Author Bob Hostetler
Beacon of Hope
Keep On Trucking!
PASSION PROJECTS P.12 KETTLE STORY P.8 HELPING THE ARMY P.22
Faith&Friends I N S P I R AT I O N F O R L I V I N G
faithandfriends.ca
NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER
2023
Blanketed with
Love
FOR A FAMILY RUINED BY WAR, A SIMPLE DONATION FROM THE SALVATION ARMY HELD IMMEASURABLE faithandfriends.ca VALUE. P.16 I NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 • 1
FAIR SHAKE Giving people a fair shake is the Canadian thing to do.
to keep a level playing field when it comes to matters of business, policy formulation and decision-making.
If we're so big on fairness and equality and giving people a fair shake, why do so many of us discriminate against people for no reason? Is it really Canadian to discriminate? Jesus was happy to spend time with people that many in His society shunned.
Photo: Blue Jeans Images/stock.Adobe.com
We support the underdog. We want people to be treated equally and we like
To learn why Jesus did this, visit our website faithandfriends.ca, contact us at The Salvation Army Editorial Department, 2 Overlea Blvd., Toronto ON M4H 1P4 or visit your nearest Salvation Army church.
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November/December 2023 VOLUME 26 NUMBER 6
10
COMMON GROUND 5
“So Many Grandmas and Grandpas” When we look at life with a loving heart, the view has infinite possibilities.
KETTLE CARING 8
Signs of Hope Salvation Army kettle volunteers have been beacons of hope for more than 132 years.
FAITH BUILDERS 10 Journey to Bethlehem
The Christmas story is viewed through a different lens in new movie. FEATURES
Author Bob Hostetler
Beacon of Hope
Keep On Trucking!
PASSION PROJECTS P.12 KETTLE STORY P.8 HELPING THE ARMY P.22
Faith&Friends I N S P I R AT I O N F O R L I V I N G
faithandfriends.ca
NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER 2023
Blanketed
12 Passion Projects Writer and public speaker Bob Hostetler lives by a simple yet profound mission statement: to know God and to make Him known.
with
Love
FOR A FAMILY RUINED BY WAR, A SIMPLE DONATION FROM THE SALVATION ARMY HELD IMMEASURABLE faithandfriends.ca VALUE. P.16 I NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 • 1
Cover photo: Courtesy of Steve Kawamura
COVER STORY
12
16 Blanketed With Love For a family ruined by war, a simple donation from The Salvation Army held immeasurable value. 22 Trucking In Some Good Firefighter steps up to help the Army help others.
SOMEONE CARES 26 “The Meaning of Giving”
Phyllis Barnaby is forever grateful for The Salvation Army. LITE STUFF 28 Eating Healthy With Erin
Sudoku, Quick Quiz. NIFTY THRIFTY 31 Moss Art
Add a bit of forest to your décor. faithandfriends.ca I NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 • 3
Faith&Friends
FROM THE EDITOR
Without Prejudice
W
henever the war work of The Salvation Army is mentioned, attention is justifiably paid to “the sharp end,” the good work done in the trenches and at the front lines. Numberless soldiers attest that only Salvationists were where it counted-where they were needed-to offer everything from clean socks to hot coffee to a kind word. What is not so well known is the good work that was conducted by The Salvation Army away from the fighting fronts, work that was as vital and important. This month ’s cover story is a good example of that. The Canadian government’s treatment of Japanese Canadians who lived in British Columbia during the Second World War was shameful. Families lost their homes and businesses and were sent inland for no other reason than their race. Many Canadians turned their backs on them-but not The Salvation Army. As the grandson of some of these Japanese Canadians said, “The Salvation Army opened up their arms, without prejudice or precedent.” That is a real wartime record to be proud of. Read about just a few of these Japanese Canadians on page 16, and see how a humble Salvation Army wool blanket made a world of difference to so many. New Leadership! As this issue went to press, a new international leader of The Salvation Army took office. We offer our congratulations to New Zealander Lyndon Buckingham, the 22nd General of the Army. Ken Ramstead 4 • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 I faithandfriends.ca
Mission Statement
To show Christ at work in the lives of real people, and to provide spiritual resources for those who are new to the Christian faith.
