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Compassion in Action
ARMY HELPS ZAMBIA P.24
Why Assist the Army?
ASK DIETER P.8
Faith&Friends I N S P I R AT I O N F O R L I V I N G
faithandfriends.ca
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In This Together
PLANNING A WEDDING IN A PANDEMIC. P.16
First Love Valentine’s Day is a time to share heartshaped cards, chocolates and flowers with your loved one. Why not make it an occasion to remind all of your friends and family that they are cherished? Spread love around to all areas of your life. We know about love, because God first loved us. This is the message of the Bible: “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God” (1 John 4:7). True love comes from a heart transformed by God.
If you would like to learn more about God’s love, 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.
February 2021
VOLUME 24 NUMBER 2
COMMON GROUND 5 Open Mouth, Insert Foot
When it comes to jumping to conclusions, look—and think— before you leap. SOMEONE CARES 8 A Passion for Helping Others
Why should anyone support The Salvation Army? Just ask Dieter. FAITH BUILDERS
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10 Cinderella Story
New romantic comedy reimagines the classic fable.
Open Mouth ...
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Compassion in Action
ARMY HELPS ZAMBIA P.24
Why Assist the Army?
FEATURES
ASK DIETER P.8
Faith&Friends I N S P I R AT I O N F O R L I V I N G
faithandfriends.ca
FEBRUARY 2021
In This Together
PLANNING A WEDDING IN A PANDEMIC. P.16
COVER STORY
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16 22
Cover photo: Rachel Connell
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The Power of Music
Hayley Francis Cann’s goal is to advocate and educate.
In This Together
Planning a wedding in a pandemic.
Healing After Abuse
A Salvation Army women’s shelter in Montreal helped Janice take back control of her life.
BEYOND BORDERS 24 Compassion in Action
In the heart of rural Zambia, The Salvation Army is providing crucial medical care. LITE STUFF 28 Eating Healthy With Erin
Sudoku, Quick Quiz, Word Search. NIFTY THRIFTY 31 Dinner for Two
Create the perfect DIY Valentine’s Day picnic. faithandfriends.ca I FEBRUARY 2021
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Faith&Friends
FROM THE EDITOR
For Better or Worse
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hen the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, Kathy Nguyen was self-isolating, having just returned from a resource trip to Zambia four days before the news broke. She recalls her fears each time she read a headline discussing the fragility of our health-care system. “For the first time in my life,” she says, “I saw panic painted across our entire country as we scrambled to mitigate the effects of COVID-19. “While Canada was running out of resources, what would happen to a country like Zambia, which was already in critical shortage of healthcare supplies and workers?” Kathy continues. “My thoughts immediately turned to the medical students and professionals I had met in rural Zambia, just a short time before. How would they be affected by the pandemic?” Despite her concerns, Kathy is grateful to know that there are dedicated people paving the way for a better and healthier future in rural Zambia. “To them, and to all health-care workers everywhere, I say, ‘Thank you.’ ” Kathy’s story is on page 24. The Salvation Army can’t do what they do in Zambia without the generous support of people such as you. In this February’s Faith & Friends, you’ll read about Dieter and why he supports the Army. Elsewhere in the issue, you’ll see how one young couple went ahead with their dream wedding despite COVID-19’s constraints. “For Michael and me, this challenge put love into action and gave us real perspective of what marriage would look like,” writes Brianne Zelinsky-Carew. Read their love story on page 16. Ken Ramstead 4 • FEBRUARY 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
COMMON GROUND
Photo: elkor/E+ via Getty Images Plus
Faith&Friends
Open Mouth, Insert Foot When it comes to jumping to conclusions, look—and think—before you leap.
