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Following years of reported be-hind-the-scenes talks, largely influenced by Pope Francis, the recent shift to mend U.S.-Cuba relations opens a new door of op-

portunity for The Salvation Army in Cuba.A member of the Cuban Council of

Churches, The Salvation Army in Cuba to-day operates more than 20 corps and two social service projects—a senior home and an addictions recovery program.

“The opening of the relations between the USA and Cuba has an effect on all so-cial classes…in such a way the doors for an interchange with the American people can open and find beneficial solutions for both countries,” said Major Julio Moreno,

INSIDE this issue:Take our surveyWe want to hear from you! Share your opinions and be entered to win a $100 Amazon gift card. SURVEY PAGE 2

Intersection of faithA unique collaboration keeps the Mar-ian Pritchett School in Boise for preg-nant and parenting young women go-ing. SCHOOL PAGE 4

Youth homelessnessThe Salvation Army works to curb the ef-fects of a problem that saw an increase of 8 percent in the U.S. last year.

HOMELESSNESS PAGE 6

Territorial measuresCompare the West’s 2014 People Count numbers to 2013 and see how the territo-ry measured up. COUNT PAGE 10

JANUARY 2015Volume 33, Number 1

Meet TerrenceHughes

17

SERVING IN UKRAINE

PIERCE RETURNS FROM AFRICA

12

7OVERSEAS CHILD SPONSORSHIP

General Counsel for the West

TERRENCE HUGHES PAGE 14

Like the lead man in the 1950s crime drama, “Perry Mason,” in which a defense attorney han-dles difficult cases for his ac-cused clients, Terrence Hughes maintains a high bar of success.

“Perry seemed to always win and to always help the under-dog,” Hughes said of his favorite

US-CUBA RELATIONSOPENS OPPORTUNITY

Cuba leader expects greater reach for The Salvation Army.

Terrence Hughes |Photo by John Docter

General Cox and Pope Francis meet at the Vatican

The first-ever private meet-ing between a General of The Salvation Army and a

Pope occurred Dec. 12 at the Vat-ican with General André Cox and Pope Francis as the culmination of conversations held between Salvation Army and Vatican representatives from 2007 to 2012 that are newly published in “Conversations with the Catholic Church” (Salvation Books, 2014).

When The Salvation Army group—including Commission-er Silvia Cox, world president of women’s ministries; Commis-sioner William Cochrane, inter-national secretary to the chief of the staff; Lt. Col. Massimo Tursi, officer commanding, Italy and Greece Command; and Captain Scott Linnett, private secretary to the General—entered the private rooms of the Pope, Tursi said the

Pope moved quickly toward them, warmly greeting each visitor.

“He listened attentively to the greetings brought by the Gener-al, which underlined the many things uniting Catholics and Sal-

vationists and spoke of the expe-riences of cooperation between priests and Salvation Army offi-cers in many areas of the world,” Tursi said.

Occasion marks the

first meeting of its kind.

POPE FRANCIS PAGE 14

General André Cox and Pope Francis pray together in the first-ever private meet-ing between leaders of The Salvation Army and the Catholic Church, flanked by Commissioner Silvia Cox (left) and a member of Francis’s delegation.

|Photo © Servizio Fotografico - L’Osservatore Romano

CUBA PAGE 12 Downtown Havana, Cuba |Photo by Christin Davis

8AIDING CANADIAN NEWCOMERS

BY CHRISTIN DAVIS

My title, an old expression, means doing an inventory—figuring out what you’ve got on the shelves, what’s moving off the shelves that people want to buy, what’s currently at-tractive, and what’s not going anywhere. Basically, it asks how are we doing in this enterprise?

It’s a formal activity that provides answers that require cri-teria, not just numbers.

This year I will begin my 87th year and our Army turns 150 years old. We’ve come “a long way, baby.” Both of us have ma-tured—somewhat. I’ve seen many changes in how both I and the Army operate—some good and some questionable, in my opinion. The Army’s double mission of spiritual and so-cial change stays the same. The means have changed because the world has changed dramatically over that time period. Therefore, our movement toward that mission has changed somewhat as well.

In “taking stock” of me I sense that the periphery of my life, those matters close to the edge, seem to have shifted some-what, but the fundamentals—how I live; how I relate; my gregarious, yet autonomous disposition; my belief systems; the product of my thought; my commitments; my love for Diane and the family we created; my hopes for the Army—these and many other characteristics remain constant. I have health, mind, spirit and drive as well as membership in a great health plan.

However, the exigencies of life make demands on me in various ways as they call on me. Maybe you hear some of those calls as well. I don’t run as fast or as far. I don’t even walk as fast or as far. On those occasions, my COPD (Chronic Ob-structive Pulmonary Disease) reminds me that it’s not a misdi-agnosis. They call this lovely infirmity “the smokers disease.” I want you to know that I have yet to take my first puff on a cigarette, cigar, pipe or any other form of unhealthy inhaler.

When in junior high I would walk past the assembly of eighth graders on the corner trying to look mature, waving their cigarettes in the air for all to see. I would just shake my head. I do not consider smoking a sin. I have avoided it for health reasons even when it wrongly advertised itself to be helpful to one’s health. For me, I found it just plain stupid. My COPD arrived in my eighties not as the product of inhaling tobacco tars. It came because I lived in the “smogville” of Los Angeles in the 40s and 50s. Also, I ran the mile in high school and did considerable inhaling.

In looking back I’ve discovered my rich, full life contains

many golden moments in the aging process. Here are some: building a family, wonderful friends, the Army, the Tab, the band, teaching an adult Sunday school class, failing my song-ster auditions, great corps officers, 15 wonderful grandchil-dren, one great-grandchild, a terrific twin brother, earning a Ph.D. at USC, becoming a professor, teaching for 50 years, sitting end chair in the band (I still do, but on the “other end” now), getting elected to the Los Angeles School Board, get-ting dis-elected after two terms because of my controversial stand favoring integration of the district after the Supreme Court labeled the district racially segregated, creating and building a professional team of journalists at New Frontier Publications, writing, and most especially, finding and mar-rying Diane 62 years ago.

God has let us live for 150 years in this Army. He must like us. He knows we are a bunch of human beings trying our best to do the right thing—to nurture sinners and expand their horizons; provide them support and encourage a continuing relationship. We struggle to reach the founder’s “In Darkest En-gland and the Way Out” goals. We tried many ideas as society changed its mores and values. I believe we have, for the most part, maintained a consistent status quo; we play it safe; we al-most seem to fear visibility; we talk to ourselves. I think we’re reluctant to risk or spend, yet some among us seek change and somehow accomplish the goal they are striving toward.

The most interesting and exciting experiment for change in my judgment is that by Territorial Commander Com-missioner James Knaggs. He initiated a tighter connection between corps and adult rehabilitation centers (ARC). The beneficiaries come to the corps. They are not isolated in one chosen location in the building, and more than expected be-come members and soldiers. Families see the difference.

Last Sunday, an ARC client who completed the program and had attended the corps prior to graduation was having a hard time maintaining that attendance. He received the fol-lowing text message from his daughter:

“Salvation Army helped you through soooo much. If it wasn’t for them you would still be put away. You can’t just forget. Let’s wake up tomorrow morning and go to Salvation Army church. You should go once in a while. It’s the place that got you with your family again. Let’s wake up, drink cof-fee and go tomorrow morning.”

Somebody tried something. It worked. Let’s try more things.|NFC

—New Frontier CHRONICLE • January 2015

is published monthly by The Salvation Army USA Western Territory

P.O. Box 22646, Long Beach, CA 90802-9998

Commissioner James Knaggs, Territorial Commander Colonel Dave Hudson, Chief Secretary

newfrontierpublications.orgMeMber of the evangelical Press association

EDITORIAL STAFFRobert L. Docter, Editor-In-Chief

562/491-8330 [email protected]

Christin Davis, Managing Editor562/491-8723

[email protected]

Erica Andrews • 562/[email protected]

Vivian Gatica • 562/491-8782 [email protected]

Karen Gleason • 562/[email protected]

Major Kevin Jackson • 562/[email protected]

Major Linda Jackson • 562/[email protected]

Jared McKiernan • 562/[email protected]

ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIAShannon Forrey, Web Editor • 562/491-8329

[email protected]

LAYOUT AND DESIGNKevin Dobruck, Art Director • 562/491-8328

[email protected]

Adriana Rivera, Graphic Designer • 562/[email protected]

ADVERTISING/BUSINESSKaren Gleason, Business Manager • 562/491-8332

[email protected]

CIRCULATIONArlene De Jesus, Circulation Manager • 562/491-8343

[email protected]

ISSN 2164-5930

To donate to a Salvation Army project or program, visit salvationarmy.org

and click “Donate.” Specify name or location as desired.

ON THE CORNERBY BOB DOCTER

PEOPLE COUNT IN THE WEST

Decisions for Christ 2,915

Worship attendance 89,590

Became members 945

People helped 766,228

People referred 5,099Data for December 2014. See more at peoplecountusw.org.

Find a comparison of 2013-2014 data on page 10.

Taking stock

International Secretary sends message of support to French President

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Commissioner Birgitte Brekke-Clifton, The Salvation Army International Secretary for Europe at Interna-tional Headquarters in London, wrote to the President of France on behalf of the worldwide Salvation Army, expressing condolences for the loss of life in the terror attack on the Paris offices of the magazine Charlie Hebdo, while assuring the president of prayers and support as his country comes to terms with the tragedy.

The commissioner’s letter to President François Hol-lande said:

I write on this National Day of Mourning in France, to ex-press The Salvation Army’s shock and horror at yesterday’s tragic shootings in Paris. We send our sympathy and condolences to all affected.

Please be assured that we are remembering and praying for all those affected by this tragedy: the victims, colleagues, fami-lies, first responders and government leaders, and I confirm that Salvationists across France are participating in “Moments of Re-membrance and Prayer” today and our organization stands at the ready to assist if needed.

In the midst of this crisis it is our hope that you will find a lev-el of comfort and peace in knowing that Salvationists through-out Europe and around the world are praying for all involved.

I leave with you the words of Psalm 46:1 as recorded in Scrip-ture: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

May God grant you wisdom and discernment as you lead.

God bless you

January 2015 • New Frontier CHRONICLE—

Major Marcelino “Butch” Soriano recognized The Salvation Army’s upcoming 150th anniversary by setting a new world record for the “longest continuous hand bell ringing by an individual.” As part of the 2014 Red Kettle Campaign, Soriano rang the bell at a kettle for 150 hours. Here he recounts the experience:

THE quest to 150 was not about me but about he who created me. It was about sharing God’s love through my actions and words. It was about my love for God and The Salvation Army.

It was not about breaking the record set last year; it was about letting people know that The Salvation Army would be in existence for 150 years in the year 2015. What better way to convey the message than to ring in the 150 years with one hour to mark each year that The Salvation Army has been on the march.

Last year at a conference, pastor Francis Chan said that we only have so much time on this earth to live so why not do something crazy for the Lord. Why not run the race that God has set before you and collapse in his arms and say “This was all about you Lord.” I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith (2 Tim. 4:7). It was that evening when the idea of ring-ing for 150 hours came into fruition.

Ringing in 2013 for 105 hours was very difficult so the idea of the quest to 150 was definitely a crazy one. I prayed about it and knew it would take God’s supernatural power to make it happen.

Wal-Mart in Murrieta, Calif., gave me approval to stand in front of their store for the six days. Administration gave me the okay to ring on Sunday and end in time to attend the Sunday holiness meeting. Pechanga Resort and Casino, which is a major supporter for our back-to-school ChildSpree event

financially and in volunteers, signed on as a corporate sponsor. They provid-ed warm clothing and a space heater, a chair for breaks, volunteers to assist during breaks and agreed to match up to $2,000 of the funds I raised.