Faith & Friends is published bimonthly by: The Salvation Army 2 Overlea Blvd, Toronto Ontario, M4H 1P4 International Headquarters 101 Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4P 4EP, England Lyndon Buckingham, GENERAL Commissioner Lee Graves TERRITORIAL COMMANDER
Lt-Colonel John P. Murray SECRETARY FOR COMMUNICATIONS Geoff Moulton, DIRECTOR OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND LITERARY SECRETARY
Pamela Richardson ASSISTANT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ken Ramstead, EDITOR
Kristin Ostensen MANAGING EDITOR OF SALVATIONIST AND SALVATIONIST.CA
Lisa Suroso GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST
Emily Pedlar JUNIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Rivonny Luchas DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST
Ada Leung CIRCULATION CO-ORDINATOR
Giselle Randall, Abbigail Oliver STAFF WRITERS Scripture Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are taken from New International Version Contact Us P. (416) 467-3188, F. (416) 422-6217 Websites faithandfriends.ca, salvationist.ca, salvationarmy.ca Email faithandfriends@salvationarmy.ca Subscription for one year: Canada $17 (includes GST/HST); U.S. $22; foreign $24 P. (416) 422-6119 circulation@salvationarmy.ca All articles are copyright The Salvation Army Canada & Bermuda and cannot be reproduced without permission. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40064794 ISSN 1702-0131
COMMON GROUND
Photo: Malchevska/stock.Adobe.com
Faith&Friends
“So Many Grandmas and Grandpas” My daughter reminded me that when we look at life with a loving heart, the view has infinite possibilities. by Therese Vollella
I
leaned down to kiss my mother goodbye. She didn’t make eye contact or acknowledge me at all. Her thin veined hands were clasped tightly in her lap, her gaze focused on some
object in the distance. I didn’t know if this behaviour was a reaction to me leaving her here or just another retreat into the lonely place her Alzheimer’s was taking her. But here I was, leaving her alone
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COMMON GROUND
Photo: Evrymmnt/stock.Adobe.com
Faith&Friends
in this nursing home. Strangers would be taking care of her now. What would these strangers think of her? Emotional Night I walked the corridor with my sister in silence. There was nothing to say, no words I could think of to console her. I mumbled something to her and she to me and we both climbed into our cars to head home. Home? How could I face my family? My four-year-old twins would be bursting at the seams with curiosity. They knew that Nana had a new home. One they looked forward to visiting. How could I take them here, to this sad place? Yet I wanted to be able to visit often to make certain my mom was well cared for. I shivered. It was a cold, dreary March day, damp with one of those chills that crept into your bones slowly, indiscernibly at first, but in
the end, the chill was overwhelming and nearly impossible to dispel. Somehow, I made it through the evening with my daughters. They had been busy with a birthday party for a friend that day, so that was all they talked about. They gloriously forgot to ask about Nana, but prattled on and on about sand art, chocolate cake and goody bags. But once I closed their bedroom door and settled down for the night, there was no escaping my emotions. I got down on my knees at one point and spoke to God. I told Him I was not able to do this, to function as a wife, mother, daughter without His hand. He had to take over and figure all this out for me. At some point, I fell asleep from sheer exhaustion, and thankfully it was uninterrupted. Answered Prayers I woke feeling rested if not healed. The sorrow was still there, but it had
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Strangers would be taking care of my mother now. What would these strangers think of her? THERESE VOLLELLA
shifted, from being all around me, to somehow moving inside me. It was more contained, and somehow that made it more manageable. As we drove up the long path to the nursing home for our first visit as a family the next day, I admired the oaks, dogwoods and white birch trees lining the road. The buildings that housed the residents were low, white cozy-looking buildings, connected to one another in a circle. In the middle of the buildings was a garden with a circular path and bistro tables and chairs scattered around, so that families can sit outside any time of day. My sister had already arrived and was outside in the garden with my mom. It was not only sunny out but it was also one of those rare March days where the sun beat strongly and warmed you down to your toes. My mom was looking neat with her hair combed. She had on a clean outfit and someone had carefully placed the St. Patrick medal she had worn the day before, on her sweater today. My sister had noticed, too, and although it was a little thing,
that attention to detail meant so much to both of us. Many of the residents stopped by to comment on how cute my daughters were, and my daughters, who were very friendly by nature, laughed, giggled and made friends with anyone who noticed them. We all hugged and kissed my mom goodbye. As we turned to leave, my daughters asked when we could come back. “Soon,” I said. “Good!” they both chimed in. My daughter Melissa looked around, amazed, and said, “I never saw so many Grandmas and Grandpas in one place. This is so much fun!” I have been amazed by the many ways God has answered my prayers and blessed me. He has sent me many people to show me the way. Some have been strangers, some friends. That difficult March of my life, God sent the answer through my four-year-old daughter. She reminded me that when we look at life with a loving heart, the view has infinite possibilities. Sometimes it can even be splendorous.
