nine months, the CaLD Emerging Leaders Training (ELT) participants have journeyed together online through monthly tutorials, practical ministry-based learning and online module activities.     The Salvation Army CaLD Emerging Leaders Training program is designed to equip culturally and linguistically diverse leaders with the spiritual, practical and intercultural skills needed for impactful ministry across Australia.   Participants increase their confidence, theological understanding, leadership skills, and connection to a supportive network of emerging CaLD leaders across the territory.    Recently, the 2025 cohort was invited to gather for an in-person retreat and celebration at The Salvation Army’s Eva Burrows College in Melbourne. Participants of the CALD Emerging Leaders Training (ELT) took part in a ‘circle journey’, documenting their personal faith stories through art. Led by Intercultural Mission Development Lead Savaen Cameron, the weekend retreat provided participants with the opportunity to explore future development paths and consider ongoing faith-based leadership opportunities in both ministry and academic settings.    Kicking off the first night of the retreat, Victoria Divisional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Coordinator Tahana Turner guided the group through a circle activity.   CaLD Community Engagement National Lead Nuria Gonsalves said it was a deeply engaging time.   “Participants expressed their personal faith stories through symbolic art and shared their narratives in a meaningful circle. This created a culturally rich, inclusive space that fostered connection, respect and belonging.”   On day two of the retreat, Major Greg Morgan shared a word on intercultural ministry and life in ministry, and Mission Consultant Colin Stoodley ran a Presbytery session. Salvation Army Mission Consultant Colin Stoodley prays with participants of the 2025 CALD Emerging Leaders Training (ELT). “There was a genuine and sincere tone carried throughout every prayer, blessing and testimony that spoke to affirm each person’s calling and celebrate their cultural diversity,” said Nuria.   The program not only equips individuals but also strengthens entire communities, as participants bring back new learnings, renewed passion, and a broader intercultural awareness to their local corps and ministries.    The retreat concluded with a vibrant worship service at Wyndham Corps (Vic.), where participants led worship, read scripture, shared testimonies, preached, and prayed for people.   Nuria said that graduates of the CaLD ELT program often move into local leadership roles, community ministry placements, worship leadership, youth and children’s ministry, or further study through Eva Burrows College.   “Many continue to serve as key cultural connectors within their corps and communities and eventually also consider Salvation Army officership.   “The 2025 CaLD ELT retreat was a beautiful celebration of culture, calling and community,” she said. “The cohort’s journey reflects the heart of intercultural mission within The Salvation Army, a movement where every culture is honoured, every voice is valued and every leader is supported to thrive in God’s work.”   Applications for the 2026 CaLD Emerging Leaders Training cohort are open. If you feel called to grow in leadership, deepen your ministry skills, and be part of a supportive, intercultural community, we encourage you to apply.   To find out more about the CaLD Emerging Leaders Training, including information on how to apply for the 2026 intake, please head to MySalvos   or contact Nuria, intercultural@salvationarmy.org.au     CALD Emerging Leaders Training (ELT) participants gather at The Salvation Army’s Eva Burrows College in Melbourne for a final retreat and graduation celebration.

Dear friends, ‌ The tragic events at Bondi Beach have left us all shaken. It is hard to comprehend such violence, and it is natural to feel grief, fear, and even helplessness in the face of such loss. ‌ Let us come together and pray for those whose lives have been shattered, for families grieving, and for our wider community. May God’s peace rest upon them and may his comfort surround us all. ‌ We especially hold our Jewish brothers and sisters in prayer and compassion. In this time of anguish, we stand alongside you with love and solidarity. May you feel the embrace of community, the strength of faith, and the assurance that you are not alone. ‌ Even in the darkest times, hope is not destroyed. Every act of kindness, every prayer whispered, every hand extended in care is a way of pushing back against despair. Together, we can be a living witness to love, peace, and compassion. ‌ Bless you all! Commissioner Miriam Gluyas Territorial Commander Australia Territory

Hospitality, by necessity, requires something of us, writes Kirralee Nicolle. BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE   Australians, typically, are not known for our hospitality. It’s a bit unfortunate, because we are known for being laid-back.   Our ‘get-off-my-lawn’ sense of personal ownership can tend to detract from the ‘throw another shrimp on the barbie’ holiday spirit, and we can often get in our own way when it comes to hosting. I know that for me, I tend to focus too much on competing commitments in my life, and forget that when I am at home, I could extend the invitation to others to join me in my space. There’s always seemingly too much to do, and I’ll admit, the people I could spend time with are often pushed down the list.   Christmas is the one exception. Depending on family size, we might take turns hosting each year and pay closer attention to the Woolworths magazines in the lead-up to the big day, as we try to account for diverse palates, budgets and dietary needs.   