Faith & Friends January 2021 by The Salvation Army

More Than a Treat?

NFL’s Josh McCown

ARMY CARING P.5 OLDER AND BETTER P.10

Army’s Ellen Osler Home

A SAFE PLACE P.26

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A SALVATION ARMY FACILITY HELPED JASON BASS-MELDRUM FIND HIS PASSION P.16

Gateway to Healing

“You Look Marvelous!”

In an old Saturday Night Live skit, Billy Crystal imitated actor Ricardo Montalbán. He looked straight at the camera and said those words.

“ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”—Ephesians 2:10

You may not feel the same way when you look in the mirror on New Year’s Day. But just remember this: you are a masterpiece. God created you as His crowning glory, so put away the self-pity, the doubts, the feelings of inadequacy and live your life as God intended, with joy and love.

You’ll never see yourself in the same way again! To learn more about God and His hopes for you, visit our website (www.faithandfriends.ca), contact us at The Salvation Army Editorial Department, 2 Overlea Blvd., Toronto ON M4H 1P4 or visit your nearest Salvation Army church.

January 2021

VOLUME 24 NUMBER 1

COMMON GROUND 5 Just a Bag of Popcorn?

For many essential workers on the front lines of COVID-19, it was much more than that. LAUGHING MATTERS 8 A Word of Thanks

One single expression can be the key to facing perilous times.

GAME-CHANGER 10 More Than a Football Player

The NFL’s Josh McCown is not getting older, he’s getting better.

FEATURES More Than a Treat?

NFL’s Josh McCown

ARMY CARING P.5 OLDER AND BETTER P.10

Army’s Ellen Osler Home

A SAFE PLACE P.26

Faith&Friends I N S P I R AT I O N F O R L I V I N G

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Gateway to Healing

COVER STORY

On-Screen Salvation

Army in Cobourg, Ont., supports newcomers.

Gateway to Healing

A Salvation Army facility helped Jason Bass-Meldrum find his passion.

Ready to Rumble

New movie is billed as biggest underdog story ever. Well, David and his slingshot might have something to say about that. SOMEONE CARES

Cover photo: Justin Jasmins Photography

26 A Safe Place

The Salvation Army’s Ellen Osler Home in Dundas, Ont., helps people like Terri to start over. LITE STUFF 28 Eating Healthy With Erin

Sudoku, Quick Quiz, Word Search.

NIFTY THRIFTY 31 Thinking Inside the Box

A storage-themed DIY to help organize and pack your festive decor. faithandfriends.ca I JANUARY 2021

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Faith&Friends

FROM THE EDITOR

Reaching Out

reelance writer Melissa Yue Wallace got to experience Jason Bass-Meldrum’s “bedside manner” first-hand while she was interviewing the Toronto public health nurse for this month’s cover story. “He is such a patient and kind person,” she says. “When we started the interview, we briefly chatted about our respective children going back to school during this time of COVID-19, and I expressed how uneasy I was about putting my twins in class. After the interview was concluded and before we hung up, Jason asked if he could pray for my family right there and then.” During the prayer, Jason even mentioned Melissa’s children by name. “I was so surprised by his attentiveness to detail and his boldness to pray for a complete stranger,” says Melissa. “I could see how God was using his interpersonal skills to go above and beyond what one might expect.” Jason’s story is on page 16. When is a bag of popcorn more than a bag of popcorn? For two Salvation Army pastors in Newfoundland and Labrador, it is when the popcorn and other bags of treats are used as a humble way to say thank you to essential workers in their community who go out each day to face the unknown. For the family of one worker in particular, that simple gesture spoke volumes. Their story is on page 5. Elsewhere in this issue of Faith & Friends, you’ll see how one woman’s life was changed by a Salvation Army facility in Hamilton, Ont., see our take on the new Rumble movie and find out how one single expression can be the key to facing perilous times. Ken Ramstead 4 • JANUARY 2021 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 monthly by: The Salvation Army 2 Overlea Blvd, Toronto Ontario, M4H 1P4 International Headquarters 101 Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4P 4EP, England William and Catherine Booth FOUNDERS

Brian Peddle, GENERAL Commissioner Floyd Tidd TERRITORIAL COMMANDER

Lt-Colonel John P. Murray SECRETARY FOR COMMUNICATIONS Geoff Moulton, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ken Ramstead, EDITOR

Brandon Laird SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Hannah Saley DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST Pamela Richardson, COPY EDITOR, PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR

Ada Leung CIRCULATION CO-ORDINATOR

Leigha Vegh STAFF WRITER, PROOFREADER

Giselle Randall STAFF WRITER 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

Faith&Friends

COMMON GROUND

Just a Bag of Popcorn? For many essential workers on the front lines of COVID-19, it was much more than that. by Lisa Hillier

It’s in the Bag Thirty-five bright orange gift packages were The Salvation Army’s way of bringing hope during the time of COVID-19

“

hat are we going to do with all of that?” That was my initial response as my husband, Morgan, planted three large bags of treats— consisting of popcorn, chocolate, potato chips and candy—onto our church gym floor. We were about two weeks into the COVID-19 lockdown, and a local store had donated all this to The Salvation Army, and this was our church’s share. As I surveyed all the snacks, my

thoughts began to race. How could this be used in ministry? The struggle of reaching out to our congregation and community of Mount Pearl, N.L., had been real and challenging in those first weeks of COVID-19. As pastors, we had been cut off from the people we were there to serve—connecting was so challenging as people were hurting, anxious and fearful. My daily prayer was: How can we minister to them? How can we bring hope?

