jessica`s journey

The Salvation Army
Ron Wilson
remembers Cyclone
Tracy – 40 years on
JESSICA’S
JOURNEY
Support of Salvos is
personal for TV star
•BILL GRANGER’S SUMMER MENU•
Need staff this Christmas?
We can help.
The Salvation Army Employment Plus are experts when it comes to matching the right
people to the right jobs – and we’ll give them the training and skills to start right away.
Since 1998, our experienced employment teams have successfully worked with more than
200,000 businesses and matched more than half a million Australians to jobs.
We work with businesses to provide job screening, on-the-job mentoring and, for eligible job
seekers, we can even access wage subsidies.
If you’re a job seeker, our professional staff can help you get back into the workforce. No
matter what your background is, we’ve got the people and the programs to help. We know
where the local jobs are, and we’ll help you find them.
Call 136 123 or visit employmentplus.com.au
Commissioner's
message
From the desk of The Salvation Army’s leader
cover story
08
Cutting through the bling
Jessica Rowe shares how her support for The
Salvation Army stems from her battle with postnatal depression.
W
hat are you doing for Christmas? It’s a
common topic of conversation at this time
of year. Inevitably, people will describe their
plans to visit a parent’s house, drive to a family holiday
destination or prepare for a gathering at their own home.
It’s amazing to consider that, more than 2000 years
since its inception, the advent of Christmas is still so
powerful that in almost every country across the globe,
people will put on hold their ordinary routines and take
time out to connect with loved ones.
Christmas is about connection.
At The Salvation Army, we know something special
happens when humans connect with one another. It’s
the way we are designed to live – in community. Our
expressions of connection are as varied as a group
of mothers sharing a cuppa at a local Salvation Army
playgroup, to a Salvo Care Line volunteer sharing in the
heartbreak of a distressed caller with no-one else to turn
to. We know this world can be an isolating place and we
want to make sure no-one has to go it alone.
Why?
features
06 The Ham Family
For the last 17 years one family has volunteered at The
Salvation Army’s Christmas Day lunch for lonely and
disadvantaged people in Sydney, writes Lauren Martin.
12
This Christmas, I encourage you to take the time to truly
connect. With your family, your loved ones, your Creator.
And we invite you to connect with us at The Salvation
Army. Celebrate with us at one of our many carols
events and Christmas Day services, join us as a
volunteer or guest at our Christmas connect lunches or
partner with us by donating to our Christmas appeal.
Laughter in the
midst of tears
Connect’s Naomi Singlehurst discovers how a
family found joy last Christmas while faced with
devastating circumstances through the help of
The Salvation Army.
14
Because all those years ago, when God so loved the
world that he sent his only son, Jesus – born on the first
Christmas Day – he did so out of an overwhelming desire
to connect with us. God created us, he loves us, and he
wants us to live in connection with him and with those
around us.
Christmas in full bloom
Janelle Bloom, television chef and presenter for
Ready, Steady, Cook, shares her own recipes
you can use on your table this Christmas.
James Condon
Commissioner
The Salvation Army
NSW, ACT and Qld
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son,
that whoever believes in him should not perish but have
eternal life” (John 3:16, English Standard Version).
If you would like to provide feedback about this magazine, email [email protected]
The Salvation Army I WILLIAM BOOTH, Founder I International Headquarters, 101 Queen Victoria street London EC4P 4EP I André Cox, General
NSW, ACT and Qld, 140 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000 I James Condon, Commissioner, Territorial Commander
Bruce Harmer, Major, Communications and Public Relations Secretary I Editor, Esther Pinn I Contributors, Lauren Martin, Benjamin Moyes, Bill Simpson,
Naomi Singlehurst, Bill Granger, Janelle Bloom, Lyn Beasy, Kristen Hartnett, Sue Elliott, Captain Sandy MacDonald and Lieutenant-Colonel Miriam Gluyas.
