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 (29 September – 5 October), we are praying for the Caribbean Territory, which is comprised of 16 countries: Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, French Guiana, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St Kitts, St Lucia, St Maarten, St Vincent, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Commissioners Edeline and Emmanuel Supré lead the territory. The Carribean Territory has  306 officers (252 active, 54 retired); Envoys 10; cadets 8; corps 127; outposts 45; senior soldiers 12,529; adherents 2331; junior soldiers 3726; employees 623. Children and youth are a major focus of the Caribbean Territory. The work includes ·  Education ·  Disaster response (64,000 helped in 2024) ·  Modern slavery and human trafficking response ·  Homes for older people Salvation Army teams assisted more than 64,000 people during disasters in 2024. Praise points We thank God for the success of the Future Officers’ Fellowship Conference, held 8-12 July 2025, at the Territorial Training College. Fifteen young people from seven of the sixteen participating countries committed to entering the training college in the coming years. We celebrate the fruitful Young People’s Sergeant Major and Youth Leaders online conference held on 26 May 2025. We praise God for the impactful Caribbean Music Institute (CARIMI), hosted in Kingston, Jamaica, from 8-18 August 2025, which united musicians from eight Caribbean nations. Please pray for: Strong, faith-filled local leadership and for young people – especially English and Dutch speakers – to respond to God’s call for full-time service. Salvationists in all Caribbean countries to be bold in evangelism as they expand the Army’s work into new parishes. Fruitful ministry in the Caribbean, especially in evangelism campaigns, open-air meetings, visitations and soul-winning efforts.Soldiers to support the ministry financially and practically, as we seek God’s favour in building a sustainable territory. Officers to be guided by the Holy Spirit, living with integrity and transparency as faithful stewards. The Territorial Leaders to be granted wisdom and discernment in all decision making to they lead with clarity, justice and compassion.   To find out more about the Caribbean Territory, click here . To download the 2025 International Prayer Focus schedule, click here . To find out more about The Salvation Army’s prayer focus, click here .

Officers in the sky ... (from left) Simon and Natalie Steele, Julie and Greg Howard, Jo and Mark Bulow, Michelle Gibson, David Shrimpton and Niall Gibson. Image: Supplied BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE Salvationists, dignitaries and beneficiaries of The Salvation Army’s Flying Padre Service gathered in the Northern Territory recently to mark 80 years of the Salvos’ presence in the sky. Commemorative events, held in Darwin and Katherine, included a private lunch for VIPs, media and guests on Saturday 20 September, then a celebration service at Darwin Corps and an open day at Wally’s Hangar in Katherine over the following two days. Catering was provided by Red Shield Defence Services. In attendance were former Northern Territory rural and remote chaplains Majors Henry and Sue May (Retired), David Shrimpton, Majors Greg and Julie Howard , as well as current rural and remote chaplains Majors Niall and Michelle Gibson . From Queensland, Majors Natalie and Simon Steele (former Salvation Army helicopter pilot) attended, along with current fixed-wing chaplains Majors Mark and Jo Bulow . The Saturday event featured speeches and prayers by Territorial Commander and Chair of the Board Commissioner Miriam Gluyas, Darwin councillor Brian O’Gallagher MLA, Member for Karama, SA/NT Divisional Commander Major Paul Hateley and Area Officer in the Northern Territory Major Kaye Viney. The Monday event, held at Wally’s Airstrip in Katherine, was attended by the Honourable Jo Hersey MLA, Member for Katherine. (From left) Jo Hersey, Major Paul Hateley and Commissioner Miriam Gluyas. Station owners visited by the rural and remote chaplains also presented at the Saturday event, including Gai and Paul White from Queensland and Moira Lanzarin from the Northern Territory, as well as station owner and Salvationist Bess Hart who spoke through a video presentation on how she and her husband Ted became Salvation Army soldiers through the impact of the flying padres. Queensland station owner Gai White. Image: Supplied “The Salvos have been the ones who’ve been our back-stop,” Bess said. Station owner Gai White said that Queensland-based Rural and Remote Chaplain Major Mark Bulow ‘never judged’ their situation but instead showed understanding, and was always just a phone call away. Northern Territory-based station owner Moira Lanzarin also spoke of the impact of flying padres Niall and Michelle Gibson, saying that “angels really do have wings”. “I speak on behalf of all the families touched by the padres, they are there when you need an ear,” she said. Commissioner Miriam Gluyas reflected on the events, saying this was an “incredible ministry” with visits from flying padres meaning “the world” to people living in rural and remote parts of the country. Northern Territory station owner Moira Lanzarin. Image: Supplied She said hearing the stories from the ministry’s impact was a highlight, with some funny, some sad and others delightful. She said we needed the next generation of pilots to rise up, and sponsors to come forward. “Getting to remote communities is key and so are our planes,” she said. “Our ‘salt of the earth’ officers have been in the lives of people who live on these properties for 80 years, and this continues from generation to generation. [It’s an] enduring legacy.” WATCH: Still soaring with the love of Jesus Click through the slideshow below for more images of the 80th anniversary weekend:

