Carmel Jackson with her husband Roy, and (circled) as a cadet in the Soldiers of the Cross session. BY CARMEL JACKSON One Saturday in about 1956, my mother, three siblings and I were at the Mitcham shops (in Melbourne) with my paternal grandmother, a widow since 1928. Along came one of her best friends, a similar age, and also a widow. She just happened to be the Young People’s Sergeant Major at the local Mitcham Corps.   What a vibrant, energetic and spirit-filled woman she was! She said to my mother, “Do the children go to Sunday School? Send them along to The Salvation Army, we will love them.”   That is all I remember from my Sunday school/corps attendance days, with my officers showing love and kindness up until my training college days.   As my family lived equidistant between Mitcham and Park Orchards, we initially worshipped at Mitcham, but as a ride was available to attend the thriving outpost at Park Orchards, our parents sent us there. At one stage, I believe it was the fastest-growing Sunday school in the Southern Territory, with about 50 children in attendance.   My two sisters and I continued attending there. We joined The Salvation Army Girls Basketball Association team for Mitcham when we were old enough and travelled to Fawkner Park in South Yarra each Saturday in winter to play. I was later asked by a corps officer to coach the Midgets team.    We also went to Mitcham Corps’ youth group when of that age. I also went on to teach Y.P sections. Unfortunately, I never did Young Soldiers or Corps Cadets because of transport issues. Looking back, this was sad. READ MORE: Soldiers of the Cross session of cadets mark 50 years since Commissioning   I had a growing awareness that I should become a Salvation Army officer ... although I was also interested in becoming a nurse or social worker. But I became a candidate for officership at age 16, and enjoyed many Candidates’ Fellowships and get-togethers.   Having been born deaf, I didn’t realise how isolated I was, not having been provided for as a deaf person.    When I joined the Commonwealth Public Service, before going to Salvation Army Training College, it was determined that I would benefit from wearing a hearing aid. So, my entry to college was made much easier as I had been provided with an aid just before entry. Looking back, I should have had two aids, but the Lord answered my prayers.   I guess you experience ups and downs in college, as in life, but there were many blessings in training. Our session 1974-76 was large in number, and we came from most Southern Territory states, with one cadet coming from Indonesia to do his training.   It was an eye-opener after Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin. Our session and others were back from our Christmas break and were put on six-hour shifts to attend the Essenson Airport to book in those who had come on cargo planes etc., to be housed. I even remember going onto the tarmac in the eerie still of the night. Someone had even brought their dog! I’m sure many appreciated the Salvation Army’s help at such a low time in their lives.   Things have changed over the years at college – from one room for a library at 68 Victoria Parade, East Melbourne, to the larger library at Eva Burrows College in Ringwood. From typewriters to computers ... and modern technology.   But I look back with fondness on my training college days.     My out-training was spent at the Ballarat West Corps, where I remember a much younger Miriam Gluyas (now the Territorial Commander of Australia) being an attendee. God bless her. I had a bad car accident on my 25th birthday, on 28.6.1975, with others in the car, and spent two weeks at home in bed recovering. I know the training college staff and others were praying for me, and the Lord specifically told me “to go back and finish your training”.  After being commissioned as a lieutenant, I was appointed to the Bridge Women’s Hostel in Adelaide, but I only served for two months. I was still under an orthopaedic surgeon and a neurosurgeon for ongoing treatment from my accident, and needed a further periods of resting.   After five months’ leave, it was a very hard decision to make to resign from officership. But, throughout my life, I have endeavoured to serve the Lord in whatever duties he has given me to do. Although I have attended corps prayers meetings in the past, and not so often now, I now pray at home and whenever the Spirit moves, although my attendance is exceptional. I also send birthday cards to Sunday attendees, as well as the sick.   Senior citizenship brings with it other health challenges, but I find Scripture is beneficial to repeat each day. We need to study God’s Word every day for it to be effective in our lives.  Proverbs 3:5-6 is one favourite of mine: “ Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths. ”   God bless you all.