It’s a beautiful equaliser, Christmas. We host, even when our houses aren’t perhaps as large or as fancy or as organised as that of the next person. We eat shared food around the same table, regardless of background or beliefs, and sometimes, despite those things and the challenges they can bring. If the heat is intense, we all swelter together, remaining in rooms without air conditioning simply because it is polite to do so. While the main point of Christmas is to celebrate the hope of Jesus and enjoy time with our loved ones, the day can also involve suffering.   It can be inconvenient or even frustrating to deal with that aunt who perhaps talks too loudly and doesn’t listen well, or that cousin who rolls their eyes and refuses to engage in small talk. Perhaps a grandparent asks invasive questions, or the children’s nap schedule becomes impossible to maintain, and few in the room seem to understand.    Hospitality, by necessity, requires something of us, and in a culture that encourages us to place ourselves at the centre of our world, that can feel uncomfortable. In many ways, it would be far easier to close our doors, blast the air conditioning and keep the world out. But hospitality is at the very heart of the Christmas story.  While Jesus embraced the ultimate discomfort in taking on the form of a child and being born in low esteem to ultimately die on a cross, the hosts who welcomed him and his parents into their home also sacrificed their comfort. Historical accounts indicate that the room, which we know as the stable, was sectioned off from the main house, where the family and any other guests would have been staying. Imagine having a guest, whom you have never met before, give birth in your house, under a shroud of scandal? That’s hospitality.   It puts into perspective the social slights, the frustrations over temperature and who brings which dish, and reminds us that some of the world’s greatest triumphs have been achieved through the seemingly small sacrifices of everyday people. It’s not always pretty, but it is transformational.  As Christmas approaches, I feel the old familiar anxiety about making it all work perfectly beginning to rise, and I’m sure you do as well. I know I’m going to wince at the checkout as I purchase groceries and gifts and notice how much more expensive they are than last year. I’ve already commenced the practice of staring into the ‘room of doom’ in my house with the confusion of someone who must organise toys and clothes and endless children’s drawings into some level of order before guests arrive. I don’t know exactly where I can find good cheese for the vegans and good pastry for the coeliacs while of course, offering enough meat to keep the carnivores happy.  But, above all else, I’m going to attempt to keep the main thing at the centre: Jesus and his sacrificial love. Because the potatoes can be perfectly cooked, the bathroom spotless, and the children all napping in unison, and love can still be absent. If you would like to practice hospitality this Christmas, here are some ideas that may or may not involve hosting, but do emphasise the fact that supporting one another at this time of year is crucial:  Offer to organise a street party: For some of your neighbours, loneliness could be crushing, and to think of pulling together such an event might feel impossible. Do you have the capacity to make it happen? It might have been far too long between street cricket games for someone in your area.    Give to the Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal : This is a simple way to offer a gift of essential care and compassion to a family who is finding life especially tough this year.     Purchase a gift from The Salvation Army’s Christmas Hope  gift catalogue: You may not be able to invite someone over, but you can offer Christmas hampers and Christmas cheer to those in need.    Invite someone new to Christmas this year: Is there someone you know who has nowhere to go this Christmas, and can you extend an invitation? It might transform their day.     Give handmade gifts to friends and neighbours rather than purchased ones: With consumer practices fuelling growing landfills and an overinflated market, a hospitable gift to the entire planet is one that nourishes and represents thoughtfulness and care. Besides, delicious Christmas baking is possibly the highlight of the year, so why not make it into gifts!  And whatever you decide to do, remember that acts done with love – no matter how small – are what really count. Merry Christmas!

The 2025 Lawnton School graduating class. From left: Bonnie Davidson, DeShaun Freer, Zoe Davis-Moore, Dylan Eaton and Noah Werner (seated). The Salvation Army Independent School at Lawnton, north of Brisbane, recently celebrated “our terrific students and all their accomplishments throughout 2025” shared the Lawnton team. (From left): Phllip Cooper, Lawnton School Principal, with graduates Sienna Smedley, Zeke U'Prichard and Cooper Austin-Earl. Parents, families and friends attended the ceremony in the worship centre at the adjacent Pine Rivers Corps. The corps plays a key role at the school, with Corps Officer Auxiliary-Lieutenant Liam Holland describing their partnership as a “beautiful one”. During the ceremony, several students performed musical items. “This really touched our hearts,” the team said. “It was wonderful to witness their bravery. Once upon a time, these young people would have found it extremely difficult to get up and perform in front of anyone, much less a big group of people.” READ MORE: Pine Rivers Corps goes back to school in vibrant education partnership The ceremony also included the awarding of many certificates and trophies, and the ‘Snapshot 2025’ slideshow. Pine Rivers Corps Officers, Aux-Lieuts Liam and Alli Holland, with graduate Caleb Gordon. The highlight for those gathered was seeing the Year 12 class dressed in their graduation gowns and caps. “Overall, there was much clapping and cheering for our young people from everyone present. It was indeed a wonderful celebration,” said the team. “We thank God for our young people and how their lives have been transformed because they have found a place at The Salvation Army Independent School.” Principal Phillip Cooper with Asharney Binge-Grose (left) and Sam Smart (centre). Rory Clinch on bass guitar (right).