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by Joyce Starr Macias
umping to a conclusion that turns out to be wrong is not unusual. Especially for me. I’ve been known to do it more often than I like to admit. Jaw Dropper I remember, for instance, the morning at church when I greeted a trim dark-haired man who was
standing next to a gray-haired woman. I wrongly assumed she was his mother. Reaching out to shake my hand, he said, “It’s very nice to meet you, Joyce.” Fortunately, before I voiced what my mind was thinking, the man added: “And I’d like you to meet my wife, Mary.” I recovered quickly enough to
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COMMON GROUND
keep my jaw from hitting the floor, but the event made a deep impression on me. I’ve tried to be more careful ever since, yet it’s a habit I have trouble breaking. Oops! I even do it online! I correspond on Facebook with a rather nice-looking man whom I’ve never met in person. He recently posted a photo of himself next to a handsome red-haired boy. “Grandson, I assume,” I commented. Not so, I learned from his answer. Turns out the boy in the photo was his son, not his grandson. Oops! My social media faux pas and many others over the years made me see myself as one who finds it only too easy to “open mouth, insert foot!” Compliment Gone Bad Despite my new determination to avoid another such embarrassing mistake, I goofed yet again just a few days later. I’d been chatting with a young couple in the hardware aisle of a Home Depot about our various do-it-yourself projects. We talked for several minutes, and I couldn’t help
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noticing that none of their three children got whiny or draped themselves across the shopping cart in frustration. Their patience deserved some praise, I thought. So I gave it. “Your little girls are so well-behaved. You don’t see that too often these days,” I said. Nice compliment, right? Wrong. One of the “girls,” the one with the longest hair, was actually a boy. Fortunately for me, they all laughed about it, with the mom explaining that people frequently mistake her son for a daughter. I was glad to see the boy was laughing, too. Some Workout! Jumping to a conclusion may not be the most dangerous jump in the world, but it can certainly be the most embarrassing. The only thing that makes me feel a little better about my too-frequent habit is that I’m not alone. Googling the topic will yield a host of interesting comments. “Our busy minds are forever jumping to conclusions, manufacturing and interpreting signs that aren’t there,” said the Greek philosopher Epictetus. Writer and film director Paul
“My major form of exercise is jumping to conclusions.” J.A. NANCE Auster warned that, “It often happens that things are other than what they seem, and you can get into trouble by jumping to conclusions.” One of my favourites is credited to author J.A. Nance: “My major form of exercise is jumping to conclusions.” Now that’s a workout I can relate to! Help Available But wait. There is help. And I found it in the Bible, “Don’t jump to conclusions—there may be a perfectly good explanation for what you just saw” (Proverbs 25:8 The Message) is just one of many passages dealing with that bad habit. But of all of them, a psalm written by King David really hit home. One
wouldn’t think that a powerful Old Testament king would have to worry about saying the wrong thing! But King David evidently thought it was necessary to watch his words. Here’s what he wrote: “Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3). If someone like King David thought it was necessary to be careful about what he said, then it seems important for me to do the same. Maybe I’ll never stop jumping to conclusions but, like David, I don’t have to give voice to any of them. Best of all, divine help is available. I can ask God to guard my mouth and watch over my lips so that none of my jumping to the wrong conclusions go public.
(left) Joyce Starr Macias is a retired newspaper reporter who lives in Apache Junction, Arizona, with her husband, Everett, who is a deacon at their church. As a freelance writer, her stories have been published in numerous Christian magazines and short-story collections.
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SOMEONE CARES
Photo: canbedone/iStock via Getty Images Plus
Faith&Friends
A Passion for Helping Others Why should anyone support The Salvation Army? Just ask Dieter. by Linda Leigh
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hen 80-year-old Dieter first began supporting The Salvation Army, he did so because he researched the organization and learned that a large percentage of donations went directly to people in need. Then, when he attended his first donor recognition luncheon, his will to give became more personal. Fateful Event “The topic of the luncheon was key to Dieter’s understanding of what The Salvation Army does,” says Carol Barton, charitable gift advisor in Victoria. “The speeches relating
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to hope and transformation of struggling addicts had a significant impact on him.” Dieter had a young relative who struggled with addiction and has since designated his donations to youth and adult addictions programs. “I went to an event and learned first-hand about the work the Army does for people in real need,” says Dieter. “That’s when I committed to making annual donations and have left a large portion of my estate to The Salvation Army.” A Hand Up “Without the generosity of our donors
and stakeholders, The Salvation Army wouldn’t be able to carry out our vital mission of Giving Hope Today, now and well into the future,” says Carol.
“To know I am helping people makes me feel useful, grateful and humble.” DIETER “Furthermore, gifts to The Salvation Army reflect true compassion and love for our fellow human beings, many of whom struggle with some of
life’s harshest challenges.” “The dedication of the people at The Salvation Army is incredible,” says Dieter. “It feels good to donate to them because the money is well spent. I always ask where it is urgently needed, and that’s where we put it.” Having spent years as a schoolteacher and then as a property developer, Dieter now spends his time relaxing and gardening. “To know I am helping people makes me feel useful, grateful and humble. I’m glad there are trustworthy people such as The Salvation Army who not only give a hand up to those in need but make them even stronger.”