The 1974-76 Soldiers of the Cross session of cadets outside the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne. Back row: James Weymouth, Alan Steven, Arthur Ford, Mrs Glenys Ford, David Mundy, Christine Gooch, Aylene Rinaldi, Mrs Jacqueline Watson, Arthur Owen, Alan MacDonald. Centre row: Jennifer Dickinson, Mrs Margaret MacDonald, Pamela Thomas, Mrs Christine Steven, Mrs Jacqueline Berris, Mrs Brigadier Mavis Waite, Brigadier John Waite (TP), Mrs Jennifer Wright, Carmel Watson, Agnes Johnston, Jean Shanks, Mrs Lorraine Owen. Front row:   David Watson, Owen Hatchard, John Zilm, Colin Berris, Barry Thomas, Ronald Cochrane, Michael Cossington, David Cook, Gregory Wright, John Hallett, Jeffrey Richardson, Habel Laua. BY DEAN SIMPSON It has been 50 years since the Soldiers of the Cross session of cadets in the former Australia Southern Territory were commissioned during a vibrant series of services in January 1976.   The 32-strong session entered The Salvation Army Training College in  Victoria Parade, East Melbourne in 1974, completing their standard two-year residential officership training.   There was also a Soldiers of the Cross session in the former Australia Eastern Territory, and they held a 50th anniversary reunion in early 2024, and you can read about that here .   On a sunny day during their training, the Southern Territory cadets walked over to the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton, where they had their photo taken with the Training Principal, Brigadier John Waite and his wife, Brigadier Mavis Waite.   After serving faithfully for many years, many of these officers have since been promoted to glory, some are enjoying retirement in aged care homes and some are still actively involved in local corps.   One of these is Carmel Jackson (nee Watson), who is a member of the prayer team at Maryborough Corps in Victoria. “I look back with fondness on my training college days,” said Carmel. Carmel Jackson and her husband, who now attend Maryborough Corps in Victoria. “And, yes, I remember walking over to the Exhibition Building for that group photo. There was a first-year cadet – Cadet Athol Jackson, if I recall correctly – who came along to take the photo. “As you can see [in the photo], our session was large in number, and we came from most Southern Territory states, with one cadet coming from Indonesia to do his training. Habel Laua was his name.   “There were many blessings in training. My out-training was spent at the Ballarat West Corps, where I remember a much younger Miriam Gluyas [now Territorial Commander of the Australia Territory] being an attendee. God bless her.”  READ MORE: Cadet Carmel Jackson’s testimony, which includes her experiences of college in 1974-75 The Commissioning Weekend for the Southern Territory’s Soldiers of the Cross session was held over four days at the beginning of 1976, with a Farewell Festival on Friday 9 January, a Final Field Day on Sunday 11 January, and a Dedication and Commissioning service on Monday afternoon 2 January, all at Melbourne City Temple. A page out of the Commissioning brochure introducing some of the cadets and their families. A final Presentation and Appointments service was then held at Melbourne Town Hall on Monday evening 12 January, where seats had to be booked with ticket prices being 80 cents for the stalls and $1 for the gallery. All services over the weekend were conducted by the Southern Territory’s Territorial  Commander, Commissioner William Goodier, and his wife, Mrs Mary Lee Goodier, supported by Training Principal Brigadier John Waite and Mrs Mavis Waite, and staff from the training college and territorial headquarters.   This staff included Majors Gavin and Jean Parker, Major Jean Healey, Major May Merrett, Major Jean Bloxham, Major Marjorie Doran. Captains Ernest and Avis Lamotte, Lieut Raymond Finger, Lieut Patricia Wilhelme, Lieut Margaret Moore.   A sessional song was also written. Cadets Alan and Margaret MacDonald wrote the sessional song, which was performed over the Commissioning Weekend, titled ‘Soldiers of the Cross’. Alan, a pianist and the cadets’ songster leader in college, wrote the score, and Margaret wrote the words. The 1974-76 session photo as it appears in a book of cadet sessions of the former Australia Southern Territory.

Accessibility goes far beyond physical design, it’s about culture and mindset, writes Sue Davies. BY MAJOR SUE DAVIES* One of the things I love most about the Salvos is our heart for people. We’re known for stepping into the margins, welcoming the vulnerable, and lifting the weary. But I want to raise a gentle challenge with us today - one that comes from a place of love and hope. And it’s this: are we truly accessible to people with 'different abilities'? Are our churches, programs, and gatherings places where everyone - not just some - can participate fully, freely, and without barriers? Language is important to me. I prefer the term 'different abilities' because it shifts the focus from what someone can’t  do to what they can . People with different abilities bring strengths, skills, and perspectives that are just as valuable – sometimes more so – than the mainstream way. Their contribution isn’t lesser, just different. I’ve lived my whole life with a prosthetic leg. It’s shaped how I move through the world – physically, socially, and spiritually. While I’ve had many opportunities and been part of some wonderfully inclusive communities, I’ve also faced practical challenges. I’ve stood at the bottom of staircases with no handrail and no lift in sight. I’ve navigated uneven footpaths, toilets labelled 'accessible' that really aren’t, and events that forgot to ask, “Can everyone actually get through the door?” So today, I want to speak honestly about what it’s like to navigate faith and community as someone with a lifelong different ability. I want to speak to the good, the hard, and the ways I believe the Salvos can keep growing into a movement where everyone is truly welcomed. Growing up in the church was a beautiful part of my life. I was loved and included. But I know that’s not the experience for everyone with different abilities. Accessibility goes far beyond physical design. It’s about culture and mindset. It’s about whether people like me are seen – not as problems to be accommodated, but as people to be embraced and valued just as we are. I don’t believe these oversights are intentional. But when they happen again and again, they send a message: church isn’t really for you. You’re an afterthought in the planning, not a full participant in the mission. Sometimes, the biggest barriers are relational. People make assumptions. They talk about  you instead of to  you. They feel awkward and unsure, so they avoid. Or they quietly decide that leadership or ministry roles probably aren’t a good fit for someone like you. But here’s the thing - most of us with different abilities don’t want special treatment. We just want the same opportunity to belong, to contribute, and to grow. We want to be seen as whole people, not defined by what we can or can’t do. That’s where I think we, in the Salvos, can do more. Our theology tells us every person is made in the image of God. Our mission calls us to serve the vulnerable. But inclusion can’t just be something we believe  in – it must be something we practice . That means rethinking how we set up our spaces, how we communicate, how we lead. It means slowing down and asking, “Can everyone hear this? Reach this? Feel safe here?” It means creating environments that don’t just say, “You’re welcome”, but show it – through thoughtfulness, listening, and action. It also means giving people with different abilities a seat at the table – not just as guests, but as leaders. When we include diverse voices in decision-making, our whole movement becomes richer, more creative, and more Christlike. I’ve learned a lot from others with different abilities too - those with sensory sensitivities, mental health challenges, or neurodivergence. They’ve shown me that true accessibility is about flexibility . It’s about making space for people to show up in ways that work for them. At the end of the day, this isn’t about ticking boxes. It’s about people. It’s about whether the body of Christ has room for every part - every story, every struggle, every strength. So, here’s my hope: that the Salvos continue to be a place where no one is left at the door. Let’s keep asking the questions, having the conversations, and making the changes, so that everyone , regardless of ability, can find their place in the mission of God. Let’s be that kind of church. Let’s open the doors wider – and keep them open – for everyone. *Major Sue Davies is a retired officer based in Queensland. You can find out more about her story here .