1. What is your current appointment, and what do you find most satisfying about it?   Currently, I am a Corps Officer/Team Member of Westside Melbourne Salvos. We currently oversee three sites at Sunbury, Sydenham (Brimbank City Corps) and Sunshine, with a future plan to have a presence in Greater Melton.   In this appointment, I am loving that I am a part of a team and we share the load of ministry, the good, the bad and everything in between. We share the emotional and spiritual load of ministry and can use the vast combination of our gifting to engage with and support our wider community. I do also thoroughly enjoy working from each of our sites in varying capacities throughout the week.   2. Away from the appointment – if that’s possible! – what do you do to relax or unwind?   I love spending time with my family doing anything from day trips, camping in our caravan, walking the dog, or playing at the park.   3. What’s a favourite Christian song and why do you like it?   There are so many, and they vary with my mood, but currently, if I had to pick just one, I would say Still Waters (Psalm 23) by Leanna Crawford. The lyrics, based on Psalm 23, speak of the reassurance that God is always by my side. Even when I am feeling challenged, overwhelmed, and exhausted, I can turn to God and find rest, comfort, and reassurance.   4. If you could have a good talk with a biblical character apart from Jesus, who would it be and what would you talk about?   I would love to chat to Queen Esther about finding courage, gracefully standing up for others, and staying strong when it felt like everything was on the line.   5. If you were talking to a group of Salvationists and they asked if you recommended officership or not, what would you say? I   would say if it is clearly what God is calling you to, then go for it. It is one of the most challenging and most rewarding things I have ever done.

Majors Paul and Wendy Hateley with Phoenix Reigns, who was the testimonial speaker at the SA/NT Division’s Christmas Thank You event. Over the past month leading up to Christmas, The Salvation Army has been holding ‘Thank You’ events across the country to formally honour and thank the people and organisations who support the Salvos’ work throughout the year. Salvos Online highlights one of these events, held in Adelaide on behalf of the South Australia/Northern Territory Division.   BY ANTHONY CASTLE The South Australia/Northern Territory Division hosted its annual Christmas Thank You event on Wednesday, 19 November, to express its appreciation for those donors and supporters who made its work possible.   Divisional Commander Major Paul Hateley welcomed guests to the luncheon at the Adelaide Pavilion.   “The Salvation Army is only ever as strong as the people who walk with us, and when I think back on this past year, I’m blown away by the support and impact,” Paul said.   “Today is a time to come together to say thank you and to celebrate what’s been achieved. Even looking around this room, so many moments come to mind.” Majr Paul Hateley speaks to a packed room at Adelaide Pavilion. Paul thanked NAB for their commitment to 800 volunteer placements with The Salvation Army nationally. A group of volunteers were at the Salvos’ warehouse packing Christmas donations for families. The Salvation Army provides tens of thousands of Christmas hampers each year, and many more gifts to children in need.   “As we approach Christmas, we know many in our communities are still struggling,” Paul shared.   “Families are being forced to make difficult choices and for others, this season is a painful reminder of loss. But because of your support, those who feel excluded will be welcomed into our warm embrace, those who feel alone will find friendship and support, and those who feel afraid will have their hearts filled with joy and hope for a better tomorrow.” Paul began the meal with a prayer, and attendees listened to vocal performances by local Salvo artist Rebecca Raymond. Rebecca Raymond sings for those gathered, and Phoenix Reigns shares his story. The event featured testimonial speaker Phoenix Reigns, who shared his experiences of family breakdown, alcoholism and homelessness as a teenager. Phoenix later took on parenting responsibilities in adulthood and encountered ongoing struggles with addiction. It was The Salvation Army that supported Phoenix during his most difficult times, providing the compassion and support needed for positive change.   “The Salvation Army can only do what we do because of the support of people like you – our donors and supporters,” Phoenix said.   “You make it possible for people like me to get the help we need, to rebuild our lives, and to find hope again. Even though my story isn’t finished yet, I know this: I’m not the same person I used to be. God turned my darkness into light, and now I want to share that light with others.”   Salvation Army chaplain Duan Kereru shared details about the work happening across the South Australia/Northern Territory Division, and volunteer Meredith Wenham was presented with the Hero of Hope award. Chaplain Duan Kereru (left) shares about his chaplaincy work, and Meredith Wenham receives her certificate from Major Paul Hateley.   Meredith has been providing invaluable support to the Fundraising and Gift in Wills team for 15 years. She has assisted with data administration, mail-outs, and at the Wills Day events.   The Divisional Commander then expressed gratitude to everyone for their contributions and attendance, concluding the lunch with a reading from Romans 15:13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Australian Officer, Captain Star Conliffe, currently serving in Daejeong, South Korea, shared a photo of the local 'Charity Bucket' campaign – in sub-zero temperatures! BY SIMONE WORTHING Around the world, The Salvation Army is in full-swing Christmas mode, celebrating the birth of Jesus in its communities and its corps in the lead-up to Christmas Day. Red Kettles are out on the streets in all weathers, raising funds to make sure the lonely, the sick and the vulnerable are cared for during the festive season. Choirs are singing, meals are being served, gifts are being distributed and elves, puddings, ponies and sleighs are bringing delight, hope and a sense of belonging to young and old.   From Canada to Moldova, South Korea to Poland, Sweden to the United States, Ukraine to Pakistan – enjoy our global Salvation Army Christmas collection! Just click on the arrow below to view the slideshow..

