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The Salvation Army provides emergency relief support for Typhoon Ragasa victims in the Philippines. In response to the widespread devastation in the Philippines caused by Typhoon Ragasa (known locally as Typhoon Nando), which hit northern Luzon in September 2025, The Salvation Army is mobilising emergency relief efforts to support 1200 families in the hardest-hit areas.   The super typhoon has left communities reeling, with homes destroyed, livelihoods lost and access to food and clean water severely disrupted.   Immediate assessments conducted in coordination with local government units and community leaders revealed a critical shortage of food, water and hygiene supplies.    To address this urgent need, The Salvation Army is distributing food packs containing rice, canned goods, noodles, coffee, bottled water and hygiene kits. These relief goods aim to meet the immediate nutritional and health needs of affected residents while complementing the efforts of government and other humanitarian agencies.   Salvation Army teams are working closely with local authorities to ensure the rapid and efficient delivery of aid. Priority is being given to the most severely affected areas to maximise impact and reach those in greatest need.

An image from 1897 showing two Salvationists praying for a ‘drunkard’ and leading him to Christ. (Right) An excerpt from the 1935 War Cry. BY BARRY GITTINS There’s nothing like a claim of divine intervention to bolster the spirits of the faithful, and the Salvos believe, like the cinematic brothers in blues from the 1980s, that they are on a mission from God – and with some divine assistance and guidance, they’ll set things right with the world. Part of that mission used to be “a series of ‘drunks’ raids”, where Salvationists would seek out people who were the worse for wear, to render aid and share their faith. On more than one occasion, 90 years ago, the Salvos believed their efforts, aided by God’s intervention, meant that “suicide was averted and domestic strife ended”. In a 1935 War Cry report from Footscray (6km drive west from Melbourne’s CBD), we read that the corps officer, Major Carnell, felt led to lead his troops to a different spot for their open-air meeting; on the way back “they encountered a man ‘manifestly in great mental distress’”, who they persuaded to accompany them back to the hall. There, he told them a “pitiful tale” as he prayed. “Had it not been for the music of the band,” we read, “he probably would have taken his life by his own hand, as he sorrowfully confessed, for when the Army passed by, he was on his way to the railway line to throw himself under a passing train.” The man found peace with God and his newfound friends; he’d once “held a high position of trust, but drink had destroyed all his prospects in life… Plans are being made for his future.” READ MORE: The Salvation Army’s war on drink The same major reported that one Sunday morning, a bloke asked him to “visit a woman leaning over a gate further up the street”. He saw “a pitiful sight” – a young woman’s face “swollen and besmeared with blood. She had been shamefully beaten by her husband, who, the officer learned, was inside.” The Salvo tried to reassure the assaulted woman and then confronted the husband. The Salvo confronted him “about his wrongdoing”, before speaking and praying with both the victim and the perpetrator in the one room; the article reports a penitent husband and his wife were drawn together, and “a touching reconciliation was effected”. The major told his soldiers the story of that morning during the holiness meeting, and “two women Salvationists volunteered to visit the home regularly”; the abused wife attended the salvation meeting that very night. Adverse mental health, suicidal ideation and domestic violence are still very much a part of the social fabric, although the prospect of groups like The Salvation Army accosting impacted people on the streets has been greatly reduced by societal and cultural change. Are we likely to intervene in people’s lives these days, or be on the lookout for signs of God doing so? As General Albert Orsborn wrote, “except I am moved with compassion, how dwelleth Thy Spirit in me? In word and deed, burning love is my need; I know I can find his in Thee.”

As we continue to shine a light on hidden hunger during Anti-Poverty Week, Will’s story explores what happens when poverty hits home and how simple, unconditional support from The Salvation Army helped one family reclaim stability, dignity and hope. To find out more about Will's story, read Salvos Online journalist Lerisse Smith’s feature ‘ When the cupboard is bare ’ .