Connect graphic design, John Eadie and Emma Park I Kids Connect graphic design, Emma Park I Connect cover photo, Adam Hollingworth
Kids Connect cover photo, Shairon Paterson I Connect and Kids Connect are a publications of the Communications Team I Editorial and correspondence:
Address: PO Box A435, Sydney South NSW 1235 I Phone: (02) 9266 9690 I salvos.org.au I Email: [email protected]
Published for: The Salvation Army, NSW, ACT and Qld, by Commissioner James Condon
Printed by: Satellite Digital, F37/16 Mars Road, Lane Cove West, NSW, 2066
101-year-old Salvo, Ruth
Gluyas, still collects for
The Salvation Army’s
Christmas Appeal.
Photo: Philip Sutcliffe
istmas
r
h
C
t
a
re
ays the
w
l
a
s
Salvo
•The twenTIES•
In 1926 The Salvation Army packed and
handed out food hampers to needy families.
Photos courtesy of The Salvation Army Heritage Centre
04 / Connect 2014
•The FORTIES•
During World War Two The Salvation Army
distributed Christmas gifts to our troops.
Bicycles were used by Salvation Army pastors for rural ministry.
At Christmas they would be loaded up with gifts and
hampers for delivery to isolated homesteads.
WORLD-WIDE The Salvation Army has been bringing Christmas cheer to people for
ALMOST 150 years through singing carols, present and hamper distribution and
Christmas luncheons. Ruth Gluyas, a 101-year-old Salvo who still collects for
the Christmas and Red Shield Appeals each year, shares her memories
I
come from a family of nine – there were three girls and
six boys. My father died when I was one year and 10
months old. I know my mother had to be very careful
about spending money as there was not a lot – but there was
always something at Christmas time.
At this time a couple of my brothers were away working in
the mines, but they always came home for Christmas and it
was a wonderful family time. I remember at least two white
Christmases in Ballarat when we went outside and made
snowmen!
After a while, my mother remarried. I can remember her
making Christmas pudding, which she tied in a cloth and
hung in our dairy.
In my early teens I would sing carols all night with others
from The Salvation Army in Ballarat. We left the church hall
at about 10pm on Christmas Eve on the back of a truck. We
would then drive around singing, playing instruments and
tambourines until about 5 o’clock on Christmas morning. We
would end up at the home of someone from the Salvos for
breakfast.
We had poultry, so there was always nice roast duck. We had
pigs as well and I remember my step-father sending us kids
up the road while he killed one for our roast pork. They would
squeal something dreadful and dad didn’t want us to hear.
There was always fresh vegetables from our garden and mum
would make fresh cream from our cows. I also remember mum
getting the train into Melbourne to buy our Christmas presents
– one present each. I can remember getting a doll one year and
one of my sisters receiving a hair brush.
When I was about 10, our family moved to Ballarat as my oldest
brother was stationed there as a Salvation Army pastor.
My mother loved all the children in our street. The week
before Christmas every year we would make cakes and she
would invite every child for a party at our place. She made
sure she had a lolly for every child.
Although there was only ever one present each for us on
Christmas Day, there was always a Christmas tree in our
home which we decorated with ripped up newspaper.
A COMMITTED VOLUNTEER
Ruth has been a faithful Salvation Army volunteer since
those early days. Every year she collects for the Christmas
and Red Shield Appeals with a smile on her face and a twinkle
in her eye.
“It’s great to be able to go and collect and have the
opportunity to meet people in the community. We can show
the community that we care, because we do,” says Ruth.
“My favourite part about collecting is thinking about all the
good that will be done with the money, and the people in
need that it is going to help.”