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Faith&Friends
KETTLE CARING
Signs of Hope Salvation Army kettle volunteers such as Charlie Rossiter have been beacons of hope for more than 132 years. by Jayne Thurber-Smith Life Changer Charlie Rossiter is constantly amazed at the generosity of people who support The Salvation Army
I
n 1891, when Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee hung up a crab pot from the local wharf at a busy intersection in San Francisco, the sign above it simply stated: “Fill the Pot for the Poor—Free Dinner on Christmas Day.” One hundred and thirty-two years later, the signs on the Christmas kettles in Moncton, N.B., testify that those in need are still provided with free dinners, along with so much more. Easy Decision
Charlie Rossiter volunteers in the
kitchen with The Salvation Army’s Moncton community and family services at their weekly Board Game Café outreach. Last Christmas, he also decided to help with their kettle campaign. Even though he was already involved with The Salvation Army, he was amazed to see all the services they offer. “There was a long list on the back of the kettle saying how much The Salvation Army does for the community,” he recalls. “How much they give and do, all the meals served. It’s incredible, really. I have
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“I’m a people person. I just love everybody—it comes naturally.” CHARLIE ROSSITER
a compassion for others, and since I am retired and have more time on my hands, I wanted to be a part of an organization that helps people.” It was an easy decision as to where he would volunteer his time. “On my father’s side, my greatgrandfather married a Salvationist,” he says. “I remember my grandfather —their son—taking me to The Salvation Army at Christmas to hear the band, and a lot of my relatives would be there. Also, my mother's side of the family were Salvationists from Monkstown, N.L.” Kettle Etiquette “Charlie’s such a positive and inspiring individual,” comments Tracy Sherwood, the Army’s program co-ordinator in Moncton. “He is very strong in his faith.” “I share my life with the homeless and trust the Lord will use me,” Charlie says. “Some days, I might show up upset or bothered, but things always settle down quickly. It’s amazing how God can take over.” Last year, Charlie’s kettle was inside the front doors of the Atlantic Superstore on Trinity Drive. He was
constantly amazed at the generosity of people who support The Salvation Army. “It’s so incredible, it brings tears to my eyes,” says Charlie. “Some of them give something every time they come into the store. I hear older people come up saying things like, ‘My parents taught me to give to The Salvation Army when I was just a child, because they do so much for others.’ One lady said, ‘When I was little, The Salvation Army brought my family food and gifts. It helped us get through a real tough time, so I like to support them in every way I can.’ “I get it,” Charlie says. “Times are tough. If they’re on their way out of the store, they’ve probably already spent a lot of money on groceries. It helps that I’m a people person. I just love everybody—it comes naturally. Being friendly is a really big factor as a bell ringer. I always smile and make eye contact, and some people have actually turned around and come back to put money in the kettle. I always make sure to say, ‘Have a good day!’ no matter what. You can’t go wrong with that!”
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Photo: Courtesy of Sony Pictures
Faith&Friends
FAITH BUILDERS
Journey to Bethlehem The Christmas story is viewed through a different lens in new movie. by Ken Ramstead
A
young woman bearing an awesome responsibility. A young man conflicted by responsibility and love. A jealous king who will go to any length to keep the crown on his head. Even people who have never picked up a Bible are familiar with the main events of the Nativity, the timeless story of Mary, Joseph and birth of Jesus. But while many movies have covered this ground before, Journey to Bethlehem, in theatres now, offers a unique, musical take on a timeless tale. The Story of Christmas
That story is set during the time of
King Herod (Antonio Banderas), who rules the small state of Judea, part of the Roman Empire. Controlling and vicious, he would do anything to keep his hold on power. Mary (Fiona Palomo) is a young Jewish maiden betrothed to the carpenter Joseph (Milo Manheim). But when she is visited by the angel Gabriel (Lecrae), she learns that she will give birth to a son, who will be called Jesus. Joseph, faced with condemning his betrothed to death for adultery, chooses the path of love and marries Mary. Together, they make the difficult journey to Bethlehem, as the Romans have ordered a census of the land. Mary gives birth to Jesus in a stable,
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as there was no place for the family to stay in the crowded town. There, shepherds and Wise Men from the east, guided by a great star, arrive to worship the baby Jesus, the Son of God. Informed of Jesus’ birth by the Wise Men as they sought “the King of the Jews,” Herod is determined by any means necessary to eliminate this threat to his throne. It’s no spoiler alert to state that Joseph and Mary escape with their baby, who would go on to become the Saviour of the world, and that is one of the reasons why the Nativity story has resonated through the ages and
especially at Christmastime. A Shining Star Filmed in Spain, this live-action musical celebration for the entire family weaves classic Christmas melodies into new pop songs in a music-infused retelling of the classic story. “I first had the idea for the film years ago when I was looking for a musical to watch with my family at Christmastime,” says director Adam Anders (Glee, High School Musical). “I want this movie to be a bright light this Christmas season—as bright as the star of Bethlehem.”
Christmas is around the corner Thousands of families depend on our services and programs for their basic needs. Your donation today helps put food on the table and gifts under the tree for vulnerable Canadians.