The Salvation Army Home in Pakenham served many purposes at the turn of the 20 th  century, lastly as a refuge for men. BY COREY EVERITT*   Many may know the Salvation Army today through their numerous op shops, but behind that lies a rich history that has impacted countless lives for over a century, and Pakenham (Vic.) was no exception.   A new book from the Berwick Pakenham Historical Society chronicles the many lives connected to the Salvation Army Home between 1892 and 1919.   A launch for When the Army Came to Pakenham: Salvation Army Home Pakenham 1892–1919 was held last weekend to mark its release. Attendees had the chance to hear firsthand from the author about this prominent institution in early local history.   Historical Society member Penny Harris Jennings researched extensive documentation to profile the many individuals who passed through The Salvation Army Home in Pakenham, including both those who received their service and those who provided it.   Some had well-documented histories. Others were patchy across the various iterations of the Army Home, which ranged from rehabilitating ex-convicts and addicts to housing the elderly.   “There are some really sad stories, but there are also others that are really beautiful,” Ms Jennings said.   The most well-known person to pass through those old walls was adventurer Harold Lasseter (1880-1931), famous for his claim of discovering a large gold reef in Central Australia. His quest to rediscover ‘Lasseter’s Reef’ ultimately led to his death.   Many biographies have unearthed details of his early life, including a previously hidden period of institutionalisation as a young man. This included a year at the Pakenham Salvation Army Home after he was convicted of burglary at the age of 17.   Ms Jennings also cherishes the quieter stories. Her personal favourite is that of a young woman named Jesse Cuthbert. She resided at the home around the turn of the century, and documents described her stay as “idle and disorderly.”   After leaving in 1898, she moved to Western Australia, where she married a Chinese man named Frederick Ah Wing.   They both changed their names and were later referred to as “Mr and Mrs Washing.”   Jesse defied her supposed disorderliness to become a beloved mother.   The book weaves the history of the home together with the early beginnings of the town of Pakenham. The institution was established on land that is today located along Army Road.   Founded during the 1890s depression, the Army Home served as a Prison Gate Brigade, then successively as a boys’ reformatory, girls’ reformatory, and finally an aged men’s retreat before being sold.   You can get a copy of the book by contacting Ms Jennings at: pennyharrisjennings@gmail.com   *Article reproduced courtesy of the Pakenham Officer Star News   Packing up heaps of mission at Pakenham   A photo, c.1898, of men at Pakenham who have made fruit packing boxes. BY BARRY GITTINS   Pioneering Salvation Army programs and properties had a flexibility of purpose, name and mission focus that seems rapid compared to later eras.   Take, for example, the Army’s efforts at Pakenham, Victoria. The 1 March 1902 issue of The Salvation Army’s War Cry journal reported that the Pakenham property was re-purposed as an aged men’s facility; ‘Beulah – Our Pakenham Old Men’s Home’. (A 1957 War Cry made the claim that this was ‘the first home for aged men in The Salvation Army world’.)   Back in 1892, the Army had leased and later bought a Pakenham property as a ‘Salvation Army Farm Colony’. Accommodating 80 homeless men, the initiative directly addressed the financial and social devastation caused by the 1890s depression.   The Pakenham Farm Colony, run on the lines of William Booth’s Darkest England Scheme, sat on 750 acres. It was situated 56 km east of Melbourne and was also known as the Pakenham Industrial Farm, the Pakenham Labour Colony, and the Pakenham Social Farm.   Touted as the ‘first farm colony in Australia and a free labour bureau’, 100 unemployed men could gain some relief and accommodation, and earn from 12-15 shillings each week of their stay. The men cut timber into firewood, made wooden fruit boxes for the produce they grew, and transported it all to Melbourne via a three-mile tramway especially installed to get stuff from the farm to Pakenham Railway Station.   The Depression passed, and Pakenham was subsequently used as a Boys’ Home, and then a Girls’ Home, before becoming ‘Beulah’.