Common Grace is again providing resources for faith communities on the theme of ‘Be Strong and Courageous’. Image: Common Grace BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE This year’s Aboriginal Sunday service is set to fall on this Sunday 25 January, with churches and faith communities across the nation, including The Salvation Army, encouraged to take part. Resources, provided by Common Grace , are this year centred on the theme of ‘Be Strong and Courageous’. Reconciliation Action Plan and Projects Manager Sue Hodges will be speaking at Gosford Corps (NSW), with a sausage sizzle to follow the service. The commemorative space at Riverland Salvos. Image: Facebook Riverland Salvos in Berri, South Australia, are also marking the event with a commemorative space and candle lighting throughout the week leading up to the day. Sue Hodges said the day was one that made her emotional, and she felt passionate about honouring Christian elders, such as Aboriginal Sunday founder William Cooper, who wanted Australians to know about the history of their Indigenous brothers and sisters. “I just love being a part of the movement for the simple fact that we’re raising awareness, and that we can do something without dividing people,” Sue said. To find out more about the day and its significance, and how to be involved, click here .

Major Carolyn Harmer, Salvos Stores Chaplain, leads the reflection service at Bondi Junction Salvos Stores on the National Day of Mourning yesterday, as four staff members listen. About 20 customers were also in the store at the time of the service. BY SIMONE WORTHING A reflection service was held at the Bondi Junction Salvos Store yesterday as The Salvation Army joined communities across Australia to mark the National Day of Mourning in the wake of the Bondi shooting tragedy.   Major Carolyn Harmer, Salvos Stores Chaplain in Sydney East, led the service. “It was a privilege to be there, and to be part of the light in the darkness that the theme of the day focused on,” she said.   Major David Collinson, Salvos Stores’ Executive Officer, estimated that around 20 customers were in the store during the short service. “Some listened as they shopped, some stopped and listened, and everyone was respectful,” he said.   Carolyn said that four staff members also attended, including one who was on the beach the day of the tragedy (14 December) and had been personally impacted. “She has found a lot of relief in coming to the store and being around the supportive people she describes as her ‘second family’. She was especially grateful for the service,” Carolyn said. READ MORE: Commissioner Miriam Gluyas’ message to the Australia Territory Honouring the lost During the reflection, Carolyn read out the 15 names of those who lost their lives, their ages and occupations.   “These innocent people were not just individuals,” she said. “They were people in this community, connected to this community. Connected through family and friends, through neighbours and businesses, through synagogues and other faith communities, through schools and clubs, through volunteering and supporting this community. Captain Winnie Illman, Salvos Stores Chaplain, volunteered in the Bondi Beach precinct for 10 days after the tragedy. “Sometimes, when you hear their names, know their ages and what they did, it seems to make it so much more real. Because we realise that they were real people just like us. Innocent, good, kind people who are no longer here in this community. They were people who impacted this community in a positive way.”   Carolyn then led a minute of silence to remember them.   Carolyn spoke about the ‘ripple effect’ that follows tragedies – the impact on those directly affected by the tragedy, as well as the broader community, as they try to make sense of what has happened and rebuild their lives.   She led another 30 seconds of silence to think of the people struggling just because they happened to be there on the day, to honour those for their heroic actions in supporting others during the shootings and its aftermath, and for the whole community.   The day after the Bondi tragedy, David took a simple prayer box to the Bondi Junction Salvos Store so people could share a written prayer, express their thoughts, or even their grief, in a safe, anonymous and non-threatening way.   The box filled quickly.   During the service, Carolyn mentioned these prayers how much the opportunity to respond had been appreciated by customers, staff and volunteers. “We will take these prayers to one of the Rabbis we have contact with at the local synagogue,” she said. “The Salvation Army presence, and that of other faith communities, has been so well accepted.” Pam, Bondi Junction Salvos Store Manager, with the prayer box made available the day after the tragedy. Devotional thought Carolyn shared how God had put on her heart to speak about two different responses to times of tragedy – what is often our very human response, and what is always his response.   “Some of us may get angry about what happened,” Carolyn acknowledged. “It’s okay to get angry, but we need to find safe people to talk about our anger, pray for the ability to keep any anger under control, and let it go.   “The Bible tells us in the book of James that we should ‘always be more willing to listen than to speak and to keep control off your anger’ ( James 1:19 ).   “God’s response to us when tragedy hits us is to surround us with his love, care and peace … and this is his response to us, not just when we experience tragedy, but every single day ( Psalm 91:11 , Psalm 34:7 , Psalm 139:5 ).   “With this kind of response there is always hope. When we have hope we can see the light, the light that will win, the light that will triumph over darkness.”   Carolyn concluded the service encouraging people to think about how they wanted to respond – both after the service and beyond – and a prayer that each person would know there is a God who responds to their needs with love and care.   “It was really good to be a centre of hope in that community and to be there for the people,” David said.