I began ringing at 4 a.m. on Dec. 8, 2014. I felt great during the first day but then start feeling discomfort with my feet by the 36th hour. I began to wonder how I was able to ring 51 hours a few years ago and 105 hours in 2013. By the 60th hour, the intensity increased greatly, but the people who heard what I was doing and came by to encourage me kept me going.

By the 84th hour I was in serious trouble. I texted my wife to saying I was ready to call it a day. When people asked if I needed anything, I jokingly said, “yeah, new feet.” Then, on the 85th hour I used the chair with a cushion to kneel so I could pray and still face the people to keep ringing the bell. That hour Jerry arrived saying he had a prayer ministry and after I told him about my feet, he prayed for me and for my discomfort. The pain was still there, but it was no longer unbearable. Ten minutes later a woman gave a donation to the kettle; on her shirt was Philippians 4:13—a verse that I said would be my strength to complete the quest. At that point, I knew God was going to take over and carry me through to the end.

I met countless people with stories of how The Salvation Army helped them or a loved one. One woman who was experiencing homelessness put change in the kettle because the Army helped her family at Christmas when she was a child. One morning at 1 a.m., a man told me his testimony of com-ing to Christ and shared his own pain, so we prayed together. I witnessed an argument between a woman and a man, and later talked with her about her addiction and the Adult Rehabilitation Center that could help.

The ultimate blessing was to be used by God as a witness, and to hear oth-ers say that what I did was an inspiration for them. I give God all of the glory because before the quest began, I knew it could only be accomplished with his mighty strength.|NFC

THE QUEST

TO150Record-breaking officer

rings in 150th anniversary

with 150 hours of bell ringing.

Major Marcelino “Butch” Soriano broke the world record for continuous bell ringing after 150 hours standing kettle in 2014. |Photo courtesy Marcelino Soriano

BY MARCELINO SORIANO, MAJOR

IN 2013, the previous bell ringing record was set at 105 hours. Major Marcelino “Butch” Soriano broke it this year after ring-ing for 150 hours, following these rules:

1. He must ring a bell continuously.2. He must stand the entire time.3. No self-playing instruments or other aids may be used during the attempt. 4. He accrues five minutes of rest after each 60 minutes of ringing. 5. Breaks are the only time he is permitted to stop ringing, eat, sit or lie down, leave the kettle stand, use the restroom or sleep. 6. He may consume beverages during the attempt, but this activity must not disrupt ringing activity.

—New Frontier CHRONICLE •January 2015

Yes, there is a separation of church and state, as any American government student at Marian Pritchett School might tell you, but it is a convergence of public and private entities—and a lot of faith from both—that has kept the doors open at the Boise, Idaho, facility for nearly a century. But if anyone thinks that a faith-based mission and a publicly funded school isn’t maintaining a delicate

balance, they need look no further than the nativity scene that stood on the front lawn of the modest campus in Boise’s North End in late December.

“It’s interesting, isn’t it?” said Major Rhonda Lloyd, corps officer with her husband, Robert, for The Salvation Army in Boise. “Yes, we have the love of Christ in us, and I’m pretty sure that the girls feel that love. But we never push that faith. I think it was Mother Teresa who said, ‘Preach the gospel at all times and, if necessary, use words.’ Well, we use very few words at Marian Pritchett, but the girls know that we love them. It works out remarkably well.”

The North End campus has seen a lot of change since 1921 when The Salvation Army opened a small hospital and home for unwed mothers on 24th Street. The young women primarily learned about cooking, housekeeping and typing while living in then-dormitories on the campus. In 1963, the Idaho Legislature decided to turn what was then called the “Booth Home” into a fully accredited high school. It was renamed the Marian Pritchett School in 2002 to honor its longtime educator and principal.

Then in 2010, the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee of the Idaho

BY GEORGE PRENTICE

THE

‘MINOR

MIRACLE’

OF THE

MARIAN

PRITCHETT

SCHOOL

Legislature zeroed out specific funding for the school, leaving it to the Boise School District to either find more than $500,000 to keep the lights on, or shutter the nearly century-old institution. More than a few people wondered if the school should remain open.

“I remember people looking at us and asking, ‘Isn’t that kind of antiquated, to have a school for unwed mothers?’” Lloyd said.

Chief Administrator Deborah Hedden-Nicely recalls reporters from The Christian Science Monitor visiting the school several years ago, referring to a number of similar schools for pregnant girls on the East Coast that were closing their doors in increasing numbers.

“They asked, ‘What’s your secret?’ And I told them it’s this unique private-public collaboration, and that private partner is faith-based,” Hedden-Nicely said.

The Boise School District and The Salvation Army accomplished what many considered to be impossible. Hedden-Nicely said through a difficult combination of job cuts and service eliminations, a bare-bones budget was cut down to the marrow.

“It was a minor miracle,” she said.Hedden-Nicely is more than a principal. Due to the cutbacks, she

needed to take on a full slate of classes, teaching American government, economics, early American history and 20th-21st century American history. She joined 10 other teachers, counselors, tutors and assistants who juggle every element of the Boise School District’s high school curriculum—from business and technology to physical education.

“But it’s a kinder, gentler PE,” said Hedden-Nicely with a smile. “We walk the neighborhood on good days, and we do prenatal yoga and prenatal Pilates.”

The easiest way to look at the Marian Pritchett School is that the school district handles all of the education and The Salvation Army owns and maintains the building and provides support services for the unique student body.

“The students are technically released to us on Wednesday afternoons,” Lloyd said. “That’s when we have life skills courses, dealing with everything from custody and guardianship, to prenatal and parenting classes. Actually we call it ‘Adulthood 101.’ A lot of what the girls are dealing with are not the same things that a typical high school girl might deal with.”

Therein lies the secret for the school’s success of keeping unwed mothers in school, Lloyd said.

“It’s estimated that 70 percent of young women who become pregnant drop out of school,” she said.

Everything from stigmatizing to bullying are commonplace for a pregnant teen walking school halls among her peers. Worse yet is the physical endurance.

“We see morning sickness on any given day,” said Hedden-Nicely. “But we get on the phone and say, ‘That’s OK; we can deal with that. But you need to get to school today.’ They can lie down here, get some juice and crackers, but at least they’ll be attending some classes.”

And labor pains? That’s a reality, too, but school officials map out delivery dates and return dates and, quite often, have students take their finals ahead of time in case delivery comes near finals week.

“In a traditional school, it’s just not possible,” Hedden-Nicely said. “They’re dealing with too many students where they can’t make too many exceptions to the rule.”

U n i q u e c o l l a b o r a t i o n k e e p s s c h o o l v i a b l e f o r p r e g n a n t a n d p a r e n t i n g y o u n g w o m e n i n B o i s e .

Major Rhonda Lloyd, Boise corps officer, ensures the girls feel loved. The Salvation Army provides weekly life skills classes, from custody and guardianship to prenatal and parenting. |Photo by Robert Lloyd

A day care, managed by the Boise-based nonprofit Giraffe Laugh, operates one of its centers right on the campus of Marian Pritchett. It’s used exclusively for students during the school year and the service is open to the general public when the school is not in session.

A typical school day begins with students arriving in the pre-dawn hours, dropping off their children—newborns to 3-year-olds—at the day care and heading off to class. The new mothers pick up their children during the lunch break so that they can eat together—the school’s lunchroom has as many highchairs and boosters as adult chairs—and then the children are taken back to the day care as the students return to class. It’s not unusual to see a nursing mother and infant in the midst of an economics class.

Beginning this past semester, Marian Pritchett students have been taking a class called Childhood Professionals, where they learn about caring for other people’s children. At the end of the year, those students are certified childcare professionals, meaning that they can be hired at any other day care and, presumably, be eligible for free or reduced-cost childcare for their own infants.

“It’s the first year we’re doing that; it’s a very full class,” Hedden-Nicely said.

Graduates of Marian Pritchett take much more with them than a high school diploma and day care certification when they depart. To the person, nearly all of them have been accepted as undergraduates to Boise State University or the College of Western Idaho or have secured full-time employment. The high school boasts a 98 percent graduation rate.

“I took students from one of my government classes down to the Ada County Courthouse the other day to watch dispositions and sentencings and

up walks one of my former students,” Hedden-Nicely said. “She has a criminal justice degree from Boise State and she works at the courthouse.”

That student is just one of the hundreds of young women who have walked the halls at Marian Pritchett. In fact, 2014 marked the 50th anniversary of the school’s unique relationship with the Boise School District. Many of its alumni returned to share their memories.

“I definitely wouldn’t have my diploma today if it weren’t for this school,” said 2013 graduate Amie Erickson. “I had to get up every morning with a kid and make my way to school. But it was a big family. We all bonded.”

“Before I came here, I was a dropout, a runaway and obviously I got pregnant. I was lost in the crowd; I wasn’t successful and didn’t have anyone holding me accountable,” said 2006 graduate Caitlin Pierce. “But I had all these people telling me that my future mattered. I’m absolutely the mom I am today because of my time here.”

Marian Pritchett graduates include scores of Idaho professionals, including small-business owners, attorneys and even the principal of [Boise’s] Trail Wind Elementary School, Deborah Watts.

Veteran teacher Diana Scott, who taught math and science at the school for 33 years—and still returns to Marian Pritchett as a substitute teacher—remembers all of the girls but, above all, remembers Marian Pritchett.

“She was larger than life and saw the big picture,” said Scott. “She absolutely loved the girls but I remember her saying, ‘That girl is going to graduate whether she wants to or not.’”

Pritchett, whose beaming portrait hangs in the hallway of the school, was the head teacher at what was then known as the Booth Home. Following her

death in 2002, the district named the school after her.

“I heard so many alumni say over the years that if it wasn’t for Marian a lot of them would have dropped out,” Scott said.

But Pritchett’s 20th century school has a very different look—quite literally—in the 21st century.

“I think we’re approaching 50 percent of our students being English language learners. We have quite a few resettled refugees,” Hedden-Nicely said. “This year, we have students from Nepal, Burma, Thailand, Somalia, Rwanda, Congo, Mexico... oh my, there are a lot of nationalities.”

Which introduces a new dynamic.“To tell you the truth, over the years we have

had students from opposing tribes. They would be enemies,” Hedden-Nicely said.

But the common bond found at Marian Pritchett is universal.

“They’re all pregnant or they’re new mothers. And we need to get along, regardless of our differences,” she added.

Hedden-Nicely said that includes many faiths, in spite of the fact that The Salvation Army has provided the school’s foundation.

“And that particular spirit of Christmas is here through much of the year,” she said. “Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Christians... we share our faiths, and above all it’s a gratitude and mindfulness of the love we have for one another, no matter what.”|NFC

Before I came here, I was a dropout, a runaway and obviously I got pregnant. I was lost in the crowd; I wasn’t successful and didn’t have anyone holding me accountable. But I had all these people telling me that my future mattered. I’m absolutely the mom I am today because of my time here.’

—CAITLIN PIERCE


At graduation, students receive a diploma from a fully accredited high school. Here, a mother celebrates her achievement with her baby. |Photo courtesy of The Salvation Army Boise

Deborah Hedden-Nicely (l), school chief administrator, also teaches a full slate of classes, includ-ing government, economics and history. |Photo courtesy of the Marian Pritchett School

The Boise-based nonprofit Giraffe Laugh operates one of its day care centers on Marian Pritchett’s campus.

|Photo by George Prentice


Homelessness is disruptive, especially for a child in the classroom.

With youth homelessness up 8 percent over the past year in the U.S., the educational risks associated run particularly high.

The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) cites residency requirements, guardianship requirements, delays in transfer of school records, lack of transportation, and lack of immunization records all as potential barriers for enrolling homeless children in school. The DOE reported roughly 1.3 million homeless children and teens were enrolled in U.S. schools in the 2012-13 school year—slightly over half the 2.5 million total homeless youth population.

The transience associated with homelessness can also inhibit a child’s education. Homeless families often relocate due to limits on length of shelter stays, domestic violence or employment. The Institute for Children, Poverty, and Homelessness estimates up to six months of education are lost with every move.