Commissioner Miriam Gluyas conducts the installation ceremony for new Divisional Commander Major Mal Davies and Assistant Divisional Commander Major Kate Baudinette. Photos: Major Steven Haworth BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE Major Mal Davies has been installed as the new Victoria Divisional Commander and Major Kate Baudinette as Assistant Divisional Commander during a special divisional gathering in Melbourne. Territorial Commander Commissioner Miriam Gluyas conducted the installation ceremony on Sunday 12 October at the Hyatt Place Event Centre in Essendon Fields. Nine Salvationists from across the division were also awarded at the event for their pioneering spirit in ministry and social work. The event, attended by hundreds of Salvationists, also featured the Salvos Big Band and the Children’s Ministry Team. Mal, who has been Assistant Divisional Commander for Victoria, replaces Colonel Kelvin Merrett, who recently retired from his role as Victorian Divisional Commander. Kate leaves her role as Area Officer for Metro East Melbourne, which is now led by Major Darren Elkington. Miriam called it a “wonderful day” for the Victoria Division, and referenced the catchphrase of the event, saying the awards and installations provided a challenge to “be bold”. “I love that Mal and Kate will continue on with the vision of ‘recasting the nets’ across the division, looking for the best ways to see the Kingdom advance,” Miriam said.  New Victoria Divisional Commander Major Mal Davies and Assistant Divisional Commander Major Kate Baudinette speak after being installed into their new leadership roles. Mal said the day had been a great success, and it was encouraging to see such enthusiasm and optimism for the future of The Salvation Army. “We chose the theme ‘Be Bold!’ because we want Salvationists to move forward with courage and conviction, and because in an increasingly secular culture, we want Christians to stand up and boldly declare their faith. Mal added, “Colonel Kelvin Merrett began working towards some new principles under the banner ‘Recasting the Net’ and Kate and I will continue with that work as we’re seeing so many positive signs of growth and innovation across the Victoria Division. “I’m delighted to have Kate as Assistant DC as she brings such a spiritual maturity and strength to divisional leadership. We have no doubt at all that we’re in a spiritual battle, and Kate and I are ready for the fight.” Pioneering Awards Major Kim Haworth (right) prays over the award recipients alongside Commissioner Miriam Gluyas – five were present on the day including (from left) Dr Wilma Gallet, Major Robbin Moulds, Helen McClimont (for her late husband Graeme) and Majors Vanessa and Robert Evans. Seven received James Barker Pioneering Awards for Social Mission. They were: Jane Barnes – for her instrumental work in pioneering a significant shift from the congregate care model of homelessness support to independent living, integrated with a multidisciplinary approach. Major Ashley Davies – for adapting and implementing the Positive Lifestyle Program, a conversation-based course, to better reflect Australia’s unique cultural context and meet the real needs of those who needed it most.   Major David Eldridge – for being a driving force in developing youth homelessness services in Australia. Dr Wilma Gallet – for leading the pioneering development of Employment Services for The Salvation Army. Major Graeme McClimont (posthumous) – for his leadership in advancing Australia’s response to youth homelessness. The award was collected by his wife, Helen. Major Robbin Moulds – for being instrumental in the establishment, growth and development of Street Level. Jenny Plant – for being instrumental in launching a TSA–Victoria Police partnership supporting high-risk families, and for leading the creation of International Overdose Awareness Day, evolving from a local initiative to a WHO-recognised Global Day of Remembrance for lives lost to addiction. Majors Robert and Vanessa Evans and their Cutmore Award. Majors Robert and Vanessa Evans were also honoured with the Commissioners Ian and Nancy Cutmore Award for their exceptional service in planting new corps across the Solomon Islands. The Evanses originally received the award at their farewell service in the Solomons. Click here to read that story. Click through the slideshow below for more photos of the service (all photos by Major Steven Haworth):