Major Dianne Jarvey (back left) with Senator Michaelia Cash (centre) and members of the Micah Women Leaders Network, Donna Shepard and Christie Blaikie, and Micah national director Matt Darvas. BY MATTHEW PLON Major Dianne Jarvey , Faith Communities Development Secretary in Western Australia , represented The Salvation Army as a member of the Micah Women Leaders Network that recently met with Senator Michael i a Cash in Perth. Discussions with Senator Cash, Leader of the Opposition in the Australian Senate and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, focused on how the network might influence a bipartisan approach to the Safer World for All campaign , which aims to increase Australian Aid to up to 1 per cent of the Federal Budget. “The Salvation Army’s involvement in this campaign is vital because it speaks directly to the heart of who we are and what we are called to do,” said Dianne. “At its core, this work reflects the calling of Jesus: to stand with those who have no voice, to care for those who cannot advocate for themselves, and to bring hope where it is needed most.”  Dianne became involved with the Micah Women Leaders Network after being invited on a delegation to Canberra in 2023. “It proved to be both inspiring and deeply challenging. A step well outside my comfort zone,” she sa id . “Yet from that moment, I knew I could never see the world the same way again.”  “What struck me most was the power of unity. I believe we are always stronger together, and when women come together with a shared purpose in God’s mission, nothing is impossible.” The Micah Women Leaders Network has held over 200 meeting s with politicians since 2018 and currently has 250 members from 12 different denominations. Dianne says that this is one of the network ’ s most powerful aspects.  “When we raise our voices collectively from different traditions, with one purpose , we demonstrate to the world that unity is possible, that peace can happen, and that God’s people can be a force for change ,” she said.   “I would love to see more Salvos involved! Every March, Micah hosts dinners in each state. All they need is our voices and our willingness to show up. And what I’ve discovered is that politicians are surprisingly open to genuine conversation. These moments even give us the opportunity to ask, ‘How can we pray for you? How can we support you?’ . I’ve seen the power of finishing meetings by praying with senators stepping into those spaces as people of peace, saying, ‘We are here, and we care.’  “Why wouldn’t the Salvos want to be part of that? Together, we can make a difference not just in policy, but in lives by showing up, speaking up, and embodying the love of Christ.”  If you would like to join the Micah Women Leaders Network, click here F or more information on the Safer World Committee , click here                              On September 16, Salvation Army officer, Major Dianne Jarvey (Faith Communities Development Secretary – Australia & WA), as part of the Micah Women Leaders Networks met with Senator Michaela Cash, who is serving as the shadow minister for Foreign Affairs. This was to discuss how they might influence bipartisan approach to the Safer World for All campaign which intends to get Australian Aid up to 1 per cent of the Federal Budget. “The Salvation Army’s involvement in this campaign is vital because it speaks directly to the heart of who we are and what we are called to do,” said Dianne. “At its core, this work reflects the calling of Jesus: to stand with those who have no voice, to care for those who cannot advocate for themselves, and to bring hope where it is needed most.”  Major Jarvey first became involved with the Micah Women Leaders Network after being invited to attend the Canberra delegation in 2023. “It proved to be both inspiring and deeply challenging. A step well outside my comfort zone,” she says. “Yet from that moment, I knew I could never see the world the same way again.”  “What struck me most was the power of unity. I believe we are always stronger together, and when women come together with a shared purpose in God’s mission, nothing is impossible.” The Micah Women Leaders Network has had over 200 meeting with politicians since 2018 and currently has 250 members from 12 different denominations. Dianne says that this is one of the networks most powerful aspects.  “When we raise our voices collectively from different traditions, with one purpose we demonstrate to the world that unity is possible, that peace can happen, and that God’s people can be a force for change.”   “I would love to see more Salvos involved! Every March, Micah hosts dinners in each state. All they need is our voices and our willingness to show up. And what I’ve discovered is that politicians are surprisingly open to genuine conversation. These moments even give us the opportunity to ask, ‘How can we pray for you? How can we support you?’ I’ve seen the power of finishing meetings by praying with senators stepping into those spaces as people of peace, saying, ‘We are here, and we care.’”   “Why wouldn’t the Salvos want to be part of that? Together, we can make a difference not just in policy, but in lives by showing up, speaking up, and embodying the love of Christ.”  If you would like to join the Micah Women Leaders Network, click the link below: https://www.micahaustralia.org/take-action/women-leaders-network/ And for more information on the Safer World Committee click the following link: https://saferworld.org.au/

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

Anna, Judy and Vivien are all part of ‘Evangelism Explosion’ – a ministry that is flourishing at four corps in south-west Sydney. BY LAUREN MARTIN   What started as an evangelism program has turned into a “movement of God among us,” says Bankstown Corps Officer Captain Frank Wang.   Corps leaders and congregation members from Bankstown, Burwood, Campsie, and Hurstville Corps recently gathered at Hurstville to celebrate five years of running ‘Evangelism Explosion’ (EE), an evangelism training and discipleship initiative that Bankstown Corps initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic.   Over that time, they have seen God work incredibly, with: ·      57 people trained to share the gospel ·      24 outreach teams formed ·      165 outreaches conducted ·      Approximately 150 people committing their lives to Jesus Captain Frank Wang speaks at the Evangelism Explosion five-year anniversary event. Frank said Evangelism Explosion has become a powerful discipleship pathway for both new believers and seasoned Christians.   “Participants have grown in confidence, faith and their ability to share the good news of Jesus Christ, as well as their leadership capacity.” He says the ministry’s success has come about through the collaborative efforts of those involved from the four corps who had a shared vision to establish a culture of outreach and spiritual growth – not just to “run a program”. New believer, William Wang, speaks at the five-year anniversary of ‘Evangelism Explosion’ – a program running at four south-west Sydney corps.  Outreach teams regularly head out to local train stations, town centres and shopping areas to speak to people about Jesus, hand out information brochures and invite them to nearby worship services. “As we celebrate this milestone, we give all glory to God for the lives transformed and the faithful workers who have laboured in his harvest field,” said Frank.   If you’re interested in whether ‘Evangelism Explosion’ might be a good fit for your corps or area, contact Frank at: frank.wang@salvationarmy.org.au   Salvationists from four corps gathered at Hurstville Corps in Sydney’s south to celebrate five years of Evangelism Explosion.