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Faith&Friends

COMMON GROUND

Knock Knock Major Lisa Hillier makes a special—physically distanced—delivery

Door-to-Door Gratitude But Morgan and I realized that God had given us a loud and clear answer as we transformed the generous donation into 35 bright orange gift bags. These we would drop off to essential workers associated with our church—nurses, firefighters, pharmacists, store workers and others who had no choice but to go to work each day and face the unknown. My husband and I delivered them throughout the city—physically distancing, of course. Many expressed their gratitude directly and through

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social media, but one note that came six months later from the wife of a first responder left the greatest impact. Brightening a Dark Time She wrote: Thank you. During the dark time when COVID-19 was new and very scary, when everything was shut down, watching my husband, Pat, walk out the door to go to work was difficult. Our boys felt it, I felt it and Pat especially felt it, with no idea what he would face, no idea what he would bring home.

As pastors, we had been cut off from the people we were there to serve—connecting was so challenging as people were hurting, anxious and fearful. MAJOR LISA HILLIER And even though it was Pat who actually left the house, it was the boys and I who were left behind with the worry. Pat working during that time affected us all. The doorbell rang one day, breaking the silence. Who is out there? I asked myself. Don’t they know there is a lockdown? But on the other side of the door was a friendly face and a gift bag of treats thanking Pat for his service. This package of kindness sustained us. And not just for what it contained but for what it signified: that there is still lightness, still goodness in all our hearts. “It was a bit like Christmas morning, all of us sitting around hauling out a special treat. It is

strange how the package contained a favourite treat for each of us, almost as if we had placed an order. Candy for Mitchell, chocolate for Brandon, sour-cream flavoured chips for me, and kettlecooked chips for Pat. I wanted to personally thank the church and its fabulous members for thinking about us and making that dark time just a little brighter. The motto of The Salvation Army is “Giving Hope Today,” which was indeed the purpose of these treat bags, to show appreciation and to brighten a dark time for those who were giving of themselves. It is amazing how God used bags of treats, given in His name, to do just that.

(left) Major Lisa Hillier and her husband, Major Morgan Hillier, are the co-pastors at The Salvation Army’s Mount Pearl Citadel church in Newfoundland and Labrador.

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Faith&Friends

LAUGHING MATTERS

A Word of Thanks One single expression can be the key to facing perilous times. by Phil Callaway

hoever said, “May you live in interesting times” certainly got his wish. During March of 2020, peace and comfort were in shorter supply than toilet paper. Ramona and I selfquarantined and, after praying at breakfast together, I tried to think up something to make her laugh. One day, I said, “Honey, you’ve always been there for me. During the energy crisis of the ’70s, we met. During the recession of the ’80s, we married. We weathered Y2K together. And the crash of 2008. And the Great TP Shortage of 2020. And now here we are hunkered

down indoors, two metres apart, together. I may be wrong, but I think you’re bad luck.” Thankfully, she laughed. That laugh is one of a hundred things I’m grateful for in times like these. Devilish Memo According to several studies, anxiety and gratitude have trouble co-existing in the human brain. I mentioned this to friends, and they said things such as: “I’m thankful for a slower pace.” “Time with family.” “Church this morning in our jammies.” In C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters, a senior devil sends letters to

Lovebirds Ramona Callaway’s laugh is one of a hundred things her husband, Phil Callaway, is grateful for in times like these

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his evil understudy. “Plagues are a most effective weapon,” the senior devil writes. “Normally, Christians are quite comfortable. But if you can stir up hysteria by means of a plague so that they cut themselves off from God’s gifts to them, the torment of isolation will drive them to despair. Get them to forget about their usual practices of prayer and alms-giving, thinking only about themselves. Storing up treasures that we can send moth and rust to destroy.” Thankful Word During the challenges of these difficult times, my friend, James, put one word on a Post-it note and stuck it to his nightstand. He sees it before he flips off the light. It’s there when he wakes in the morning. It says: “Thankful.” Like nothing else, this is the key to facing perilous times. It produces the peace and abiding joy of knowing that God is at work in us, even in the hard days. The Psalmist wrote, “I will give thanks to You, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonderful deeds” (Psalm 9:1). In 1 Chronicles 16:34 we read, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all cir-

cumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Counting One’s Blessings I asked my Facebook friends what they were thankful for in these difficult times. Elaine said, “I’m thankful for hot water and soap.” This is from Carrie: “I miss my job, but I’m thankful for more time with family!” Shirley says, “Life, salvation, family, friends, health—and your humour, too.” John said, “I’m thankful for a faithful God of amazing grace. When I became an invalid, unable to walk, I found out I have more friends than I knew. They don’t consider me a burden; they are honoured to serve the weaker vessel.” Belinda, who battles multiple sclerosis, says, “The forever hope that comes from my faith and belief in Jesus.” Enid said, “So glad that God assures us of His love. We have His Word and His promises.” And what do I count when I count my blessings? Food. My next breath. We didn’t hoard a thing and we still had enough toilet paper. I’m thankful for FaceTime with grandkids. The chance to share God’s love with others. The hope of eternity with Jesus. And I’m thankful I went into the bank this morning with a mask on. And wasn’t arrested.