Each week throughout 2025, Salvationists around the world are uniting in prayer for a particular territory or region of The Salvation Army.   The focus territory/region shares prayer requests to help us pray with precision and power for one another.   This week ( 13-19 October ) we pray for The Salvation Army in Western India.    The India Western Territory has 627 officers (394 active and 233 retired); 17 cadets; 221 corps; 109 outposts; 32,699 senior soldiers; 1773 adherents; 5311 junior soldiers; 341 employees.   “Commissioner Daniel Raju Dasari leads the territory, assisted by Chief Secretary Lieut-Colonel Zothanmawia Khiangte.   The work of the territory includes: ·  Education ·  Hospitals ·  Food services ·  Support for street children ·  Modern slavery and human trafficking response   General Lyndon and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham visited the India Western Territory in February 2025. Please pray for: Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) approval:  Pray that the FCRA approval is not cancelled. If withdrawn, many centres will face serious difficulties. We seek God’s intervention so that the territory’s ministries may continue smoothly. National Officers’ Council (3-6 November 2025, Chennai):  Pray for officers and leaders from all six territories as they gather. May the Holy Spirit move powerfully, bringing revival across India and leading many to walk in God’s way. Senior Officers’ Council (24-27 September 2025):  Pray for all officers who participated in this council which focused on sustainability, FCRA contingency, and strengthening the territory’s mission responsibilities. Candidates for officership:  The territory needs dedicated people to offer themselves for officership training. Pray that God will raise up faithful candidates to serve him. Seminars: Various seminars are being conducted in different sections of ministry. Pray that each seminar will be fruitful and bring transformation in every area of service. Vocational Bible Study for children:  Pray for the sectional Bible studies planned for Sunday school children. May the children, teachers, and participants be blessed, and may many young hearts come to the mercy seat to accept Jesus as their personal Saviour.  To find out more about The Salvation Army in India Western Territory here . To find out more about The Salvation Army across India, click here . To download the 2025 International Prayer Focus schedule, click here .   For more information on The Salvation Army’s prayer focus, click here .

Young people in Shepparton were encouraged to dress up and let loose for a night to remember as part of Cinema Cosplay at the local Village Cinema. BY LERISSE SMITH Lights, camera ... action!  These three iconic words proved the winning formula for a night packed with fun and fanfare, as superheroes, villains and everything in between burst onto the scene at Village Cinemas Shepparton for the recent Salvos North East Youth Services Cinema Cosplay event. The high-energy night officially kicked off ‘Youth Fest’ for Greater Shepparton, a month-long celebration in September championing youth creativity, achievement, and community connection through promoting interactive activities. Cinema Cosplay was the brainchild of young people connected with The Salvation Army North East Youth Services (NEYS), based in Shepparton, with the cinema coming on board as both the venue and event partner. Young people were encouraged to dress up and let loose for a night to remember. “We had a great turnout for a really niche subject matter like Cosplay,” said Jim Gow, Youth Participation Worker at NEYS. “This event was the idea of young people for other young people. The Village Cinema Shepparton provided a couple of prizes for the winner of the best dressed and encouragement award – so it was great to have that sort of support locally.” Since 2008, NEYS has been supporting young people aged 16 to 25 with housing needs, helping thousands locally across the region secure long-term accommodation, including access to crisis housing owned and operated locally. But its support goes beyond bricks and mortar. Jim said the services team continued to look at fresh ways to engage young people 12-25 years old through events such as Cosplay that tapped into youth interests – especially in pop culture and creative spaces. “We too often hear that there is nothing to do in the area for young people, so we are constantly looking to change that, especially when it comes to putting on new and dynamic events that we haven’t tried before,” he said. “This is very much a space that the youth services are looking to move into. Cosplay was about combining cosplay, or costume play, in this case a ‘Marvel’ theme, combined with a Marvel movie,  The Fantastic Four: First Step . Overall, I think it was a good event and look to possibly change a few things for next time to make it even bigger and better.”