Join The Salvation Army to provide people in need with food, clothing and essential services.
SalvationArmy.ca/Donate 1-800-SAL-ARMY
faithandfriends.ca I NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 • 11
Faith&Friends
FEATURE
Author at Work A 30-year veteran of Christian publishing, Bob Hostetler is a literary agent with The Steve Laube Agency. Helping writers share the message of Jesus through writing is part of Bob's overall mission in life
Passion Projects
AWARD-WINNING WRITER AND PUBLIC SPEAKER BOB HOSTETLER LIVES BY A SIMPLE YET PROFOUND MISSION STATEMENT: TO KNOW GOD AND TO MAKE HIM KNOWN. by Helena Smrcek
P
ublic speaker Bob Hostetler often opens his keynote speech with a joke that haunted him as a child—and he always fell for it. “Hey, Bob, nice sweater.” “Gee, thank you,” the flattered youngster would reply. “I had one just like it … and I just donated it to The Salvation Army!” “I was often teased, and my childhood seemed a little bit lonely,” Bob reflects now. “It wasn’t until much later when I realized what a blessing it had been to be raised as a part of The Salvation Army.”
Mixed Blessing “My two older brothers and I were raised in The Salvation Army,” says Bob. Before he was a year old, his family moved from Michigan to Ohio, where his mother worked in The Salvation Army’s finance department and his father served at a corps (church). “We were there early Sunday mornings, helping with the feeding program,” Bob recalls. “After that my father taught Bible study. Then there were the Sunday evenings.” And as Bob recalls, the family spent three additional nights at the corps every
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week. “We would march down the street from our corps and hold street meetings.” The lack of understanding of what The Salvation Army did for the community soon became a source of ridicule and fun in the lower middle-class neighbourhood where the Hostetlers lived. “When the red kettles came out at Christmastime, my biggest fear was that I might run into a classmate while ringing the bells,” says Bob. “It was so embarrassing. In my neighbourhood, nobody understood what The Salvation Army was.” Grace in the Midst of Tragedy During the summer of 1971, Bob’s parents announced that they would be moving to St. Louis. “My oldest brother was training to be a Salvation Army pastor, and my other brother was in college.” Bob’s father had accepted a position at The Salvation Army’s Harbor Light and Harbor House Program, a half-way house for those on their way to full independence from addiction.
Bob did not learn until much later that, just prior to moving, his mother had discovered a lump on her breast, but decided not to do anything about it so it would not upset the move. By the time she sought medical help, the cancer had spread. She had a double mastectomy and went into treatment. “Mom made it to my oldest brother’s commissioning as a Salvation Army pastor in June 1972. And soon after returning from that trip, she went into the hospital. She died that September. “But I don’t mind telling the story of that tragic chapter in my life,” Bob continues, “because it was as if God had graciously moved us to the city where my mother would have her parents and her sister nearby.” Christianity, Camp and Love By the beginning of 1973, Bob’s father had accepted a position with the Salvation Army headquarters in Cincinnati. “I didn't know then that I was clinically depressed, still grieving the loss of my mom,” he says.
Testify! Bob at the pulpit of the Salvation Army church in Old Orchard Beach, Maine faithandfriends.ca I NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 • 13
Faith&Friends
FEATURE
All Together Bob, his wife, Robin, and their family
For 2½ years, Bob didn’t go to school. His father would drop him off at the front door every morning, Bob would walk in—then walk right out the back door. On the fast track to nowhere, Bob spent his days reading and listening to music. But then some things happened that changed his life, the most important being that Bob became a Christian. Then, he was hired as a staff member at a Salvation Army summer camp. “I just felt at home,” he says. “The setting fed my soul.” Bob also made friends, among whom was a young girl named Robin. “Being at camp for the summer gave me something to look forward to during my depression.” The following year, Robin and Bob started dating. “But within the first year of our relationship, Robin found out about my high school situation, and let me know, in no uncertain terms, that her plan for the future didn’t include a
relationship with a dropout.” This was sufficient motivation for Bob. “I missed my high school graduation because we were on our honeymoon.” Return to Salvation Salvation Army officership was in the young couple’s future, and they became pastors in 1980. In addition to his training for ministry, Bob later earned degrees in English from Cincinnati Christian University and English communications from Bloomfield College in New Jersey. Bob and Robin served as pastors from 1980 to 1992. In 1987, they were transferred to the American Salvation Army’s national headquarters, where Bob worked as a writer and editor for the church’s publications. In 1992, though, Bob felt God drawing him in a different direction. In 2000, Bob and Robin co-founded Cobblestone Community Church in Oxford, Ohio, but he never lost his love for The Salvation Army.