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Faith&Friends

GAME-CHANGER

Stepping Up “What Josh McCown brings to the table, even as a No. 4 quarterback, is inarguable,” said Michael Blinn of the New York Post

More Than a Football Player The NFL’s Josh McCown is not getting older, he’s getting better. by Jayne Thurber-Smith

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Eagles all season,” wrote NFL writer Kevin Patra. That’s Gonna Hurt It was later disclosed that Josh had torn his hamstring off the bone in the second quarter, but that didn’t stop him. “My injury happened early in the game,” he remembers, “but in the moment, there are so many other things going through your mind other than the pain. With our situ-

Photos: Courtesy of the Philadelphia Eagles

n the Philadelphia Eagles’ wild-card game last year, Josh McCown became the oldest quarterback to make his post-season debut. At the age of 40, he strode into the huddle to replace an injured Carson Wentz. “McCown, seemingly putting his entire body into every throw, made some strikes and managed the offense. The backup, however, couldn’t do enough with decimated weaponry that has plagued the

ation what it was, there was no one else to step in, so I played through it. The adrenaline rush helped. It felt a lot different by 11 that night, though!” Although the Eagles came up short that night, Josh kept his team in the game the entire time, giving his all on the biggest stage of his career. “I did my best to help the team,” he says, “and we all fought hard. Coach Doug Pederson and my teammates helped me stay calm. I felt ready for the opportunity, because when you’re helping other guys prepare like I did with Carson, there’s an internalization of the game plan that you benefit from. “Plus, I’ve done football a long time.” From Starter to Backup And for a lot of teams. Drafted in 2002 by the Arizona Cardinals, Josh has played for 11 different NFL teams and, in 2010, played a season in the United Football League. At that time, he didn’t know for sure if his NFL days were over or not. “That was one of the critical moments for both my wife, Natalie, and me,” he recalls. “Looking back on it, I compare it to the Bible story of David hiding in the cave, after living in the palace. The world as you know it has changed. You’re reasoning with God and spending a lot of

Walking With God “I knew I could do all things through Christ, no matter what team I was on,” says Josh

time learning about who you really are.” During that season, Josh never gave up hope. He did wonder if it might be time to start looking in a few directions other than pro football, however. “I got more involved in my church, trying to keep busy at first, and then I found peace connecting with God,” he says. “I believe that allowed me to play at a higher level, and I’m thank-

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Faith&Friends

GAME-CHANGER

“No matter the role, when you’re a part of a team, you bring value every day.” JOSH McCOWN ful I did get to return to the NFL the next year.” With only a year here and there with each team, it was hard to hang on to starting quarterback status. That can be tough on a guy who loves being in the game. “It’s frustrating to go from starter to backup, but both positions can contribute to any game,” Josh says. “I embrace that, rather than focusing on not playing. No matter the role, when you’re a part of a team, you bring value every day. It helps when you know your identity as a person, because I know I’m more than a football player.” Ups, Downs and Sideways With all the relocating from town to town, Josh greatly valued the

A Quarterbacking Family Josh is the older brother of former NFL quarterback Luke McCown and younger brother of former Texas A&M quarterback Randy McCown

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support he always found on the home front from his wife and four children. “I appreciate Natalie first and foremost for the type of person she is,” he says. “I didn’t always move my family with me whenever I ended up on a new team, especially those last seven years when the kids were older. Natalie ran our home so well and always kept us organized. Giving me the peace to just go play was huge. I’m thankful for her management of our home and support of me.” Josh grew up in a Christian home, but early on in their relationship, he and Natalie made their faith their own rather than a hand-me-down. “In the beginning, we had a faith background, but not to the degree we have now,” he says. “We knew

Team Player Josh has spent most of his career as a journeyman quarterback, playing for 11 teams

we needed to decide how we would walk it out for ourselves and what was going to be different for us. That included developing more of a personal relationship with God. We wanted it to be real, and we made faith an important part of our home.” Another important part of their home is a room filled with echoes of Josh’s journeyman career. Natalie had every one of his team jerseys framed and that takes up a whole lot of wall space. They are a testament to the ups and downs and sideways turns Josh was able to experience with God’s help. Walking With God Just before the 2020 NFL season started up, the Eagles announced that Josh would be wearing their

jersey for another year. “Josh McCown, who came out of retirement last season to sign with Philadelphia, will become the oldest practice squad player in NFL history at the age of 41. What McCown brings to the table, even as a No. 4 quarterback, is inarguable,” said Michael Blinn of the New York Post. “I really like the verse Philippians 4:13: ‘I can do all things through Christ,’ ” Josh says. “In the context of what Paul was saying in the previous verses, about being content with having a little or a lot, it’s very meaningful to me. It’s all about learning how to walk with God in any situation. That’s something I identified with early on in my career. I knew I could do all things through Christ, no matter what team I was on.”

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Faith&Friends

FEATURE

On-Screen Salvation ARMY IN COBOURG, ONT., SUPPORTS NEWCOMERS TO CANADA. by Caroline Franks

Strangers in a New Land Eduardo and his family are grateful to The Salvation Army for the help they received

s newcomers to Canada, a family from Ecuador is adjusting to life in a new country with support from The Salvation Army in Cobourg, Ont. 14 • JANUARY 2021 I faithandfriends.ca

Internet Search Eduardo, his wife and two young children, who are one and four years old, arrived in Canada in early December 2019.