Go to salvos.org.au to find out more about The Salvation
Army’s services.
over a century of caring
· Recovery Services: 500 people cared for each week*
· Aged Care Plus: 2,600 elderly residents cared for each day*
· Welfare assistance: on average 1,500 homes assisted each week*
· Christmas gift items: over 52,000 distributed in 2013*
· Homeless services: 15,800 people accommodated each year*
· Domestic violence: 1,100 women helped each year*
· Employment Plus: 20,000 job vacancies filled each year
· Family Tracing: 1,500 people located each year
· Salvo Care Line: 80,000 calls taken each year
· Youth support: over 240 young people cared for each week*
· Salvos Counselling: 2,300 people supported each year*
· Financial counselling: over 6,400 people receive help each year*
· Small loans: over 300 people receive loans each year*
· Chaplaincy: over 31,000 people speak to a chaplain each year*
* NSW, ACT and Qld only
•The SEVENTIES•
•The EIGHTIES•
•today•
When Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin in 1974, Salvos and
volunteers spent Christmas Day packing food
parcels for those affected.
Toy runs have always been part of The Salvation Army’s
Christmas history. Here, Majors Hyde and Jenkins accept
donated toys from members of a motorcycle club in 1982.
The Salvation Army has been singing Christmas carols in
local communities for 150 years. Every year, Salvos perform
at the Sydney Carols in The Domain event, raising money
for The Salvation Army.
We’re about people finding freedom / 05
Hayley (left), who has been volunteering for the Salvos at Christmas since she was 15,
continues the family tradition by now including her 18-month daughter, Adabelle.
Above all the commercial hype, Christmas is
primarily a time that we spend with our loved ones.
But some Australians are choosing to connect
with strangers at Christmas through selfless
acts of volunteering
By Lauren Martin • Photos: Adam Hollingworth
06 / Connect 2014
M
eet the “Ham Family”, affectionately named for
17 years of volunteer service carving Christmas
hams for The Salvation Army Sydney Streetlevel
Christmas lunch.
There’s Brian, the dad, who carves the bones and fat away;
Lynda, the mum, who slices the de-boned chunks, with
Hayley (daughter), Dave (son-in-law) and – the newest
“Ham Family” addition – Hayley and David’s 18-month-old
daughter, Adabelle.
“We don’t just cut the hams,” laughs Lynda, referring to
the 250kg of ham and pork products that are generously
donated each year by NSW Farmers and Australian Pork
Limited. “We’ve cut up pork and turkey, cooked crackling, and
prepared puddings and salads – we do whatever needs to be
done. As a family we feel it is really important to help.”
It was this motivation that led retired school teachers,
Lynda and Brian, and their daughter Hayley (then 15 years
old), to get in touch with The Salvation Army in 1997. They
were encouraged to help with preparations for the annual
Christmas luncheon, an event that has grown from small
beginnings in the late ’90s to now hosting 1200 lonely and
disadvantaged people every Christmas Day.
The Sydney Streetlevel Christmas luncheon caters for 1200 people at
Sydney Technology Park. Photo: Rachel Poon
“I think all of us look forward to it every year,” says Hayley.
“It’s enjoyable and it’s just part of that couple of days of
celebration where you can sit and take some time out and
be grateful for everything that you have … and try and do
something for other people.”
“As a family we
feel it is really
important to help.”
Brian has mastered the art of carving a ham, a skill he uses every year when
volunteering at the Salvos annual Christmas lunch in Sydney.
It’s one of many Christmas events that The Salvation Army
runs across the country to bring hope and connection to
those in need.
For Hayley, now 32, the experience of volunteering has been
life-changing. “I do remember our very first year,” she says,
referring to the luncheon that was then held at The Salvation
Army’s Oasis Youth Support Network for homeless and
disadvantaged young people. “It was a very different world to
the northern suburbs of Sydney [where the family lived], and
quite confronting in a few ways.”
She hasn’t missed a year since – one year flying back from
a Queensland holiday early to attend, and last year she and
husband Dave took their new baby daughter, Adabelle, with
them. In 2013, Lynda and Brian, who are in their 60s,
decided to volunteer closer to home and now spend
Christmas Eve preparing for celebrations at The Salvation
Army’s church in Manly.
The Salvation Army’s Robyn Evans, who currently runs the
Sydney Streetlevel Christmas luncheon, says being able to
count on volunteers like the “Ham Family” is essential to its
success.