Jet skis, motorbikes and a double-decker bus were all part of the annual Toy Run through Hobart. BY LERISSE SMITH   Engines roared to life, jet skis zipped across the water, and a shiny red double-decker bus rolled in as the Christmas spirit burst through Hobart for one of the city’s most loved festive traditions – the annual Salvos Motorcycle Riders Association (MRA) South Toy Run.   Thousands of Tasmanians flocked to join the festivities, with $25,000 worth of gifts and donations given to support The Salvation Army’s Christmas Cheer program. Now celebrating its 46th year, the MRA South Toy Run remains Australia’s longest-running event of its kind.   It wasn’t just a parade of chrome and horsepower; it was a celebration of generosity, community and the festive Christmas spirit.   “The Toy Run was absolutely incredible,” said Amelia Natoli, Salvos State Manager of External Communications. Some of the colourful displays on motorcycles as they thundered through the streets of Hobart.   “It was a great success and an awesome community day. So many people took part from all walks of life. It was a fantastic day full of festive cheer. The generosity and community spirit on display was something truly special. The incredible support received will help the Salvos bring hope to Tasmanians in need this Christmas.” The iconic charity ride on 9 November brought the city to life as 1500 riders, jet skis and a red double-decker bus joined forces to bring gifts and donations for the Salvos Christmas Cheer program.   The convoy thundered out of MyState Bank Arena in Glenorchy at 12.30pm and rolled into Salamanca on the waterfront at 1pm. Jetski Tas Inc. joined the event by water. The team of skiers from Jetski Tas Inc. added much excitement to the Toy Run arriving on their water to take part in the community day.  Crowds packed the streets with ‘Honk if you go past!’ signs posted on some residential fences, while children squealed with delight as the riders thundered by, including some from interstate.   Getting into the swing of the day was Tamanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff, who filmed the spectacle from his office overlooking the waterfront.   For Amelia, who has been helping to organise the Toy Run for six years and volunteered for many more, the magic still hasn’t faded.   “It’s an event that I love very much,” she said. “Having the jet skis involved for the last two years has been awesome. The event continues to take a new turn. It never fails to surprise us. Seeing people rock up on their bikes is amazing. We had one of the biggest plush toys, a gorgeous dog, I’ve seen this year. He got to say hi to all the lovely community members that lined the streets.”   Adding extra sparkle this year was Red Decker Hobart, a bright red double-decker bus, joining the Toy Run for the first time. Volunteers aboard enjoyed the best view in the house, watching the bikes and crowds from the top deck. The Red Decker Hobart bus took part in the parade. Behind the scenes, the 50 Salvos volunteers teamed up with the MRA South crew to make the day happen. The Hobart Corps even wrapped up church early so volunteers could help collect the gifts when riders arrived.   While the value of this year’s gifts was slightly down on previous years, they were still impressive, Amelia added.   “The thing we noticed that changed a little bit was that we received a similar number of gifts, but the value of each gift was a little bit less,” she reflected.   “Usually, the gifts are worth about $25, but this year the average was probably more the $15 mark, which really showed that the community still wanted to support it. The riders were still so generous, with the cost of living and everything else.”   Amelia said the event could not happen without the MRA South team, which handles permits, police permissions and logistics to keep everything running smoothly. It has been a family affair for the Natoli family who has volunteered at the Toy Run for many years. From left, Amelia, Mark, Bianca and Felicity. Last year, more than 1500 families and 2,428 children received help from Salvos through its Christmas Cheer program. Some riders also brought food for hampers. The gifts collected this year will again be sorted at the central Christmas warehouse, divided by age groups, and distributed across the state.   Applications for the Christmas Cheer have already opened with the Salvos receiving 80 on the first day alone.   The figure has now risen to more than 700. Some of the incredible Salvos volunteers helping out at the 46th MRA South Toy Run.  “I think we are going to see a much higher demand for support,” Amelia remarked. “So, everything that we got from the Toy Run is just so greatly appreciated.”   The MRA South team operate as a volunteer-led committee organising the entire event themselves.   “They still want to support others which is really humbling because it’s going to be a tough year for us, and what we can provide really depends on what people give,” Amelia explained. “Obviously, year after year it gets harder and more expensive for them to make the event happen. But they always go above and beyond.”   And looking ahead, the future of the event looks bright.   “Tasmanian Police, Glenorchy and Hobart City Councils,   State Roads,  Traffic Management – absolutely everyone gets behind it,” she added. “We are very grateful to everyone that makes it happen.”  (From left) MRA South President, Jarrod Doyle, The Salvation Army TAS Area Officer, Major Vicki Clarke, Hobart Deputy Lord Mayor, Dr Zelinda Sherlock and MRA South Event MC, David Closs joined in the festivities of the major event that drew large crowds from across Tasmania.