All of us – across the world and of all different faiths and cultures – are pilgrims and strangers, writes Kirralee Nicolle. BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE As I wrote about recently , I’ve just moved interstate. After 10 years in Melbourne, I now live in the Adelaide Hills. It’s a beautiful part of the world, and my children are thoroughly enjoying a more outdoor lifestyle, which currently includes backyard chickens. But for me and my husband, and at times the children too, the shift has been a stressful one. I’m sure many of you can relate, especially if you have experienced frequent and significant moves. Illness, adjusting to a new town, house and home office and having our friends suddenly far away has all left us feeling a little unmoored and unsure what ‘home’ means. We’re slowly putting together the pieces of how we like to spend our days in this new place, but as a doctor told me just recently, adjusting takes time, but it also takes remembering what we already liked and enjoyed in our lives and trying our best to preserve pieces of what was, while embracing the new and exciting. Turns out, we thrive on the boring stuff of life, the stuff that doesn’t necessarily change. Familiar foods, hobbies and patterns to our day can help us restore a sense of belonging and equilibrium to our bodies. But that isn’t always possible. A phrase that has kept coming to mind as I’ve felt those niggling struggles to adjust is “pilgrims and strangers”, the King James Version Bible phrase from Hebrews 11:13 . The passage is referring to the people of faith, who, over centuries, had trusted God to provide for them despite not knowing the future or when God would fulfil his promises to them. I pray we all seek to be this kind of ‘pilgrim and stranger’. The in-between of life I don’t just think I’m something of a stranger in this new place, my whole being feels it. Nothing feels ‘known’, and while that’s an exciting adventure, it’s also odd. But what’s also struck me is that all of us – across the world and of all different faiths and cultures – are pilgrims and strangers. We enter the world as small, vulnerable beings who require constant assistance, and heartbreakingly – depending on where we are born and what the threats are – we may not even get that care that we so desperately need. When we die, we take that journey alone. When we believe in Jesus, we know we will be with him, but the isolation of death and dying is something many people fear – me included. Not all depictions of dying paint this as a sad reality, though. In John Williams’ literary classic Stoner , protagonist William Stoner, following a life marked by a sense of isolation and withdrawal, just before death finds himself with a new and unusual sense of contentment. “There was a softness around him, and a languor crept upon his limbs. A sense of his own identity came upon him with a sudden force, and he felt the power of it. He was himself, and he knew what he had been,” Williams writes. Knowing ourselves is an important part of coming to terms with our own isolation, but that knowing is not always easy to achieve. While none of us can be perfect, the best we can be is together, united in our imperfection and our desperate need of God and each other. In the in-between of life, our own individual struggles with health, finances, safety or relationships may isolate us, especially in cultures like in Australia, where such issues are still considered taboo, or where because of our status in society, we are overlooked or mistreated. Stronger together The power of what groups like The Salvation Army offer is not just the practical assistance and care that is offered with such generosity, it’s the sense of togetherness. More than anything, the Salvation Army, through its community housing, Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) centres, church communities, weekly groups and Doorways services – to name just a few programs – draws together people from all walks of life who are facing some of their most heartbreaking, rocky and lonely challenges. A problem that was once just mine to fix becomes a problem that all of us face. While that might seem like a source of weakness, it is in fact the greatest strength we have as humanity. While none of us can be perfect, the best we can be is together, united in our imperfection and our desperate need of God and each other. While I was feeling displaced and lost in my new home, visiting a Salvation Army centre in Adelaide to hear stories of transformation was a reminder to me of what rings just as true in Adelaide as it does in Melbourne, as it does across the Pacific Islands, as it does in Malawi or the United States or Sri Lanka. The Salvation Army is there to help. And invariably, the warm presence of a Salvation Army worker is exactly what people need to put one foot in front of the other and keep chugging on, even when life feels insurmountable. And that’s something that hasn’t changed, and won’t be changing soon.

Indigenous delegates and senior leaders gather for a photo after the First Nations ‘grounding’ session.   “Don’t come together to talk about what’s wrong but what’s strong.” – Shirli Congoo BY SIMONE WORTHING Over 160 delegates gathered for the Yakila – Walking and Talking Together conference at the Novotel Sunshine Coast, Queensland, on 10-13 September. Shirli Congoo, General Manager of the Territorial Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ministry team, welcomed the delegates on the opening night: “The Yakila Gathering is dedicated to fostering connection, reconciliation, cultural safety and understanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander spirituality among participants. This gathering is a vital space for connection and solidarity.” Shirli emphasised that this year’s theme – cultural safety, reconciliation and First Nations spirituality – invited deep listening and wholehearted engagement.   The annual conference was held on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Photos: Kathy Hughes The gathering was an opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and Salvation Army personnel, including senior leaders, to walk alongside each other through truth-telling and prayer to seek greater understanding and improved outcomes. The event also celebrated the completion of the newly launched Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP); the deepening of The Salvation Army Australia’s ongoing commitment to respectful relationships, equity and justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People;  and the journey The Salvation Army has taken with First Nations People since the launch of the first stage of the national RAP in 2020.  