Happy Giver “The dedication of the people at The Salvation Army is incredible,” says Dieter, here with Judith Guichon, then lieutenantgovernor of British Columbia
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FAITH BUILDERS
Photo: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing
A Song in Her Heart Grammynominated pop singer Camila Cabello plays Cinderella in the new movie, a poor orphaned girl who works hard and dreams of a better life
Cinderella Story New romantic comedy reimagines the classic fable. by Diane Stark
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inderella, the romantic comedy in theatres this month, is a live-action, musical version of the famous fairy tale. Grammy-nominated pop singer Camila Cabello plays the title role, a poor orphaned girl who works hard and dreams of a better life. Idina Menzel (Frozen) stars as Vivian, Cinderella’s stepmother. Billy Porter (Kinky Boots) plays the Fab G, Cinderella’s genderless fairy godparent, who swoops in and uses magic to make all of Cinderella’s dreams come true. Nicholas Galitzine plays
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the prince and Pierce Brosnan stars as his father, King Rowan. Will Cinderella find her “happily ever after” with the prince or will the magic end when the clock strikes midnight? Don’t Trust to Luck Many of us dream of a better life. We might wish that we had a fairy godmother who could wave a magic wand and make all of our problems go away. A wave of the wand turns our clunky old car into something new and shiny. Another wave of
Will Cinderella find her “happily ever after” with the prince or will the magic end when the clock strikes midnight? the wand turns our messy home into something that belongs in the pages of a magazine. A third wave transforms our spouse into Prince— or Princess—Charming. Unfortunately, that’s not the way life works. When things in our lives improve, it’s almost always the result of hard work and perseverance, not luck or magic wands. The story of Cinderella is so famous that it’s used to describe a person or a team who outperforms expectations. If a team who wasn’t expected to do well ends up winning the championship game, we refer to it as a Cinderella story. But the players on that team don’t attribute their success to luck. They remember the hours they spent practising and preparing for that big game. Where others see a Cinderella story, they see the work they did that helped them achieve their success. Our Own “Happily Ever After” People might look at a happy marriage the same way. “Oh, they’re just perfect for one another,” we might say. Or “I wish I could find my ‘happily ever after’ like they have.” But the truth is that successful relationships take work. They require selflessness and forgiveness, and often, giving more to the
relationship than you get back. Don’t misunderstand. Falling in love is magical. It is the best feeling in this world. But staying in love takes commitment. Because our spouses aren’t always charming. And neither are we. Society tells us to give up on relationships when they become challenging. People often use the excuse that they “married the wrong person” or “fell out of love.” But what does the Bible say about love? 1 Peter 4:8 says, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” On this earth, even a “happily ever after” relationship will still have problems. We will still disagree with our partners. They will still occasionally hurt or disappoint us. And we will let them down, too. Disagreements and disappointments will always be a part of our relationships because we are all imperfect beings. “Happily ever after” doesn’t require each person to be perfect. We just need to love each other despite our flaws, as God loves us. And, amazingly, God wants to spend forever with us. We just have to say yes.
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FEATURE
The Power of Music HAYLEY FRANCIS CANN’S GOAL IS TO ADVOCATE AND EDUCATE.