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Robin and Bob moved to Las Vegas in 2019. “We began attending The Salvation Army there and when COVID happened, we worshipped online. Eventually, we reactivated our soldiership after many years.” Now a member of the Army’s church in Las Vegas, Bob oversees a welcome/first impressions team that helps newcomers acclimatize. “The Salvation Army is a bit different than what most people have encountered as a church experience.”
millions of copies, but his love for people keeps driving him on. One of his latest projects, aside from his extensive speaking ministry, is writing for TruPlayGames. com. The app offers games, digital comic books and videos that aim to transform people’s lives. Gaming can be a dark and dangerous place for kids. “We’re out to change that world and reach that generation.” It’s an ambitious endeavour, but
“What a blessing it had been to be raised as a part of The Salvation Army.” BOB HOSTETLER
Army Roots Bob and Robin's official Salvation Army cadet 1978-1980 photo
Continuing Passion Parents of two, grandparents to five, Bob and Robin have also fostered 10 boys. Bob has been a disc jockey, pastor, magazine editor and freelance book editor. His 50 books, which include The Bone Box and American Idols (The Worship of the American Dream), have sold
the feedback has been very positive already and Bob is up to the task. “Who knows how many years I have left?” he smiles. “But my mission—‘To know God and to make Him known’—continues to be a passion for me. That’s why I continue to write, and that’s why I continue to try to reach as many people as possible.”
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COVER STORY
Hurtful Message A family returns home to Seattle, Washington, after the war, with "No Japs Wanted" graffiti on the garage door
Blanketed With Love FOR A FAMILY RUINED BY WAR, A SIMPLE DONATION FROM THE SALVATION ARMY HELD IMMEASURABLE VALUE. by Ken Ramstead 16 • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 I faithandfriends.ca
Photo: Courtesy of Haruko Nagaishi Collection, Densho
Treasured Keepsake Steve Kawamura stands with his two daughters, Kohana and Minako, holding the family blanket
STEVE KAWAMURA WAS stumped. As the executor of his Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Andy’s estate, he happened to find a simple wool gray blanket in the trunk of their car. The blanket had been lovingly maintained through the years and was in immaculate condition, despite being more than 75 years old. Why would they keep that old thing around, the paramedic from Hamilton, Ont., thought, and treat it like some treasured heirloom? He was further surprised when
he examined their will and found out that they had bequeathed their entire estate to The Salvation Army. Little did he realize that there was an important connection between the two. Unspoken Secrets As Steve started reminiscing with his surviving relatives, he realized that every one of them also had a similar grey blanket in their possession. Searching his memory, Steve
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COVER STORY
1942
Photo: City of Vancouver Archives
The internment and incarceration of Japanese Canadians in British Columbia began after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941
recalled seeing these blankets at the homes of other aunts and uncles, on both sides of his extended Japanese family, and at his grandmother’s. In answer to his questions, the older members of his family started sharing their stories, stories he had never heard before. “They had never spoken about it to anyone—until now.” A Shameful Legacy After the attack on Pearl Harbor
A notice in a newspaper informing Japanese Canadians in the Vancouver area that they must leave or risk being fined
Photo: Vancouver Public Library
Photo: Library and Archives Canada
1941
Japanese Canadians were housed in dormitories such as this one in Hastings Park, Vancouver, before they were sent to internment camps inland
in 1941 brought Japan into the war on the side of the Axis, Allied governments interned Japanese people suspected of harbouring enemy sympathies, citizens or not. The Canadian government was no exception and, in 1942, they relocated thousands of Japanese Canadians inland, confiscating their property. It was a deplorable episode in Canadian history. Steve’s family were caught up in these events and spent four years
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1946
Japanese Canadians boarding a train at an internment camp in Slocan, B.C.
in internment camps. At the end of the war, they had to rebuild their lives in the face of indifference and discrimination from their fellow Canadians. “For the older members of my family, it was something that was extremely shameful for them to bring up,” explains Steve. Precious Keepsakes But again and again during Steve’s chats with his relatives, one
On September 22, 1988, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney acknowledged the injustices suffered by Japanese Canadians and pledged that such injustices would never again be countenanced or repeated in Canada Photo: National Associaltion of Japanese Canadians
Japanese Canadian internees cut logs for lumber and firewood in Tashme, B.C.
Photo: National Associaltion of Japanese Canadians
Photo: Library and Archives Canada
1943
1988 constant stood out in the events being recounted. Their tone of voice changed as soon as The Salvation Army came up. “When my family talked about the past, a recurring comment they all made was, ‘The Salvation Army was there,’ ” says Steve. “They were shunned by their communities because of their race, but The Salvation Army opened up their arms to my people, without prejudice or precedent.”