READ MORE : Stretch RAP marks courageous and essential progress towards reconciliation Throughout the Yakila gathering, speakers, leaders and delegates acknowledged and celebrated the progress already made, and highlighted the work that still needs to be done to bring about ongoing, significant change.   The first two days of the conference were specifically designed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander personnel and Salvationists, emphasising cultural safety, reconciliation and the concepts of sharing, contribution and connection to promote social and emotional wellbeing. Non-Indigenous personnel and corps members participated during the remaining two days. Uncle Vince and Auntie Enid Ross at the Yakila gathering. Uncle Vince Ross, a Madi Madi man, The Salvation Army’s convenor of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Council and Order of the Founder recipient, brought prayers, greetings and reflections.    “For me and Auntie Enid, what we see at Yakila gives us encouragement to keep going,” he said. “From where we started and where we are now, I think it’s so exciting, so good, so encouraging. And I think that’s why I’m still hanging around because I just want to encourage others on that journey. What we are doing and seeing together – lives being changed, people being encouraged and motivated, the growing and developing taking place – we’ve got to keep building on this through the opportunities we have.” After-dinner yarns and ‘chill-outs’ were important times at the end of each day for connection and storytelling.  Informal catch-ups were an important part of the Yakila gathering. Strong not wrong Commissioner Miriam Gluyas, who attended Yakila over the weekend days, said that two aspects of the gathering stood out to her.   “Auntie Shirli shared with us: ‘Don’t come together to talk about what’s wrong but what’s strong,’” she said. “That was demonstrated beautifully at the conference. There is so much that is rich and strong.   “I was also impacted by the depth of teaching from Mark Paulson (a local Indigenous leader from the Birrah, Gamilaroi and Bundjalung peoples).  He quoted his dad, Reverend Graham Paulson: ‘Christian principles for living must be extracted from the biblical cultural context and actively engaged in an Aboriginal context. Only in this way can Aboriginal Christianity discover its own unique identity and find its unique contribution within the developing Kingdom of God in this country.’  Mark shared this beautifully through his teaching.   “I also loved that each presenter brought a young person with them who they are mentoring.”   Commissioner Miriam Gluyas (in photos on the lefft) attended the second half of the Yakila gathering. Photos : Kathy Hughes Major Brett Gallagher, Head of Integrated Mission and Resourcing, was attending his first Yakila gathering.   “This is a great community that just gets together and supports each other, which I think is great,” he said.   “I think it’s also important that people like me are here listening to our First Nations personnel. I’m here to learn just how better I can support their ministry and the ministry that is going on across the territory with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and how we can do that best.” Shirli introduced the events, goals and speakers of each day, and convened the senior leaders’ panel and reflection/question time. Panel guests included Uncle Vince; Major Stuart Glover (Bundjalung man and Assistant Chief Secretary for Business), Major Kim Haworth (Assistant Chief Secretary for Mission), Lieut-Colonel Gregory Morgan (Secretary for Mission) and Adrian Appo (Goreng Goreng man and Salvation Army board member). Stretch RAP celebrated Lucy Davis, Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and Projects Manager, now on a 12-month secondment, presented the Stretch RAP ‘deliverables’ and what they mean in terms of actions to be taken, expected results and impact, and personnel responsible. She also led an interactive session on how staff can embed the RAP in their workplaces. Sue Hodges, Shirli Congoo and Lucy Davis prepare to cut the Stretch RAP celebratory cake. Lucy thanked everyone for their support and friendship over many years, and introduced Auntie Sue Hodges, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Coordinator for ACT/NSW, to those gathered. Sue has been seconded to the role of RAP and Projects Manager during Lucy’s absence.   At the conclusion of Yakila, Lieut-Colonel Gregory Morgan and Tahana Turner, Queensland Divisional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Coordinator, presented the inaugural Banaam Award to three recipients: Colonels Kelvin and Winsome Merrett, newly retired former Victorian Divisional Commander and Chief Secretary respectively, and Shirli Congoo.   The Banaam Award honours individuals who walk with courage, humility and deep respect in the journey with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and The Salvation Army.   “Banaam comes from the Bundjalung language, meaning strong younger brother,” Tahana explained.   “It recognises RESPECT (honouring history, traditions, and the lived experiences of First Nations peoples), RECIPROCITY (fostering balanced, mutual relationships grounded in trust and shared responsibility), and RESPONSIBILITY (working towards a just and equitable society through courageous leadership and meaningful action).   “We thank Kyle Slab, who permitted us to use this word and concept, and extend our congratulations to our friends.” Lieut-Colonel Gregory Morgan (left), and Uncle Vince (right), with award recipients Colonels Kelvin and Winsome Merrett and Shirli Congoo. Lieut-Colonel Morgan said that, although he is excited to see the intentional steps forward that have been made in The Salvation Army Australia’s journey in reconciliation and working together with First Nations People, there is still a lot to do.   “For me, the importance of an event like this and the importance of my engagement is that this is an ongoing journey,” he said. “The Salvation Army has to be serious about our engagement with First Nations people and about valuing the culture of our land and its people. I don’t want to rest on our laurels and there’s still a long journey ahead for us. “As a white Australian, I have inherited a lifestyle and a place in society that is denied to so many First Nations people. It’s important for me to understand that, but to recognise the ongoing impact of that and to do all that I can in helping to make positive change.”   The Salvation Army remains committed to transforming individual lives and communities across Australia, with more to come as the RAP deliverables become reality and are further developed. Gatherings like Yakila help build an understanding of the practical and spiritual realities of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to better partner together to see a transformed Australia. For more Yakila images, click through the slideshow below.