Nikita Moore (front centre) with Uncle Rob Johnson (back left), Aunty Deborah Chaplin (back centre) and Salvation Army personnel. Image: Supplied BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE This weekend, corps around the nation will mark Aboriginal Sunday. Annually, Common Grace prepares free resources for churches to use in a gathering on the Sunday before 26 January. The day marks an opportunity for people of faith to pray for justice, stand in solidarity and promote the flourishing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. For more info, see Common Grace . BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE As we look ahead to Aboriginal Sunday, we are celebrating the recent unveiling of a new Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) truck, which features an Indigenous artwork. The truck, titled ‘Allira’, is set to service the Victorian region around Swan Hill. Australian Aboriginal artist Nikita Moore, who lives on Wemba Wemba and Wadi Wadi country in Swan Hill, painted the piece, which she titled ‘Parnbandilla’, or ‘shine in many colours’. Nikita is the artist behind Yemurraki Art. Yemurraki (ye-mur-raki) means Dreamtime. The story behind Yemurraki Art. Image: Supplied Nikita was raised with involvement in The Salvation Army, which she says was an overwhelmingly positive part of her life and that of the local community. The truck is named in honour of Allira Fry, Aboriginal and Torres Islander Engagement Worker at Swan Hill Corps, who Nikita says has built a great deal of trust and connection in the community since her appointment. Nikita says the painting was inspired by the care shown by The Salvation Army towards her and her family in the wake of her father’s recent death. She says Allira, as well as Corps Officer Major Robert Champion and wife Wendy, all supported her family through their grief, even giving the eulogy at her father’s funeral. She says she wanted to offer a gift as a way of thanking them, and so she donated some posters of her art to display at the church. One of these posters was of ‘Parnbandilla’, which she had painted as a way to process her father’s death. With Salvationist grandparents, The Salvation Army was a core part of Nikita’s early life. Her nieces and nephews still attend corps events, and Nikita herself attended corps meetings, Sunday school and Salvo-run youth events growing up, and her aunt also worked alongside The Salvation Army as part of the Wemba Wemba Local Aboriginal Land Council. Nikita Moore. Image: Supplied “They would collaborate [on] a lot of youth stuff in the Indigenous community,” Nikita says. “It was really lovely. It was a good childhood.” She says The Salvation Army and the Wamba Wamba LALC organised swimming days, youth camps and other activities for young people in her community. “When I was growing up, even though it was hard back in the 80s and 90s – boring town, not much to do, still a lot of different stigmas around Indigenous people – [The Salvation Army ran] activities and they were speaking about the Lord,” she says. “The [painting] I gifted and chose for the truck was to bring back that memory of the community always shining. “That was only due to having an Aboriginal worker alongside the Salvation Army, I believe, because they bridged that gap.” The original 'Parnbandilla'. Image: Supplied She says now in the community, lots of people are still facing hard times, and the presence of Allira, Robert and Wendy is bringing the light reflected in ‘Parnbandilla’ to the community. She says she often hears community members refer one another to the corps for food assistance or care. “People are speaking about [them],” she says. “They have done magnificent work to support everyone in need. They do what they can to help and support, even if it’s just a check in or a stop in the street to speak to you. Their hearts are big, and they are a great team.” You can find more of Nikita’s work here . Emergency, Aid and Development General Manager Daryl Crowden with representatives from Woolworths who donated to the truck’s purchase, Allira Fry with Corps Officer Major Robert Champion, and crowds gathered at the unveiling ceremony in November. Images: Supplied.