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COVER STORY Revered Ancestors
Photos: Courtesy of Steve Kawamura
Steve's uncle and aunt, Andy and Cheryl Kawamura, were just two of the thousands interned by the Canadian government during the Second World War
Paying Homage Steve and his daughters present a cheque to Salvation Army Major Bradley Donais, the pastor at Winterberry Heights Church in Stoney Creek, Ont.
Overdue Apology Kohana and Minako hold framed certificates from the government of Canada acknowledging the injustices suffered by Japanese Canadians during the Second World War
As well as food, clothing and other assistance, he found out that blankets had been supplied to his family by The Salvation Army. “It was the only thing that kept me warm,” one of Steve’s aunts told him. “The Salvation Army were the only ones to put clothes on our backs,” another relative said. “With their attitude and their acceptance, they helped us out in our time of need.”
And every blanket had been kept by the families in grateful remembrance. Poignant Ceremony Once Steve realized how much The Salvation Army had helped his family, his aunt and uncle’s wishes made perfect sense. “They wanted their money to go where it would be used to help those most in need, just as they had been helped.”
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“When my family talked about the past, a recurring comment they all made was, ‘The Salvation Army was there.’ ” STEVE KAWAMURA
He was determined to honour his aunt and uncle’s wishes, but to do it in a way that would also honour The Salvation Army. So Steve contacted Major Bradley Donais, the pastor at The Salvation Army’s Winterberry Heights Church in Stoney Creek, Ont., near Hamilton, where both sides of Steve’s family had settled after the war. “I met Steve Kawamura at his Aunt Cheryl’s funeral, conducted in the middle of the pandemic,” remembers Major Bradley. “The spring interment took place later at White Chapel Cemetery with a small family gathering. Here, Steve mentioned that his aunt and uncle’s estate was to be given to The Salvation Army.” On a Wednesday evening this past March, with three of his aunts in attendance, Steve and his two daughters, Kohana and Minako, walked down the Winterberry Heights worship hall, carrying a cheque on the Salvation Army blanket, where it was received by a grateful Major Bradley.
Important Reminder “I was overcome with emotion as I watched three generations of the Kawamura family walk toward me at the church that evening,” says Major Bradley. “I remember thinking that this generous donation was all in response to a kind gesture given nearly 80 years ago.” The ceremony took no more than 20 minutes, but it was important for Steve that his daughters were a part of it. “My aunt and uncle left a legacy of kindness and generosity,” says Steve, “and giving back to a group that was so kind to us, so that they can do more good, is something I want my daughters to always remember.” “The family took the blanket home with them, a treasure and a memory of the help they received from The Salvation Army,” concludes Major Bradley. “It was a reminder to me that what we are able to do for others may seem small in the moment, but God can take that and make a huge impact on generations to come.”
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FEATURE
Trucking In Some Good FIREFIGHTER STEPS UP WITH A WEIGHTY DONATION TO HELP THE SALVATION ARMY HELP OTHERS. by Kimberly McIntyre
A
fter 14 years of working as a firefighter, including four years in Kirkland Lake, Ont., Jeremy Alldred-Hughes has always had a heart to serve the community, both on and off work hours. “I feel like any first responder has the passion and desire to help, serve and look after our community. That doesn’t stop when we punch the clock. That’s what we are supposed to do,” he says. Seeing a Need So when Jeremy saw something that needed to be done, he acted on it. And as a result, the Kirkland Lake Salvation Army was overjoyed by a major donation supplied and supported by the Kirkland Lake Fire Department last Christmas.
Jeremy was inspired by Project Porchlight, an initiative from his time as a firefighter in Huntsville, Ont. A community event held each year in December, residents leave non-perishable food donations on their front doorstep, and first responders or volunteers collect the donations and deliver them to The Salvation Army. “I recognized that there was a need, particularly this past year more than ever,” says Jeremy. “I remembered the Project Porchlight idea but quickly realized it would require a lot of resources in a short period of time, so I decided to go about it a different way, and tried reaching out and getting sponsorship to supply a truck’s worth of food.”
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Photos: Courtesy of Jeremy Alldred-Hughes
Delivering the Goods Salvation Army volunteers with delivery from Kraft Canada
Mission Accomplished Staff, volunteers and community members welcome the donation at The Salvation Army in Kirkland Lake, Ont.
First Responder Jeremy AlldredHughes in uniform faithandfriends.ca I NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 • 23
FEATURE
On the Road Again Jeremy picks up the truck from Lewis Motors in North Bay, Ont.