“Our volunteers are priceless. We couldn’t serve the
community without them, especially at Christmas. Their
spirit of generosity and service is never to be undervalued,”
she says. “The ongoing service of people like Lynda and Brian
has been truly appreciated and had a generational impact as
we now see their children and grandchildren coming along
to help us. What a great legacy to gift the community at
Christmas.”
The Salvation Army’s Streetlevel Mission is
located in Sydney and Brisbane. The inner-city
sites offer a range of services to the community
including emergency assistance, Centrelink
support, a food market, cooking classes,
community breakfasts and church services.
Salvation Army Christmas lunches are held at
these locations and across Australia. To find
times and locations closest to you, please go to
salvos.org.au/Christmas
salvos.org.au/Christmas / 07
Cutting
through
the
08 / Connect 2014
Television personality Jessica Rowe speaks candidly with
LAUREN MARTIN about her support of The Salvation Army which
stems from her battle with mental health issues
Photos: Adam Hollingworth
A
t first glance, Jessica Rowe is all glitz and sparkles. In
fact, she has said, “You can never have enough sparkles
on your clothes or in your life”. Her playful pink hair,
sparkly nail-polish, bright lipstick smile and easy laugh can see
her plonked into one of those golden-girl stereotypes.
But Jessica Rowe doesn’t like stereotypes, nor the judgement
that precedes them. “What I’ve always loved about the Salvos
is that there’s no judgement. It’s just, ‘What can we do and how
can we help you?’” she says. “I can’t help but be moved by that.”
The 44-year-old mother of two knows first-hand the
judgement that people can so easily pass. She’s worked
her entire career in front of a television camera, open to the
comments and criticism that simple things such as a change
in hair colour can bring. “As a society we are very quick to
judge. We are quick to blame, we’re quick to sort of go, ‘Oh it’s
their fault, it’s their problem, what’s their issue?’”
Although she grew up in an incredibly loving, supportive
family, she often dealt with the stigma of having a mother who
suffers with bipolar disorder. As an adult, Jessica has been
a passionate mental health advocate and even co-authored
a book with her mother about her family’s experience with
mental illness.
Yet when she herself suffered post-natal depression after the
birth of her first daughter, Allegra, in 2007, she still found it
incredibly shameful to speak out about it.
“That really shocked me,” she says. “Because I thought, ‘If I
feel ashamed – someone who has plenty of support around
me, I understand mental health issues, I know where to go
where to get help, I have the economic means to get help – if I
have all of that in my corner, and I still feel ashamed, how hard
is it for some people who don’t have even one of those things
in their corner?’”
She could have kept up appearances, kept up the pretence
of being a mum who “had it all together”, but deep down she
knew what she had to do. “It was initially so difficult to be
so open about my own personal experience with post-natal
depression but I realised that if I didn’t I would be a hypocrite.”
So despite the stigma, she did speak out, and in a very
personal way. And it’s that honesty that draws people to her.
With thousands of Twitter followers, readers of her blog and
books and viewers of Channel 10’s morning talk show, Studio
10, Jessica Rowe’s love of life and candour about even those
hard-to-talk-about bits, is what really cuts through the bling.
Jessica says she has a messy house. She’s disorganised.
She does school pick-up, folds the laundry, helps with the
homework. She has good days, she has bad days, and she’s
not afraid to admit that at times she feels like a failure.
For a strikingly beautiful, “has it all” television star, Jessica
Rowe is heart-warmingly normal! “Yes, of course I am!” she
laughs. “And I think too I’m just honest … I’m just me.” >>>
We’re about people finding freedom / 09
Keeping Christmas Simple
This Christmas will be a simple affair for Studio
10 personality Jessica Rowe, her husband,
Channel 9 reporter Peter Overton, and their two
children, Allegra and Giselle. But that’s just the
way they like it. “What very much Peter and I try
to do is keep it low key,” she says.
“I think Christmas can be a very difficult time
because there’s this pressure for it to be the
most amazing day, for everyone to get along
well, for the kids to have great presents, for it
just to be magnificent – when for a lot of people
it’s not that. It’s a very stressful time and when
your life doesn’t fit the picture-postcard it can
be even harder.”