“ The people at The Salvation Army have a true heart. They are humble and have helped us a lot.” EDUARDO “One of the first challenges we had was the weather,” says Eduardo. “We were not used to the cold but in time we started to learn more about the country, and we really like the environment and its people.” Because the family had not yet received a work visa, they struggled financially and didn’t know where to go for help. The COVID-19 pandemic also delayed the processing of their immigration documents. “After a few months, we learned about The Salvation Army, who helped us a lot,” says Eduardo. “One day, we were searching the internet to learn more about Canada and The Salvation Army appeared on our screen.” Courteous Treatment The Salvation Army in Cobourg is there for anyone in their time of need. “We are providing the family with both physical and emotional support,” states Edward Nkyi, community and family services director at The Salvation Army in Cobourg. “If we don’t have the means to help, then we partner with another local agency to make sure we can.” “As a newcomer family of Canada, The Salvation Army has assisted us with rent and utility payments,

immigration information assistance, food vouchers, gas cards and so much more,” says Eduardo. “The people at The Salvation Army have a true heart. They are humble and have helped us a lot. We are very thankful. Their treatment toward our family has been courteous and all of them are very amiable.” “A Big Thank You” Until they receive a work permit, Eduardo and his wife cannot work or volunteer. Eduardo is an engineer with experience in the automotive industry and is anxious to begin working. His wife is taking English classes to help her settle into the community. “We knew there was a lot we could do for the family. We helped them put food on the table and connected them to local resources,” says Edward. Eduardo and his wife want what all families do, to provide for their children, to send them to school and to have opportunities open to them. “Our family is really happy. Life in Canada is very different. Here, there is a lot of safety for my family,” says Eduardo. “A big thank you to the amazing team of staff and volunteers at The Salvation Army in Cobourg.” faithandfriends.ca I JANUARY 2021

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Faith&Friends

COVER STORY

Gateway to Healing A SALVATION ARMY FACILITY HELPED JASON BASS-MELDRUM FIND HIS PASSION.

THE START OF THE SCHOOL year in Ontario was fraught with worry for families and teaching staff alike, with many parents making last-minute changes to avoid packed classrooms or, alternatively, an online environment. But while some students were being reassigned out of schools, Jason Bass-Meldrum, a nurse with Toronto Public Health, was preparing to go in. A Changed Trajectory As a COVID-19 school liaison public health nurse for East Toronto, Jason is responsible for 14 schools, where he meets with principals to ensure pandemic protocols are being followed, links cases with investigators and deals with outbreaks. 16 • JANUARY 2021 I faithandfriends.ca

It’s a role that requires flexibility and calm, one he has been well-equipped for over his 12-year career—assisting new Canadians experiencing hardship, and people suffering with bed bugs, living in squalor without health insurance, affected by tuberculosis and, most recently, isolated because of COVID-19. “I started following health-care workers and high-risk individuals who had COVID-19 through daily phone calls, and I felt God had put me in a place where I had the opportunity for great one-on-one conversations,” says Jason. “I don’t often lead with my background, but if a client opens up that door, I can talk about my faith and, more often than not, it will lead to an opportun-

Photos: Justin Jasmins Photography

by Melissa Yue Wallace

On Duty “I’ve learned that if you sit with people and genuinely treat them as a person, giving them respect and dignity, you can get all the information you need for their care, and they feel valued,” says Jason Bass-Meldrum of his job as a public health nurse

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Faith&Friends

COVER STORY

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One Happy Family Jason and Heather with their three children: Josiah, Grace and Elizabeth

ity to share the gospel, pray for and encourage them.” With his easygoing demeanour and empathetic personality, Jason puts clients at ease, telling stories and sharing experiences they can relate to. It’s a skill set he developed while working at The Salvation Army Gateway, a 120-bed emergency shelter and drop-in for individuals experiencing homelessness in Toronto, where he worked from 2002 to 2010. “I learned in the first few weeks that I couldn’t chalk up somebody as looking a certain way when they’re experiencing homelessness,” he says. “One moment in time can change the trajectory of someone’s life.” Jason should know. He was in Grade 10 when his life took just such a turn. Losing Everything Jason’s parents worked hard to provide for their four children while living in an apartment in Scarborough, Ont. Jason’s dad worked at Canada Post and his mother worked odd jobs from time to time. They didn’t have a lot of money, but his parents invested in their children’s faith, putting all four

in Christian school. In 1991, after his grandmother had a fall, Jason’s parents decided to renovate her semi-detached home so the whole family could move in and help take care of her. But that decision would cost the family in more ways than one. “Over the next 10 years, my parents would lose everything financially as the home sat as a building lot,” says Jason. Their life savings were depleted, and things worsened when his dad was hit on the picket line during the 1991 Canada Post strike. He didn’t qualify for the Ontario Disability Support Program, and the family ended up on social assistance. Jason and his siblings left their Christian school to start fresh at a public school. “The only good thing about that year was that on Christmas, The Salvation Army brought a gift basket and each of us kids had a $50 gift voucher to what was then Woolco (now Walmart),” says Jason. “I have very fond memories of that.” From Tyndale to Gateway Jason didn’t always aspire to be a nurse. When he was a child, he read books about David Livingstone and faithandfriends.ca I JANUARY 2021

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Faith&Friends

COVER STORY

“ I had this profound thought as I was sitting at the table that, if there was any place that Jesus would be, it would be at The Gateway.” JASON BASS-MELDRUM dreamed of serving as a medical missionary. He attended the University of Guelph in 1995 with this dream in mind, but found it shattered as his depression about unresolved family and relationship issues resulted in failing grades. He eventually graduated with a biology degree. Unsure of next steps, Jason enrolled at Tyndale University in Toronto, hoping to teach in some capacity. A friend of Jason’s was working at The Gateway and told him to consider applying.

draw out their strengths,” says Dion. “He went over and above the call. “I knew whatever he would end up doing, he would give 100 percent of his gifts to being the presence of Christ in the best way he knew how.” “I started as a casual front-line relief worker, and those first couple of shifts, I wondered what I had gotten myself into,” Jason says. “But then I had this profound thought as I was sitting at the table that, if there was any place that Jesus would be, from what I know in my head and from Scripture, it would be here.”