Coral says she owes her balanced financial life to The Salvation Army’s Moneycare service.   BY NAOMI SINGLEHURST   When Coral’s husband, Lance, was diagnosed with a brain tumour, their daughter was just five days old. He became seriously ill and passed away, leaving Coral alone with their two young children.   A Defence Forces veteran who had previously served in the Royal Australian Air Force, Coral was later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and struggled terribly.   In addition to the enormous emotional toll, Coral faced managing her family’s finances – something Lance had always handled.   Despite holding well-paid jobs over the years, Coral’s childhood and family background meant she had never learned how to manage money.   Gambling was also part of life growing up. After losing her husband, then her mum, dad and brother, grief and loneliness took a heavy toll.   “I was really struggling,” she says. “When I had a life with Lance, I never went gambling because I was happy. It all changed when everything went bad. Loneliness, lack of connection and sadness feed addiction.”   Lonely battle Before contacting The Salvation Army Moneycare service, Coral’s life reached a dangerous low.   Overwhelmed by debt, addiction and heartbreak, she booked herself into a rehabilitation clinic and began seeing a trauma psychologist and an addiction counsellor.   During this time, money dominated her thoughts. “I would spend every cent I had, plus more,” she says.   Some days, she skipped meals to pay bills. Other days, she sold things she needed just to get through the week. “Addiction means no connection,” she says. “You feel so alone.”   It was Coral’s counsellor who asked whether she would like help with her finances and referred her to Moneycare financial counsellor Lucy.   Financial clarity Lucy did not start with a money plan (budget). First, she encouraged Coral to track where her money was going. At the time, Coral had two credit cards and other debts.   Determined to change her situation, she reviewed all her bank statements and categorised every item of spending.   “That is when I realised how much I was gambling, and how much I spent on takeaways and bank fees,” she says.   Coral met with Lucy once a fortnight for several months and set herself small tasks. She paused takeaways, cut back on spending, and used two bank accounts so she could see what was happening.   Once Coral understood where her money went, Lucy helped her build a simple money plan she could follow. They worked out weekly amounts for bills, food and everyday spending.   “She wrote it all down for me,” Coral says. “Having it in front of me made it real.”   Changing habits Simply saving even $5 a week was now possible and became the start of a new savings habit.   At first, Coral was challenged by the sight of money in her account. “I always felt like I had to spend anything I had,” she says. Lucy worked through that compulsion with her and Coral’s money habits began to change. “Now, if there is money there, I do not have to touch it. It feels so good when a bill comes out, and I am still in the black,” Coral says.   Coral now has a spending plan, a bills account, real savings and confidence. She has paid for an overseas trip this year.   “I am very happy in my life now,” she says. “My mindset has shifted.”   Coral was supported by Lucy for months. When Lucy felt she was ready, she said, “I think you are okay on your own now.” Coral agrees.   “She spoke to me as a real person and never judged, even when I messed up a few times,” she says. “If I did not have Lucy, I really do not know where I would be now.”   Moneycare Week At the start of a new year many people think about their finances in light of Christmas spending and the school year dawning. Moneycare Week offers a timely opportunity to share practical tips and resources that help people feel capable and supported.  During the week of 18–24 January 2026, there will be media activity and digital advertising to promote Moneycare Week.  READ MORE: MySalvos Moneycare Toolkit, click here    If you would like to highlight Moneycare Week in your mission expression during January, either physically or digitally, the resources below can help.   Please note: Moneycare has a wide range of resources for the community. Please feel free to share the public-facing Moneycare Financial Resources page with your community: The Salvation Army Moneycare Financial Resources page

The nine-member delegation from the NSW/ACT Division with Tanzanian Salvation Army leadership at Territorial Headquarters in Dar es Salaam. A NSW/ACT Divisional mission trip to Tanzania in late 2025 was a transformational trip for those involved. In this week’s Global Focus, Salvos Online journalist LAUREN MARTIN speaks to two participants – Major Bindy Lupis and Lisa Sims (from Shire Salvos Menai) – about their experiences.   Lauren spoke first to Major Bindy Lupis, Senior Program Manager for Salvation Army Emergency Services.   Lauren: So, Bindy, why did you want to be part of the mission trip to Tanzania?   Bindy: I felt called to officership as a young teen. I even remember, around [the age of] 17 I think, I heard someone share about something in Africa. I felt this strong call, added to my call to officership, that it was also to Africa. I wrote letters to YWAM, World Vision, all these different organisations, trying to find opportunities to go to Africa. I wrote to the current DYS [Divisional Youth Secretary] at the time, asking if they were doing mission trips. And I kept on getting, ‘no’ and ‘not yet’ [responses].   Life goes on, but it’s always been there; it’s always been on my heart. That pull on my heart specifically for Africa has never wavered.   Two years ago, I was in a divisional role in the NSW/ACT Division, and Tanzania is one of our partner territories. Divisional Commander [at the time] Kim Haworth was saying, rather than just constantly sending money, what else could we do? We said, “What if we sent a team over and did ministry beside them?” I told her the story [about my childhood calling] and said, “If this is happening, I’m going!” Lauren: What was it like to finally make it to Africa?   Bindy:   There was a part of me that just felt ‘at home’ ... it felt so natural and so right. It was amazing, and it was emotional, and I cried lots, and I smiled lots. I’m not a dancer, but I danced lots! That free worship in Africa, you can’t not dance!   The Tanzanian people are just beautiful people, and their perspective [is powerful.] I wish a lot of officers in Australia could get a taste of it. They have so little. One of their churches was just made of the branches of trees and flour sacks as the roof, and they are stoked, that’s all they need. They just want to worship, and they are hungry to learn. Our churches are dying, theirs are exploding. We need to learn from them about mission and ministry. Major Robyn Black (NSW/ACT Divisional Commander), left, sees off the divisional delegation to Tanzania at the airport. (Major Bindy Lupis is in the front row wearing a head scarf). Lauren: What was the aim of the mission trip?   