General Lyndon Buckingham has invited the global Salvation Army to join him in prayer on the International Day of Prayer for Victims of Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking this Sunday, 28 September. “I ask you to join with me in prayers for those held captive as a result of the evils of human trafficking,” The Salvation Army’s world leader said. To watch the General's video message, click on the main image above. The official logo for the international day of prayer. This year’s theme for the International Day of Prayer for Victims of Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking is ‘Light to Life’, inspired by Exodus 3:2  ( NIV ): “There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within the bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire, it did not burn up.” Did you know that 65 million people are enslaved around the world today; 64 per cent are women; and 56 per cent are trafficked for sexual exploitation? And, did you know that in 2024, The Salvation Army supported 14,552 survivors, ran 12,718 community awareness events, and supported 165,540 people vulnerable to modern slavery and human trafficking? READ MORE: Modern slavery still a scourge on society today The Salvation Army is deeply committed to fighting and responding to modern slavery and human trafficking. We have both a theological and historical mandate. Internationally, The Salvation Army's Freedom Action Framework outlines eight response areas, including prayer. The Salvation Army believes that prayer is foundational and an essential and powerful tool to fight for freedom and work towards a world free from exploitation. By praying together, our hearts are awakened and aligned with God’s desires, and we are empowered to respond to issues in our community with the love of Jesus. This day of prayer is an opportunity to pray in solidarity with those experiencing or recovering from modern slavery, and to be a part of the transformational work of God. READ MORE: A local response 140 years ago becomes a global strategy Resources The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters (IHQ) has made a range of resources available for download in various languages. These include: · Sermon guides · Adult Bible study · Children and youth resources · Global prayer guide and prayer station resource · Poster For all resources and more information, click here . Australian contacts If you would like further support in engaging in this event in your local corps or centre, please contact Major Melanie-Anne Holland (Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Response Territorial contact person). The Salvation Army’s Additional Referral Pathway  (ARP) is a way for people to access support if they have experienced exploitation known as modern slavery. No matter what your age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, culture, religion, or visa status, you have rights and can get help. If you need help, call the ARP on 1800 000 277. To report human trafficking or modern slavery in Australia, contact the Australian Federal Police (AFP) on 131 237  or use their online form to make a confidential report. In cases of immediate danger, dial triple zero (000).   Spot the signs Driven by poverty, conflict, persecution – and the global demand for cheap goods, labour and sex – modern slavery and human trafficking are thriving worldwide. Yes, even in your own community. Victims often can’t ask for help. They rely on others – on you – to notice the signs and speak out. Slavery is very much hidden in plain sight. And when you’re being controlled and exploited, you rely on other people to spot the signs.   Modern slavery describes situations where someone controls you or takes away your freedom and ability to make choices about your life, to gain profit or benefit. Modern slavery includes trafficking in persons, debt bondage, deceptive recruitment, forced labour, forced marriage, organ trafficking, servitude, sexual servitude and slavery.   Signs that you may be experiencing modern slavery include:  Being forced to work or provide services (in any type of job or industry) under threat or coercion, with little or no pay or under harsh conditions.   Not having control over the work you do, the services you provide or when you can stop working.   Not having control over other parts of your life, for example, when and where you can eat, sleep or rest, or if you can leave the place you are staying when you want to.  Being forced to work to pay off a debt, but the terms of the debt are unclear, or the work never ends.  Being tricked or trapped into work where the nature of the job is not what you were told it would be.   Being recruited or transported through force or deception, for the purpose of exploitation.  Being pressured, forced or tricked into getting married against your will, or getting married when underage.  To download The Salvation Army’s positional statement on modern slavery and human trafficking, click here .   To view the IHQ video Spot the Signs , click on the arrow below.

Anna Bardsley shares her story at the launch of The Salvation Army’s newly renamed Gambling Support Service. Lured by the glittering lights and hypnotic sounds of the poker machines, Melbourne resident Anna Bardsley clearly remembers her first solo visit to a gambling venue. That night would mark the beginning of a decade-long battle she never could have anticipated. What started as a place to escape soon spiralled into a consuming addiction that derailed her life. Now a passionate advocate for reform and raising awareness about gambling harm, Anna shared her powerful journey from addiction to activism with Salvos Online journalist LERISSE SMITH . It was a cold and wet August night when a heated argument between Anna and her husband reached breaking point. Needing space to cool off, she left the house. It was late. Nothing was open, and she was too agitated to see anyone. As she drove around in the dead of the night, something caught her eye. An old haunt – a pub with poker machines where she occasionally visited for fun with friends. Anna stopped the car and walked in. That moment marked a major turning point in her life. “The lights had literally beckoned from the side of the road,” she recalled of that fateful night. “I knew that it was a safe place for women to go on their own ... it was the first time I had even been in a pub on my own, and the first time I had been to use poker machines on my own.” In the past, Anna and her friends had only played briefly, losing no more than $20. But this time, she stayed longer, lost more than she expected, and walked out feeling changed. “When I look back on that first night, the machines did what I had learned they were designed to do,” she said. “They are designed to calm you down and zone you out. They are designed by addiction experts to do what they did to  me . Years later, I realised I was not the problem. The machines are the problem.” Soon, the urge to use poker machines took hold. After work, Anna began detouring into venues. Shopping centres with the machines became dangerous territory. “You could feel the pull of the venue upstairs and down and around the corner,” she reflected. “I had to stop going to those sorts of shopping centres because they weren’t safe for me. I didn’t want to lose all the money. I didn’t want to lose all that time.” She tried to quit many times. “I tried to stop countless times because I hated what I was doing,” she said. “It wasn’t fun. I wasn’t there to win money. If I did win a bit, it just meant I could stay longer. Once I was in there, I couldn’t leave until I had nothing left, and so I would stay there ‘til forever.” By the time Anna walked away from gambling in 2011, she had spent 10 years battling the hidden addiction. “I tried to stop countless times because I hated what I was doing.” Now a passionate advocate educating others about gambling harm, she looks back on that August night as the moment that led to a decade-long struggle, one she successfully kept hidden from family and friends while juggling multiple jobs and managing household finances. Her personal story took centre stage at the recent Salvos launch of the newly renamed Gambling Support Service, where Anna shared her own recovery journey from addiction, advocacy work, and how gambling devastates lives and livelihoods.  