Over and Above Dion Oxford, former director of The Gateway, remembers hiring Jason and being encouraged by his servant heart and genuine care for people in need. “He focused on finding out more about who they were as human beings, what their gifts were and how we could walk alongside them to

A Dream Revived While working at The Gateway, Jason listened to stories the men shared about their plight into homelessness and was touched by their vulnerability. Since The Gateway sat in a catchment area for services, a community health centre provided a nurse who would come in twice a week to care for men at the

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Embracing Happiness While walking to class at Tyndale University, Jason clearly heard God’s voice. “All I could see was the back of Heather and I heard the Lord saying, ‘You’re going to marry her,’ ” he says

shelter. Jason recalls watching the nurse addressing the men’s physical needs, usually wound dressings and medication monitoring. “A lot of individuals on the streets are, unfortunately, victims of violence or participate in violence, so they may be discharged from hospitals with staples or stitches and need to get them removed,” he says. “Wounds don’t heal very well when you’re not in a clean environment.” Jason became interested in nursing and realized that, with his biology background, he could care for people in a way that would allow him to demonstrate compassion and be present with people. “I found that maybe this dream

wasn’t so lost,” he says. “God was leading me.” Jason enrolled in nursing college, graduated and has been working ever since. He also pursues his passion for teaching in his roles as a clinical instructor at various universities and colleges. “I’ve learned that if you sit with people and genuinely treat them as a person, giving them respect and dignity, you can get all the information you need for their care, and they feel valued,” says Jason. “And just as we engage with others on a daily basis, we need to engage with God, and it will equip us to not burn out and have the most impact for Jesus.” faithandfriends.ca I JANUARY 2021

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FEATURE

Ready to Rumble

NEW MOVIE IS BILLED AS BIGGEST UNDERDOG STORY EVER. WELL, DAVID AND HIS SLINGSHOT MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT. by Diane Stark

umble, in theatres this month, is a computer-animated comedy from Paramount Animation and WWE Studios starring WWE superstars Becky Lynch and Roman Reigns. The film is set in a world where monsters are professional athletes and watching them compete is a favourite pastime for humans. Overcoming the Odds A new global sport has emerged: Monster Wrestling. Everyone wants 22 • JANUARY 2021 I faithandfriends.ca

a piece of the action, including Steve (voiced by Will Arnett), a clumsy, out-of-shape, giant reptilian monster. He’s an amateur wrestler whose deepest longing is to go pro and become a champion. Winnie (Geraldine Viswanathan) is a teenager who aspires to be a monster wrestling trainer, just like her dad. The unlikely pair team up, and their training regimen is as unusual as they are. To build his strength, Winnie brings in a female monster who easily outweighs Steve

Photos: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Faith&Friends

Training Day Winnie believes Steve has what it takes to be the champ

The stakes could not have been higher. Not only would the loser die, but his fellow soldiers would become slaves to the winners. and demands that the two practise and perfect the famous lift scene from the ’80s hit, Dirty Dancing. To become a champion, Steve will have to beat the reigning champ, Tentacular (Terry Crews), a sharkheaded monster with six tentacles and popping pectoral muscles. The human fans worship him. At the giant Monster Wrestling stadium, the announcer asks, “Is there a challenger out there with the hunger, the drive and the discipline to become the next champion?” Steve doesn’t think that he has any of those things, but Winnie is sure enough for both of them. In his match against Tentacular, Steve will be the biggest underdog Monster Wrestling has ever seen. Can he overcome the odds to beat Tentacular and become the new champion? Come-From-Behind Win There’s a saying that everyone loves an underdog. That might be true after the big upset, but before an

underdog wins, most people doubt that person and some even mock him or her. Being the underdog isn’t usually the most favourable position to be in when entering a contest of any kind, but especially one where the fight is to the death. Probably the most famous underdog story is the one about David and Goliath. The Bible says that Goliath’s height was six cubits and a span—almost nine feet tall (see 1 Samuel 17). For 40 days, he and his fellow Philistines taunted the Israelite army, asking who would fight him. The stakes could not have been higher. Not only would the loser die, but his fellow soldiers would become slaves to the winners. The Israelites were terrified. But a young shepherd named David overheard them talking about Goliath and declared that he could defeat him. When David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard him, he got angry and told David he needed to stay with his sheep. He was the ultimate underdog, even in his own family. faithandfriends.ca I JANUARY 2021

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Faith&Friends

FEATURE

David fought Goliath—and won— with a slingshot and five smooth stones. Top Dog But was that slingshot his only weapon? David told Goliath, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” (1 Samuel 17:45). David added, “The battle is the Lord’s.” David didn’t look at how much taller and stronger Goliath was. David didn’t compare Goliath’s sword and spear to his own slingshot. David trusted God to go before him in the battle. David, on his own, was the biggest underdog in history. But with God on his side, he was the top dog, destined to win.