Photo: Suzy Lamont Photography
by Ken Ramstead
Sing-along Time Music therapy is more than just a job for Hayley Francis Cann
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ne of music therapist Hayley Francis Cann’s patients was a woman in long-term care suffering from dementia. “Before her condition worsened, 12 • FEBRUARY 2021 I faithandfriends.ca
she’d walked away from religion and had rejected the church,” Hayley recalls. But as her dementia progressed, Hayley discovered that the woman
“ I believe the best sessions happen when I let God lead.” HAYLEY FRANCIS CANN responded to the Sunday school songs that had resonated with her in her youth. “Her face would light up and she knew the songs word for word, even in her condition,” Hayley says. “Her family was surprised due to how adamant she’d been against worship and religion. It opened up conversation not only for her, in her state, but with the woman’s family about their own faith.” Hayley was blessed to be with the family in the room an hour before the woman passed away. “We were singing the old hymns and it was a beautiful time,” Hayley says. “I strongly believe that God gives us the opportunity to connect with Him in our final moments. And I have still stayed connected with that family. “By creating these connections that have such meaning, music therapy has become more than just a job I do.” “Sign Me Up” A third-generation member of The Salvation Army, Hayley was born in Halifax while her mother was attending university. Following her studies, Hayley’s mother returned home to Ber-
muda, where six-year-old Hayley discovered her love for music by joining the junior band of her Salvation Army church and playing the trumpet. “Music came naturally to me, I think, because my family was so involved in The Salvation Army, primarily through the ministry of music,” Hayley says. “My mother was in the band, and both my grandfathers had been in band leadership roles. In some form, everybody in my family has participated in either the songster groups [choirs] or the band at some point in their lives, and I knew that at some point I would end up there as well.” During her adolescence, Hayley attended various conferences and music camps in Bermuda and Canada, joined the senior band, played at open-air services and mentored young musicians. Eventually, Hayley decided to leave home and study at Acadia University in Wolfville, N.S. “I knew I wanted to pursue a career in music, but I also knew I did not want to be a performer or a music teacher,” she says. “From my visits with the Army band to hospitals and rest homes, I appreciated the power of music on God’s people, faithandfriends.ca I FEBRUARY 2021
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and so when I found that Acadia had a music-therapy program, I said, ‘Yes! Sign me up!’ ” Finding a Calling While at Acadia, Hayley had the opportunity to reflect on and explore her faith through church groups, reading the Bible and journaling. “I might not have understood it as a child, but by growing up and figuring out my own faith and what my relationship with God looked like, I came to understand how real it was,” she says. “I was able to make a deeper connection with my faith.” As well, through the praise and worship portions of the Salvation Army services, Hayley saw how intimately people responded and connected with their faith based on 14 • FEBRUARY 2021 I faithandfriends.ca
Shirley Smiles “This photo was taken during my internship a couple of years ago in Perth, Ont. I was working with strokerehabilitation patients. Shirley was struggling with depression, and it was wonderful to see how music brought that kind of emotion out of her. To connect with that joyful side of who she is, outside of what had happened to her, and make her smile, was wonderful for her husband to see, and I’m glad that we were able to capture that on camera”
worship music. “After studying in university and growing closer to God in my own faith, I had no doubt that music was the calling of my life,” she says. Making Connections Hayley graduated from Acadia and is now a qualified music therapist situated in the Kingston area of Ontario, where she attends the
Photo: Katrina Pollit
Army’s Kingston Citadel church. Her work as a music therapist serves individuals in long-term care with dementia, responsive behaviours and depressive symptoms. She also works in the community with children on the autism spectrum and adults recovering from brain injury. “In every interaction, my aim is to provide a safe and authentic experience where God leads,” she says. “Perhaps my perspective of my purpose in this profession is a little different from that of my colleagues, but I believe the best sessions happen when I let God lead. This doesn’t mean that I am pushing the Bible on people, but it does mean that if the opportunity arises to share my faith, I absolutely will. This often allows an opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations about faith and share in a time of healing worship.” When asked why she loves doing what she does, Hayley replies, “I’m not doing it for myself. It’s inspiring to connect with other people and to help them along their wellness journeys. I think that’s why I disconnected from the performance side of things—I didn’t think that would be enough for me. Being able to make tangible connections with people—which is so meaningful to our spiritual, emotional and mental health—continues to motivate me to do what I do.”