The new campaign aims to fund the refurbishment of The Salvation Army Women’s Refuge in Papua New Guinea. BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE The 2025-26 Making it Happen project has been announced, with the wellbeing of women and children experiencing family and domestic violence (FDV) in Papua New Guinea the focus of fundraising for the initiative. Papua New Guinea (PNG) is one of the most dangerous places to be a woman or girl , with more than 1.5 million people in the country experiencing gender-based violence per year. The goal of the Making it Happen appeal is to raise $150,000 (AUD) to fund the refurbishment of The Salvation Army Women’s Refuge. Salvation Army International Development’s (SAID) Special Projects Lead Major Jenny Begent says the refuge is in dire need of repairs to the paintwork, flooring and bathroom facilities, new furnishings and bedding, as well as an expansion to the facility to accommodate women with more than one child in their care. Jenny says despite the challenges of the facility’s infrastructure, the staff at the centre were still doing amazing work. She says for women who are facing FDV, a refuge is often a last resort and making such a decision can be accompanied by a lot of shame. “If women come into a safe space and feel welcome but also feel empowered and supported, then that's the best we can do in the first instance to lift their spirits a bit so that they get to a point where they [feel like] ‘actually, I can do this, I am in a safe space, it's only for a short time, and I will get through it’,” Jenny says. “I think the physical environment adds to those feelings. The space being lovely and clean and welcoming – it all adds to their recovery and their ability to get some perspective to live beyond the violence.” Jenny has a passion for those impacted by FDV following years of experience in the sector. She says she would also like to see the money go to providing a stronger resource base for women, including teaching life skills to women who have experienced FDV, education, training and a training module for corps officers to understand best practice for referrals. She says she would also like to see some more grassroots work with men, helping them to understand women’s rights, how to treat their partners well and how to appropriately care for their families. She says PNG is not the only nation facing this issue, as Australia also has its own heartbreaking challenges in this area, with one Australian woman a week being killed by an intimate partner*. “You just have to keep whittling away at it,” Jenny says. “I think if we can start that work, particularly with officers in PNG who really are embedded in their communities, then we've got a shot at changing communities.” For more information on the project and how to give, click here To go to The Salvation Army Family and Domestic Violence site, click here *Source: The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported that on average in 2023-24, one woman was killed every eight days by an intimate partner. To read more, go to https://www.aihw.gov.au/family-domestic-and-sexual-violence/responses-and-outcomes/domestic-homicide .

Countless families are going hungry - but thanks to the Salvos Foodbank, food donations are delivering help, hope and life-changing support to people like Will's family.  (photo courtesy of  iStockphoto.com ) Will knows hunger all too well. As a young boy growing up in Melbourne in a single-parent home from the age of nine, he endured nights when sleep replaced dinner and the fridge stood empty. Now a successful IT Executive, Will shared his experience of food hunger and insecurity with Salvos Online journalist LERISSE SMITH to shine a light on hidden hunger during Anti-Poverty Week – and how the Salvos helped transform his family’s life.     The moment Will first poured Coco Pops cereal into a bowl of full-cream milk is indelibly imprinted into his memory.   He was 10 years old.   But it wasn’t just a   long-awaited breakfast cereal treat or chocolatey indulgence that made it memorable.   For Will, it was a defining and momentous occasion – one that signalled, for the first time in a long time, life was going to be okay. His stomach would be full of delicious treats thanks to the Salvos Foodbank .  There was finally food in the house to enjoy – not just rations to barely survive on.   Will enjoyed his first bowl of chocolate cereal at 10 years of age thanks to the Foodbank Salvos. ( photo courtesy of Cottonbro Studio,  pexels.com ) And with it came something even more nourishing: hope.   “I had not been able to have Coco Pops ever as a child up until that point,” he recalled.   “Knowing food was for survival, not enjoyment, was the source of shame and embarrassment. I recall feeling desperate at meal times to satisfy hunger. Food was a competition amongst me and my siblings. When we got home (from the foodbank) and loaded up the cupboard, it was full. I remember thinking this is what other people's cupboards normally look like, and the next morning, full cream milk, Coco Pops was there in a bowl.”   Before food instability and eating for survival, not enjoyment, took hold between the ages of nine and 16, Will remembers a time when life was easier as a young boy. His parents were together and both worked steady jobs. They weren’t wealthy, but things were stable. However, finances and money were often a heated discussion point at home. It came with problems, it came with challenges, and it came with arguments. It was never far from Will’s mind that money was tied to safety – even as a child.   Then life changed forever. Will's single father struggled to care for his children and provide for them. At home, some nights were worse than others. At times, it meant sleep replaced a nonexistent dinner.  (photo courtesy of  istockphoto.com ) “My mum disappeared,” he said. “We came back from being up the shops, came back home, and she had disappeared, all the stuff gone .”   From that day forward, survival replaced stability.   