The cost of her addiction was steep. It eroded her identity, and shame became all-encompassing. “My sense of self-worth was zero – it would be actually in the minus,” she said. “I thought I was a complete loser. I hated myself. I had tried so many times to stop that I thought the only way this is going to end is when I’m dead because I did not see that there was a way for me to be in control. The shame I felt about what I was doing was huge, and it encompassed every part of my life.” Gambling disconnected her from everything meaningful in her life. “I was pedalling like crazy, pretending I was fine,” the passionate advocate recalled. “And you can do that with gambling. There is no physical sign that you have that addiction present in your life.” Born in the Netherlands and raised in Australia, Anna grew up in a Dutch household where gambling simply didn’t exist. Her first encounter came in the 1970s, placing 50 cents on the Melbourne Cup. She lost and didn’t gamble again for decades. She never saw herself as a gambler. “I didn’t know that when I was using poker machines that I was gambling because nobody uses that language,” she said. “We call it playing the pokies. It’s not playing, it’s using a gambling product, and a product that is designed to addict. And so, if you spend enough time with it, it will get you in the end.” Anna says she ‘ learned the language of shame’ through a talk by Brené Brown. After years of struggling alone, Anna found hope in community, meeting others who had also experienced gambling harm. They shared insights she had never encountered. One key lesson stood out: the brain could be retrained. “I learned that if you ask your brain a question, it will go looking for an answer,” Anna remarked. “So, I asked the question, ‘How can I stop?’ And over a period of time, and it wasn’t easy, I found pieces of what I call the puzzle of the answer, and I was able to put those pieces in place. It took a lot of patience.” A crucial piece? Self-kindness. Her inner voice had become cruel and a bully, berating her as a loser. Quieting that voice changed everything. She reached out to Gambler’s Help, a free 24/7 support service and started therapy nearly two years after her last experience using the poker machines. Another turning point came from a talk by Brené Brown on shame. “I learned the language of shame,” Anna reflected. “She talked about addicts needing shame, like someone lost in the desert needs salt water. And I thought, Oh, wow, that’s true. And about bringing shame out into the light.” Joining a writing group led by Melbourne writer Arnold Zable, who works with marginalised groups of people, also proved pivotal. It introduced her to others affected by gambling and encouraged participants to explore their experiences – right down to the smells, sounds, and sights of the gambling environment. It unlocked vivid memories for Anna: going out that fateful August night, showering the next morning, and not being able to get the smell of coins off her hands. Staring into the mirror and asking, “Who the hell are you, and how did I become you?” Many in the writing group assumed they would use pseudonyms. Anna chose otherwise. She was ready to retire and knew that going public would likely end any future job prospects. Her first media appearance was national – on ABC News Breakfast . Her goal was not just to tell her story, but to change the way society talked about gambling.   “I wanted the language to be different,” she said. “I realised the language around gambling had made it worse ... and was deeply stigmatising. It made it impossible for me to ask for help. Because if I was the problem, I should fix myself. Gamble responsibly is an oxymoron. It is a contraction of responsible service of gambling. It is meant to be about people who serve gambling – not the people who use gambling." Then came a special opportunity. For those interested in obtaining a copy of the book, email Judy, Co-ordinator of Three Sides of the Coin:   javisar@sharc.org.au   The group was invited to present the book of their lived experiences,  From Ruin to Recovery , at the Melbourne Writers Festival. A dramatised reading at the festival, with the help of theatre director Catherine Simmons, led to the formation of  Three Sides of the Coin  – a platform for using theatre to tell stories by people harmed by gambling. Now aged in her mid-70s, Anna continues to speak out. She refuses to give another dollar to the gambling industry and consults with policymakers. Being a public speaker with the ReSPIN program is another important role, too. It assists those with lived experience of gambling harm to share their stories to mitigate the harms of gambling and bring positive change within the wider community. “Gambling is a con. You can’t win,” Anna emphasised. “The house always wins, and they pretend it’s fun. It’s not. It’s taking a massive amount of money out of people’s pockets, out of communities … I’ve met people whose family members have suicided because of gambling, and there is no coroner in Australia that counts the suicides.” Anna also co-founded  Gambling Harm Lived Experience Experts (GHLEE) . She lobbies politicians and warns of the growing normalisation of gambling among children, especially as gambling features in social media technology, including games. She fears it is raising generations who believe gambling is normal. She urges Australians to lobby their MPs, too, about gambling harm and reform. Looking ahead, Anna remains cautiously hopeful. “Most of the time I have hope,” she said. “I hope that something meaningful happens (regarding gambling harms) before I die. I’m 76 … but I’m not holding my breath.” “... you don’t have to be alone.” These days, Anna finds joy in spending time with her family. While her marriage ended, she is close to her children and grandchildren, who have supported her advocacy work. She also enjoys being with people, music, writing, gardening and places that make her see the world slightly differently. “I like spending time just looking at a flower … even a daisy. Daisies are amazing, and I love macro photography for that reason.” To anyone struggling with gambling, her advice is simple: Talk to someone you trust, seek professional help and persevere. “Look for the pieces of your puzzle – and add things back into your life because  gambling takes up so much head space and physical space.” And with a final piece of advice, Anna makes her message clear: “I want others to know – you don’t have to be alone.” READ MORE: Gambling Support Service – new name, same committed service