Mandy’s Mom, the Music Therapist “The idea for a book was planted on my heart right after I finished my internship. The words just flew out of me, so I came to the conclusion that they were not mine and I had to do something with them. I’m a very visual learner and so I wanted something that told a story with pictures as well as words. “The book is written rhythmically. I’m a music therapist and so I wanted other music therapists to use this as a tool for advocacy. “There’s a dedication at the front of the book to my grandmother, who recently passed away, and the illustrator used a photo of her when she was younger to depict the music therapist. Likewise, she based the little girl, Mandy, on a photo of me as a young girl.” faithandfriends.ca I FEBRUARY 2021
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COVER STORY
Photos: Rachel Connell
Faith&Friends
In This Together
PLANNING A WEDDING IN A PANDEMIC. by Brianne Zelinsky-Carew
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Imagine Me and You, I Do Brianne Zelinsky and Michael Carew celebrate their nuptials
IT WAS THE END OF MARCH, and to many working in Toronto’s downtown, it looked and felt like the end of the world. Within hours, big towers had closed their doors and offices issued work-fromhome notices. For the first time, my commute on the Don Valley Parkway was quiet, devoid of the usual rush-hour traffic. In those surreal moments, I triaged the chaos
that had so quickly tangled my thoughts: I am safe. How do I stay safe? My family is healthy. What can I do to protect them? My job is secure. What if the working capital dries up? At least, I have Michael. Oh, no ... our wedding. Planning a Pandemic Wedding I was set to marry the love of my faithandfriends.ca I FEBRUARY 2021
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The Only One for Me Is You Michael and Brianne met exactly 10 years before their wedding
life and partner of six years on July 17, 2020. Michael Carew and I had met at our church exactly 10 years prior to our wedding date and, after getting engaged the summer before that, found ourselves in the final stretches of planning it when the pandemic hit. When the Ontario government issued physical-distancing directives, limiting gatherings to five people, I was living with my parents in the north end of Toronto and Michael was downtown at the condo that was soon to be our first home together. My social bubble became my social lifeline. Organizing family Zoom calls and sitting around the dinner table quickly took precedence over sourcing a florist, sampling cakes and all the other tasks we had as an engaged couple. By the time our venue officially called off the event and asked us to postpone to 2021, I actually felt relieved. Suddenly, I had permission to reimagine what the wedding could be like if there were only 10 people present, possibly less. Writing vows The health crisis, though stressful, 18 • FEBRUARY 2021 I faithandfriends.ca
allowed me to focus my attention on what matters. I took a little more time to think about my wedding vows and a little less time worrying about hosting 130 people for dinner. As I began writing my vows, I started jotting down the best qualities in my partner, Michael. When I thought of him, I thought of the years we spent texting each other “good morning” and “good night” while dating long-distance from separate universities. I remembered the letters he wrote me whenever I travelled internationally. As I closed my eyes, vignettes of graduations, surprise birthdays, funerals, shared Christmas dinners between our families and that memorable Thanksgiving Michael spilt sparkling juice on my grandpa rolled through my mind. When I thought of Michael, I thought of the magic that was just being together, so I wrote my first vow: “I vow to keep family close, because family together is a beautiful place to be.” A New Perspective The trending phrase and hashtag “We Are in This Together” took on new meaning as months in isolation
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Love is enough, God is enough and, with the merger of the two, our small celebration was enough. BRIANNE ZELINSKY-CAREW
passed. Some days, it was the battle call of our resilient country, reminding users on social media that no one is ever alone. On others, it was the only string of words I could find as I comforted a friend who had been laid off work. And on one particular day, just one month before the wedding, it was my gut reaction when Michael called me after a disheartening doctor’s visit. He had just learned that the blurry spots in his eyes were a symptom of significant scarring related to diabetes complications. He would need long-term treatments to avoid permanent vision loss. There were many moments when I retreated to the familiar words from Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not, for I am with you” (English Standard Version). This comforting reminder of God’s presence is reassurance that He chooses to be in this together with us. 20 • FEBRUARY 2021 I faithandfriends.ca
For Michael and me, this challenge put love into action and gave us real perspective of what marriage would look like. We came to fully understand and accept the significance behind saying “I do” and committing a life together. The Wedding Day When the day of our microwedding arrived, in some ways, I found myself mourning the loss of celebration. Before we started planning this day—even before we were engaged—we agreed that there was something about a summer wedding with family and friends that just felt right. So we designed it with that vibe in mind. Plans changed dramatically and, though we were disappointed to abandon the party we had imagined, it evolved into something that resembled that little dream. Our ceremony had a scaledback attendance that started with
So Happy Together Brianne’s father, Salvation Army Major Rick Zelinsky, officiated, with Majors Beverly and David Ivany looking on
people standing two metres apart and ended with a homemade meal in my parents’ backyard. My dad—a Salvation Army pastor—officiated, and my brother and sister-in-law watched via FaceTime from another province. The details were almost all made by hand with the help of my social bubble. We designed and printed the programs and painted rocks from the river behind my house to use as paperweights that doubled as takehome gifts. As I stood at the end of the aisle, looking out at those I love most, I reached the very freeing realization that even though this was all it could be, it was also all it ever needed to be.