“We know, based on a number of different studies, that in order to get a job in the current economy you need not just a high school degree, but a college degree,” said Barbara Duffield, director of policy and programs at the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth. “The bottom line is in order to get a job that pays enough to have housing, you need to have an education.”

Duffield said that community organizations can play a vital role, starting with connecting to the homeless liaisons designated by law to each school district in the country.

“It’s important for community agencies to try to make school an expectation and also a

The Salvation Army counters child homelessness with education

BY VIVIAN GATICA

possibility, so in other words to expect that there will be times where children

do homework and that they have a quiet space to do homework, and that they’re allowed to participate in after-school programs that can be beneficial to them so that they

really aren’t in any way held back by virtue of staying in a shelter or staying

in a transitional housing program,” she said. “We want [children experiencing

homelessness] to be able to participate fully in school whether it’s after-school

programs, sports, or all the things a child who isn’t homeless can do.”

The Salvation Army works to curb the educational effects of child homelessness throughout California, which ranked 48th on The National Center on Family Homelessness study’s state-by-state composite

breakdown.The after-school program at the Ray and Joan

Kroc Corps Community Center in San Francisco, for example, holds children accountable with

their schoolwork.“Some of the younger ones, especially, who we

notice are staying in shelters, tend to lose their homework or have a hard time keeping track of their things, so we

started...having them keep their homework here and we would take responsibility for making sure that they have

it and that it gets back to their teachers at school,” said Alex Yee, Kroc Center education director.

“We’ve had instances when they come in carrying everything they own...

because they don’t have their own place to keep all these things.”

Yee said the Kroc Center eases the families’ stress by offering scholarships for the program and a safe place for the children to stay after school while parents work

on resolving their economic situation.“Their whole life doesn’t need to be lived in some messy

environment, or on the streets or in a shelter; there’s this place that is here for them...that allows them to relax and be themselves,” Yee said. “Homelessness also comes with other family issues...that can bring up a lot of different emotions for kids who might be very guarded or worried about home life or family. We get those moments where they’re able to open up and come to a place where they can leave that outside.”

The Los Angeles Red Shield Youth and Community Center also enrolls families with children facing homelessness

in its programs. Its membership fee is low, but is often covered by scholarships for

these families. Red Shield educational services for youth include a library learning center and computer skills class. Irene Lewis, Red Shield executive director, said the program also helps the children overcome social stigma faced in their school

environment. “When they go to school, kids find

out that they’re homeless and they say, ‘You don’t have a house to live in; you live

in a shelter,’ and they feel bad,” Lewis said. “They can come [to the Red Shield] and not be treated

any different. They come here and they’re just one of the other kids participating in the program. Nobody knows anything about where they’re living, nobody asks that question; they’re just welcomed.”

America’s Promise Alliance reported last year that students experiencing homelessness are 87 percent more likely to stop going to

school. According to Duffield, child homelessness and education are inextricably linked.

“If we want to really prevent and end homelessness, we need to focus on children,” she said. “There’s an urgency

to their development. It’s a ‘now’ issue; it’s not a 10-year plan issue, and so we need to make sure that they’re getting the education that’s going to allow them to live a better life and not be homeless as an adult.”|NFC

Child homelessness

increased 8 percent in the U.S. over the past year.

Up to 6 months of a

child’s education are lost every time a family relocates.

Students experiencing

homelessness are 87 percent

more likely to stop going to school.

Slightly over half of the 2.5 million total homeless youth

population were enrolled in U.S. schools in the 2012-13 school

year.

The Davis’ storyVonterica Davis, 33, and her two sons—ages 4 and 6—are

homeless in Alabama, the lowest-ranked state in the The Nation-al Center on Family Homelessness’s child homelessness report. The family currently lives at The Salvation Army’s women and children’s shelter, one of the three Salvation Army family hous-ing programs in Birmingham, Ala., that routinely hover at or near capacity.

Davis knew of The Salvation Army from being involved at a local corps. She turned to the Army in October 2014 for shelter after being attacked by her housemate.

“I didn’t know where else to turn to,” she said. “Once I left the hospital from getting my stitches, I got my kids, I called The Sal-vation Army to see if there was room in the women and children’s unit and that’s where we went. I knew The Salvation Army was a

safe place for me to sit down, calm down, get help and make a solid plan for me and my family.”

Davis had volunteered for a number of Army fundraisers includ-ing the Red Kettle campaign and Angel Tree program.

“I’ve never been on the opposite end of the spectrum. I’m usu-ally the person doing the helping, not asking for help,” Davis said. “Now I’m on the inside looking out and The Salvation Army has come full circle.”

She is currently looking ahead. “Right now, what’s best for my family is that we’re safe—that we

have somewhere to stay and stability—and that’s what The Sal-vation Army is offering me,” Davis said. “[It’s] something that I cannot do for myself at this point in time, but with their help I’ll be able to not get in this situation again.”

SOURCE: The National Center on Family Homelessness; Institute for Children, Poverty, and Homelessness; America’s Promise Alliance; and the U.S. Department of Education.


The Salvation Army Overseas Child Sponsorship program has impacted thousands of children worldwide for years—all through donations from individuals willing to help a child they will

probably never meet.Nazmin is one of those children, growing up initially

on the outskirts of Mazatlan, Mexico, in the community of Felicidad. Here homes are constructed haphazardly from discarded materials, drug and alcohol abuse are common, children stop attending school early—many remaining illiterate all their lives—and girls become pregnant in their early teens, ending up with a household of children as a single parent.

The reality of Felicidad is a stark contrast to its name, which means “happiness.”

Nazmin’s mother, Claudia, related the challenges they faced. Nazmin grew up in Felicidad with her parents and younger brother. Her father struggled with alcoholism and did not work consistently, making it difficult for the family to get through each day.

“Their father had many vices.” Claudia said. “We didn’t have anything to eat so we had to pick fruit from the tree grove. I couldn’t look after my children if I was to find work. They were very little.”

When Nazmin was 5 and about to enter kindergarten, Claudia worried about how they would afford the school uniform, fees and school supplies. During this time she received an invitation to Home League, a fellowship group for women, at The Salvation Army Children’s Home, located just outside Felicidad. When The Salvation Army officers there discovered the family’s situation, they invited Claudia to register her children to live at the home.

Now 16 years old, Nazmin has resided at the Children’s Home for 10 years.

Through these years The Salvation Army Children’s Home provided Nazmin’s basic needs: food, clothing and shelter. The environment allowed her to develop into a strong, confident young woman. While many of her peers from her old neighborhood dropped out of school and started families at a young age, Nazmin excels in school and dreams of becoming an English teacher.

She often thinks of her old friends in Felicidad, realizing how different her life could be.

“I would be in the street,” Nazmin said. “I wouldn’t be in the grade I am in now. I would be doing drugs. We wouldn’t have enough money for me to study. In the home, I have been given the opportunity to study and to know the word of God.”

Through weekly lessons in traditional folk dance at the home, Nazmin has become a skilled dancer. Her leadership skills developed as well, and she assists younger children with homework and helps teach Sunday school at church.

Around the world thousands of children like Nazmin are thriving in Salvation Army-run orphanages, schools and corps. The Mazatlan Children’s Home where Nazmin resides is one of the homes that received support through The Salvation Army’s Overseas Child Sponsorship program, which allows people in the Western Territory to empower children like Nazmin around the world, impacting them tangibly. The Salvation Army is helping children in countries throughout Africa, Asia and the Americas within established programs run by local Salvation Army officers. The families and community members also benefit from employment opportunities and the opportunity for spiritual care through church services and ministries.

Nazmin’s family received more than shelter and education from the Children’s Home. Two years ago, Nazmin’s father died. When Claudia could no longer maintain her residence, the officers at the home offered her a live-in position as a cook.

Pledge $20 a month and unlock

potential in children worldwide.

Overseas Child Sponsorshipprogram shows impact

“I have been working here for two years,” Claudia said. “They offered me a home. I don’t have a house. My husband died. They have supported me a lot and they help my children continue with their studies. They give them everything. They also support us as Christians. We are Christians and we attend the [church] meetings. We are soldiers in the church.”

Sponsors can give a discretionary donation to a specific Salvation Army-run home or school in a particular country or they can sign up to become a sponsor to an individual child currently participating in the program with a pledge of $20 per month.

“Sponsors make all the difference to the children they support with their contributions,” said Major Don Gilger, director of world missions and the Overseas Child Sponsorship program in the Western Territory. “A warm bed, a nice meal, a good education and the knowledge that there is a God who loves them enough to make it all happen. Sponsors are the hand of God that changes the world one life at a time.”

The donation funds food, clothing, medical and dental support, safe environment, educational opportunities and spiritual development. The program’s administrative costs are funded separately, allowing 100 percent of the donation to go to the home or school. Sponsors can also

correspond with their sponsored child. “Sponsors can encourage them in their letters and share

with them about God’s great love for them,” Gilger said. “Sponsors have the unique opportunity to see the intrinsic worth of a child without ever having met them and heap blessings on their lives as they support them with prayer and finances.”

The finance department in the Western Territory’s Adult Rehabilitation Center Command has sponsored children for several years.

“We started out sponsoring one or two kids in 2009 and are now sponsoring five kids. At Christmas time instead of a gift exchange in our department we collect money,” said Joan Vander Broek, a key figure in collecting the donations. “We could see a need and wanted to do something for the children. Personally, I feel that I am doing something that God has told us to do to help others in need.”

The group receives letters from a sponsored child in the Philippines with updates on how his life is going, how his family is doing, and what he’s studying.

As Broek said, “It’s nice to see the children grow.” To sponsor a child, contact rachel.thieme@usw.

salvationarmy.org.|NFC

BY RACHEL THIEME

Children from The Salvation Army Children’s Home in Mazatlan, Mexico. LEFT: Children’s Home resident Nazmin

|Photos by Rachel Thieme

Statistics Canada reported that more than a million people im-migrated to Canada between 2006–2011, making the total for-eign-born population nearly 6.8 million and accounting for over 20 percent of the country’s total population.

Upon arrival, these newcomers face obstacles that prevent so-cietal integration, including language, culture and legal barriers, and so The Salvation Army steps in.

Atlantic Refugee and Immigrant Services (ARIS)Atlantic Refugee and Immigration Services (ARIS) was formed in 2007

by volunteers who saw a need for the program in the Halifax area of Nova Scotia. When funding became an issue, The Salvation Army decided to run the program through its Spryfield Community Church and Family Resource Center.

“We decided to incorporate our work within the programming of The Sal-vation Army,” said Marie Kettle, ARIS program coordinator. “When [the in-dependent society preceding ARIS] was dissolved, The Salvation Army ARIS project came into being, and I became a full-time employee of The Salvation Army.”

Although the immigrant population of Nova Scotia accounts for only 5 percent of the province population, Kettle said that no legal aid is available to refugees or immigrants in the area.

“So if they can’t afford to pay for the services of a private immigration lawyer, there is nowhere to go for help with immigration documents and processes,” Kettle said. “We work with clients to fill that gap, and also have volunteer lawyers and law students who represent and assist our clients when necessary.”

The program offers assistance with Permanent Resident Card renewals, applications for Canadian citizenship, and other immigration forms, partic-ularly those involved with family reunifications.

“It is a very valuable program. When newcomers arrive in Canada every-thing is strange and different. If they have family members left behind, it is a great worry and stress and makes it harder for them to settle and in-tegrate,” Kettle said. “It is so rewarding to see families reunited, and to see spouses arrive with a new child that the other parent has not yet even met. Sometimes it is very emotional and stressful but it is definitely worth the effort put in.”

ARIS serves approximately 30 clients per month. “People are very appreciative and grateful for the help,” Kettle said. “They

keep coming back and referring their family members and neighbors to us.”