Hefty Donation As luck would have it, one of the first calls he made had a personal connection to Kirkland Lake and became one of the main sponsors of the initiative. “I Googled wholesale food and liquidation distributors in Ontario and I came upon one,” explains Jeremy. “The gentleman I called was actually a former Kirkland Lake local. His son is a volunteer firefighter near here, and he has family in the area. It brought the whole thing together.” Logistically, there were many pieces that needed to come together to make a donation of this size. After working a 24-hour shift, Jeremy was the one in the driver’s seat of this donation initiative, literally! He drove to North Bay, Ont., to collect the truck that would transport the goods, then picked up the food
from Kraft Canada in Markham, Ont., as well as a donation of paper goods from Kimberly-Clarke. From Kraft, they received peanut butter, Kraft Dinner, canned goods and other non-perishable foods. Kimberly-Clarke donated 12 pallets of facial tissue. In total, the donation weighed in at over 10,000 pounds. Coming Together for a Cause Upon his arrival back to The Salvation Army in Kirkland Lake, the town mayor, Stacy Wight, some of the town councillors, and many other first responders and volunteer firefighters were waiting to welcome him with the donation. Jacob Moore, director of community and family services, accepted the donation on behalf of The Salvation Army. It was a tiring but rewarding day for Jeremy.
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Photo: Courtesy of Jeremy Alldred-Hughes
Faith&Friends
“The Salvation Army seemed like a perfect fit.” JEREMY ALLDRED-HUGHES
“I left Kirkland Lake at 6 a.m., and we didn’t return until 10:30 p.m.,” he says. “It was kind of surreal. In the moment, I don’t think people realized how meaningful their donation was. It was feel-good and it was overwhelming. And it was cool seeing all of our services come together: fleet, ambulance and ourselves.” Looking Forward to Christmas The choice to make this large donation to The Salvation Army came quite naturally to Jeremy since he already had a connection to Jacob, who is a former officer with the Ontario Provincial Police. The two knew each other through their work as first responders in the community. “He’d been expressing the need out there, not just in Kirkland Lake
but in other areas as well,” Jeremy says. “In trying to help support him and the services that they are providing to people in our area, which are much needed, The Salvation Army seemed like a perfect fit.” The Salvation Army in Kirkland Lake wasn’t the only location to benefit from this venture. Both the Timmins and New Liskeard branches of the Army in Ontario received portions of the donation as well. As for Christmas 2023, Jeremy and team are already looking into options to bless the community. “I’m looking into sponsorships again for 2023 for local businesses to sponsor with cash donations to purchase pallets of food,” he says. “I am eager and looking forward for what we can do for 2023!”
(left) Kimberly McIntyre enjoys writing stories of transformation, faith and the human experience. After completing a communications and media degree from Canadian Mennonite University, Kimberly is continuing her education and pursuing a bachelor of science in exercise science. When she is not writing or working in Riding Mountain National Park, she enjoys cooking, exploring Canadian national parks and dancing. faithandfriends.ca I NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 • 25
Faith&Friends
SOMEONE CARES
“The Meaning of Giving” Phyllis Barnaby is forever grateful for The Salvation Army. “Full Circle“ Moment “The Salvation Army showed me the meaning of giving,“ says Phyllis Barnaby
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very time Phyllis Barnaby sees or hears anything related to The Salvation Army, she gets emotional. It is a reminder of the support and care she received from the organization at a young age. As a way to give back, Phyllis now contributes to the Army whenever she gets the chance. Unforgettable Gesture As a child, Phyllis’ life was challenging. While living in the small and remote community of Buckfield, N.S., her mother had to raise 10 children with very little means, living off the land and with no running water. Due to her family’s situation, someone within their community decided to make The Salvation Army aware of it. Since that moment,
by Juan Romero
Phyllis’ life was moved in a way she will never forget. “Each year for several years, the Army delivered Christmas dinners and presents to each one of us. You should’ve seen my mother’s face; a relief always came over her knowing she was going to be able to cook a turkey for us on Christmas Day,” she says. Phyllis recalls one specific year in which she was especially moved by The Salvation Army’s work. On the day her family was supposed to receive their Christmas hamper, a blizzard hit their community. But despite the treacherous conditions, a Salvation Army member drove to their town and even walked up the hill to where their house was located in order to deliver their Christmas dinner and gifts. It was a gesture
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“The Salvation Army helps everyone, no matter who they are.” PHYLLIS BARNABY
Phyllis remembers fondly to this day. “For somebody to drive through dangerous roads, in those conditions, and do all that for us? It was mind-boggling,” she says. “Had it not been for this individual’s commitment, we would not have had Christmas that year.” The Importance of Kindness As time passed, things got better for Phyllis and, alongside her, The Salvation Army was always there. She moved to Halifax and got a job as a ward clerk at the former Grace Maternity Hospital, founded and run by the Army. She describes her experience working there as a “fullcircle” moment. It meant so much to her that she decided she wanted the hospital chaplain to conduct her wedding. “The hospital’s chaplain got special
permission to marry my husband and me after I asked her to. That’s how much The Salvation Army means to me,” she says. Thanks to the help she received, Phyllis has made it a priority to contribute to the Army. She now works as a residence manager and, together with her co-workers, she hosts an annual toy drive. Additionally, Phyllis donates to every Salvation Army kettle she passes by. She says the Army is the charity she likes to contribute to the most, and that the help she received throughout her childhood taught her and her siblings that it is important to be kind. “The Salvation Army showed me the meaning of giving,” Phyllis sums up. “They help everyone, no matter who they are. They taught me that it is important to be nice to people, and love everybody.”