Now a single dad, his father struggled to work, to pull himself up, to pull himself together, to care for his children and provide for them.   Will recalled how their family went from not struggling to worrying about food and where the next meal would come from on a daily basis. Rapidly, he was thrown into thinking about how the family would get the next meal.   “It was all about problems,” he remarked. “It was like, what next? Where do we go to?”   WATCH: An animation video of Will’s story will be uploaded on Salvos Online of Wednesday morning Desperation at mealtimes quickly set in, and food became a competition between Will and his siblings, each vying for the biggest or extra portion, pleading their case to their father.   “I didn’t have a sense of dread about our situation, we (myself and my siblings) just knew that we ate for survival,” he reflected. “And other families seemed to eat for enjoyment.”   These differences stood out most at friends’ houses, where leftovers were common, a foreign experience for Will, and name-brand items like tomato sauce sat freely on the table – never rationed.   “I would get embarrassed to invite these friends over knowing dinner at my house was widely different,” he remarked. “Inviting a friend over for dinner was another mouth to feed, which meant someone was going with less.”   Life also became quickly about getting by – however they could.   “Almost to survive, you knew that you had to do some things that you weren’t comfortable with,” he explained. “Being known as ‘cheap’ or a ‘scab’ among schoolmates, as I didn’t have my own food, rather I would need to go and hassle (or beg) other kids for their food.” In a little community hall, Will's family were given a basket and told they could choose whatever food they wanted from the Salvos – much to their disbelief. Compounding the family’s struggles was a deep scepticism toward those offering help, especially Christian organisations.  Their mother had “somewhat weaponised Christian values and beliefs”, leaving the family wary of faith-based groups. At school, church-run lunch programs allowed the opportunity for Will to enjoy free food, but the distrust remained.    “I look back and they were such nice people, such genuinely nice people. But I was horrible to them,” Will reflected. “I was thinking, I’m getting the free food, but you are not going to catch me believing in this God thing.”   At home, some nights were worse than others. At times, it meant sleep replaced a nonexistent dinner.   Then came a major turning point.   A mother of Will’s friend, active in the church, dropped off some bread to their doorstep, expecting nothing in return and with no questions asked. Suddenly, the friendship went from being good to great, Will recalled. Cheesy rolls, Boston Buns were just some of the “good stuff”.   She mentioned a Foodbank run by Salvos was available anytime if they ever needed food, disarming the feeling that the Salvos wanted something in return. So, the family decided to check it out.   Unsure of what to expect, Will’s father piled his family into the car and drove to the Foodbank. In a little community hall, the family were given a basket and told they could choose whatever they wanted – much to their disbelief. The food was laid out. No strings attached. No questions. Just help.   The family filled their basket in disbelief, amazed to find themselves choosing branded items instead of the usual no-name basics.   “I remember we just walked out and were like, what was that?!” Will recalled.   From then on, the family knew the Salvos would be there – and when the cupboards were bare. At school, Will felt the difference too. No longer the ‘scab kid’, he appreciated that the Salvos team offered help without a forced  ‘God chat’. The Salvation Army ... giving hope where it’s needed most. “I was anticipating they were going to hit us with some God chat,” he said. “I am so glad that they didn’t because it would have been such a barrier for us. What stuck around in my mind was just the desire to help above all else – that’s where it started.”   His father, burdened with shame and pride, started to soften. He began attending parenting groups and connecting with community. Life had one less worry, and food was finally enjoyed, not rationed or begged for such as in the past years.   Now, as an adult with a fiancée, home and career, Will describes himself as a very open-minded person to people's beliefs, perspectives and what drives him to be a good person.   That is who he is today. He reflects back on the tough years and the many lessons learned.   So, what would he tell his younger self?   “You can trust people,” he emphasised. “Have your wits about you ... ask for help because you are worthy of it.   Now working in the IT Industry, Will has a different perspective on the Christian organisation that exists to help others. Everyone is driven by the same purpose and the same motivation, he remarked .    “They are compelled by a mission,” he said. “Salvos were part of the food, but they are also part of some of these communities, some of these groups. “And when we would come across someone from the Salvos, my immediate thought was, they are here to help. They are part of the good ones; they are the trustworthy ones. It reframed who they are in my life.”   And his life motto?   To this day, his purpose is made up of three pillars :  make a dollar, make a difference, and don’t die doing it   – in that order! He wants to earn enough to be comfortable, to show up and make a positive difference in the community, and to ensure that being healthy is always a priority.   For those just surviving in the community and in need of help, he has a message.   “Show up as you are,” he emphasised. “You don’t need to know exactly what you want. Just start somewhere, let them know what some of the things that you’re struggling with and see what comes forward. Take one step at a time. Trust that someone knows these sorts of challenges – and that they are going to help you through it.”

