GLOBALLINK GIVE THE GIFT OF HOPE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON SBy Kathy Nguyen
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ ” —Matthew25:40(NIV)
pecial occasions, family celebrations and holidays are times when family and friendsget together to bask in food, laughs, memories and gifts. While celebrating love and togethernessis a universal language for most,these occasions may look different for many families around the world. While one family enjoys a hearty festive meal, another may be going to bed with empty stomachs. While one child relishesin the joy of opening gifts, another may be wondering when they will get to play.
TheSalvationArmyGiftsofHopeethical givingprogramoffersavarietyofgiftitems thatmakealastingdifferenceinthelivesof others Withgiftsrangingfrommosquitonets, tobicyclesoradultliteracy,eachitemhasbeen carefullychosentocomplementtheinternationalworkofTheSalvationArmy
Here’showyourgiftsinactionhavemadea difference:
HopeThroughFarming:
InMozambique,TheSalvationArmyprovides livestockandagriculturetrainingsforfamilies acrossthreeruralcommunities Thesimplegift ofagoathasthepowertoprovidefood securityandlivelihooddevelopmentfor generationstocome Thankstoyou,many familiesarebuildingsustainableincomeand bringingtheirchildrentoschoolforthefirst time
HopethroughEducation:
InSriLanka,Chameli,awidowraisingtwo teenagers,wasgiftedasewingmachineand fabric Shelearnedhowtousehermachineand
A new vehicle is presented to the Jim Jacobsen Centre in Papua New Guinea.
“Unity is strength … when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.”
— Mattie Stephanick
As we approach Christmas, our
thoughts turn to peace and unity as we hear the various carols so familiar to us. Sadly, in many communities around the world, racial injustice, economic disparity, food insecurity and other social injustices have brought about devastating disunity and division. Such a dismal reality for so many people begs the imperative cry for us to come together to work toward the common good for all.
A Swahili proverb remindsus that “unity is strength, division is weakness.”
Today, The Salvation Army marches on, faithfully working in more than 400 communities in Canada and 131 countries worldwide. We are called to reach out to others in our communities, to rally the troops and work together in the beauty of unity. This year has been no exception.
We hope you will enjoy reading the inspirational accounts of how your generosity is uniting people and bringing positive change in communities beyond our borders.
Now is the time for unity!
Sincerely,
Lt-ColonelBrendaMurray
Director of International Development
isthesolebreadwinnerforherchildrenand in-laws WithdonationstoGiftsofHope, shewasprovidedwiththeresourcesand learningopportunitiestoprovideforher family WithoutTheSalvationArmyoffering assistanceinherdesperatetimeofneed,she wouldhavehadlittleoptionsforincomegeneration
HopeThroughHealth:
InHaiti,yourgiftstowardshealthallowed TheSalvationArmytosupportaCOVID-19 preventioncampaign.Withyourhelp,we builtawaterreservoirinCouyot,aremote villageinHaiti,wherecommunitymembers couldwashtheirhands.Wealsoprovided hygieneandsanitationmaterials,followed bytrainingsessionsongoodhygiene practices.Yourfinancialsupportto internationalhealthinitiativescouldmean thedifferencebetweenlifeanddeath
HopeThroughCommunities: InPapuaNewGuinea,theJimJacobsen Centreprovidesasafehouseforwomen experiencingdomesticabuseandoffers counselling,healthservicesandtransportationtopersonssufferingfromHIV With yourcontributiontotransportationoverseas, wepurchasedanewvehicleforthecentreso thattheycouldcontinuetheiressential services.
Thesestoriesarejustafewfrommany Therearemorestorieslefttobetold,and morewaitingtobewritten.Let’swork togetherthisholidayseasontogivevulnerableindividualsandcommunitiesgiftsthat makearealimpact.