Majors Mark and Jo Bulow have been flying padres in Queensland for the past 14 years. With The Salvation Army set to mark 80 years of the Flying Padre Service, we feature the story of one couple who, 14 years ago, felt called by God to serve in the isolated Darling Downs region of Queensland. Majors Mark and Jo Bulow arrived on remote cattle stations and farming properties – first in helicopters, then later in a fixed-wing, four-seat Cessna 182 Skylane – bringing practical assistance and a caring, pastoral presence during many of the best and worst moments of rural life. BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE Major Mark Bulow is a Christian magician. I’m honest with him: I have absolutely no idea what that means. In my experience of Christian communities, many would consider this title an oxymoron. “I basically use magic tricks, but I use them to talk about the Gospel,” Mark says. “When we go around and do different events, I’ll take magic tricks for the kids and for the adults. I’ll do two or three secular tricks but then bring it around into a Christian faith message. “I’ve been doing that since I was 13 years old.” It isn’t the only seeming contradiction about Mark and his wife, Major Jo Bulow. They are self-described country people born and raised in rural Queensland, working a deeply practical, physical job which is, at its core, all about tending to the hearts of those battling to manage farms, weather changes and the turmoil of life in profoundly isolating circumstances. On an average day, this might look like handing out plyers and critiquing fences. “I’ve always grown up in the bush [and] feel very comfortable with farmers, understand the way they talk and that they’re very direct, which is how I speak,” Mark says.   “When we go to their properties and they’re having a bad day, I don’t get offended, because I know what it’s like to have a bad day.” Getting the Cessna ready for another visit to an Outback farm. Mark says on a recent visit, a farmer was having a particularly awful day. “I said [to him], ‘Your fences look like they need a bit of work, can I give you a good set of plyers to help?’ So, I gave him a set of good plyers. As we walked past his workshop,  I said, ‘I see you’ve got a good workshop, and I don’t know about you, but I have trouble with cutting things 100ml too short, so here’s a tape measure, that way you won’t make the same mistakes I did’, so he said, ‘Thanks! Oh well, you better come and have a cup of coffee’. “[We] seem to know how to connect with these people. I don’t get offended easy, and we just go in and get it done.” The Bulows fly together into rural properties, with Jo primarily caring for the women and Mark for the men. Despite undertaking pilot training before commencing, the transition to rural and remote chaplaincy was a fairly straightforward one for the couple, whose last shared appointment was as corps officers in Toowoomba, just an hour south-east of Dalby, where The Salvation Army hangar is located. “It was a natural transition, really,” Jo says. “We went from a country city to a smaller country town.” Mark and the helicopter he started with as a flying chaplain. When Mark started flying a Salvation Army helicopter in 2012, the Darling Downs was facing devastating flooding, with the Warrego River in Cunnamulla, Charleville and Roma breaking its banks, inundating homes and isolating residents. Mark describes ‘bunny-hopping’ across the river to help those who were stuck. But very soon after the floods, the region was plunged into a crushing eight-year drought. “The same people that were concerned about all the floods, next minute, the water turned off and [the land] went into this horrible drought,” Mark says. “Our own families were struggling.” Since the drought ended, Mark says the region has had several great seasons of plentiful produce, but many fear drought is on its way again. “It’s just the cycle of the bush, you know,” he says. “You get good seasons; you get bad seasons. You get terrible seasons with hail and the like. But they just have to prepare for that. The smart ones are already preparing for it.” Jo (centre) is at home chatting with farmers and locals in an Outback ‘watering hole’. Through the good and the bad, Mark and Jo are there with their Cessna, but most of all, with a listening ear. They said that during the drought, they flew to rural airstrips to chat over a kitchen table with those who were facing physical, mental or financial barriers to doing the things they once loved. For some, it was working with leather, for others, it was building model aircraft. Where needed, they would go and purchase the tools or equipment to ensure residents in isolated areas could maintain their hobbies despite the seemingly insurmountable challenge of farming with no rain. One woman loved sewing, but couldn’t afford to fix her broken sewing machine, so Mark says he and Jo flew the machine back to Dalby and paid to have it repaired. Country folk need face-to-face contact, Mark says. “We took it back out there with material and patterns, and then that allowed her just to get back to her happy place,” Mark says. For one of the couples the Bulows regularly visit, not only have they navigated flood and drought alongside one another, but Mark and Jo have been there for two of the most crucial moments in their lives. “We’ve had the joy of marrying [their] daughter, but we’ve also had the heartbreak of having to bury their son,” Mark says. Jo says she and Mark were the first people the couple called after their son died. “They didn’t know who else to ring,” she says. Mark says it takes a long time to build trust in the bush, and when you have it, it pays to visit regularly. “They know that if they’re in trouble [or] things are tough, that my phone is on 24/7 and I’ll pick it up, even if it’s at three in the morning, because for so many, it’s at three in the morning when the demons come and all those bad thoughts happen. “I say to them, ‘I don’t care where or what you’re doing. If you need me, you just give us a ring, and you know either of us will pick up our phones and we’re here to chat with you’.” Lunch can sometimes be ‘on the run’ on a landing strip somewhere in the Outback. Mark and Jo say that despite the shifts the Flying Padre Service has seen over the past 80 years, one thing remains unchanged: the purpose. “One thing that these farmers and any people in remote [areas] need is face-to-face contact,” he says. “Talking like we are over a cup of tea; it can never be replaced.” “You can put your hand on their shoulder and say, ‘Mate, you’ve got this’,” Jo says. Mark says what the flying padre can offer is like no other service out bush. “[Rural Australians] may ring up the other agencies, but they don’t know the people they’re talking to. Where they pick up the phone and they chat with Jo or I, they know us, and we can say, ‘Hey, listen, we’ll be out there tomorrow’.” READ MORE: Top End to host anniversary weekend