Bindy: It was about the two territories partnering. It was about Aussie Salvos and Tanzanian Salvos doing ministry together. We visited a prison and did stuff in schools. It was not us going and doing things for them. That was a really important focus; it’s too easy for us to think we have all the answers.   Lauren: What key things did you learn there?   Bindy: For me, it taught me the real importance of getting back to basics. The Acts 2 church stuff: sitting in community, sitting with ones and twos, the home visits. The joy in the basics and the joy in the simple. To just take away all the extra ‘stuff’ and focus on just loving Jesus and loving other people and finding the joy in that. I think we have lost our joy here in the Western church. The simple joy of being together and worshipping Jesus [is so important in Tanzania.]   Lauren: You had the added joy of sharing the trip with your daughter, tell me about that.   Bindy: Yes, Hannah, she’s 15 and has a heart for mission as well. She wanted to step out of her comfort zone and grow in her confidence, and it was so evident to everyone [that God was growing her.] Part of the time was to pray for people for healing. Even I admitted that it was out of my comfort zone. But Hannah jumped right in! She stood next to one of the others who was praying, to observe and to learn. By the end of the trip, she was putting her hand on someone’s shoulder and praying with them. Just watching her interact with that was beautiful.   My heart for Africa and calling seems to be this generational thing that we share. I might never go and live there, but maybe she will. (And I’ll visit her!)   Sydney Salvo Lisa Sims immersed herself in the people and culture of Tanzania. Lisa Sims is a small business owner, wife and mother who worships at Shire Salvos in southern Sydney. Here is her interview with Lauren:   Lauren: So Lisa, what drew you to Africa on this mission trip?   Lisa:   I saw it advertised in the corps newsletter  in February [2025]  and as soon as I saw it, my heart did a leap. I’d always wanted to do a mission trip, but I still sat in this space of trying to almost get out of it. All this mind stuff started coming in, rather than [following my] heart. So, it took me until July to pay the deposit; it was like I knew once I paid the money, I was committed. However, in saying that, I continually prayed about it from February right up to when we left in October because I really wanted to be sure that this was what God wanted me to do, not just something I wanted for myself. I waited on God continually for that confirmation. During that time, the song ‘Oceans’ kept coming up: ‘Spirit, lead me where my trust is without border ...’, and that became my prayer. I felt God was leading me into deeper waters where I couldn't walk on my own and was believing that he would make my faith stronger.    We [the mission team] had a Zoom meeting four weeks out, where we all got to meet each other. Everyone was ‘on fire’, and when it got to me, I said, “I am feeling so out of my depth and comfort zone! I don’t know what I’m doing!” They were talking about not having a big plan and wanting to allow space to go where the Spirit leads, and that was a huge difference to the way I usually plan things. Then they mentioned we had just received permission to go into a prison and meet with the prisoners. And everyone’s going, “Yay, hallelujah!” and I was like, “Really?”    I got off the Zoom meeting, and I said to my husband, “I don’t know what I signed up for!” I was feeling so out of my comfort zone and unsure of what to expect. So, I kept praying and, very quickly, I felt at peace. That in itself was confirmation that it was the right thing. We [the team] spent a lot of time in those weekly meetings preparing ourselves spiritually. [Auxiliary-Lieutenant] Katharine Brown, together with the other team leaders, led us with thoughtful and challenging devotions and helped prepare us spiritually for what God wanted to do.    “Looking back, I realise it was really about obedience – saying yes even when I didn't feel ready or qualified, and trusting that God would equip me as I went. And he did!”  Lauren: How was it when you actually got to Tanzania?   Lisa:   It was so good. So many times, I saw and felt God move. So many unforgettable experiences.   [Prior to this trip], my whole idea of the healing ministry was, “Can God heal?” I thought, “Of course he can, 100 per cent”, but did I have limitations on that? Yes, I think I did. We live in a society where if you are sick, you go to the doctor. I still believed God could heal, but I think I was putting him in a box. Over there, I did see healing [and] deliverance.   In a home visit, there was a little old lady who was so tight and hunched over. We prayed over her, and we saw deliverance. There is no denying the joy that was on her face. I’ll never forget that look. She was so free, and she was actually moving her arms and stretching her whole body out.    I am a lawyer – a very rational and even person – and then all of a sudden, [I find myself saying], “I saw healing, I saw deliverance.”   Lauren: How has the experience changed you?   Lisa:   It was the whole thing of expectation. I went in thinking, “Can this really happen?” and came out knowing, “Wow, God is so good, and we have to be expectant.” It’s made me bolder ... and expectant. Lisa interacts with a small child during the visit to Tanzania. One of my challenges now is that I started to feel so free over there – free in the Spirit and free to do what the Spirit wants me to do, and to be listening to the prompts and acting on them straight away. The challenge is for that freedom to continue when I get home ... that I don’t fall into the ‘norm’. They [the Tanzanian people] are so spiritual and are so thirsty for God. They don’t have what we have – all the systems and solutions that we can access so easily. They go straight to God. We’re so fortunate to have those things, but sometimes that means we go to them first instead of God. Their faith really challenged and inspired me to go to God first in everything!   And the generosity and joy I saw in everyone, even with so little, it was true community. They gave so much in faith, in worship (and dance), and in love.    Lauren: What do you think God has next for you?   Lisa:   I am seeing that this was a calling that God wanted me to fulfil, because I’m still seeing the fruits of it now. I’m sitting in this space of, “Ok God, what’s next?”    You always come home from trips and camps on a high, but this is much deeper than that. I know that it will start to settle as well, but I also know that God has taken me deeper and has made my faith stronger. My prayer now is to remain in this space, to not lose that boldness and freedom that he stirred in me, and to keep stepping out in faith because I know he will always be there to meet me.   Auxiliary-Lieutenant Katharine Brown speaks at a church service, held in a very rudimentary structure, during the mission trip. “They just want to worship, and they are hungry to learn,” says Major Bindy Lupis.