Port Stephens Corps’ leadership team – Lucas and Angela Cairns (left), and Sophie and Josh Annesley (right). Three hours north of Sydney, there’s a Salvation Army Corps quite different from most others. Nestled on a large property, five minutes from the beach and across the road from a nature reserve, the corps is home to a lush community garden where chickens roam free. The sound of music and children playing filters through the breeze from the playground and the church hall, as parents enjoy barista-made coffee from the pop-up coffee van. Welcome to Port Stephens Corps!   BY LAUREN MARTIN   When Envoys Angela and Lucas Cairns and their family arrived at this Salvation Army paradise in 2022, it was perfect timing. Lucas was just two years into his recovery from a heart transplant, and two of their children had also undergone life-saving heart transplants in the years prior.   “This place is in such a beautiful location. Currently, Jacaranda trees are in full bloom, and the mango trees planted by previous officers are covered in blossoms,” Lucas described. “We prayed when we first arrived and felt we had a strong direction from God that this was going to be a place of healing and restoration.”   Lucas and Angela felt God had given them the verse for this place from Lamentations 3:21-23: “But this I call to mind and therefore I have hope, because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness oh God.” (This verse now adorns the office wall with a large mural of sunflowers).    As they got to know the congregation and the community, they began implementing programs that work together to allow God to heal and restore. Angela Cairns feeds to free-range chickens that roam throughout the Port Stephens Corps property.  “Everything works together as a village here,” says Lucas. “Every program that we do links in with the overarching vision.”   A year or so into their journey, God provided them with helpers – Josh and Sophie Annesley.   When the Annesleys moved back to Australia from the UK last year, they didn’t expect to return to ministry positions. “We had left London because we wanted to run a play café ministry, and the door to the opportunity closed,” Sophie says. ‘More than a barista’ – Josh Annesley runs the Port Stephens Corps’ Hope Village Café. When they arrived in Port Stephens and met Angela and Lucas Cairns, they couldn’t believe their eyes as they toured the Port Stephens Salvation Army site, seeing the children’s playground right next to the main building.   “At the first meeting, we said, ‘We really feel like there should be a play café here’.”   Angela and Lucas were amazed at how God works, just as they had been discussing in the months before Sophie and Josh's arrival, that very same thing.  Fast forward to now, and Sophie is a Ministry Assistant and Josh is the corps barista. “But he’s so much more than a barista!” says Lucas, “Both Sophie and Josh are a God-given gift to this place.”   Angela no longer works for The Salvation Army, having taken up a position with Transplant Australia, but remains an active member of the corps and on its leadership team.   Every week, more than 100 families access the site for ‘Joyful Noise’, a relaxed playgroup, and enjoy a coffee at the Hope Village Café. Community members also tend to the community garden and have access to the fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers that grow there. Sophie Annesley leads ‘Joyful Noise’ at Port Stephens Corps. On Tuesday nights, an existing community meal has been revamped to include people from all walks of life. “We just invite anyone! We say, ‘If you just want to have a meal, or you can’t be bothered cooking, come along!’” says Angela. “We have had families join us out of Joyful Noise, and people in the community who are in need will also come, and it mixes everyone beautifully.”   The meal includes a short chat about a Bible verse, and as attendees sit and eat around a big table, decorated with vases of flowers from the onsite community garden, conversation naturally flows.    “Everything that we do here has a faith pathway,” says Lucas. “We find that with evangelism – relationship works best.”   Friendship is a big part of the corps’ Conversation and Craft group that meets every Tuesday. “It’s a really inclusive space,” says Angela. “Some people have been coming for over 30 years, and some have just started recently, looking for community as they have faced difficulties like loss of their partners or hard things within their family.”   Envoy Lucas Cairns with the Port Stephens Corps’ community meal. The team has found that through authentic relationships, spiritual conversations happen naturally, and three families have started attending the Port Stephens Sunday service as a result.   “We have never been big believers of the concept that ‘church is just a Sunday service’. As this church has remained faithful through varied seasons, God has been faithful too. Just like our garden, we are starting to grow,” says Lucas.   Music program A new initiative that’s just kicked off at Port Stephens Salvos is a Creative School. It’s a music tuition program, targeted at families who wouldn’t be able to afford it for their children. “We wanted to take the Just Brass model somewhat, but use different instruments,” says Lucas. “We have focused on guitar and vocals.”   The Red Shield Appeal Initiative-funded program has seen the corps work with local schools to identify eligible families who might be interested, with 12 families registered. The Creative School is a trial and a way for the corps to reach more families and invite them into the beautiful space that God has created at Port Stephens Salvos. Lucas (left) with the Hope Village Café barista, Josh. There’s a sense of the ‘organic’ at Port Stephens Salvos, where corps life is “less program” and “more people” oriented. There are people who volunteer their time every week to look after the community garden, and those who look after the property by mowing and doing small maintenance projects. “It really is a village here,” says Angela.   Maybe it’s the presence of chickens roaming free or the fact that everywhere you look, you see a vista of trees that creates the peaceful, relaxed pace that permeates even the crowded playgroup hubbub. More likely, it’s the presence of the Holy Spirit moving in and through the space that creates that warm invitation for people to meet Jesus.   Please pray for Port Stephens Corps, its new Creative School, and its future plans to create an on-site retreat for people experiencing grief, loss, or complex medical situations. Some of the free-range chickens that roam throughout the property at Port Stephens Corps in the New South Wales Hunter region.