King of the Ring In the history of Monster Wrestling, there has never been a champion quite like Tentacular

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More Than Conquerors We all have our own underdog story, a time when we didn’t see a way to come out on top. It could be a story of beating an addiction or a life-threatening illness. It might even be persevering at school in spite of financial or personal difficulties. Or it could be a challenge in marriage or parenting. When we find ourselves as underdogs, it’s easy to become fearful and doubt that God is with us. It’s easy to look at that Goliath in front of us instead of the God who goes before us. But Romans 8:31 says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” The world might view us as underdogs, but as the Bible tells us in Romans 8:37, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

Faith&Friends

BEYOND BORDERS

MAILBAG

Back to the Beginning

BEYOND BORDERS

Doing Good in Zambia A video project in Africa gave me a new appreciation for the international work of The Salvation Army. by Aaron Bowes

A Joyful Noise Salvation Army soldiers at the Army’s Livingstone Corps in Zambia

Photos: Courtesy of Aaron Bowes

How thrilling it was to read the O article about The Salvation Army in Zambia (“Doing Good in Zambia,” September 2020). It is encouraging to see the spontaneity of worship and the overwhelming desire to make God’s love known. How my heart was moved to see again the territory where my wife and I began our ministry as Salvation Army pastors. Zooming In Aaron Bowes sets up a shot for an interview at Salvation Army headquarters in Lusaka, Zambia

n one of the last days of our campaign resource gathering visit to Zambia, our Salvation Army film crew wandered onto a field where a soccer match was going on. No fancy cleats on display, no team jerseys. Just kids of all ages kicking a threadbare ball around in joyous abandon. As we were setting up to shoot some footage, a man started to march

toward us, obviously not liking the fact that we were going to film his friends. But his intimidating manner evaporated when he saw the Army shield on our jackets. “Oh, Salvation Army,” he smiled. “You’re free to come in here whenever.” It was at that moment that it hit me: everywhere in Zambia, people understand the good The Salvation Army is doing.

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African Adventure As a Salvation Army digital media producer, I was asked to accompany a team from the world missions department on a fact-finding trip to Zambia earlier this year. I would help film a dozen or so videos that would highlight the Army’s work there. While I was nervous about protocols for filming in public overseas, I was also excited to go as I’d never been to Africa before. Conversations with colleagues who had been on such trips before put my mind at ease. Though the 30-hour trip from Toronto to Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, was long, I couldn’t wait to start work. Lt-Colonel Brenda Murray, director of world missions and our team leader, told me later that I always seemed to have a grin on my face. And I did! For me, it was more of an adventure than work, despite the

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gruelling 16-hour-a-day pace we set for ourselves.

Earned Respect Every day was an early start because we had four to five shooting locations on our agenda, each one telling a tale of the Army’s work. We’d assemble at the hotel breakfast bar, and the team would look to me for the overall shooting plan. While we had a vague idea of who we were interviewing, once we got to the location, whether in a rural farm area or an inner-city informal settlement, we never knew who would show up or what was in store. But we stuck to the itinerary and everything worked out. One of the places we visited was a Salvation Army church deep in the inner city of Lusaka, where we were privileged to take part in a church service. We also toured an Army-run

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—Lt-Colonel Lloyd Hetherington Faith&Friends

Rebuilding a Life

COVER STORY

One Strand at a Time

Victoria, you are a brave, courageous young lady (“One Strand at a Time,” September 2020). Thank God for saving you from your oppressor and setting you free to be the beautiful person you are today. God really cares and loves us just the way we are, even in our brokenness. He can mend our broken dreams. WITH THE HELP OF THE SALVATION ARMY, HUMAN-TRAFFICKING SURVIVOR VICTORIA MORRISON IS PUTTING HER LIFE BACK TOGETHER. by Shannon Wise

LOOKING AT VICTORIA

Morrison now, you would never know she fell victim to human trafficking. She is as strong and confident as they come—living proof that you can take your life back and transform despite your circumstances. Victoria is articulate, poised and resilient. It’s because of her powerful traits that Victoria has been able to help other victims. But there was a time when she was a victim herself. 16 • SEPTEMBER 2020

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Speaking Out Victoria Morrison shares her story at The Salvation Army’s annual Hope in the City breakfast in Winnipeg last fall

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—Major Darlene Sutton

Thank you for sharing your story. I will continue to pray for those who are trafficked, to escape and rebuild their lives. —Colonel Ann Copple Have a comment on any articles you have read? WRITE to us at Faith & Friends, 2 Overlea Blvd., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4H 1P4. EMAIL us at faithandfriends@ salvationarmy.ca or POST your comments at faithandfriends.ca.

Faith&Friends

FEATURE

Packed to the Brim Sandy Blackwell with her car full of donations

On a whim, she entered the store and found out that they had 400 packages of low-fat bran muffin mix (each package makes 24 muffins) plus 280 large cans of vanilla icing that were nearing their expiration dates in a month, though the manager assured her that they would keep for much longer. Lorraine promptly purchased the lot, and when the Home Hardware manager found out why she was buying them, he gave her a steep discount. Home Hardware staff even helped her place the boxes in her car. Lorraine’s next step was to contact The Salvation Army’s divisional headquarters in Toronto to find out how she could donate all this food. The automated answering service frustrated her efforts, as she knew no one there, but after randomly pressing buttons in hopes of connecting to a “live” person, she managed to reach Vivienne So, a manager in employee relations. “I was moved by her story,” Vivienne says, “and I wanted to see this donation put to good use.” But she had only been on the job for six months and wasn’t sure what the protocol was. “I didn’t feel right to just say ‘wrong number’ or pass her along,” Vivienne says, “so I decided to take care of this myself.” After a number of inquiries, Vivienne was directed to the Army’s Railside distribution centre and passed on their contact information

to a happy Lorraine. She, in turn, loaded her car up and drove to the Railside facility with the purchased and donated supplies. “The staff at The Salvation Army were so amazing,” says Lorraine. “Between Home Hardware and Railside, it was a team effort.”