Dear friends,  ‌ Today, as Australia pauses for the National Day of Mourning following the tragic events at Bondi last month, we remember the 15 innocent lives taken and the loved ones who now carry a deep and lasting ache. We also honour the courage of first responders and community members who acted with selfless bravery. Let us pray for healing where trauma remains, comfort where grief overwhelms and peace where fear lingers. ‌ The national theme,  ‘Light will win, a gathering of unity and remembrance ’, reminds us that hope still rises, even in dark and difficult days.  ‌I also want to acknowledge the extraordinary service, compassion and quiet strength shown by Salvation Army personnel who have supported those impacted – whether through chaplaincy, pastoral care, practical assistance, or simply sitting beside someone in their pain. Thank you for being a faithful and gentle presence of Christ; your ministry reflects the heart of who we are and bears witness to the truth that light indeed will win.  ‌If you are in the area, the Bondi Junction Salvos Store will be holding a reflective service at 11am today, and you are welcome to attend.  ‌I encourage you to take time on the National Day of Mourning for reflection and prayer. Hold one another close, and may the light of Christ guide our steps as we continue to serve a hurting world with grace.  ‌ With gratitude, Commissioner Miriam Gluyas Territorial Commander Australia Territory For more information on the National Day of Mourning, go to the Australian Government website here .

Volunteers from Ukraine’s Kropyvnytskyi Corps provide a hot meal and a moment of warmth on the frozen streets. As winter temperatures begin to bite in the Northern Hemisphere, Salvation Army teams are out and about, caring for the homeless and hungry, the lonely and those seeking, not just warm drinks, but a warm atmosphere and a place to belong. Salvos Online journalist SIMONE WORTHING highlights winter work being carried out by The Salvation Army in places like Ukraine, Canada, England and Sweden.   Ukraine – love on frozen streets Despite the severe cold and ongoing Russian attacks on electricity and heating infrastructure in war-torn Ukraine, The Salvation Army continues to support communities. Salvationists and volunteers from Kropyvnytskyi Corps, amid rolling blackouts, provided hot meals and compassionate care to homeless individuals on local streets, “Living on the streets with temperatures dropping to –21°C is unimaginable,” a Salvation Army worker said. “Please keep our division, the country, and Ukrainians in your thoughts and prayers.”   Canada – hope in the subarctic It has become an annual tradition for students from St Patrick High School in Yellowknife (400km south of the Arctic Circle) to support The Salvation Army during the holiday season through food donations.   As part of a school Christmas initiative, the students formed a human chain to move more than 100 boxes of non-perishable food items from the street into The Salvation Army.   This initiative takes place each year and the partnership between the school and the Army has become a local highlight of the holiday season.    “It is one of our favourite activities,” said Jennifer Butler, community and family services manager at The Salvation Army. “The students lined up across the street and brought loads of boxes into our food room.” This donation came during one of the most critical times for the Yellowknife community. Hundreds of people who access Salvation Army services continue to struggle with the high cost of living, particularly during Christmas time.    “Our food bank helps up to 400 families each month, so this support will keep us going for a little while,” Jennifer adds. “Donations like these make a real difference for the families and individuals who rely on us.”   Major Tony Brushett, executive director at The Salvation Army in Yellowknife, complimented the positive energy and enthusiasm of the young participants. “Seeing students participate in this initiative is also a hopeful glimpse into the future,” he said. Students form a human chain to load boxes of food into The Salvation Army.  (Photo by: Lisa Lesse,  My North Now) England – connection through fireside chats A warm firepit and warmer conversations have brought men together to improve their mental health at Rotherham Salvation Army. Chaplain Paul ‘Huggy’ Huggins, who started ‘The Firepit’ said: “The idea was ‘new playground, new playmates’, giving people a place to be where they are supported with good people around them. “The group also meet for quiz nights, walks, curry nights and go on trips twice a year. Craig, a Salvation Army volunteer and Firepit visitor added: “You can openly say ‘I’m struggling’ without having to think about the repercussions. You can discuss your feelings with no judgment.”  Sweden – assistance finding a place to live In the capital, Stockholm, hundreds of families face homelessness. The Salvation Army’s Housing First program is aimed at homeless women throughout Stockholm County. The goal is to assist 15 families a year to obtain a first-choice contract with a private landlord – for which The Salvation Army provides financial guarantees and individually tailored support programs and referrals. For at least 80 per cent of these families, there is an increased chance of The Salvation Army helping them to find a permanent place to live. Per-Johan Fernström (left) is the spokesperson for homelessness issues at The Salvation Army. Photo: Teresia Jansson. The Salvation Army’s Carolina Lövmark and Jenny Alm (right). Photo: Jonas Nimmersjö. .

The SAES WA container kitchen at a recent deployment. Image: Facebook The Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) in Western Australia have been activated to a large bushfire for an extended response period. The first, near Ravensthorpe, approximately 5.5 hours south of Perth, is burning in Fitzgerald River National Park. The SAES team have begun feeding 250 emergency personnel, with breakfast and dinner service commencing today and meals continuing for five days. The team’s container kitchen system has also been deployed to the site. The fire follows weeks of similar activations , with crews being deployed to multiple fires since 1 December. Across the country, SAES crews have been busy supporting first responders assisting with both fires and flooding . Would you like to become a Salvation Army Emergency Services volunteer? Click here for more information.