Jessica can vividly remember spending long
chunks of her childhood Christmases in the car.
Her parents divorced when she was quite young
and Christmas was always spent going between
each family: “and that’s just stressful!”
So on Christmas morning, Jessica and Peter
have some family around, the kids play with
their cousins, later in the day some friends
might pop in ... no traditions have to be met, no
“certain foods” have to be cooked, it’s simply a
day to rejoice with family and share in their kids’
sense of magic and excitement.
“It’s an opportunity to get together and
celebrate how blessed we are to have one
another. And mangos – I always think of
mangos at Christmas.”
Some props from the cover photo
were sourced from Salvos Stores.
Go to salvos.org.au/stores to shop
online or find your nearest store.
10 / Connect 2014
She’s relishing her most recent role as a presenter on Studio 10. After 10 years
reading the news, her passion, humour and personality are finally hitting
centrestage. Sitting alongside her co-presenters, Ita Buttrose, Joe Hildebrand
and Sarah Harris, Jessica is free to speak out on issues she’s passionate about.
“I feel so lucky to finally have that opportunity because I think there’s a lot of
issues that we often don’t talk enough about because they can be difficult,
they can be confronting and challenging. But we need to, if we’re going to
move forward as a compassionate country, we need to have sometimes
difficult discussions about what is happening, about what reality is for many
people and how we can fix it.”
Supporting The Salvation Army is one way Jessica is trying to address the
social issues that she is strongly committed to. She is also Patron of the
Mental Health Council of Australia and an ambassador for Beyond Blue – a
national initiative to raise awareness of anxiety and depression.
She can always remember her mum encouraging her and her siblings to
always support the Salvos. “I know that the work that The Salvation Army
has done supporting people with mental health issues is pretty incredible
too, so that was another thing that’s drawn me to them over the years,” she
says. “There [are] a whole lot of people who, through no fault of their own, do
not get the same chance in life [that I’ve had]. And to me, that’s not right and
that’s not fair.
“And I know life isn’t meant to be fair but we have to in some way redress the
balance and so I suppose that’s why I have always been passionate about
social justice issues. And what the Salvos do is that they look at ways to
redress that balance and to give people who have not had that fair start in life
that we all deserve; they come up with ways to try and give them a chance.”
Jessica Rowe’s life experiences, as hard as they have been, have helped her
develop a compassionate soul and an empathetic heart. Rather than being
bitter, she feels blessed to be able to connect with and encourage people who
are hurting by sharing her own heartaches, her own struggles and the ups and
downs of being an incredibly busy mother, wife and TV personality.
“You never learn about either yourself, or life, when things are great because
you don’t have to, you can just sort of cruise and skate along,” she reflects.
“But the reality is, life can be pretty ... [terrible] at different times! But that’s
when you learn what you’re made of [and] what matters.”
If you need help this Christmas, call Salvo Care Line, day or night on
1300 36 36 22.
Help your Community
When you shop at your local Family Store, all proceeds
go towards transforming lives in your local community.
Your support helps the Salvos provide much-needed
services to Australians who are doing it tough.
Go to salvos.org.au/get-involved/shop-with-us
to find your nearest Family Store.
Family Stores
Paul (top left), his wife Hazel and their two children with
presents they were given by The Salvation Army.
Laughter O
in the
midst of
tears
ver the past four years, Hazel has been forced to
endure the pain of watching her husband Paul go
from an outgoing, loving family man and provider, to
dependent and childlike.
Paul has terminal brain cancer and is living on borrowed time.
A strong and determined woman, Hazel has had to become
his full-time carer, basically operating as a sole parent and
struggling to cope on a markedly reduced income. Worst of all,
she says, is seeing the effect it has had on her two children.
By Naomi Singlehurst • Photos: Adam Hollingworth
In late 2009, the bottom fell out of the world for Hazel, Paul
and their children, aged six and eight at the time. Paul, a
long-haul truck driver, started complaining of tiredness and,
after a series of tests, was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Surgery on the extremely rare lymphoma followed. Then
chemotherapy. There was an encouraging period of recovery,
but then came more bad news. A second tumour on his
frontal lobe was discovered.