Lilyrose, leader of the corps in Vanuatu (left), and Major Bindy Lupis take some time out from their busy schedules to enjoy a relaxing cuppa and chat. Major Bindy Lupis is National Response Manager for The Salvation Army’s Emergency Response Service (SAES) – now merged into the new Emergency, Aid and Development department (EAD), led by Daryl Crowden (General Manager). As EAD oversees The Salvation Army’s work in the South Pacific Island nation of Vanuatu, Bindy is supporting Lilyrose (corps leader in the capital, Port Vila) in a mentoring role. She shared some reflections about her recent visit to Vanuatu in an interview with  Salvos Online  journalist  SIMONE WORTHING . Can you share some of your experiences during your recent visit to Port Vila? I was in Vanuatu from 28 August to 4 September. The visit was a mix of working with Daryl Crowden (General Manager EAD), checking in on the development work following the earthquake that struck near the coast of Vanuatu on 17 December last year, a visit to one of the schools where we have installed a water tank, and meeting with other stakeholders. The annual beach picnic is a highlight for everyone. This was also my first visit to meet with the faith community at The Salvation Army’s 21 Jump Street site and see all that happens there. I spent a few days getting to know them and their community. This included a church family outing to the beach on the Saturday, leading worship along with Lilyrose (who currently overseas the corps) on Sunday, and visiting the property that helps support some of the women to grow and cook food to sell so they have an income to support their families. There were also lots of opportunities to sit and chat, see the food gardens and the Mama’s kitchen, play with the children and just do life together for the few days. READ MORE: Australian officers lead Salvos response to earthquake in Vanuatu. What does your mentoring role involve? How will you manage this from Australia? The ‘overseeing’ of the work of The Salvation Army in Vanuatu is currently in a time of transition, and there are conversations with International Headquarters (IHQ) about what it will look like going forward. However, during this time it was identified that what would be most helpful for Lilyrose is to have someone in more of a ‘mentor’ role. So, for me, this looks like chatting when we can via video calls, and a couple of visits a year. Really, it looks like me cheering on my sister, praying with and for her and advocating for her when needed, from Australia.     What did you love about your recent visit, and what was challenging for you? There was so much to love and, to be honest, I am hoping The Salvation Army takes its time deciding what is next so I can continue to do life with the Vanuatu family as long as possible. I am part of them now! Bindy spent time engaging with children and youth. The Salvos in Vanuatu are blessed to have stacks of young people as part of the faith community. I was welcomed beautifully by them, and it was pretty rare to go anywhere without holding hands with two or three children at once. The young people are leading the way there. They are using their gifts to serve their community, they are passionate about visiting elderly community members to sing and give food, they are proud of the food gardens and all that their church is doing and their part in it, and they love to worship. This excites me! However, it is also one of the things that challenged me. To know that, despite so much incredible potential in these young people, not all of them will have the opportunities to fully discover and step into their strengths and passions.    How are the corps and Jump Street residents coping since the earthquake?   From my point of view, having not been there after the earthquake, I see a resilient community of faith who have gotten back on their feet to continue loving and serving each other and their community. They want to learn from it, and Lilyrose has a dream to build a bigger, stronger church building that will be a safe shelter for the community during the next earthquake or cyclone. There are still visible signs of the damage the earthquake caused, but there are also signs of life returning to normal. There was a sense of excitement and busyness on Sunday when a cruise ship was docked off the coast and tourists filled the markets buying local handicrafts. This is so vital for the local economy. READ MORE: Australia wraps up Vanuatu response following earthquake What would you particularly like to share about getting to know the Vanuatu Salvation Army family? There were so many special moments, conversations, stories I could share, but my one little subtle ‘soapbox’ is that The Salvation Army in Vanuatu understands what it means to be an Acts 2 church. They don’t get caught up in what they don’t have or complain about lack of money or resources or an inadequate building. They are generous with the little they do have, and they just get on with doing life together and serving their community in all that they do. It’s a beautiful expression of the Kingdom.  Joy and family at the Vanuatu Corps annual picnic, with Daryl Crowden (far left) and Major Bindy Lupis (centre, in hat).