Toronto Immigrant and Refugee Services At Harbour Light Ministries in Toronto, Ontario, The Salvation Army has

committed over 20 years of service to newcomers through its Immigrant and Refugee Services (IRS) program.

“We have earned the respect not only from the people we help, but also from the other agencies and government programs and associations,” said Angelica Correa, IRS coordinator. “Successfully integrated newcomers will be the economic and social base of Toronto and Canada in general in future decades, and The Salvation Army needs to demonstrate its relevance and value to this group of new Canadians.”

Among the largest metropolitan areas in Canada, Toronto has one of the highest numbers of immigrants with over 2.5 million, which accounts for 46 percent of the city’s population, according to Statistics Canada.

Current services provided through IRS include help with the technical immigration process, employment, housing, community referrals, English as a Second Language (ESL) education and emotional support.

IRS helps around 700 families each year through its two satellite offices, and future plans include expanding to all Salvation Army ministry units.

“Many churches and social services provide specialized ministries and

services to newcomers, but our plan involves increasing the ability for all Salvation Army ministries in the Greater Toronto Area to support and wel-come newcomers and improve the experience of newcomers coming into contact with our services,” Correa said. “Our hope is that this will lead to deeper levels of engagement, involvement and integration with newcomers among our churches and other services.”

Correa emphasized the importance of outreaching to immigrants in Can-ada.

“Investing in newcomers and immigrants secures a trustful society. This is not only an investment for future generations free of resentment, but it is also the core of Jesus’ teaching,” she said. “We all are part of the body of Christ called to fulfill the Great Commission. God is sending people from all over the world to us...all the nations are coming to us.”

Barbara Mitchell Family Resource CentreThe Prairie province of Winnipeg is home to 147,295 immigrants—nearly

21 percent of its total population. In 2011 alone, Statistics Canada report-ed 45,300 newcomers settled in the area. The Barbara Mitchell Family Re-source Centre (BMFRC)—established in 2012—is geared specifically toward the immigrant population.

“Our purpose is to facilitate change and to foster community,” said Major Corinne Cameron, BMFRC executive director.

Center resources include employment assistance through its Life Em-ployability and Enhancement Program, food distribution, and family and youth oriented programs.

“Our newcomer population comes to Canada with large hopes of a bet-ter life. Many have come through significant trauma, and all have left some form of family behind. They proceed through a two-week entry program provided by the province, and then they are on their own,” Cameron said. “Our programming provides for them a sense of community, a support net-work, and basic requirements for life.”

The program works on a drop-in basis, serving 300 people each week. “Everyone is so very appreciative of everything we are able to offer, and it

is rewarding to journey with individuals as they settle into life in Canada,” Cameron said. “As they move into more established homes, they often come back for visits to let us know how they are doing. One young mom recently said of our ministry, ‘I crossed the road and I found God.’”

According to Cameron, the next step is to expand employment services to help more newcomers find jobs.

“Our long-term vision is to continue to make an impact on the newcomer community, to be known as a safe place for people to come and find a way on their journey of settlement,” Cameron said. “We hope to increase our ability to be a transforming influence in this neighborhood, and through our min-istry to help our Salvation Army ministry units discover the wonderful gifts of working with newcomers.”

Montréal Immigrant and Refugee Services In Montréal, 846,650 residents are immigrants, which is almost 23 per-

cent of the area’s total population. After realizing the need for outreach and seeing the success of IRS in Toronto, The Salvation Army Montréal Citadel Corps launched its own IRS program.

“The Salvation Army has always been very pro-active in helping immi-grants and refugees all over the world,” said Louise Fernandez, IRS program coordinator. “This program is intended to offer a more holistic range of ser-vices to immigrants and refugees.”

IRS offers its clients guidance in immigration matters, housing, transi-tion to Canadian society, and emotional struggles. People are often referred to the program through the corps’ food bank.

“For many we’re their first family [in Canada],” Fernandez said. “The Sal-vation Army offers them hope. We welcome people no matter what their age group, race, origin, country, immigration status; we don’t care. We just want to welcome a human being.”|NFC


The Salvation Army assists immigrants and refugees throughout the nation.

BY VIVIAN GATICA

Canadian ‘newcomers’ find welcome


Salvation Army Toronto Immigrant Refugee Services clients at various programs, events and services |Photos courtesy of Angelica Correa

Investing in newcomers and immigrants secures a trustful society. This is not only an investment for future generations free of resentment, but it is also the core of Jesus’ teaching.’

—ANGELICA CORREA


JANFEB

MARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC

DECISIONSFOR CHRIST

WORSHIPATTENDANCE

BECAME MEMBERS HELPED PEOPLE

REFERREDPEOPLE

20132014

20132014

20132014

20132014

20132014

20132014

20132014

20132014

20132014

20132014

20132014

20132014

1,7111,776

78,34682,067

90190

758,886688,570

1,63511,772

HOW THE WESTERN TERRITORY MEASURED

UP IN 2014

2,3931,480

85,88588,538

118336

763,662716,190

2,1541,218

3,0273,211

116, 292115,956

7501,505

958,750955,698

1,8202,094

2,2803,167

86,091107,697

320518

776,120811,882

1,466 1,639

2,1261,599

90,90293,853

355 244

707,649742,353

1,4712,405

2,7313,127

101,920112,889

445238

893,587 983,821

2,229 3,702

3,951 3,617

89,608101,256

594 368

721,508 755,798

3,207 8,742

3,9434,010

91,859126,127

579186

783,310 956,527

2,063 3,165

1,953 3,219

105,95498,516

327981

930,339 784,071

1,783 2,991

1,6583,448

86,72490,095

220981

754,955 756,815

1,765 3,600

2,0404,499

90,250124,461

366615

1,974 4,712

4,336 2,943

105,49395,984

6,3641,015

996,349808,446

2,4365,133

“People Count is much more than a statistical summary of a corps or ministry unit within the USA West-

ern Territory. It represents significant ministry and beautifully defines our mission im-peratives. In a sentence, it tells us of what God is doing among us today. I am most grate-ful when people are able to send in their stories of what God is doing and how people are responding.

At the end of the day, are people being saved? Does this reveal itself in increased atten-dances on Sunday morning? Are people becoming soldiers or adherents? Are we helping people?

How we answer those four questions will inform us as to how well we are completing the mission of The Salvation Army.”

—Commissioner James Knaggs, territorial commanderVisit peoplecountusw.org

Source: People Count

753,785 1,028,037


Hugo Chavarría |Photo by Nancy Muñoz

Ever since my early school years in Costa Rica, my life was tangled up in disaster—mischief, pranks toward my peers, disregard for classes, and

curiosity of alcohol and drugs.When I was 17, without having finished

school and still very immature, I observed the drug trafficking around me and decided to move out of my house to live an indepen-dent life. I would be my own boss, have my own money, car and luxuries, and distance myself from my parents, whom I found an-noying at the time.

However, the time came when I lost con-trol over the drugs; they started controlling me. I wasn’t myself. I did things I did not want to do and ended up drowning myself in my consumption of drugs and alcohol in the darkest places of the city. Eventually I be-came homeless, eating from trash cans and sleeping on cardboard.

I didn’t care about life anymore. I walked alone, buried in the depths of my agony, wanting to get out of my situation but not being able to. My many unsuccessful at-tempts to change included hospitalization, psychologists, psychiatrists and support groups. They all seemed useless against the evil living inside me.

I began to seek death wherever I could, taking dangerous risks and acting disre-spectfully and irresponsibly. But God kept protecting me, and had something better planned for me.

For many years I continued living in the world of gambling, drugs, alcohol, prostitu-tion, robbery, lies, assault, disillusionment,

abandonment of my family, dishonor to my parents, fraud, physical and emotional abuse toward my loved ones and thousands of bad habits and actions that kept me in my own misery.

On Dec. 2, 2013, I realized that death would not come to me easi-ly. Despite my frustration and my urge to leave this world, I did not have enough courage to take my life by violent means. So I decided to starve myself and see what happened.

Three days later, my body couldn’t take it anymore, much less my spirit and thoughts. I decided to go to the train station, lie on the train tracks, and wait for the first train of the morning to finish what I had already started.

God, however, did not want that. Fifteen minutes before 6 a.m. when the train was set to arrive, a Salvation Army officer saw me on the tracks sleeping, woke me up, and asked what I was doing there. I told him briefly of my plans to kill myself. He hugged me—despite my bad body odor from days of not bathing—and told me that God loved me and wanted me to get off the train tracks. He told me to get up and come with him to get something to eat.

I got up and walked with him for a while. He told me he had to go, but to knock on the door of a nearby building, ask for the pastor

and tell him my story. I did so, and a cadet named Carlos Andrés and his wife Tatiana greeted me, fed me, and talked to me about Jesus. I spent the rest of the day with them, and they told me about The Sal-vation Army and its mission and purpose. They took me to a shelter where I could bathe and sleep.

After years of suffering from marginalization and poverty, on Dec. 6, 2013, thanks to the intervention of the cadets and the shelter and support at the rehabilitation center, I started a new chapter of my life.

I managed to get my own place, clothes, food, real friends, guid-ance in the Word of God, and have been able to reintegrate myself in society and within my family. But the story doesn’t end here.

Today, thanks to the work of The Salvation Army’s rehabilitation center, Majors Manuel and Nancy Muñoz, and the Army in general, I will join its ranks. I am completing soldiership classes because I am convinced that God has called me to use my life story as a tes-timony that through Jesus there is nothing that is impossible. God found life in me when no one else could find a solution to my mis-fortune.|NFC

From addict tofuture soldierA

FRESHSTART

BY HUGO CHAVARRÍA

The Salvation Army Project HOPE (Homeless Outreach to Place and Em-power) has connected individuals ex-periencing homelessness in Phoenix to human services and housing since 1996.

According to Brent Babb, Project HOPE program supervisor, many fam-ilies are facing long waits for shelter in Phoenix due to a city ordinance requir-ing families to apply at one centralized location, which has nearly doubled the amount of families waiting. Conse-quently, Project HOPE increased focus on these households in addition to its existing individual outreach.

“They basically have one front door to the main shelters in Phoenix. Unless you’ve gone through that process, then you’re not appearing on the waitlist. So it can take anywhere from as long as four to five weeks to get a family placed into emergency family shelter,” Babb said. “We’re spending a lot of our time and resources on families now...because they’re trying to access shelter and can’t.”

The 2013 Homelessness in Arizona Annual Report indicated that 62 per-cent of the state’s 1,291 families facing homelessness resided in Maricopa County—where Phoenix is located—during the January 2013 annual Arizo-na Point In Time count. Babb attributes this to the county’s current unemploy-ment rate of 6.7 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“The employment that is available is

either seasonal or it’s unsteady and you can’t really provide for a family on some of the jobs that are available,” Babb said.

Project HOPE provides temporary emergency lodging for families at its two studio apartments or at local ho-tels as funds permit while they work through the obstacles of accessing emergency housing.

Part of this process involves working with other agencies to get the govern-ment documents for families to apply for housing and other services.

“Some emergency shelters are re-quiring that they have these docu-ments before they’re even eligible for emergency shelter,” Babb said. “All of them require that you have ID, except the overflow shelter—where there may be space and there may not be—so it’s basically to help them become eligible for shelters.”

Other Project HOPE services include employment guidance and distribution of necessities such as food and clothing.

Much of Project HOPE’s client base comes from its daily street outreach, where a team of interns and volunteers take to the streets to interact with peo-ple facing homelessness, provide water and hygiene kits, and get them started on accessing resources.

Babb said, “I’m hoping that at least the amount of time that people are homeless decreases, [so that] ideally if you are going in to access emergency shelter you have it.”|NFC

The Salvation Army Santa Barbara Hospitality House will lose its funding from the city of San-ta Barbara as of July 2015, and is in need of a new source of income to maintain its Restorative Court program.