The couple was told it was terminal but that treatment might
buy Paul six to 12 months. Four years on Paul is miraculously
still alive, but requires Hazel’s full-time care. She explains that
today he is much like a dementia patient, or a child. “Some
days are harder than others,” Hazel says. “You see such a
change from the person he was when we married. It’s just
hard to watch.”
One of the greatest heartbreaks for Hazel is knowing the
effect the trauma has had on their children. “Our boy is ADHD
with slight autism and he has some receptive language
difficulty,” she says. “We’ve been honest with him right from
the beginning and he struggles with the idea of death.
12 / Connect 2014
Hazel’s two children came home smiling after attending
The Salvation Army’s Red Shield Summer Camp at
The Collaroy Centre.
Major Ian Channell, from The Salvation Army’s Maitland City church, gave a
helping hand to Hazel and her family during a difficult time last Christmas.
Hazel says she is overwhelmed by the generosity shown to
her family.
“For me to see my kids smile, to know that they’re having some fun
and that they’re just being kids—that’s the most important thing.
For a week, they had no worries in the world.”—Hazel.
“Paul wants to be cremated and his ashes taken out to sea
because he loved diving. But our son really struggles with
that and asks his dad ‘why’ and ‘how am I going to visit you?’.
He struggles with that emotionally and he struggles with
schooling, so he has his hard times.
“Our daughter will talk about her dad dying, saying that when
he dies he’s always going to be in her heart, or watching down
on her.”
The family’s much-reduced income was initially liveable. But
Hazel says bills started to mount up. Hazel never asked for
help, but her mother, aware her daughter was struggling,
finally rang The Salvation Army just before last Christmas.
“I felt like I was failing as a mother, as a parent, and as a wife,”
says Hazel.
At the same time, Hazel and Paul were treated with a
stay at The Salvation Army’s cottage at Budgewoi on the
NSW Central Coast. A member of the Maitland Salvation
Army church works at Port Waratah Coal Services, which
generously donated $500 to cover some of the family’s costs
at this time.
Hazel says that care made a massive difference, but the joy
the kids experienced at camp was priceless. “They absolutely
loved it. They went to the beach, Wet’n’Wild, Taronga Park Zoo
and the aquarium,” says Hazel. “They absolutely loved the
whole experience. They’ve had to see so much. Their dad isn’t
like other dads and it’s hard for them both.”
“Towards Christmas time I was thinking, ‘I don’t know what
I’m going to do, I’ve just got nothing to give these kids’. In the
past, we always had nice little bits for Christmas.”
Asked why such a relatively small thing can make such a
difference when life is so hard, Hazel smiles, but starts to
cry. Stumbling a little to find words, she says: “It just makes
me happy. It just takes a load off my shoulders knowing that
they’ve had fun.
Major Ian Channell, from The Salvation Army’s Maitland City
church, organised some food and toys for the family. He also
arranged for the family to have some time away. The children
attended The Salvation Army’s Red Shield Summer Camp at
Collaroy, on Sydney’s northern beaches.
“They’ve realised there are other children that have had a
hard life as well and they’re not the only ones. I’ll be telling all
my friends when Red Shield comes up that the kids went on
that camp because people donated. It meant they could
smile again and just enjoy being kids for a week.”
Email [email protected] to find out more information about The Salvation Army’s Red Shield camps.
Go to salvos.org.au/Christmas to donate to The Salvation Army.
salvos.org.au/Christmas / 13
Connecting
over food this
Christmas
with
Janelle Bloom
Photos: Ben Dearnley; Steve Brown and Benito Martin
I just love Christmas and the summer holiday season. It’s the time of
year when I wind down from my heavy work schedule to spend quality
time with family and friends. Every gathering revolves around food, as you
can imagine. Lots of planning goes into our Christmas day-night. Everyone
contributes to the feast which is why it’s so special. And the leftovers,
of which may feed an army, never go to waste – these are shared around,
too. From my family to yours, Merry Christmas.