Girls everywhere need our love, care, attention and empowerment, writes Rosy Keane. BY AUXILIARY-LIEUTENANT ROSY KEANE   You may or may not have heard of the International Day of the Girl Child , celebrated this year on 11 October, which was yesterday, with the theme The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead .   Most articles about the Day of the Girl Child will be written and read by adults, yet our hope is to turn our hearts and minds toward the girls in our midst and around the world, focusing our efforts on recognising their value and participating in actions to co-create a better future for them.  The statistics are frightening: 133 million girls are out of school today. For perspective, the population of Australia is about 27 million. That’s almost five times our entire nation of girls without education, options or a viable future. They could not write or read this article.  Why do we have an International Day of the Girl? Because statistics like these show how uniquely vulnerable girls are. Yet the theme The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead  reminds us that girls are also uniquely empowered to transform the world.  Familiar story My great-grandmother Bel was born in 1902. When she was six years old, she was given away to make room for one of many more children. The man in the new ‘family’ quickly ended schooling for Bel, and at eight years old she was forced into farm work and house labour. Bel became one of these statistics.  She ran away and eventually was placed into one of The Salvation Army’s orphanages in rural New Zealand, where she went on to become a Salvation Army soldier. Over 120 years later, here I am, with The Salvation Army still. This tenacious young girl who endured so much impacted generations to come.  For many girls, Bel’s story isn’t so far removed from their own. Around the world, simply for the crime of being born a girl, she could face child marriage, female genital mutilation, sex trafficking and forced labour, male violence and compromised access to health care. She will also grow up to be disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis.  At times, it could feel frightening to be born a girl, and maybe even like a curse.  God’s perspective But the Scriptures remind us otherwise:  “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be,” (Psalm 139, verses 13–16, New International Version).   Malala Yousafzai, world-renowned activist who survived the Taliban and champions young girls’ education, shares in her book, I Am Malala , how, when she was born, her father showered her crib with coins and fruit, gifts usually reserved only for boys. Her father taught her that being a girl is a source of wonder and pride, not disappointment and pain. Because of his belief in her purpose and position, she went on to change generations.  We believe God has a great plan for us. God made girls. God does not see a girl’s birth as a curse. God’s grace to the world is girls, promising them that they can be part of restoration for the world.  What can you do?   Girls everywhere need our love, care, attention and empowerment. Their unique skills and presence in the world will herald powerful opportunities for transformation, bringing balance, creativity and growth to a world that desperately needs them. (Imagine the grace, solutions and wholeness that would emerge if five times the population of Australia worth of girls were simply given the gift of education?)  So, we ask:  Where can you give, or invest in local and international causes, that will benefit girls?  How might your heroes and examples of faith include and uplift girls?  And finally, how can your prayers and generosity transform not only Australia one life at a time, but the entire world, one girl at a time? Who knows what influence your belief in girls will have 120 years in the future.