Salvos Online  continues a new weekly column – Three Books. Today’s guest bookworm is Andrea Redford, who is a journalist with The Salvation Army Kidzone team. Besides the gospels and Psalms, which is your favourite book in the Bible and why? Job . It’s famous for its storyline of unimaginable suffering and grief, but Job is my favourite read in the Bible for a few other reasons. There’s so much to learn from the complex portrayal of friendship, and Job’s meditation on wisdom (chapter 28) is worth a read all on its own. What really makes Job special for me, though, is its depiction of an up-close and personal God who is not afraid to muck through the ‘uglier’ side of our emotions and thoughts with us. Throughout the story, God and Job go toe-to-toe. Job tells God exactly what he’s feeling and thinking. He doesn’t hold back how angry he is and how unfair he thinks he’s been treated. And God is up for all of it. Every last bit. Reading Job has taught me that approaching God doesn’t require a well-thought-out, three-point prayer with a considered opening and a neat closing (not that God minds those either). Yet Job’s forthrightness and honesty is rewarded with such a direct and transformational encounter with God that he’s left saying, “I had heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes” (chapter 42, verse five NLT). Besides the Bible, what is a Christian book that has strongly influenced your faith? Soul Survivor: How My Faith Survived the Church by Philip Yancey had a huge impact on me in my early 20s. In fact, I think it’s high time for a re-read. The book is Yancey’s story of “searching for a faith that works”, along with the stories of 13 “unlikely mentors” whose remarkable lives shaped his own spiritual journey. Some of these Yancey interviews himself (Annie Dillard and Dr Paul Brand), while others he encounters through their own writing (G.K. Chesterton, Shusaku Endo, Leo Tolstoy). Soul Survivor is like one good friend introducing you to many more. The main reason it remains high on my list of favourite books after 20 years is because it was here that Yancey introduced me to Henri Nouwen and Frederick Buechner (both of whom he interviews). I’d never heard of either writer before reading Soul Survivor , but I’ve since gone on to read all their books, and my faith has never been the same. What is a secular book that has revealed to you a Christian message or theme? I’m going to cheat a little here and name a whole series, rather than just one book:  the Armand Gamache series by Canadian author Louise Penny (also sometimes called The Three Pines series). These are mystery/detective novels mostly set in a tiny Canadian village and centring around Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec. Each instalment is a great read, but it’s very much a series where you come for the mystery but stay for the characters. These are the books I’ve recommended most to family and friends and haven’t (yet!) heard a bad word. Themes of faith and spirituality don’t dominate the series, but they’re there. Wisdom is sprinkled throughout the pages, often taking the form of protagonist Gamache’s dialogue. Gamache wrestles with questions of faith and doubt, and good versus evil. Penny shines a light on the best and worst of humanity and, for me, her observations on human nature are often worth underlining (or a second, third or fourth read, at the very least). The series is rich in themes of community, sacrifice, loyalty, forgiveness, redemption, brokenness and healing and offers readers a lot more than simply discovering whodunnit.

Sam O'Connor MP (Qld Minister for Housing and Public Works and Minister for Youth) and Commissioner Miriam Gluyas (Territorial Commander) unveil the plaque at the official opening of the Toowoomba social housing project.   “The Snell Street development is a testament to what can be achieved when community, compassion and purpose come together,” said Major Mark Everitt, Queensland Divisional Commander, at the official opening of the new social housing project in Toowoomba.   “This isn’t just housing – it’s a place where lives will be changed in Jesus’ name,” Mark continued. “We’re grateful to partner with the Queensland Government to bring hope and stability to those who need it most in Toowoomba.” An artist’s impression of the completed Salvos Housing project in Toowoomba. Territorial Commander Commissioner Miriam Gluyas officially opened the new social housing complex in Toowoomba, approximately 125km west of Brisbane, on Tuesday 9 September. The project ultimately reflected The Salvation Army’s mission and vision , she added. A collaboration between the Queensland Government, The Salvation Army and generous donors, this new complex will house 23 families who would otherwise be at risk of being homeless. The Snell Street site was previously the home of the local Salvation Army’s Family Store and is now being repurposed in an attempt to combat the ever-growing homelessness issue in and around Toowoomba.  Captain Aaron Reid (Toowoomba Corps Officer), Anne Bell (SA Housing, Property Assistant) and Major Mark Everitt (Queensland Divisional Commander). “Today we celebrate the opening of a $17 million social housing community delivering 23 modern homes right here in Toowoomba,” said Mark. “It has been a dream of The Salvation Army to better utilise this site, and the significant funds provided by the Queensland State Government have allowed us to now see people with a permanent, secure roof over their heads.   “The Salvation Army is grateful to the Queensland Government in helping make this project a reality.” The homes consist of 19 one-bedroom and four two-bedroom units, designed specifically for comfort, dignity and connection. Built by McNab Constructions, a long-standing supporter of the Salvos, with tenanting – now completed – managed jointly by Salvos Housing and the Queensland Government.     “This unique Salvos partnership between Toowoomba Corps and Salvos Housing brings church, community and housing together on one site,” said Rendle Williams, External Communications Manager for Queensland. Commissioner Miriam Gluyas spoke about community at the official opening of the social housing project. “The corps worked with Salvos Housing to transition the land so it could be developed for social housing in partnership with government. The project proceeded through Queensland’s Partnering for Growth program with 50/50 government funding, showing what’s possible when mission and government align.    “The ground-floor community care space is embedded in the building and leased back to the corps at no cost, so residents and neighbours can access support, programs and community right where they live. “Additionally, one of the benefits of this facility is that one third of the people moving in are downsizing, releasing family-sized homes to others on the social housing list.” Rendle Williams, Anne Bell, Cheri Erai-Collins and Captain Aaron Reid at the official opening. Forever homes Mark spoke about the housing supply crisis and the need for “organisations like The Salvation Army to do what they can to increase the supply of affordable housing options around the state.   “We’re excited to finally open this wonderful facility and welcome deserving locals to move into their new forever home,” he said.   Captain Aaron Reid, Toowoomba Corps Leader, spoke about how “wonderful” it was to see the development complete after so much dreaming, planning and effort.   “The impact it will have in providing much-needed social and affordable housing is truly significant. We’re hopeful that we, the Toowoomba Salvation Army, will be able to walk alongside these new residents, offering ongoing support, connection, and care as they settle into their new homes.”   Chris Karagiannis, Salvation Army Housing CEO, said that the Snell Street development was “more than bricks and mortar – it’s a symbol of hope for the Toowoomba community. It shows what can be achieved when we work together to meet real needs with compassion and purpose. This project will strengthen lives, families, and neighbourhoods for years to come.”   Those in attendance at the official opening also included Sam O’Connor, Queensland Minister for Housing and Public Works and Minister for Youth; and Cheri Erai-Collins, State Manager, Salvation Army Housing. Cheri Erai-Collins, Salvation Army Housing Qld/NSW State Manager, speaks to the media about the new housing project.