All You Need Is Love If you were to dub one song as the anthem of this pandemic, what song would you choose? I would have proposed a tie between All By Myself by Celine Dion and Let Go Of Your Plans by Lukas Nelson. That is, until my dad referenced the Beatles’ All You Need Is Love during his sermon at our wedding. Love is enough, God is enough and, with the merger of the two, our small celebration was enough. Our pandemic wedding didn’t feel like a less-than version of what we had initially planned; it was the full version. I’ll always remember July 17, 2020, as the perfect day because it was spent in the best way possible with those I love most—together. faithandfriends.ca I FEBRUARY 2021
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FEATURE
Healing After Abuse
“I am very grateful to The Salvation Army and to God,” says Janice
A SALVATION ARMY WOMEN’S SHELTER IN MONTREAL HELPED JANICE TAKE BACK CONTROL OF HER LIFE. by Larisa Chis
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anice arrived at L’Abri d’espoir more than a year ago. Her journey to The Salvation Army’s Montreal women’s shelter to be where she is today required determination, support and help. To escape an abusive relationship, Janice moved to Quebec with her daughter as it was the safest place for both at the time. When they arrived in Montreal, her daughter found an apartment, but it was too small for both of them to live together. While Janice didn’t want her daughter to worry about her, she never thought she would be homeless and without a job. She did what she had to in order to make sure her daughter wouldn’t have to live on the streets. 22 • FEBRUARY 2021 I faithandfriends.ca
Being Thankful Janice found out about The Salvation Army’s L’Abri d’espoir in a resource kit provided by Tracom, a non-profit organization that provides crisis intervention services and support. When she first arrived at L’Abri d’espoir, she was extremely anxious and cried as she was nervous about the future. “The staff made me feel comfortable in my room, and I immediately felt that everything was going to be OK,” she explains. On her journey to recovery, Janice faced multiple challenges. The main ones were both physical and psychological as she suffers from fibromyalgia and paralyzing anxiety. “L’Abri d’espoir provided me with
“ I can’t remember the last time I felt like this.” JANICE
food, a bed, comfortable room, access to proper medication, but most importantly a routine and a calm place,” says Janice. “I could go for a walk in the park, swim in the pool and even ride a bike, things I was very thankful for.” “I Can Manage” When Janice was asked how she felt today after a year at L’Abri d’espoir, she said she was very content and proud of herself. “I can’t remember the last time I felt like this,” says Janice. Janice now has a full-time job and is a member of the electricians’ union. Being part of the union guarantees her hours, full benefits and the potential to work until she is 69 years old. Staying at L’Abri d’espoir also allowed Janice to support her
daughter to get her bachelor’s degree in 2019. Due to COVID-19, Janice is working full-time, but from her room at L’Abri d’espoir. She says that having a quiet room where she can work whenever she wants while being safe is very important. L’Abri d’espoir’s long-term program is offered for a maximum stay of two years, so Janice took the next steps in her recovery. With her social worker’s help, Janice applied at La Maison Marguerite, an organization that helps women in need, where she got her own apartment this winter. She’s proud of what she has accomplished. “I can manage now,” says Janice. “I am very grateful to The Salvation Army and to God.”
(left) Larisa Chis is the communications officer at The Salvation Army’s divisional headquarters in Montreal. faithandfriends.ca I FEBRUARY 2021
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BEYOND BORDERS
Compassion in Action In the heart of rural Zambia, The Salvation Army is providing crucial medical care. by Kathy Nguyen
Under the Lens Nachoka Mangani hopes to become a microbiologist to help people
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s the resource media coordinator of The Salvation Army’s international development department (formerly world missions), I had been asked to participate in a resource trip to Zambia, which our department takes annually to collect photos, videos and stories for the Partners in Mission fundraising campaign. This year, I went with videographer Aaron Bowes, photographer Mark Yan, and our director, Lt-Colonel Brenda Murray. The Pulse of Chikankata As we ventured out of Lusaka, the
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nation’s capital, we were in for a long five-hour car ride of more than 100 kilometres into rocky and rural terrain. The farther away we drove from the capital, the closer we got to Chikankata, a land many refer to as “the heart of rural Zambia.” The Salvation Army has been serving this community since 1945. When a local headman, Charlie Chikankata, heard of The Salvation Army’s meaningful work in Zimbabwe, he offered the organization a portion of his land, with the condition that it would be used to build an institution that provided education
Photos: Mark Yan
and health services for his people. In doing so, The Salvation Army Chikankata Mission was born. The mission is one of The Salvation Army’s cornerstones in providing quality health and nursing care to those who need it most. It is home to the Chikankata Mission Hospital, the College of Nursing and Midwifery, and the College of Biomedical Sciences. Before these establishments were built, many had never known genuine medicine or surgery. With the Zambian government only spending about five percent of its total gross domestic product on health care, the country continuously struggles with inadequate support, infrastructure and supplies. These challenges are inten-
sified in rural areas, where resources are already scarce. As a result, The Salvation Army Chikankata Mission has become the beating heart of this community. Empowering the Youth Upon arrival, our first stops were at the Chikankata College of Nursing and Midwifery and the Chikankata College of Biomedical Sciences, both Salvation Army schools situated just a few short kilometres away from each other. As Zambia grapples with a shortage of health-care workers, the Army is making a difference by educating the youth and providing quality education to aspiring healthcare practitioners.