KENYA STRONG TheSalvationArmy(TSA)hasbeen investinginmaternalandchildhealth acrosshospitals,clinicsandhealth awarenessprogramsworldwide.WithCOVID-19 bringingunparalleleddelaystointernational programs,itwasimperativethathealth-related initiativesenduredthroughchangingtimes.With thebackingofourworkingpartnerships,donor base,andlocalandoverseasprojects’team,we madesureessentialhealthservicesandclinics remainedstockedandreadytoserve
WhileCOVID-19causedshipmentdelays fortheentireworld,we’reproudtoannounce thatinpartnershipwithHealthPartners InternationalofCanada(HPIC),weworked togethertosuccessfullydeliverashipmentof 100motherandchildhealthkitsinKenya, supportingmorethan2,000mothersinneed.
Thesekitsincludemedicine,supplements andprenatalvitamins;newbornkitswith blankets,clothing,soapandshampoos,and
TSA/HPIC-brandedbackpacksstocked withessentialequipment,including stethoscopes,weighingscales,blood pressuremonitorsandthermometers
Inconjunctionwithourmotherand childhealthkits,ourprojectalsointegrates healtheducationandlivelihooddevelopmenttofurtherempowerandmobilizethe community.Someworkshopsmaybe health-related,whileothersmaybefocused onagriculture
Byfollowingstricthealthandsafety protocols,wearehappytoreportthatour trainingsarebackinsession.
Together,wecanhelpfamiliescelebrate theholidaysingoodhealthandspirits Thankyouforyourprayerfulandpractical assistance
To give the gift of hope this Christmas, please visit SalvationArmy.ca/giftsofhope
By Kathy Nguyen
CARING FOR CHINA’S MOST VULNERABLE TheSalvationArmyworksinallcornersoftheworld, demonstratingcompassionandloveinactiontothose whoneeditmost.
Yunnanisoneofthemostimpoverishedprovincesin China,withnearly15millionpeoplelivingbelowthepoverty line.TuckedinthecityofXuanwei,LuoshuiTownshipJunior HighSchoolisaboardingschoolthatteachesandaccommodatesmorethan1,400students.Morethanhalfofthestudents comefromunderprivilegedorabandonedhouseholdsas identifiedandconfirmedbygovernmentofficials WithsupportfromourBrighterFutureschildren’s sponsorshipprogram,TheSalvationArmyisinvestinginthe livesofvulnerablechildrenandyouthbyprovidingpractical learningexperiencesandupgradedschoolfacilities.
Weequippedthisformativeschoolwithnewbunkbeds, desks,lockers,showerroomsandahot-watersupply Along withtheimprovedfacilities,skillededucatorsheldtraining seminarsonhealtheducationandHIV-AIDSawarenessand prevention
“TheseminaronbasicknowledgeofhealthandHIV-AIDS openedthemindsofconservativeteachersandstudents,”says HeidiChan,administrativeofficeratTheSalvationArmyinthe HongKongandMacauCommand.“Wetrustthatthiswill minimizetheriskofhealth-relatedissuesinthecommunity”
Withyoursupporttochildren’ssponsorship,students aroundtheworldarethrivingwithnewschoolequipment, resourcesandprograms Thankyouforbringingpracticalhelp andhopetothosewhoneeditmost.
FINDING BEAUTY IN UNITY By Kathy Nguyen
“Twoarebetterthanone,becausetheyhaveagoodreturnfor theirlabor:Ifeitherofthemfallsdown,onecanhelptheotherup.”
—Ecclesiastes4:9-10(NIV)
In2018,TheSalvationArmyinCanadaandBermudafinancially
supportedtheconstructionoftheBacongoVocationalTraining CentreinCongo-Brazzaville,aschoolwherevulnerableandat-risk womencongregatetolearnvaluablevocationalskills.
