What is The Salvation Army? The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity seeking to share the good news of Jesus and nurture committed followers of him. We also serve people without discrimination, care for creation and seek justice and reconciliation. We offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK. Go to salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church to find your nearest centre.
What is the War Cry? The Salvation Army first published a newspaper called the War Cry in London in December 1879, and we have continued to appear every week since then. Our name refers to our battle for people’s hearts and souls as we promote the positive impact of the Christian faith and The Salvation Army’s fight for greater social justice.
WAR CRY Issue No 7614
Editor: Andrew Stone, Major Deputy Editor: Philip Halcrow Production Editor: Ivan Radford Assistant Editor: Sarah Olowofoyeku Staff Writer: Emily Bright Staff Writer: Claire Brine Editorial Assistant: Linda McTurk Graphic Designer: Rodney Kingston Graphic Designer: Mark Knight
From the editor’s desk OUR experiences as children can have a lasting influence on us as adults. Sometimes the effect can be positive. But there are other times when our early experiences have a negative effect even after childhood is left behind. In this week’s War Cry, Lucinda Smith tells us how she left her home in the UK to start life as a Christian missionary in Pakistan. She thought she was set for a lifetime of exciting work. However, when she arrived in the country, the reality she faced was very different, leaving her feeling isolated and vulnerable. After six years she returned home to the UK, believing she had failed during her time in Pakistan. However, through prayer and the counsel of other Christians, she started to realise that the difficulties she faced were a result of childhood experiences that had led to her living with a sense of abandonment. As she worked through those issues and rebuilt her relationship with God, Lucinda found a way to help a child from China who had been abandoned. Also in this week’s issue we speak to singer Lily-Jo. As a child she went through a family trauma for which she received counselling. Now the recording artist combines her love of music and her own training as a counsellor to help children with their wellbeing. ‘As adults, teachers, grandparents, aunties and uncles, we have the responsibility to make sure that our children’s mental health is good,’ she tells us. But she adds that there is something we must do for ourselves in order to carry out that responsibility. ‘If we can all work on ourselves and aim to be the best versions of ourselves that we can be, we’ll generally be happier people and then be happier people to the children in our care.’ As Christians, both Lucinda and Lily-Jo have discovered that the best way to be the best version of themselves is through a relationship with God. He is able to love and help us all whatever our past may have been.
When you’ve read the War Cry, why not pass it on ➔ ➔ ➔
Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN Tel: 0845 634 0101 Subscriptions: 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email: subscriptions@satcol.org Founder: William Booth General: Brian Peddle Territorial Commander: Commissioner Anthony Cotterill
Published weekly by The Salvation Army © The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory ISSN 0043-0226 The Salvation Army Trust is a registered charity. The charity number in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399. Printed by CKN Print, Northampton, on sustainably sourced paper
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2 • WAR CRY • 11 February 2023
FEATURES
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Titanic effort The story of support that was given to
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INFO 15 Your local Salvation Army centre
CONTENTS survivors of the disaster 6
Adopting a new life Why a UK family welcomed a baby from China
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‘We can help the next generation’ Singer on her work to support children’s wellbeing
13 Sounds of success A look at the Brit awards REGULARS
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Team Talk and War Cry World
12 Walking with Jesus 14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen: Money-Wise Meals Front-page picture: AJ PICS/ALAMY