With a young daughter and a full-time job, and help from her family and her church, Lisa managed to leave a controlling and abusive relationship behind. Now, she serves others as a Salvation Army officer. Image: Getty As part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, we are sharing the stories of women and men who have overcome incredible odds to enact change, escape violence and control, and assist others to flee imminent danger, or understand when a relationship isn’t normal. This article presents part of the experiences of an officer in The Salvation Army, as told to Salvos Online journalist KIRRALEE NICOLLE . We are calling this woman Lisa*. We’d like to warn anyone who feels they might be impacted by the issues in this story, which include coercive control and financial and emotional abuse, to please proceed with caution. When Lisa was 14, she began spending a lot of time with a friend from school. This friend had a brother who was five years older than Lisa. We will call him Ian*. Though Lisa was raised in what she calls an upper-middle class family who loved and supported her, her friend’s family offered something different. “I loved their family,” Lisa says. “It was a very different upbringing to what I had …. You could just help yourself to what was in the fridge, and their mum was in my eyes the coolest mum ever. My friend seemed to absolutely thrive and I loved it.” But Lisa was not only drawn to the warmth of the family, she was also drawn to Ian. “I was always fascinated by him,” she says. “He was a ‘bad boy’. He got caught. He did jail time. There was always this draw to the bad boy sort of naughtiness of him, and his sister adored him.” As Lisa and her friend grew into young adults, they began attending bars and clubs together on Thursday and Friday nights, and often, Ian would tag along too. “I look back now and think it’s really weird,” Lisa says. “But it was really exciting at the time …. He was always very close – making sure I was safe, [that] was my perception. In hindsight, it was more he was making sure that nobody else was coming anywhere near me because I was his. It was more possessive than anything.” One night, when Lisa was 24 and working full-time, everything shifted. She had gone out with her friend and Ian had again tagged along, but this time, Lisa ended up staying overnight at Ian’s house. “Being the staunchly loyal person that I am, that was it for me,” Lisa says. “I was in. I was in a relationship. I had been with him for one night, and therefore I was 110 per cent invested.” Lisa’s mindset was strengthened by comments from her friend, who would assure Lisa that the relationship was right, as she believed Lisa was a calming, stabilising presence in Ian’s life. “That did amazing things for my confidence,” Lisa says. “It really fed into that ‘I can fix this bad boy, I can make him better, I can help him to be the best that he can be’ [mentality].” But then, the relationship began moving far more quickly than what Lisa had anticipated. She says after just six weeks together, the demands began. Ian had been kicked out of his share house and was forced to move back in with his parents, as a nearly 30-year-old with no job. “He looked at me and [said], ‘So, if this is the way it’s going to be, when are we moving in together? Why haven’t you already organised a place?’” Lisa says. Ian then convinced Lisa that if she was fully committed to the relationship, they needed to rent a place together. In his eyes, as a full-time teacher with a good credit rating and – also unlike him, no criminal record – Lisa was responsible for making it happen. Within a couple of weeks, Lisa had found them a unit, and they had moved in. With that decision, Lisa’s dream of attaining home ownership was shattered. Things quickly turned sour. Ian convinced Lisa to leave her key card to her bank account with him while she was at work. He assured her that he would do the grocery shopping and pay the bills while she worked, as he was still unemployed. What Lisa soon discovered was that he was buying drugs and car parts rather than essentials. “It turned out that I was paying for his drugs before anything else would get paid for,” Lisa says. When Lisa would check her bank account or ask him to return her key card, Ian would accuse her of distrust. He would threaten to move out and aggressively punch holes in walls or rip items from the plaster. Eventually, Lisa would relent, reassuring herself that it was just money, and it wasn’t worth disturbing the peace over. She then got a credit card, but Ian maxed it out within a matter of 10 days. “I was on good money,” Lisa says. “But as fast as I could earn it, it was gone. He’d go and draw all my pay out and maybe leave me with $100 for the fortnight. “I got to the point where I was really anxious about it all the time. I lost a stack of weight, because I was in fight or flight mode in my body the entire time.” The pair, having failed to pay their rent, were eventually evicted from their unit, and Lisa returned home to her parents, and after staying with them briefly as well, Ian grew tired of hearing Lisa’s parents’ concerns, and moved into his grandmother’s house. Lisa’s credit score plummeted. Friends and colleagues began noticing that Lisa wasn’t ok and was eating just two-minute noodles and cans of tuna for lunch. She at times managed to pull an extra $100 from her account before Ian would drain it, just to have on hand so that if a social event arose and her colleagues went to a cafe, she could appear as if she had money by being able to purchase something small. While she was living with her parents, she and Ian began making plans to obtain another rental together. As a kind gesture, a connection of her parents offered the pair $3000 to get back on their feet. “I was highly stressed,” Lisa says. “I was finding that the bits of money I could get, I was having to hide. He didn’t know how much I had in savings, [as] I had that in a separate account, but that just dwindled and dwindled. “I remember having conversations in my head going, ‘I’ll pay the rent this week. I’ve still got $2500. I’ll pay the rent this week. It’s OK. There}s still $2000 there. In the end, I was going, ‘It’s OK, there’s still $20 in the account. I’ll be OK. I’ve got $20’. “There was a lot of shame. I didn’t want to admit that I needed help, and I didn’t know how to ask for it.” Then, Lisa found out she was pregnant. She now says this is “the best thing she could have done”. “I wanted to have a baby,” she says. “But one of the contributing factors for that was that