A transitional housing facility for homeless men and women that focuses on self-sufficien-cy through onsite resources and partnerships, Hospitality House needs $35,000 to pay for two Restorative Court program beds along with tem-porary beds.

“The Hospitality House has provided a safe haven that has proven to bring stabilization and lasting sobriety to those who go on to successful-ly graduate from the six-month Restorative Court program,” Major Philip Smith, corps officer of The Salvation Army Santa Barbara. “Many of these individuals in turn break the cycle of recurring crime and public violation that has otherwise led to incarceration.”

The Restorative Court program began in April

2011 as a collaborative effort of the police depart-ment, court system, health care system, and social service agencies. It is designed to help individu-als with mental illness or substance dependence, many of whom are homeless, get off the street and achieve sobriety, safe housing, and a healthy lifestyle.

Hospitality House has assisted 34 clients in its three years of participating in Restorative Court, 21 of which have achieved sobriety, 14 had a men-tal health diagnosis and 13 clients stayed on for permanent housing with seven having their crim-inal records removed.

“Our direct relationship with Restorative Court allows The Salvation Army to provide services and expertise that significantly contributes in achiev-ing positive outcomes with a high risk population of our downtown homeless,” Smith said. “This diversionary program is a collaborative effort of service providers providing case management and wraparound services that make independent living possible. The transitional beds provided by The Salvation Army Hospitality House are a crit-ical component of this continuum of care.”|NFC

Project HOPE focuses on familiesWith long shelter wait lists in Phoenix, project connects people to services and housing.

Hospitality House seeks new partnershipSanta Barbara facility could lose Restorative Court program

BY QUINNITCHELL BROWN

Santa Barbara community leaders gather to discuss the Restorative Court program. |Photo courtesy of Santa Barbara’s Restorative Court program


Major Beryl Pierce returns to the West

after dedicated overseas service.

Pierce completes nine years in Africa

Major Beryl Pierce returned to the Western Territory from Zambia after more than nine years of overseas service with The Salvation Army. In February she will transition to her new position as personnel officer and conference center coordinator at the College

for Officer Training at Crestmont. “How my life has been touched and blessed by God’s mysterious grace and

power is beyond my wildest imagination,” Pierce said.She said she first realized her calling to overseas service at age 6.“I was standing in a field all alone and had this overwhelming feeling that God

was calling me to serve him in India,” Pierce said. “I never forgot that call, but I always thought it not convenient or that I had no special skills to qualify me.”

In 2003, when her son applied to college, God renewed the call. The next year at the Brengle Institute in Chicago, Pierce said she surrendered, vowing to go wherever she was needed.

The Army sent her to Zambia in 2005, where she initially worked in the social and editorial departments at Zambia Territorial Headquarters in Lusaka while helping complete construction of the Mandevu Corps and growing the congregation there.

Her next appointment took her to the Chikankata Hospital in Mazabuka, southwest of Lusaka.

“[This] had been a dream of mine since my teen years,” Pierce said. “I never thought it would come true.”

While there, she helped build three more corps halls and grew four congregations as the corps officer of Chikankata, Kakole, Chipola and Chibuku.

“They are so open to God’s Word; they flock to the altar,” she said. “Their beautiful style of worship is done with the whole body and soul.”

Pierce said she was motivated by what she witnessed day to day.“I saw so many needs, such great poverty,” she said. “It was difficult knowing

that what I could do to help was so small in comparison.”In 2012 she was appointed to the Mitanda Home for The Aged in Ndola.“I have had a passion from a very young age for this ministry, and I

even hope to continue doing [this] in post-retirement,” said Pierce, who is set to retire in 2016.

Pierce secured funds to complete projects and procure supplies at Mitanda Home.

“I was privileged to be a part of transforming the lives of our seniors and promoting their quality of life,” Pierce said. “[We completed] a number of repairs and upgrades to the infrastructure, electrical, water and sewer systems as well improved the wages of the employees. So much was accomplished in just two years and seven months.”

She does not take the credit for these accomplishments.

“Truly we serve an amazing God.” she said.Pierce did keep track of the people to whom

she ministered. During her time in Zambia,

she took part in the enrollment of 124 senior soldiers, 103 junior soldiers, 56 senior Home League members and 88 junior Home League members. She participated in the training and commissioning of more than 110 local officers and 47 songster members along with preparing five candidates for training as Salvation Army officers. She officiated in the dedications of 256 babies.

Yet, she maintains that there is more to be done.

“The field is ready for harvest but the laborers are few,” Pierce said. “I am indebted to my God, as well as my friends and family in the U.S. who supported me with prayers and funding. ‘Leza amupile’ (May God bless you)! It has been an amazing adventure.” |NFC

ABOVE: Major Beryl Pierce sits with a Salvation Army soldier at an event in Zambia. LEFT: On her last Sunday at the Ndola City Corps, Major Beryl Pierce brought the message and pre-sided at the enrollment of new soldiers from the Mitanda Home for the Aged.

divisional commander of The Salvation Army in Cuba. “We consider that this opening will enable a job of bigger reach for The Salvation Army, because although the work of the Army in Cuba has kept on becoming stronger and it is growing, we believe sincerely that now is God’s time for our country. These relations are going to let the mission-ary work be shared with more intensity.”

President Barack Obama announced in mid-December 2014 that the U.S. would normalize diplomatic relations with Cuba and ease economic restrictions on the nation. “We know from hard-learned experience that it is better to encourage and support reform than to impose policies that will render a country a failed state,” Obama said in a press release. “With our actions today, we are calling on Cuba to unleash the potential of 11 million Cubans by end-ing the unnecessary restrictions on their political, social and economic activities.”

One of few remaining socialist states espousing com-munism, Cuba’s turbulent history—from the 1898 Span-ish-American War to establishment of the Communist Party of Cuba in 1965 and continued tension with the United States—has sidled the island’s lush beauty with difficulty.

The average state salary in Cuba rose 1 percent in 2013 to 471 pesos ($20) a month. That same year the state-run

food stores that distribute rations marked 50 years of pro-viding subsidies.

“From a religious standpoint—from an evangelical, a Salvation Army standpoint, we should rejoice because the doors are opening for continued and even greater support of the mission in Cuba,” said Commissioner William Fran-cis, a USA Eastern Territory officer who served as territori-al leader in Canada and Bermuda from 2007 until retire-ment in 2011, and initiated support for a five-time annual Canadian mission to Cuba.

“I was amazed at the strength of the Army there. Many have known nothing else but Fidel Castro and communist rule, but through all of that the people have kept the joy of the Lord,” said Francis, who attended the first four years of project dedications with his wife. “That’s a wonderful verse, but when you see it embodied in people it takes on new meaning.”

The Salvation Army began work in Cuba in the early 1900s with missionary officers, was officially recognized in 1918, and operated until 1958 when the last overseas officer left the island upon signs of revolution, according to Moreno, who was once an inspector for the government. For 10 years, Moreno said, Cuban people continued the Army’s work with-out the knowledge of international headquarters.

The announced shift in relations was not without crit-

icism. Yet, as Dr. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the U.S. National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, said in a statement, “If this controversial step results in the al-leviation of hunger and opens the door for personal free-doms to flourish, then I pray this decision will serve as a catalytic step in unleashing the followers of Jesus to be the Church both inside and outside of the island nation, addressing the spiritual and physical needs of the Cuban people.”|NFC

CUBA FROM PAGE 1

BY KAREN GLEASON

|Photo by Christin Davis


As freshmen at the University of North Carolina (UNC), the late night conversa-tions of Thomas Doochin, Taylor Sharp

and Jake Bernstein were about giving—specif-ically, how to revolutionize giving by making it easy and meaningful for those with lots of re-sources to be matched with those who have few.

Those discussions turned into CommuniGift, an online platform that allows charities to cre-ate offline programs online like Adopt-A-Fami-

ly or product drives. But even more importantly, it gives a family, company or individual the op-portunity to make a connection with someone who needs help.

This past Christmas season, The Salvation Army in three locations—Southern Califor-nia; Wake County, North Carolina; and Central Ohio—used CommuniGift to pair givers with families in need or manage their toy drive on-line.

In Southern California, 410 families were assisted through CommuniGift by 73 do-nors who gave $10,350 plus specific items.

To get the system up and running, Doochin, Sharp and Bernstein got advice from business leaders and worked the phones to find an organization willing to give it a try. They found several and said every charity they invited to use CommuniGift taught them something new. According to Doochin, they’re focused on proving their concept and then making it even better.

To use the platform, a charity uploads information about those in its program and a page for the charity is created on the CommuniGift site. Donors can follow the link, create an account and begin searching for people to help using drop-down menus of characteristics that are meaningful to them. The gift items are linked to online retail-ers, allowing a simple purchase that is shipped to the charity’s location.

Now UNC juniors, Doochin and Sharp said they each grew up in families that en-gaged in active giving during the holidays and all year long. CommuniGift’s found-ers—which now include a fourth named Jack Wohlfert—are hoping that their online platform will help people make purposeful connections in a user-friendly, online for-mat.|NFC

CommuniGift part of Christmas

BY KATHY LOVIN

In Southern California, 410 families were assisted by

The Salvation Army via a new online giving platform.

Taylor Sharp (left) and Thomas Doochin (right) of CommuniGift |Photo by John Docter

The Government of Guyana presented 5 million Guyanese dollars (nearly $25,000) to The Salvation Army to support its Drug Rehabilita-tion Program, according to Guyana’s Government Information Agency (GINA).

Guyana is a sovereign state on the Caribbean coast of South Ameri-ca and the only South American country where English is the national official language.

According to the U.S. State Department, drug laws in Guyana are “strict,” pre-trial detention can last several years, and final sentences are typically “lengthy.”

The 2010 U.S. State Department International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) stated that Guyana continues to be a “major transshipment point for cocaine destined for North America, Europe and West Africa and the [Government of Guyana] has neither identified nor confronted major drug traffickers and their organizations.”

The Salvation Army’s Drug Rehabilitation Program won Guyana’s Medal of Service National Award in 2011.

“As long as The Salvation Army’s Drug Rehabilitation Program con-tinues to produce success stories, this government will be proud to part-ner with the program,” Guyana Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh said in a statement. “You take up the mantle and occupy your rightful place as a productive citizen of the country, take up your rightful place and become a gainfully employed member of our society.”

Singh also presented G$5 million from the government at the rededi-cation of The Salvation Army’s newly rebuilt Men’s Social Centre to sup-port the program earlier in 2014, according to GINA.

He encouraged the Army not to be satisfied with the status quo. “We live in a society which is quick to eschew success, but when you are down and out there are few friends,” he said. “We will not give up…but we will work with partners who can, and The Salvation Army has prov-en that it can.”

He implored organizers to replicate the program’s success with fe-male clients and extend its reach to all Guyanese citizens struggling with drug abuse.

“The same will you can use in your battle for all demons…,” he said, “if you are willing to muster the power from within, there is no limit to what you can achieve.”|NFC

Guyana government recommits support to rehab programArmy lauded for work in drug trafficking hotspot.

The Salvation Army in San Luis Obispo (SLO) received a check for $63,309 Jan. 9 from New Life Church to make up for the holiday shortfall.

A campaign to raise the funds came from Pastor Ron Salsbury of New Life Church on Christmas Eve. “We normally do not take an offer-ing on Christmas Eve, but when I heard The Salvation Army’s dilem-ma I knew we needed to respond,” Salsbury told KEYT.

The donation was given to the

South SLO County Service Extension (Arroyo Grande).

“I have no doubt that this was a God thing,” said Beth Quaintance, SLO County Service Extension Representative for The Salvation Army. “To raise this in one day is a true miracle. New Life Communi-ty Church of Pismo Beach is a fine example of ‘paying it forward, and Pastor Ron Salsbury and his con-gregation have given The Salvation Army the gift of allowing us to now do the same.”|NFC

San Luis Obispo receives large donation‘Pay it forward’

money allows

service extension

to do the same.