Astheyearsgoon,thiscentrecontinuestotransformlives, producingleadersandsuccessfulalumnifromvariouscommunities acrossthecountry.Somegraduateshavemovedontoworkinhairand beautysalonsortailorshops,whileothersstarttheirownbusinesses
“Thisschoolhasbecomealife-changingvicinityforsinglemothers andvulnerablewomen,”saysEricBaudrey,communityprojects facilitatorforTheSalvationArmyinCongo-Brazzaville “Ourstudents areactivelyworking,andtheArmyhasbecomehighlyregardedbythe communitymembersandlocalauthoritiesbecauseofit”
Duringoneofthetrainings,threestudentscametogetherand realizedtheyhadmoreincommonthanjusttheirclasses Theyrealized theyalsosharedsimilarstories,hopesandaspirations
“Thesewomensharedsimilarbackgrounds,”Ericsays.“Someare young,singlemothers,whileothersareorphans Theyformeda friendshipandrealizedthattheywerestrongerwhenworkingtogether.”
Asaresult,theystartedtheirownhairandbeautysalon Likemany graduatesofourprograms,theyearnedtheirself-sufficiency.
Whenwomenareactiveparticipantsintheireducationand decision-making,developmentprogramsaremorelikelytosucceed Whentheyunite,worktogetherandbuildeachotherup,theentire communitythrives
Smallbusinesseslikethisweremadepossiblethankstoyour unyieldingsupporttoourinternationalwork Yourfaithfulgenerosity helpsempowerwomen,buildfemale-ledbusinessesandfuellasting networksinsomeofthemostvulnerablepartsoftheworld.Thankyou!
To learn more about the Brighter Futures children’s sponsorship program, please visit SalvationArmy.ca/brighterfutures
By Kathy Nguyen
THE SALVATION ARMY MARCHES ON IrecentlyattendedavirtualconferencewhereIheardsomebodysay, “COVID-19revealedthefragilityofhumanityandsocietybyexposing allofourflawsandimperfections.”Whilethatmaybetrue,Ithinkit’s alsoshownourresiliencyandabilitytoadaptandinnovate Whenthe waveturns,youneedtoswimwiththecurrenttostayafloat ForThe SalvationArmyworldwide,thatmeansrespectinggovernmentrestrictions inthecountrieswherewework,whilealsoadaptingourmethodsinways wehaven’tseenbefore.
Asinternationalprojectsupportco-ordinator,Iworkcloselywithour children’ssponsorshipandcommunitydevelopmentprograms Iam continuouslyimpressedwiththehardworkandresilienceofthose workingonthegroundtoensureourinternationalprogramsstayafloat
After-SchoolPrograms InSãoPaulo,ViladosPecadores,ourafter-schoolprogram,whichserves morethan150familieseachyearthroughclasses,tutoringandrecreational activities,wasforcedtosuspendallface-to-faceactivities
I’mhappytoreportthatdedicatedteachersandstaffarecontinuingto givelessonsonlineandaredeliveringeducationalresourcesandbasicfood parcelstoourstudents’homes
GroupTherapyPrograms
InArgentina,our“UnitedTowardsaChangeandLearningThrough Playing”programprovidesgrouptherapysessionsforwomenwhohave experiencedabuse,aswellasconflict-resolutiontrainingthroughplayand recreationalactivities,forchildrenwhocomefromabusivehouseholds.
By Robyn Goodyear
Trainedcounsellorsandsocialworkersareworkingdiligentlytostay connectedwithbeneficiariesthroughvirtualgrouptherapysessions ThelocalSalvationArmyisalsodeliveringeducationalandrecreational materialstofamiliesinlockdown
Children’sHomes
InBolivia,whileschoolsremainclosed,TheSalvationArmyisproviding theEvangelinaBoothGirls’Homewiththenecessaryequipmentforthe girlstocontinuetheireducationvirtually
AndwhileCOVID-19hasaddedfueltoagrowinghungercrisisin manydevelopingcountries,ourfeedingprogramsensurethechildren whostaywithuswillneverhavetoworryaboutmissedmeals
Inmanyways,thepandemichasfeltlikeaperiodofwaitingand cancelledplans ForSalvationArmyministriesaroundtheworld,ithas beenatimeofadjustmentandaction Thankyoutoourdonorswho continuetosupportourprogramsworldwide.Whileattimesitmay seemliketheworldisona“pandemicpause,”yoursupportensuresthe Armymarcheson