I couldn’t afford the [birth control] pill.” Lisa’s pregnancy with her daughter was highly stressful. Now, she regularly had nurses and midwives asking her if she was safe at home, as Ian never came to appointments, and Lisa was continuing to lose weight, with blood test results showing she was malnourished. Hospital staff tried to offer her brochures on family and domestic violence (FDV), but she felt she couldn’t take it home because if Ian saw, the consequences could be severe. “I didn’t even know what family violence was,” Lisa says. “I’d lived a pretty sheltered life.” As the pregnancy progressed, Lisa found she had no money to buy any of the items the baby needed. At seven months, she began to panic. Lisa’s parents stepped in to help, providing an entire nursery for her daughter. Lisa’s other motivating factor for getting pregnant was that at the time, delivering a baby meant a baby bonus of $4000, a considerable amount amid her circumstances. “I tried really hard to protect that money after she was born, and to keep that for [my daughter],” Lisa says. “He would argue with me about it. He would give me the silent treatment. He would smash stuff. In the end, I was just like, fine, here’s $4000.” Lisa says Ian then used the money to buy new electronics and hobby gear, which soon ended up at a pawn shop. Within a couple of months of giving birth, Lisa was forced to return to work full-time, with her mother taking on most of the caretaking role with her granddaughter. But the crisis point came fast. With a four-month-old daughter and unable to pay rent, Lisa was forced to move back home. “I remember going to my mum saying, ‘You can’t tell dad this, but I need to come home with the baby, I don’t know what else to do’,” she said. “She of course [said], ‘Pack your bag, when are you coming? Do you need help?’” While still freshly postpartum and malnourished, Lisa began trying to consolidate $18,000 worth of debt from Ian’s spending habits, which had been mostly across multiple credit cards and a car loan. In the meantime, Ian continued to drain her bank account. She leaned on the support of her parents, with her mother caring for her granddaughter while Lisa continued to work full-time. Eventually, Lisa found the courage to take back her key card and retain control of her own finances. But Ian wasn’t about to leave her alone. “There were a lot of pushback moments,” Lisa said. “Multiple times a week, he would turn up at the house and [demand] $100, a meal, [or a ride somewhere]. “He’d turn up in a taxi and he and refuse to pay the [driver]. I’d have to go out and pay the taxi [driver], otherwise there [would be] an alteration happening on my parents’ front lawn. “I had a bit more strength to be able to say no.” But Lisa still hadn’t realised the extent of what staying in the relationship was doing to her life. “I kept telling myself, ‘There’s so many other people worse off’,” she says. After about a year spent living with her parents, Lisa reached a crucial decision. Ian had demanded she organise a birthday party for him. The time passed, but Ian didn’t show. When Lisa called him to find out where he was, he admitted he had gone to a strip club instead. “I remember physically feeling like a switch had gone off in the back of my head and I just went, ‘I’m done’,” Lisa says. With her parents’ help, Lisa began to rebuild. They changed the locks on the house, set up security plans and dealt with a swathe of abusive messages from Ian. Then, she began wading through the complicated process of obtaining custody. Though the relationship only spanned a four-year period, Lisa says the damage was immense. Over the years to come, Ian would continue to harass Lisa and her daughter, and Lisa was forced to take out intervention orders. Turning point Just a few years later, Lisa’s life transformed when she met her loving husband, Justin*, a Salvationist, and together they began attending a Salvation Army church. While Lisa was initially very wary of joining a church, she says there was “no judgment”, and she was afforded complete privacy and freedom to share her story in whatever timeframe and setting in which she felt comfortable. As a single mum, she says she felt completely welcome and as if they were part of a family. After a short time, Lisa and Justin made the decision to become Salvation Army officers and went on to have more children. Lisa says she feels very lucky to have escaped the relationship with Ian when she did. “In a lot of ways I’ve dodged [the full extent of it],” Lisa says. “I got out in the nick of time, but the only reason I got out was because I had a baby, and because something in me said, ‘I don’t want her to grow up and think this is normal’.” As a Salvation Army officer, she regularly draws on her experiences to care for others. “I’ve been able to look a woman in the eye and go, ‘I get it’,” she says. “Quite often I say to them, ‘I don't totally understand your story because all our stories are different, but on some level, I get what you’re saying, because I’ve lived something similar’.” As well as emotional support, Lisa has also been able to assist with practical advice – safety tips, referral to services, and the deeper conversations where she can discuss with someone that their life matters enough to get help. But she is always careful to let them make decisions at their own pace. “At times, our past story can be difficult and [some] parts we [may] wish never happened or we want to delete and forget,” she says. “But it’s actually really important to acknowledge it and to carry it because it helps to helps us to understand who we’re becoming or who we have become, and who we continue to become. “I carry that quite deeply for myself. I don’t tell my story for my own gain, but I tell my story to be able to show people that you can come out the other side, and that there is hope. We have to do some pretty hard work and confront some pretty big demons to be able to work through it, but it’s possible and we can.” Lisa says without the support of her family, her church, and all others who assisted along the way, she may not have been able to recover from the experience of coercive control. She says she can look back now and see “glimmers” throughout her story. “Jesus was present in all of it,” she says. “He may not have chosen for those things to happen to me or for me, but he was there with me – in it and feeling it and experiencing it – and I draw comfort from that.” *Not their real names To read the Daily Prayer Guide prepared for the 16 Days of Activism campaign, please see here .