(L-r) Patty Clark, missions director of New Life Church; Deborah Kerckhoff, South San Luis Obispo Service Extension coordinator; and Beth Quaintance, San Luis Obispo County Service Extension Representative.

|Photo courtesy of Beth Quaintance

...when I heard The Salvation Army’s dilemma I knew we needed to respond.’

—RON SALSBURY


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TERRENCE HUGHES FROM PAGE 1

childhood TV show, which sparked his interest in the law. “The most rewarding things in my career—which may be why I’m here—have been working with nonprofits.”

And so after 30 years of private sector legal work—serv-ing as in-house counsel at Monster Beverage Corporation, Brown Winfield Canzoneri Abram Inc., Indymac Bancorp, and Raleigh Enterprises—Hughes is now general counsel for The Salvation Army USA Western Territory.

“I have a good feel for what The Salvation Army is doing and I love the mission,” Hughes said. “Christ says ‘help the least of my brothers,’…this is my way of trying to do that.”

A Los Feliz, Calif., resident, Hughes is a longtime Cath-olic, who previously served as president and director of the Watts/Willowbrook Boys & Girls Club Board of Direc-tors. A runner, husband and father of two, Hughes holds a degree from the Stanford University School of Law and is a member of the State Bar of California and the Los Ange-les County Bar Association.

Many years ago, Hughes said he read an article that named The Salvation Army as one of the most efficient charities, and he’s tried to donate to it ever since.

“I am looking for ways to help the Army be on stronger footing,” he said of his role as general counsel. “If there are efficient ways to improve safety and other areas of risk management to reduce payouts, for example, that’s more money for the Army to devote to helping people.”

Hughes said it’s an increasingly complicated world full of laws and regulations and any organization must be careful to comply. The legal department, he said, is in place to look out for the Army’s interests.

He said, “It’s nice to be motivated to do work that is helping people.”|NFC

POPE FRANCIS FROM PAGE 1

In his greeting, the Pope underlined that theological dif-ferences between The Salvation Army and the Roman Cath-olic Church had not impeded the witness of a united sharing of the love of God and neighbor. He described the two as often meeting “in the same peripheries of society” and de-scribed the work of The Salvation Army enabling “Christ’s light to shine in the darkest recesses of [people’s] lives.”

He spontaneously interrupted the reading of his greet-ing to share an experience of his childhood in Argentina in a time when Protestants were seen as “bad people who would go to hell.” He was 4 and walking with his grand-mother when he saw two Salvation Army women dressed in uniform with “those strange hats.” He asked his grand-mother if they were nuns or sisters and she replied, “No, they are Protestants, but they are good.”

“This was the first sermon ever I heard about ecu-menism, and [it] has influenced me in my ecumenical walk,” Francis said.

In his address to The Salvation Army Pope Francis said, “Your commitment in the fight against poverty, injustice and corruption is something that resonates strongly in the hearts of Salvationists. Speaking entirely personal-ly, this aligns completely with my own deeply held con-victions. Like you, Salvationists firmly believe that the Church, being the body of Christ, must reflect the mind of Christ. As such, we should be a welcoming community that in practical ways exerts a redemptive presence within God’s good, though fallen, creation.”

Cox also presented the Pope with a copy of “Conversa-tions with the Catholic Church” and “The Salvation Army Year Book 2015.”

“The Pope concluded his message with a request to be re-membered in prayer, and it was a moving moment when the Pope reminded the General of this request, to which General Cox offered to pray right there,” Tursi said. “The Pope grate-fully accepted this kind offer before reciprocating, praying for the General in his leadership of The Salvation Army.”

The two leaders spent a few moments in private con-versation before concluding the meeting.|NFC

...we should be a welcoming community that in practical ways exerts a redemptive presence within God’s good, though fallen, creation.’

—POPE FRANCIS

January 2015 • New Frontier CHRONICLE —

Salvation Army helps bring Santa to rural Alaska

For more than 25 years, The Salvation Army and the Alaska National Guard have partnered for Operation Santa Claus to safely deliver holiday joy to residents of ru-ral Alaska. In December 2014, volunteers visited Newtok and Shishmaref in Western Alaska.

Before the visits, Salvation Army vol-unteers wrapped hundreds of gifts for the children, including toys, books, warm clothing and coats. They also brought ice

cream and fresh fruit—rare treats in these remote locations.

“It was a series of firsts for me,” said Western Territory Chief Secretary Colonel Dave Hudson, who traveled to Shishmaref. “[It was my] first time in a C-130 [a mili-tary transport aircraft], first time traveling with Santa and Mrs. Claus, first time being somewhere that I had no clue where it was on a map until afterwards, first time on a dog sled, although pulled by a snowmo-bile, and the first time being on the shore-line of the Bering Sea.

“In the midst of all the firsts, there was the

BY KAREN GLEASON

The Salvation Army and Alaska National Guard partner

for Operation Santa Claus program.

|Photo courtesy of Alaska National Guard

Shishmaref is still abuzz with the excitement of Operation Santa.’—MOON McCARLEY

The 2014 Rock the Red Kettle event brought thousands of fans to L.A. Live in Los Angeles for a night of entertainment in support of The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign.

The free concert included performances by Becky G, Shawn Mendes, R5, Bea Miller, Josh Levi, and Exists Elsewhere. Each per-former shared their own personal reason

for supporting the Red Kettle Campaign using the hashtag #RedKettleReason, and inspired their fans to do the same.

Show host Ned Specktor of Specktor Media produced the event, helping to bring awareness to the Army’s annual campaign and to spotlight its services for 30 million Americans each year.|NFC

SOM

EON

E CA

RED

RO

B B

IRK

S

Frontier Press

Prose and prayers inspired by the poetry of John Gowans

SOMEONECAREDBY ROB BIRKS

ROB MET JESUS in his childhood, and totally

committed his life to the Lord in 1985. For the

most part, he has been doing his best to know

Jesus more deeply and serve Him more authen-

tically since then. Rob loves baseball, reading,

music, his family and his Creator (in the opposite

order). Alongside Stacy, his partner in marriage

and ministry, Rob enjoys leading and serving

God’s people. Someone Cared is Rob’s second

book. His first, ORSBORNAGAIN – A New Look at Old Songs of New Life

(Frontier Press, 2013) is a collection of writings inspired by the poetry of

Albert Orsborn.

Photo by Emily Birks

“With the backdrop of The Salvation Army’s century and a half of service to the world’s poor, these songs and reflections are born of meaningful engagement with a living Gospel.”

—SARA GROVES, SINGER

SONGWRITER

THE POET, JOHN GOWANS (former international

leader of The Salvation Army), wrote love songs.

His most popular in Salvation Army circles is, argu-

ably, “Someone Cares,” which begins with the lyric:

“Do you sometimes feel that no one truly knows you,

and that no one understands or really cares?” The

answer? Someone cares! I am so thankful that John

Gowans also cared. He cared enough to contem-

plate and communicate the unmerited, unconditional

and unending love of God, a love that is for every-

one, whether they care or couldn’t care less. Sadly

(for us not for him), John Gowans died in December

2012. However, he left a legacy of lyrics and willed

his words to all who would enter into and enjoy them.

Here’s praying you do both between these covers.

F O R E W O R D B Y C H A R L I E P E A C O C K

SOMEONEcared4.indd 1 12/9/14 11:37 AM

“Rob Birks has done us all a favor in bringing to our attention again the poetry and writing of John Gowans.”

—COLONEL JANET MUNN

SOMEONE CARED

Prose and poetry inspired by the poetry of John Gowans

BY ROB BIRKS

frontierpress.org• $9.99ISBN: 978-0-9908776-1-5

SOMEONE CAREDNew reflections from the

author of “OrsbornAgain.” Order yours today.

familiar sound of appreciative people, who thanked me for taking time to come and spend time with them, al-though I was the one truly blessed,” Hudson said.

The Shishmaref event took place at the village school, which serves nearly 300 children, from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The Shishmaref School traditional dance group performed for the vis-itors, before inviting the guests to join them for the final dance.

“Shishmaref was the ideal of what Operation Santa is: them sharing their culture with us, while we pro-vide a wonderful Christmas celebration for the com-munity,” said Jenni Ragland, Alaska divisional service extension and emergency disaster services director. “It is really something very special.”

The visit left a lasting impact on the village.“Shishmaref is still abuzz with the excitement of

Operation Santa,” said Moon McCarley, reading and Response to Intervention facilitator at the school. “I love hearing from students what they got from Santa. Everyone in school enjoyed bananas. It is clear that an enormous amount of work goes into this. We really appreciated the visit.”|NFC

Rock the Red KettleAnnual event spotlights Red Kettle Campaign.

R5 performing at the 2014 Rock the Red Kettle event at L.A. Live. |Photo courtesy of National Headquarters


COMINGMARCH 2015

COMINGMARCH 2015

B Y K Y L E R E A R D O N

GREY, HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS pass by as the train—resembling something out of the film “Anas-tasia”—leaves the Ukrainian capital Kiev. As we speed along, vast green spaces open up before us interspersed with tiny villages, huge domed churches and potholed roads. Elderly women work on the fields and their allotments, headscarves shielding them from the sun and leather boots protecting their feet.

I am aware that I am traveling through a beautiful country, al-beit in turmoil in an ever-changing political and financial climate. This is the country I now call home as the Ukraine divisional lead-er with my husband, Major Beat Rieder, in The Salvation Army’s Eastern Europe Territory.

As we pull into the station at our destination I am met by Cadet Oleg who escorts me to a waiting vehicle. Here I meet a man I’ll call Vladimir. He is an internally displaced person (IDP), who fled the fighting in his home city in eastern Ukraine with his young, pregnant wife.

Vladimir is shy, but honored to be escorting me to Kirovograd, where I will be spending the day visiting both the IDP welcome center set up in the corps building and a local maternity hospital regularly supported through humanitarian aid. At the corps, vol-unteers prepared for the arrival of IDP families who were referred to The Salvation Army through the local social services.

On one side of the lower level of the building there are racks set up with clothes for people to take, on the other side hygiene kits are piled high, donated by UNICEF. The families who come to the corps are provided with the most basic of articles, such as washing powder, soap, baby wipes together with basic food packages financed through International Emergency Services donors.

Vladimir took a longer route to the maternity hospital in Kiro-vograd to avoid a funeral procession in the center of the town. One of the six coffins bearing young locals was a young man who was part of a special forces team that was ambushed in the east before he even got to fight. He was a friend of our translator at divisional headquarters and was a committed Christian, a model husband and a loving father to a small child.

January 2015

BY ANNETTE RIEDER-PELL, MAJOR

This underlines once more the senseless-ness and cost of the unrest, which is taking away both quantity and quality of life. At the entrance to the hospital I am met by Chief Physician Kostia and Staff Nurse Vera, accompanied by a group of other medical staff, eager to show me their hospital.

The building was in dire need of refur-bishment and equipment, yet with deep gratitude I am told that all the beds and

most of the equipment in the hospital were donated by The Salvation Army through connections abroad. The medical staff members regularly ask their friends and family for donations to help make the build-ing a place where the women can deliver their babies in a safe environment.

They turn no one away—even displaced people who, because of the registration

UKRAINE PAGE 18

SERVING THROUGH ADVERSITY

IN UKRAINE

Divisional leader recounts day of interaction in ministry.

Top: Lt. Valeriya Lukina (right) with Salvation Army team members outside a building in Dnipropetrovsk pro-vided by the government to support internally displaced people; Bottom: Major Annette Rieder-Pell (middle) outside the maternity hospital in Kirovograd with the chief physician and his wife, corps employee Svetlana and Cadet Oleg. |Photos courtesy of Annette Rieder-Pell


UKRAINE FROM PAGE 17

Amsterdam is famous for its canals, cultural heritage and for the work of a Sal-vation Army officer—Lt. Col. Alida Boss-hardt, O.F. (1913-2007), who started work in Amsterdam’s Red Light District in 1948.