Here to Help Lt-Colonel Brenda Murray (right) with some of the staff at the Chikankata Mission Hospital
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BEYOND BORDERS
“These institutions are alleviating the shortage of human resources countrywide,” says Portipher Pilingana, principal of the College of Biomedical Sciences. “We have more than 200 students enrolled and have maintained a 100-percent graduation rate for the past three years.” While meeting some of the hardworking and devoted students, it was clear that they all shared a passion for helping others and making
Serving the Helpless Upon graduation, many of the students find themselves working at The Salvation Army Chikankata Mission Hospital, another landmark in the community. This 200-bed facility is the only hospital in the region and provides primary and curative health services, including maternal, infant and child health care, surgical operations, HIV-AIDS treatments, cancer
“I wanted to become a nurse so I could serve society.” DAVID NGONGOLO an impact. “I wanted to become a nurse so I could serve society,” says David Ngongolo, a fourth-year student at the College of Nursing and Midwifery. “Health care in Zambia needs to be more accessible; I want to give back to my country, and I plan on doing that by serving our hospitals.” Nachoka Mangani, a third-year student at the College of Biomedical Sciences, told me, “I hope to become a microbiologist to help people. And because of the lessons I am learning through The Salvation Army, I am on the pathway to achieving this dream.”
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screenings and physiotherapy. Dr. Gamaliel Misago is one of four doctors working at this hospital and the acting head of clinical care. He’s been serving at this hospital for more than 19 years, which is rare for doctors in Zambia. “A lot of doctors come and go,” he says. “They don’t stay in one hospital for long, and most would prefer to work in cities.” But Dr. Gamaliel felt called to work in Chikankata Mission Hospital because he knows what it’s like to feel helpless and hopeless during the worst of times. “I wanted to become a doctor
Health-Care Heroes (clockwise from top left) Dr. Gamaliel Misago helps those who have no one to turn to; David Ngongolo wants to give back to his country; and students from biomedical school walk to class
after my sister died from measles,” he told me. “At the time, we were living in a remote area where there were no doctors to attend to her. I’ve been working in Chikankata for so long because I wanted to help those who have no one to turn to.” These words embody the soul of The Salvation Army and the Chikankata Mission. The Light of God When I look back on my time in Zambia, the trip to Chikankata is one of my fondest memories. The Chikankata missions are a prime example of how The Salvation Army works to
meet the greatest need in the most vulnerable communities, and this was evident when interacting with the students and health-care workers. While there are significant cracks in Zambia’s health-care system, cracks always make room for light— and that light comes in the form of people like David, Nachoka and Dr. Gamaliel. Their work is rooted in compassion and faith, and it’s leaders such as them that embody the light of God in times of crisis. To contribute to health-care initiatives overseas, please visit SalvationArmy.ca/giftsofhope.
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LITE STUFF
Eating Healthy With Erin HOMEMADE THIN-CRUST PIZZA TIME 1 hr 15 min MAKES 4 servings SERVE WITH fresh green salad
1. In small mixing bowl, place water, instant yeast and sugar. Let stand 250 ml (1 cup) warm water for 5 minutes. 5 ml (1 tsp) instant yeast 2. In separate large bowl, combine 5 ml (1 tsp) sugar flour and salt. Slowly pour in wet 500 ml (2 cups) all-purpose mixture a little at a time and mix flour with your hands. Remove from 5 ml (1 tsp) salt bowl and knead on a floured 5 ml (1 tsp) olive oil surface. Add additional flour if it is still sticky. Rub the outside with 45 ml (3 tbsp) all-purpose olive oil and knead it in. flour (if needed) 3. Place in lightly oiled bowl and Topping cover with clean cloth. Let dough 60 ml (¼ cup) pizza sauce rise for 30 minutes. 1 red pepper 4. Remove from bowl and cut in half. 2 cloves of garlic Using rolling pin, roll dough on lightly floured surface until thin. It 250 ml (1 cup) cherry will make two 30 cm (12 in.) pizzas. tomatoes 60 ml (¼ cup) goat cheese 5. Lightly oil baking or pizza pan and set the oven to 240 C (475 F). 60 ml (¼ cup) fresh basil 6. Lightly sauce pizza crusts and top with ingredients. 7. Place in preheated oven and cook for 10 minutes. Add fresh basil, rotate the pan and return to oven. 8. Cook an additional 3-5 minutes or until edges are crisp.