Mixing Joy

It’s wonderful to read of Piece by Piece this generous T initiative in my home city of Toronto (“Piece by Piece,” August 2020). Our Salvation Army church’s food bank has distributed this muffin mix as well as the other items mentioned. Thank you to the donors. LORRAINE BLUE KNEW THE SALVATION ARMY NEEDED HELP DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, SO SHE DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT. by Ken Ramstead

his past spring, Lorraine Blue was watching a Salvation Army commercial appealing for help with COVID-19. Sitting there in her living room, she thought, In the middle of this crazy world, what can I do right now, as one person, to help? It was simplicity itself to pick up her phone and make a donation, which she did. 16 • AUGUST 2020

Team Effort But the next day, the thought persisted. Lorraine knew that there must be more she could do to help. But what? That afternoon, as she was passing Bailey’s Home Hardware store in Toronto, it hit her: “I’m sure that the Army is feeding a lot more people now thanks to COVID-19. They must need more food.”

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Kindred Souls Lorraine’s vision grew. “I realized I was not just helping those who were out of work due to COVID-19,” she says. “I was assisting others that the Army was looking out for: the homeless, the seniors, the disabled.” When she returned to purchase

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—Lt-Colonel Jean Moulton Faith&Friends

COVER STORY

A Week With Major Ann

A Week in the Life

Thank you for sharing this, Major Jim (“A Week With Major Ann,” October 2020). She was “Mrs. Murray” to me as a young member of the Salvation Army choir and vacation Bible schooler and eventually “Ann” in adulthood. I was never worried that Ann would receive the best care available at her final earthly home. Her son, John, described to me the unbelievable arrival of Salvation Army pastors at her facility—so giving, so generous. Thank you to you and your other fellow pastors and nurses for being with “Major Ann.” MY SEVEN DAYS ASSISTING IN A SALVATION ARMY LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY DURING COVID-19 CHANGED MY LIFE. by Major Jim Mercer

THE CALL CAME LATE ONE

Friday evening this past spring from Salvation Army public-relations director Glenn van Gulik. Salvation Army long-term care facilities were dealing as best they could with the COVID-19 crisis, but the hard-working staff needed assistance. “Is there any way you can help?” Glenn asked.

Photo: Caroline Franks

Faith&Friends

(left) Sacred Trust "I will never regard my calling as simply preaching on Sunday anymore," says Major Jim Mercer

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—Stuart Westcott

It is so wonderful to have read of your experience with long-term care patients. I have seen and been involved with this work for many years prior, and now as a nurse, I know it’s very humbling and hard work, but extremely rewarding. God can use us however we allow Him to. God bless. —Cathy Harris

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Faith&Friends

SOMEONE CARES

A Safe Place The Salvation Army’s Ellen Osler Home in Dundas, Ont., helps people like Terri to start over. by Linda Leigh

ulture shock. Depression. Anger. Life after prison can be a difficult transition. In Dundas, Ont., The Salvation Army’s Ellen Osler Home, a historic Tudor-style house, offers a safe living environment, life-skills programs and community referrals for federal female parolees as they work toward community reintegration. “Ellen Osler Home gave me the resources, confidence and strength needed to lead a new and productive life,” says Terri, a former resident. “Every day, I thank God for this opportunity to start over.”

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A Life Ruined “I remember the night of the accident,” says Terri. “My ex-boyfriend and I had been drinking. We hadn’t seen each other for four months and got into the car to ‘talk.’ I was driving over the speed limit when an argument ensued. I was hit in the face and knocked out. The next thing I remember is the paramedics cutting me out of the car.” Terri was hospitalized for five days with a broken hip and pelvis, broken ribs and a concussion. Sadly, with the impact of the crash, her ex was thrown clear, run over and killed

by a passing car that fled from the scene. Following an investigation, Terri was charged with manslaughter and sent to prison. “At 51 and with no prior criminal record, my life was ruined,” she says. Healing and Growth A model prisoner, Terri was eventually released to Ellen Osler Home in January 2017. “When I came to The Salvation

tion Army did for me. They provided resources every step of the way.” Today, Terri volunteers at The Salvation Army’s food bank in Hamilton, Ont., tells her story of hope at faith-based programs and is working for her previous employer. “The Salvation Army is where I gained strength, spirituality and great friends,” she says. “I have structure and routine in my life, and I’m in a better place now.”

“Ellen Osler Home gave me the resources, confidence and strength needed to lead a new and productive life.” TERRI Army, I was hopeless and afraid, anxious and isolated,” says Terri. “Unpleasant memories of abusive relationships, alcoholism and flashbacks from the accident had taken their toll on me.” At Ellen Osler Home, Terri learned how to rebuild her boundaries, trust again and surround herself with people who love, support and empower her. After more than two years at the house, she has adjusted well to life on the outside. “It’s important to have a safe place to practise new, healthy habits before you return to real life,” says Terri. “That’s what The Salva-

A New Home “The Salvation Army is where I gained strength, spirituality and great friends,” says Terri

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Faith&Friends

LITE STUFF

Eating Healthy With Erin CREAMY BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWER SALAD

Recipe photos: Erin Stanley

TIME 5 min MAKES 4 servings SERVE WITH hamburgers or hot dogs

500 ml (2 cups) broccoli florets 500 ml (2 cups) cauliflower florets 60 ml (¼ cup) roasted sunflower seeds 30 ml (2 tbsp) dried goji berries or cranberries 75 ml (1/3 cup) mayonnaise 45 ml (3 tbsp) milk 22 ml (1½ tbsp) sugar 15 ml (1 tbsp) apple cider vinegar 1 ml (¼ tsp) salt

1. Combine broccoli, cauliflower, sunflower seeds and berries in a bowl. 2. Whisk together mayonnaise, milk, sugar and apple cider vinegar. 3. Add dressing mixture to salad. 4. Add pinch of salt. Cover and chill for one hour.