Today her life and work is honored by a bridge carrying her name, a bronze statue of her sitting on a bench in the Amsterdam city center and a newly built shelter for the homeless, the Majoor Bosshardt Burgh. In the same building, The Salvation Army Museum tells the story of the Army in the Netherlands.

The Majoor Bosshardt Burgh—Boss-hardt will always be remembered as “the major” though she held a higher rank—is an up-to-date shelter for a group of 38 homeless men and women with psychi-atric problems or other long-term health issues. Located in the exact spot where Bosshardt began her work 66 years earlier in the center of the Red Light District, the shelter is just feet away from the famous Damrak, Dam Square and Amsterdam Central Station.

In the old “Gastenburgh” shelter, which

Amsterdam shelter opens amid increasing homelessnessPrincess opens facility in honor of Lt. Col. Alida Bosshardt

BY JURJEN SIETSEMA, ENVOY

Former Queen of the Netherlands, HRH Princess Beatrix, opens the Majoor Bosshardt Burgh, flanked by Envoy Henk Dijkstra and Territorial Commander Commissioner Hans van Vliet.

| Photo by Wendy Bos Photography

The Salvation Army and the South Australian Government launched a new app to make life more manageable for low-income families and those experi-encing homelessness.

The Affordable Living SA App is the brainchild of Sharon Maslen, pro-gram director of The Salvation Army’s financial counseling service in South Australia. From February to September 2014, The Salvation Army in Australia received 720 calls from people needing help, Maslen said. The analysis of the calls showed that people did not know where to start.

“The idea came from my thinking that people just didn’t know what they didn’t know and in thinking about how The Salvation Army could extend its reach to others to help people be more informed rather than have to call organizations to

access information that could be freely available,” Maslen said. “Herein lies the app idea.”

Maslen said she searched through the data to make sure an app would be a good solution. The Australian Bureau of Statistics from 2011 showed that 87 percent of people with a landline have a smartphone, 62 percent of those facing homelessness have a smartphone, and 66 percent of the unemployed have a smartphone.

“This data confirmed to me that the app idea would enable The Salvation Army to come alongside to care for others in need without discrimination empowering them to access immediate help,” Maslen said.

She then met with locally based Verto Group, which specializes in mobile app development and branding solutions,

and shared her vision of an intuitive, easy-to-use app. Verto Group said they could make it happen, so Maslen shared the vision with the South Australian Government and received permission to use some of the helpline funds to pay for app development.

The mobile app provides a list of emergency suppliers of free groceries and community meals, links to free confidential guidance from a Salvation Army financial counselor and informa-tion on receiving food stamps. It also includes practical tips and tools for sup-porting a household and managing the cost of living.

“I love that this app meets the mis-sion and values of The Salvation Army,” Maslen said, “and I truly believe this is something that William Booth would have been excited about too.”|NFC

New app points to helpAffordable Living SA App links users to emergency supplies and guidance.

system in Ukraine, would not normally be allowed to visit a hospital outside of the region they belong to.

I am beckoned into the makeshift delivery room to greet parents of a baby delivered minutes before. It is Oleg who lat-er reminds me that this baby’s first encounter with the out-side world is with Salvationists wishing him and his parents God’s blessing. The staff members are caring and generous, doing their utmost to alleviate suffering and give babies the best possible entry into a world full of danger. I depart with their dedication leaving a firm imprint on my heart.

On the drive back, I learned more about Vladimir, who struggled to care for himself and his pregnant wife. He said he used to earn good money as a public relations officer, trav-eling abroad and living a good life. Then the unrest started. When the fighting neared his home and intensified, he fled underground to a basement with his wife and their friends. Finally, he made the decision to leave his house, his liveli-hood and all that he had worked for and flee to a safer place.

In the night, with bombing going on around him, they made their way out of the city by car, heading to Kirovograd, pass-ing roadblocks on the way, all the time knowing that they were not safe until they reached their destination.

On arrival Vladimir was directed to The Salvation Army for initial assistance. What he found, he told me, was a listen-ing ear, a comforting embrace and a survival package to alle-viate the most immediate of physical needs. He also found friends in a town and environment that were alien to him.

Vladimir is now learning to live with his fear, waking in the night with pictures in his head of things he has wit-nessed, haunted by the thought that his pregnant wife has experienced events she will never forget. It will take time for Vladimir to come to terms with his situation. He will never go back to his hometown, he tells me. He is trying to focus on the future and will look for employment elsewhere, any-where, as long as he does not have to return.

As I reflect on my day, I realize again that The Salvation

Army in Ukraine offers so much—activities for children, young people and adults, the provision of humanitarian aid, help for displaced people, and endless opportunities for min-istry. However, it faces the challenge of being a little-known church that is often eyed with suspicion and which faces huge hurdles with registration and recognition. Bring the present challenges of the conflict in the east into the equa-tion and my thoughts and prayers turn to our corps officers, soldiers and staff who so faithfully and joyfully serve their communities with limited resources and often in adversity.

As The Salvation Army in Ukraine deals with the present and moves into the future, I pray that God will make a way, that people will be saved and that suffering humanity will be served. Building a bridge into the future: Ukraine for Christ! This is our hope and our aim, and these are the people my husband and I have been called to serve.|NFC

From All the World.

was demolished, individuals shared rooms with four of five others. In the new $7.5 million shelter, each person has a private room.

“That’s a huge amount of money, I know,” said Envoy Henk Dijkstra, manag-ing director of The Salvation Army’s Good-will work in Amsterdam, the same work Bosshardt began. “But imagine these peo-ple being out on the streets again. The cost for Dutch society would be considerably higher.”

The shelter was opened Oct. 3 by former Queen of the Netherlands, HRH Princess Beatrix, who in 1965 as a princess accompa-nied Bosshardt on one of her tours around the district, talking to people and visiting pubs to spread the Gospel and distribute The War Cry. Although the princess was in-cognito—wearing a wig, glasses and a scarf around her head—she was recognized by press photographer Peter Zonneveld and his photograph of the two women was pub-lished the following day in De Telegraaf. The tour marked the beginning of a friendship between the pair that lasted until Boss-hardt’s promotion to Glory in 2007.

The Salvation Army in The Netherlands cares for roughly 4,500 people experienc-ing homelessness—a number heightened in recent years by the economic crisis. New government cutbacks this year will put even more pressure on the work of The Sal-vation Army.

“But we will never give up,” said Com-missioner Hans van Vliet, Netherlands and Czech territorial commander. “God gave us a mission in our hearts and asks us to put our trust in Him. He will guide us.” |NFC

A significant and robust process reviewing transpar-ency, accountability and impact measurement for The Salvation Army is underway at International

Headquarters (IHQ).The process was developed in response to General André

Cox’s vision statement for The Salvation Army, in which he said, “I dream of an Army with strong, relevant and stream-lined administrative structures and a much more effective use of our financial and material resources.”

The Accountability Impact Measurement Senior Lead-ers Task Force met Nov. 29 to Dec. 1 at Sunbury Court, near London, in preparation for the General’s Consultative Council (GCC) that will meet Jan. 19–22, 2015.

Chaired by Commissioner Robert Donaldson, territori-al commander of the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territo-ry, the Senior Leaders Task Force includes: Commissioner Birgitte Brekke-Clifton, IHQ; Commissioner Florence Mal-abi, IHQ; Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, IHQ; Commis-sioner Carol Seiler, USA Central Territory; Commissioner Charles Swansbury, IHQ; Commissioner John Wainwright, IHQ; and Colonel Prema Varughese, India Northern Ter-ritory.

The group reviewed the purpose statements of each of the four core work streams currently under review: gov-ernance, impact measurement, finance and child protec-tion. Each work stream has completed a thorough theo-

logical reflection and is dedicated to working toward best practice as it relates to its respective area. The senior lead-ers developed a decision framework for each of the four work streams and agreed on additional work to be com-pleted prior to the GCC.

“The General values transparency and accountability in leadership and he is committed to evaluating the impact of The Salvation Army’s global ministry in real terms,” Donaldson said. “We are committed to this four-pillar

review process in a robust and systematic fashion, thus ensuring a strong and healthy future for Salvation Army ministry around the world.”

Major Dean Pallant, international accountability and impact measurement coordinator, leads a support team of officers and employees from IHQ, the United Kingdom with the Republic of Ireland and Switzerland, Austria and Hungary Territories, and representing legal, finance, per-sonnel, communications and the IHQ zonal offices.|NFC


BY JOHN MURRAY, MAJOR

Commissioner Charles Swansbury talks about impact measurement. |Photo courtesy of International Headquarters

Senior leaders task force talks accountability

Cadet recounts profound experience on Christmas assignment.

A gift for Ray

One experience at my Christ-mas Intensive in Kalispell, Mont., stands out from the

rest. This is the story of a man I’ll call Ray.

The first time I met Ray he was working security at a local store and I was helping with the Angel Tree program. Ray smiled as he ex-plained how the Angel Tree was set up this year. I would see him just a few times after this.

During Christmas intakes I called in a man named Ray. He looked to-ward the floor, and it was apparent he did not want to be there. After we sat down I noticed it was Ray from the store. I did not give any indica-tion that I recognized him because I could see he did not want to be rec-ognized. He let me know where he worked and how he was not sure he should even be doing the intake. I assured him that he was okay.

Ray had to have surgery and his pay was decreased by 60 percent. His savings were used to make ends meet and he and his wife could not afford Christmas presents.

While filling out the wish list, Ray only requested one present each for his two children. With encourage-ment, he put down another one then went on again about how maybe he should not be here and that he and his wife could scrape something up. Again, I reassured Ray that The Sal-vation Army is here to help when things in life happen. Ray offered to volunteer in order to pay it back. I did not try to talk him out of it be-cause I could see how much it meant to him. Ray learned from Donna Parker, the secretary, that he could volunteer at The Salvation Army Family Store and left with the same smile I had seen before.

Ray called about a week after the

intake, requesting that his name be taken off the list. Nothing had changed with his financial situation, yet he said, “I do not want to take away from another family that needs help more than I do.” Parker let Ray know that all the families that qualified for help would be getting help and that he was not taking away from anyone. She let him know that his family was cho-sen to be adopted. Ray tried to argue that his family was going to be okay, that they would figure something out. Parker told Ray, “Look, nothing has changed for your household from when you did your interview until now. Let us help you. You are the kind of people we are looking to help because you need it and are more worried about taking from others. Let this be our gift to you. Have a Merry Christmas.”

Ray agreed to take our help and the help of the sponsor.Often times we wonder why we keep doing this. People like Ray are

why.|NFC

BY DAWN DeJESUS I do not want to take away from another family that needs help more than I do.’—RAY


THE 96TH MARCH

The Salvation Army marched for the 96th time in the 126th Rose Parade, hosted by The Tournament of Roses in Pasadena, Calif., on New Year’s Day.

The Salvation Army first appeared in the parade in 1920, and today no other band has more years of involvement. Nearly 230 Salvationist members including band alum-ni and bandsmen from across the nation marched this year, led by Divisional Music Director Kevin Larsson.

“This year is special because this is the first event marking the 150th anniversa-ry of The Salvation Army,” said Lt. Col. Douglas Riley, divisional commander of The Salvation Army in Southern California.

“On that day we represent The Salvation Army internationally,” Riley said. “I believe that is an important thing to see and I believe it is critical to stay out in the public eye and help the Army be recognized for the services it provides throughout the world.”

The band members came together follow-ing the parade to perform in a united concert at the Pasadena Tabernacle Corps.

Read more about the history of The Salvation Army in The Tournament of Roses Rose Parade at newfrontierchronicle.org/an-upheld-tradi-tion.

|Photos by Laura Drake and John Docter

ALASKA

Wrangell kettle donations riseWrangell Corps Officer Major Scott Nicloy

attributes this season’s increase in kettle in-come to a unique element—the accordion.