(left) Juan Romero is the staff writer/news media relations specialist at The Salvation Army’s territorial headquarters in Toronto.
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Faith&Friends
LITE STUFF
Eating Healthy With Erin MUSHROOM CREAM PASTA Recipe photos: Erin Stanley
TIME 35 min MAKES 5 servings
SERVE WITH chicken
400 g (14 oz.) bow tie pasta 750 ml (3 cups) mushrooms 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil salt and pepper to taste 250 ml (1 cup) cream 125 ml (½ cup) mozzarella cheese 60 ml (¼ cup) Parmesan cheese 15 ml (1 tbsp) fresh parsley, diced 5 ml (1 tsp) fresh chives, chopped black pepper to taste fresh Parmesan cheese to garnish (optional)
1. Boil pasta in salted water. 2. In pan, dice mushrooms and sauté in oil on medium high until golden brown. Salt and pepper to taste. 3. Add half of the cream into pan and turn down to medium low, stirring often for 2 minutes. 4. Add mozzarella and Parmesan, stirring frequently. 5. Drain pasta, saving 125 ml (½ cup) of the water. 6. Add cooked pasta, remaining cream and pasta water to pan. Stir for 5 minutes or until water evaporates. 7. Plate with parsley, chives, black pepper and fresh Parmesan to taste.
BLUEBERRY PEACH COBBLER TIME 1 hr 5 min MAKES 8 servings
Topping: 250 ml (1 cup) flour 60 ml (¼ cup) sugar 4 ml (¾ tsp) baking powder 1 ml (¼ tsp) baking soda 1 ml (¼ tsp) salt 45 ml (3 tbsp) cold butter 175 ml (¾ cup) buttermilk
SERVE WITH ice cream
Fruit Filling: butter to grease pan 750 ml (3 cups) sliced peaches 1 L (4 cups) blueberries 125 ml (½ cup) sugar 45 ml (3 tbsp) cornstarch 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract 1 ml (¼ tsp) cinnamon 15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice
1. Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) and grease a 22 x 33 cm (9 x 13 in.) pan with butter. 2. In large bowl, toss peaches, blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, cinnamon and lemon juice. Allow to sit 10 minutes. 3. In separate large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add butter and use hands to fold in until flour mixture is crumbly and the crumbles are pea-sized. Add buttermilk just until dry mixture is moistened. 4. Pour fruit filling into the pan and add large spoonfuls of topping on it. 5. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
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HEAVEN’S LOVE THRIFT SHOP by Kevin Frank
Quick Quiz Answers: 1. three; 2. Vegas Golden Knights; 3. an anemometer.
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NIFTY THRIFTY
Moss Art Add a bit of forest to your décor.
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s an avid hiker and forest bather, this was the perfect DIY for my home.
Supplies Needed: Thrifted frame, paint and paintbrush (optional), cardboard, corkboards, glue gun and glue sticks, moss. 1
Step 1 Drop by your local Salvation Army thrift store to source a frame or container that would work for your DIY moss wall art. I found this circular wood frame. 2
Step 2 Clean your frame and refinish it if you prefer. I was going to paint mine, but the natural wood worked well with the moss. I sanded and oiled the frame, then was ready to get DIY-ing.
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Step 3 I used a couple of pieces of cardboard then a piece of corkboard to insert into my frame. I added the cardboard and corkboard, sealed the back of my frame and was ready to start adding the moss. You can always use a canvas insert or sponge, or just start with moss. Whatever works for you!
Step 4 Separate out all of the bigger pieces of moss. I started with big pieces for the base, then used the smaller pieces to fill in any gaps. Use your glue gun and start gluing the moss piece by piece to the inside of your frame.
Step 5 Keep layering moss until you’re happy with the design. I love the idea of upcycling and this feature piece on my wall was a simple and cost-effective project.
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(left) Denise Corcoran (aka Thrifty By Design) is an author, upcycler, community builder and workshop facilitator based in North Vancouver. She shares her enthusiasm for crafting and upcycling by facilitating “Crafternoons” throughout Vancouver. She is also a creative expert for The Salvation Army’s thrift stores. Find a thrift store near you at thriftstore.ca.
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