Recipe photos: Erin Stanley
Pizza Dough
CREAMY CHOCOLATE-BANANA SMOOTHIE TIME 5 min MAKES 2 servings SERVE WITH oatmeal
250 ml (1 cup) milk of choice 4 ice cubes 1 banana ½ small avocado 3 pitted dates 30 ml (2 tbsp) cocoa powder
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1. Blend all ingredients together for 30 seconds or until smooth.
More Than a Treat?
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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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A SALVATION ARMY FACILITY HELPED JASON BASS-MELDRUM FIND HIS PASSION P.16
Gateway to Healing
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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 dinosaur’s name means “tyrant lizard king”? 2. In the nursery rhyme, where did the Itsy Bitsy Spider go first? 3. Is zucchini technically a fruit or a vegetable?
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© www.kevinfrank.net
HEAVEN’S LOVE THRIFT SHOP by Kevin Frank
Answers on next page.
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Word Search Lovebirds A T L A N T I C P U F F I N P H H P R O K O B O E L G A E D L A B O U K E R I S E N R N I T R E I C A U M I K R T P R R I E O A U N H I M S M N C A T R M A I B H C T I C L R E I G E P I E U M V V O E L G N E P F N F P J W Y D O X E D R U A N P W I G I D F A A A U B B N E V L F O W N B S O L K R P R U Y O S Y Y B X L C I H O A E C E N Z M E O E E A T K H R E W M L T T I Z A G O K W E J A Q D R O I A I R N A G I G R I O T E E R A L N N C E G R P P A U S O R I U R T L G I L L D D I D D T U S Z R H L G A O D O B O E E D A K C I H C A W B W R R O R V C S A N D P I P E R P U S T A N A E E K R A L W O D A E M S M L C S W M Z M O C K I N G B I R D ARCTIC LOON ATLANTIC PUFFIN BALD EAGLE BERMUDA PETREL BLUE JAY BUZZARD CANADA GOOSE CARDINAL CEDAR WAXWING CHICKADEE FALCON FLAMINGO GREAT BLUE HERON
HOUSE FINCH HUMMINGBIRD KINGFISHER KITTIWAKE LONGTAIL MAGPIE MEADOWLARK MOCKINGBIRD MOURNING DOVE OSPREY PAINTED BUNTING PARROT PELICAN
PIGEON RAVEN ROBIN SANDPIPER SPARROW SWALLOW TURKEY VULTURE WARBLER WHITE-EYED VIREO WOODPECKER
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Quick Quiz Answers: 1. Tyrannosaurus rex; 2. up the waterspout; 3. fruit. 7
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NIFTY THRIFTY
Dinner for Two Create the perfect DIY Valentine’s Day picnic.
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our local Salvation Army thrift store can help you prepare a romantic picnic banquet for you and your sweetheart, whether you plan for an indoor or outdoor soirée.
Love-infused napkins Score some plain napkins, then stencil words of love on them: “his” and “hers,” “be mine,” etc. Use paint, Sharpies or embroider your gushy words.
Basket Every romantic rendezvous starts with the ideal basket for transporting your picnic feast. Source one at your local Salvation Army thrift store. Add some love to it by embellishing it with fabric or ribbon. You can even paint it if you’re feeling super-inspired.
Mason jars filled with sweets Woo your sweetheart with Mason jars or other glassware filled with your sweetie’s favourite treats. Add some extra bling to the Mason jars with heart-inspired accents.
Upcycled sheet or embroidered blanket Repurpose or restyle a secondhand find for your picnic blanket. You can embroider it or use fabric paint to give it some pizzazz.
Cake stand Create a cute cake stand by repurposing a candle holder and attaching it to a thrifted plate. Strong adhesive can be used to glue them together. Once the glue dries, add your Valentine’s favourite treat to the cake plate.
(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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