Nicloy stood kettle every day, playing his accordion.

“Managers and employees at the two main stores in town...as well as people in nearby businesses, say they appreciate hear-ing the accordion,” Nicloy said. “A few peo-ple mentioned that hearing the music cheers them up and makes them want to keep giv-ing to the kettle.”

Youth outreach looks good in Angoon

During the holidays, Santa, escorted by the Coast Guard cutter Liberty, visited the Angoon Corps. Santa and the Liberty crew assembled a volleyball team that played the local high school team.

Meanwhile, the school principal ap-proached Corps Officers Majors John and Cathy Quinn about teaching band at the high school next year. When Cathy Quinn expressed doubt about her ability to teach all the instruments, the principal offered to purchase a computer program, Smart Mu-sic, that would assist, and that the students could also access.

“It looks like we will be in the high school on a regular basis next school year,” Quinn said. “Plus, we had four teenagers in holiness meeting on Sunday, an age group that up to now we have had little success in reaching. God is good!”

CASCADE

Box truck Santa After the annual Christmas distribu-

tions, Portland Tabernacle corps members loaded the corps’ truck with toys and food and headed to the local mobile home park.

“The best part of box truck Santa is [the] direct ministry contact,” said Corps Officer Major Ken Perine. “It’s really not about the toys—it is about the hope that such a small act can bring to a person who thought they and their family were forgotten.”

Rotarians keep the bells ringing For 79 years, the Downtown Portland

Rotary has stood kettle, ringing the bells for The Salvation Army. On Dec. 12, 2014, 50 Rotarians along with family members, friends and pets took to Portland’s streets to see how much money they could raise in two hours.

“This is an exciting opportunity for us to carry out our mission of serving the com-munity,” said Rotarian Scott Burns, who

helped facilitate the event. “I am so happy that we can continue this tradition.”

The Rotarians raised $20,100.“We are so thankful to the community

for helping make a difference with The Sal-vation Army and the Rotary Club of Down-town Portland,” said Major Nancy Dihle, Portland Metro coordinator.

DEL ORO

Blitz BuildStudents in California State University,

Chico’s chapter of the Associated General Contractors (AGC) received national recog-nition for their volunteer work construct-ing transitional housing for The Salvation Army in Chico earlier this year.

The campus chapter was awarded first place in AGC of America’s Outstanding Student Chapter contest, which recogniz-es chapters dedicated to community and public service. During their Blitz Build community service project in March, con-struction management students used their spring breaks to construct two duplexes for families transitioning out of the Chico Salvation Army’s rehabilitation programs.

“This is the most prestigious award that you can be recognized with at the stu-dent chapter level of AGC,” said CSU, Chi-co chapter vice president Jimmy Bryars. “With all that hard work of putting the Blitz Build project together, it’s an honor to be recognized.”

GOLDEN STATE

Youth fight for communityNine corps in the Golden State Division

participated in I’ll Fight Day 2014, includ-ing giving out snacks, coffee and donuts and singing carols in San Jose, Calif., vis-iting nursing homes in San Francisco, dis-tributing cocoa and cookies from the can-teen in Ridgecrest, and volunteering at an animal shelter in Clovis.

“It was such a blessing to see all the sto-ries come in on how many corps partici-pated in I’ll Fight Day,” said Captain Regina Shull, divisional youth secretary for teen and children’s ministry. “How awesome is it to see young people want to go out into their communities to help fight for those who need to not only be fed or have some-one to talk with, but also to have them share the love of God with joy.”

HAWAIIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDS

LensCrafters assists ARCAloha United Way donated its office

space on for The Salvation Army Hawaii’s annual Angel Tree Drive. The office space is being used for sorting and distribution of the Angel Tree gift dona-tions until Dec. 31. The Angel Tree program is funded by Central Pacific Bank. Angel Tree gifts can be delivered to 200 N. Vineyard Blvd. Donors may also make cash donations at all Burger King Hawaii restaurants until Dec. 15 for the Angel Tree gifts.

INTERMOUNTAINKrugerrand donated once again

For nearly a decade, someone near Fort Collins, Colo., has donated a Kru-gerrand each year during the Red Kettle Campaign in recognition of a bell ringer who exemplifies the Christmas spirit.

The donor donated the coin—valued at $1,500—again in 2014, outside a King Soopers store.

NORTHWEST

Collector coinFor the sixth year in a row, an anonymous

donor dropped a 1-ounce gold piece wrapped in a $100 bill into a Salvation Army kettle at a Spokane Fred Meyer store in Seattle.

The price of gold—a 22-carat South Afri-can Krugerrand—was just under $1,200 an ounce on trading markets. As in past years, the donated coin is a 22-carat South African Krugerrand.

SIERRA DEL MAR

More than 300 meals served More than 300 low-income residents

received a hot meal on Christmas day at the San Bernardino Corps. Volunteers also helped with the event and Costco Inc. do-nated most of the food.

Mary Ann Lopez, 38, was one of the re-cipients as well as her six children. She works two jobs and lives paycheck to pay-check.

“The people here are nice and I knew I could bring my kids down to eat ham and turkey,” Lopez told The Sun.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Schwarzenegger donates toys Arnold Schwarzenegger helped fill a

Salvation Army canteen with toys for de-serving kids at a Walmart “Fill the Truck” event Dec. 13, 2014.

Newest soldiers in Long Beach The Long Beach Citadel Corps enrolled

a new group of soldiers Dec. 7, 2014: Al-exandra Arias, Qiseana Gomes, Michael A. Anderson, Dennis Patrick Jones, Er-nest Garcia, Michael Gandara, Jeffrey Knapp, James Wiley and Jimmy Wiley.

Territorial Social Services Secretary Major Lawrence Shiroma instructed the class with assistance from Anthony Del Aguila. In the past three years, the corps has enrolled 24 people, half being Adult Rehabilitation Center graduates. Cap-tains Moy and Erika Hernandez are the corps officers.

SOUTHWEST

Hospitality House dedicated in Tucson

The Salvation Army hosted the dedi-cation of a new Hospitality House in De-cember 2014, with more than 200 people in attendance. Guests included territorial leaders Commissioners James and Carolyn Knaggs. An “Others Award” was present-ed at the event to Salvation Army Tucson Advisory Board Member Pat Kambourian, who was highly involved in the project.

The 34,000-square-foot property has 114 beds and two family apartments. It is anticipated that the building will be ready to move into in February.

USA WEST NEWS BRIEFS—New Frontier CHRONICLE • January 2015

[email protected]

Boundless 2015 @Boundless2015

www.boundless2015.org

For the latest information about the 2015 International Congress, please visit

Speak to your Corps Liaison Officer:

COMMEMORATINGTHE PAST

THE PRESENT

FOR THE FUTURE

CELEBRATING

INNOVATING

2015 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS150th Anniversary | 1-5 July 2015 | London, UK

the whole world redeemingBOUNDLESS


PROMOTED TO GLORY

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WHISPERS OF TRUTH, COMPASSION AND BEAUTY

The Yuma Community Foundation and The Salvation Army in Yuma, Ariz., re-cently partnered to provide emergency fi-nancial assistance for veterans through a renewable loan program.

The program serves veterans waiting to hear back on claims made to the U.S De-partment of Veterans Affairs by covering immediate expenses such as rent and utili-ties, medical care and education. To date, it has distributed over $55,000 in assistance to local veterans.

“We have all read in the newspapers, or have seen local and national news cov-erage on the struggles and issues that our

veterans face today,” said Captain Randy Hartt, Salvation Army Yuma County coor-dinator. This national concern has become the focus of a group of local veterans, as well as The Yuma Community Foundation here in Yuma County.”

Salvation Army Yuma Advisory Board members and representatives from the Yuma Community Foundation approached Hartt after a board member and group of concerned veterans gathered $25,000 in seed money to create a zero-interest, short-term renewable loan program for honor-ably discharged veterans.

The Salvation Army of Yuma screens loan applicants, presents each case to the contributing veterans and cuts checks for clients whose applications are approved. Once they are able, veterans repay their

loans to the Yuma Community Foundation for the amount of assistance they received.

“The privilege that I have is being able to tell a veteran—who has been given the runaround everywhere else—that their financial assistance has been approved,” Hartt said. “To see the tears of joy and re-lief on the faces of these men and women who have put life and limb on the line to preserve our freedom, is so rewarding...[Being] able to pray with veterans who are struggling, to be able to encourage them and to be part of assisting them, falls right into the center of The Salvation Army’s mission.”|NFC

Loans for veteransInterest-free money helps honorably discharged vets pay bills.

International congressschedule released

Find the full schedule for The Salvation Army’s 150th anniversary international congress, Boundless – The Whole World Redeeming, on the congress website, boundless2015.org. The schedule includes information about the seven general ses-sions to be hosted in the main O2 arena, along with details of concerts and semi-nars, the film festival and a new musical. These events will highlight the many min-istries, talents and cultures of The Salva-tion Army to more than 15,000 delegates who will meet in London in July to com-memorate the past, celebrate the present, and innovate for the future.|NFC

JE ANNE HAR -MENZON, 89, was promoted to Glory Dec. 31, 2014, from Pleasant Hill, Calif.

Born May 25, 1925, in Alkmaar, Netherlands, Adri-ana (Jeanne) Mal-corps grew up in The Salvation Army, and developed a lifelong devotion to caring for others. She attended teachers’ college and was a kindergarten teacher in the Neth-erlands and Canada. She met her future husband, Harmen Harmenzon—also a Sal-vationist—in 1943. The pair wed in 1951 in Amsterdam and spent their entire lives as active members of The Salvation Army, serv-ing in many capacities.

The Harmenzons immigrated to Canada in 1953, when the Canadian Armed Forces recruited Harmen as a musician. In 1957, the Armed Forces transferred them to Germa-ny, where their children, Yvonne and Paul, were born. They returned to Canada in 1959, where Harmen stayed with the Armed Forc-es until his retirement in 1971. During the years of 1965-1972, they served as house par-ents at The Salvation Army Children’s Home in Calgary.

Following Harmen’s retirement, the cou-

ple immigrated to the U.S. to pursue a career with The Salvation Army, becoming aux-iliary captains in 1976. As Salvation Army officers, they held several posts, starting as directors of the Clay Street Social Service Center in Oakland, Calif., and retiring in 1986 as directors of the Adult Rehabilitation Cen-ter in Santa Barbara, Calif.

After retiring, they continued to work for The Salvation Army in different positions until Harmen became ill in 1993. He was pro-moted to Glory in September 1997.

Jeanne was a loving mother, grand-mother, teacher, house mother, home league secretary, songster, minister and caregiver. She spent her entire life serving God within an organization that she cared about deeply; in so doing, she touched the lives of many in-dividuals around the world.

Jeanne is survived by her daughter, Yvonne (Craig) Koehler; son Paul (Denise Gudzikowski) Harmenzon; and five grand-children: Courtney, Chelsea and Ryan Koe-hler, and Elise and Eric Harmenzon.

A celebration of life service will take place Jan. 24 at The Salvation Army Concord Corps, 3950 Clayton Road, Concord, CA 94521. In lieu of flowers the family requests that a memorial donation be sent to the Concord Corps at the address above.|NFC

Graham, 5 years old, walks home from school in K ibera, Africa’s largest slum. He is fortunate. Most of the children in his school are AIDS orphans. Graham’s mom is HIV–positive, but she is healthy. She is grateful that The Salvation Army helps with Graham’s school fees. You can help children like Graham all around the world through Overseas Child Sponsorship.Call Today!

OVE

RSEA

S CHILD SPONSO

RSHIP

Northeast: (845) 620–7237 | South: (404) 728–1366 | Central U.S.: (847) 294–2065 | West: (562) 491–8301USA West Overseas Child Sponsorship Program | phone: (562) 491-8409 | email: [email protected]


New Frontier Chronicle Vol. 33 No. 01

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