General Lyndon and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham will return to International Headquarters, London, after Christmas. General Lyndon Buckingham has posted an update on his health to Salvation Army ‘friends’ around the world. The General suffered a medical incident while celebrating the 95th anniversary of The Salvation Army’s work in Hong Kong in October. He was admitted to hospital where he received treatment in the form of heart angioplasty to clear a blocked artery. He responded to this procedure well and was told to expect a full recovery. He has been recuperating over the past couple of months in his home country of New Zealand with his wife, Commissioner Brownyn Buckingham. The General writes: “Time for an update! Commissioner Bronwyn and I continue to be humbled and overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and prayers directed to us over these past weeks. We are so grateful to you all. Thank you! “The recovery has gone extremely well. I am feeling strong in body, mind and spirit, and we are energised about the next chapter of our ministry and service. We will return to London following Christmas with our family. “I express again my gratitude to Commissioners Edward and Shelley Hill for their leadership in these days. “Wherever you are in the global Army, we pray God’s richest blessings over you during this Christmas season. “Thank you for your prayers. I thank God for His healing power." Leaders and staff at IHQ are looking forward to seeing the Buckinghams in the New Year. “We are grateful for General Lyndon Buckingham ’ s recovery and look forward to welcoming our international leaders back to IHQ in January. We wish them continued blessings.”

Members of the Family Violence Team meeting with Commissioner Natasha Stott Despoja AO at Sanctuary House. Image: Supplied The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign reminds us that change is not only necessary, but possible. This year, The Salvation Army’s Policy and Advocacy team continued to drive systemic reform in the family and domestic violence sector. We’re proud to showcase some of our key initiatives informed by the voices of lived experience and our frontline services. BY JAIMIE JONES Letters to ministers In the lead-up to the 16 Days of Activism, The Salvation Army engaged with each Commonwealth, State and Territory Minister responsible for the prevention of family and domestic violence, highlighting the key areas of need in their jurisdiction. We pressed the need for immediate and meaningful investment in: 1. Increasing the stock of crisis accommodation and housing pathways. We know that safe and stable accommodation is essential to support the safety and recovery of victim-survivors. 2. Specialised services for children and young people, who are victim-survivors of family and domestic violence, or whose behaviour can be violent. Children and young people need to be engaged and supported as individuals, with responses that are culturally safe, promote their participation and are tailored according to age and development. 3. A suite of programs for persons using, or at risk of using, violence. Programs should not be limited by time or jurisdiction and maintain engagement for as many years as is required to make long-lasting change. 4. Strengthening workforce capacity. Sustained investment is needed to ensure the family and domestic violence sector is well-resourced to support those impacted by violence and support the wellbeing of staff, particularly in regional and remote areas. The Social Justice Stocktake 2025 The Salvation Army’s Social Justice Stocktake 2025 surveyed almost 16,000 Australians to provide a snapshot of the social justice issues causing concern across the nation. You can read the full report here . Concerningly, almost one in eight respondents identified that family violence was an issue in their own lives. The Stocktake provides tangible actions to address family violence, read more here .  South Australian Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence  Our family violence services had the privilege of meeting with Commissioner Natasha Stott Despoja AO for a second time at our Bramwell House service (now Sanctuary House), to share our insights and recommendations. This followed The Salvation Army’s significant submission to the Royal Commission. We were pleased to see a number of our recommendations reflected throughout the Royal Commission’s final report. The Salvation Army also provided a formal response to the Royal Commission report directly to the South Australian Minister for Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence.   To read submissions on family violence from the Policy and Advocacy team, click here .