Did The Salvation Army’s founder resemble St Francis of Assisi in character and deed? BY BARRY GITTINS   If a writer chooses to ‘retcon’ a story, they do so to alter the nature of the yarn for their particular purposes; to ‘retcon’ is to introduce ‘retroactive continuity’ – to reinterpret and spin a tale, adding additional information and emphases. A good example is when a Salvationist writer named Staff-Captain Douglas chose to use that narrative technique to tell the life story of Francis of Assisi (as Protestants, the Salvos weren’t big on the individual honorific ‘Saint’). This was done in the debut ‘Red Hot’ library series title, named Brother Francis, or Less than the Least (you could pick up a copy for sixpence). The ‘borrowing’ of the saint seemed to serve the purpose of presenting him as a prototypical Salvationist, and a forerunner of William Booth, no less! A disinterested, impartial observer might suggest that the decision would have required a certain amount of chutzpah , or audacity; self-belief and assurance of a divinely mandated destiny were certainly qualities that Salvationists had in abundance. Revising and redescribing the life of Saint Francis in Salvationist terms – claiming him as one of our own – was promoted 131 years ago in the November 1895 issue of The Officer magazine.   Army values It has to be said that Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone (1181-1226), as the saint started out his life, was already a pretty well-known fellow. His considerable reputation in and beyond the Catholic Church centred around his adherence to poverty, chastity and obedience – very Salvation Army values indeed.  Moreover, the saint was universally known and lauded for his theological reform, his mystical connections to Creator, his fellow creatures, and to Creation on the whole. There was also his courageous dabbling in international diplomacy, the chats with angels, exorcisms, miraculous healings, his ability to levitate, his development of stigmata, etc. The spine of The Officer edition in 1895.   Douglas started in on her subject, The Officer tells us, by presenting only “those traits in his wonderful character and recorded incidents in his wonderful career [that she] calculated to be helpful to those whose first desire is ‘To seek first the kingdom of God’,” thus rendering “a concise and most interesting record of a truly remarkable and apostolic life”. For starters, Francis had a conversion from an idle life of wealth and luxury that read as if he’d knelt at a mercy seat in glorious blood-and-fire fashion. “Brought up to a life of self-indulgence, ease and pleasure,” we are told, he was “handsome and gay, very musical, the possessor of a fine voice … the recognised leader of the gay youth of that era”. Skipping over the youth’s military service and various adventures, such as imprisonment as a POW, The Salvation Army narrative describes Francis’ painful illness, lying “at death’s door”, before “he received pardon and a change of heart through Christ, and immediately renounced the world, its companionships, and pleasures … [He] followed the leadings of his conscience implicitly, utterly regardless of his health and life.” Francis was perceived “by his friends and acquaintances to be a religious maniac, and was often chased and pelted with mud and stones in the streets” (surely, we can infer, a forerunner of the Army’s persecution with their open-air meetings and the like).   “Anyone reading this,” continued the narrator, “cannot but be struck with the similarity of the divine call of our beloved leader, and his first efforts and ingathering.” This seemed crystal clear to the tellers of the tale, “especially as we look today upon the gigantic and glorious results of his [William Booth’s] having fearlessly and devotedly followed God’s direction.” This painting of William Booth, titled ‘Of many thousand mortals, one perchance, striveth for the truth’ (Lao Russell) by Anita Ivancic, was donated to the William Booth Memorial Centre in Adelaide in 1984.* Further twinning of the saint and the Army’s founder was found with the observation that others “were also led to follow Francis [whose] force continued to swell in numbers until he found himself at the head of one of the greatest religious orders of the day [and the] leader of thousands of devoted followers, whose uniform was the same … as he wore.”   Furthermore, Francis seemed to share the qualities that the general public of the day associated with Booth: taking “joy in suffering”, being “cheerful and agreeable [?]”, working to “help and bless individuals”, living a life of “actual purity”, and benefiting from “his experiences of apparent failure”. All things, for both Francis and William, doubtless worked together for good (Romans 8:28).  As for the ultimate purpose of enlisting Francis to the Army’s cause? No less an authority than the then Chief of the Staff, Bramwell Booth, declared that Francis was a fitting subject for Salvationists and worth a read. This was actually something of a loosening of the reins. The article as it appeared in the November 1895 issue of The Officer  magazine. The article’s anti-intellectual leanings had noted that – generally speaking – “officers with a true sense of their responsibilities have no time, and should have no inclination to read … In the midst of their multitudinous duties, the time at the disposal of officers will necessarily be very limited.” The exception was perhaps if the book was biblical or a Salvation Army book, which would keep Salvos focused and keen: “It must be advisable to read only those books that have proved helpful and an inspiration to others who they know to be actuated by the same high purpose.” The life of the fellow from Assisi, the claimed forbear who was seen as similar in like and calling to the Salvation Army’s first General, was judged worthy of study, and to be “actuated by the same high purpose”. *Footnote on the painting and the artist (as told by former Salvation Army Museum Manager Lindsay Cox: “Anita Ivancic (the artist) had suffered a serious illness that left her bedridden for months and during this time she had picked up a book and started to read about William Booth. As she read about the founder of The Salvation Army she became almost obsessed by his character and his work. She endeavoured to find every publication she could on the life and work of William Booth and of The Salvation Army. Anita came to the conclusion (and I quote her here), ‘This man was almost God himself in the work he was doing for people.’ This inspired her to do the painting she later donated to the (Adelaide) Centre, and which came to the (Salvation Army) Museum today (Feb 2024).”