NEW YEAR’S GINGER MOLASSES COOKIES TIME 45 mins MAKES 24 cookies SERVE WITH tea or coffee

560 ml (2¼ cups) allpurpose flour 10 ml (2 tsp) ground ginger 5 ml (1 tsp) cinnamon 5 ml (1 tsp) baking soda 1 ml (¼ tsp) salt 175 ml (¾ cup) softened butter 250 ml (1 cup) brown sugar 1 egg 15 ml (1 tbsp) water 60 ml (¼ cup) molasses 5 ml (1 tsp) maple syrup 30 ml (2 tbsp) brown sugar

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1. Preheat oven to 175 C (350 F) and line baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Sift together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in bowl and set aside. 3. In large bowl, mix together butter and sugar until fluffy, then beat in egg. Combine water and molasses, pour into mixture, add maple syrup and stir well. 4. Slowly add sifted ingredients to molasses mixture until combined. 5. Roll cookies into 50-75 mm (2-3 in.) sized balls and space 50 mm (2 in.) apart. Flatten cookies slightly with the back of a fork and sprinkle with brown sugar. 6. Bake on middle rack for 12-15 minutes. Allow to stand for 5 minutes and then transfer cookies to cooling wire to cool completely.

Holiday Aid

THE ANGEL TREE P.6

Delivering Joy

COME FROM AWAY 2 P.16

Army Helps

BOXING DAY P.5

Faith&Friends I N S P I R AT I O N F O R L I V I N G

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DECEMBER 2020

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Sudoku Puzzle

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3 × 3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.

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QUICK QUIZ 1. What does the computer term PDF stand for? 2. What is tetraphobia the fear of? 3. What is the capital of South Dakota?

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HEAVEN’S LOVE THRIFT SHOP by Kevin Frank

Answers on next page.

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Faith&Friends

LITE STUFF

Word Search Kitchen Aid J R P C O L A N D E R U K X M V T D I M E A S U R I N G C U P E R M R P O V E N G L O V E S P A T U L A A B W H L O E Y W H L L N P G I O S Y X O R E P A P P W H Q G R F B M H L D V E R E U F O C X V D O G L Q E P H W C R N T B R E A D K N I F E R R D G I O E K O H O L L I M R E P P E P P R Z R T R S A L T S H A K E R D E D G E W K T U B T L T N P N D D L S U K O T L S U U K I I O S X F E O T Y L D Z F C C C E R Q N B N N Q H L B A V B Y I Z R E T A R G N E P T E E D R C A S S P E I M T U P G M O K I L N H G S P H I W P F R C I G P U B E A N P O T S M R C O T O M N X J Y S O C H R H E W H I S K M M Z K P J T Z C S S P W R Q K U D O W G K Q APRON BASTER BEAN POT BLOWTORCH BOTTLE OPENER BOWL BREAD KNIFE CAN OPENER CHOPPER COLANDER CORKSCREW CUTTING BOARD

FUNNEL GRATER LADLE MASHER MEASURING CUP MORTAR OVEN GLOVES PAN PEELER PEPPER MILL PESTLE PIE CUTTER

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POT HOLDER RICER ROLLING PIN SALT SHAKER SCALE SCISSORS SIFTER SPATULA TIMER TONGS TRAY WHISK

Quick Quiz Answers: 1. portable document format; 2. the number four; 3. Pierre. 2

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Faith&Friends

NIFTY THRIFTY

Thinking Inside the Box A storage-themed DIY to help organize and pack your festive decor.

tarting the year off with some storage options thanks to your local Salvation Army thrift store is easy and affordable. After the festive season closes, we’re ready to pack up our ornaments, decorations, lights and maybe even a reusable tree. Fortunately, there are numerous organizational options available, from regular plastic bins to creative uses for familiar objects. Big plastic bins are the norm for storing items. You can find them in various sizes and all you need to do is fill them, lid

them and then add a label for what’s inside. Baskets of all shapes and sizes are another option. Use them to store your more delicate items, such as ornaments. Document organizers are made for storing stuff elegantly, whether you use them for gift wrap, ribbons or stationery. You can stack them, add a label and even dress them up with paper, paint or your crafty material of choice. Tins, small boxes or glass containers are perfect for smaller items, such as ornament hooks, ribbons or stickers. Pillowcases or duvet covers can be reused for protecting and storing your collapsed reusable tree, wreaths or larger hanging Christmas decor. Makeup or pencil cases are a neat way to keep cables and plugs together. And while you’re Marie Kondo-ing your festive decor, maybe think of decluttering. Your local Salvation Army thrift store is the perfect place for those old decorations you haven’t used in a while.

(left) Denise Corcoran (a.k.a. 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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Faith & Friends January 2021

Articles inside

Thinking Inside the Box

A Safe Place

A Word of Thanks

Just a Bag of Popcorn?