CHRISTMAS STUFFED
ROAST CHICKEN
Serves 8
Ingredients
250g packet SunRice Microwave long grain rice
150g rindless bacon, chopped
1/3 cup pistachio nuts, toasted, chopped
½ cup dried craisins
¾ cup grated tasty cheese
¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 lemons, halved
2x2kg fresh chicken, cleaned
Method
1. Preheat oven to 200°C fan forced. Tip the rice into a
large bowl, use your fingers to separate the grains.
Put the bacon into a frying pan over medium heat,
cook, stirring often for 3-4 minutes until light golden.
Add to the rice with pistachio nuts, craisins, cheese,
parsley, green onions, 2 tablespoons of the oil and juice
of 1 lemon. Season well with salt and pepper, mix well.
2. Spoon rice mixture into cavity of the chickens, tie
legs together to secure. Rub chickens all over with
remaining oil, season well.
3. Put side by side into a lightly grease large roasting
pan with the remaining lemon. Roast, for 1¼-1½ hours
or until cooked through. Stand for 15 minutes
before carving and serving.
Tip
Cooking your own chicken is way cheaper (and much nicer)
than purchasing the barbeque variety. When you go to buy
your chickens always compare the fresh price with the
frozen one. Often one is far cheaper than the other. If you
purchase frozen chickens, remove them from the wrapper
and place onto a tray, allow 1-2 days to thaw in the fridge.
14 / Connect 2014
POTATO SALAD WITH
SPRING GREENS
Serves 8, as a side
Ingredients
1.5kg Baby Cream Delight potatoes, unpeeled
1 cup fresh or frozen broad beans
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
6 green onions, thinly sliced
100g snow pea tendrils or baby spinach
125g feta, crumbled
½ cup flaked almonds, toasted
Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
Mint dressing
2/3 cup crème fraiche or Greek yoghurt
2 lemons, juiced
1/3 cup firmly packed mint leaves
Method
1. Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold
water. Add a good pinch salt. Cover and bring to the boil over
high heat. Remove the lid and cook for 15 minutes or until just
tender when tested with a skewer. Meanwhile, if you’re using
fresh broad beans and peas, remove them from their pods.
2. Bring a small saucepan of salted water to the boil and add the
fresh or frozen broad beans and peas. Cook for 1-2 minutes or
until bright green. Drain and refresh in bowl of ice-cold water.
Drain and pat dry with paper towel. Using kitchen scissors, snip
outer skin of broad beans and pop the bean from the skin,
discarding skins.
3. Drain the potatoes and set aside for 10 minutes. Cut in half and
place into a large bowl. Add beans, peas and the green onions.
4. To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a blender
or food processor. Blend or process until well combined. Season
with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the warm potatoes
and toss gently to coat. Allow to cool to room temperature.
5. Add the snow pea tendrils or spinach, feta and almonds, toss
gently, season with salt and pepper and serve.
Tip
Crème fraîche is the French equivalent of sour cream. It’s slightly
acidic with a texture more like light sour cream. The great thing
about crème fraîche is it can be used for sweet or savoury, it can
be whipped like cream and does not split or curdle when heated.
For Janelle’s delicious cherry brownie cheesecake recipe, go to salvos.org.au/Christmas
We’re about people finding freedom / 15
Mouthwatering
recipesfor
summer
Self-taught chef,
food writer and owner
of restaurants in
Sydney and overseas,
Bill Granger shares
simple recipes you
can enjoy in your own
backyard this summer
16 / Connect 2014
Photos: Kristin Perers
BAKED RICOTTA &
ROAST NECTARINE
CHUTNEY
Method
Serves 6 as part of a spread
2. For the chutney, place the nectarines on a
baking sheet and top with the onion, chillies,
mustard seeds, spices and sugar. Roast for 20-25
minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden
and softened. Squeeze over the lime juice and
set aside.
Ingredients
For the roast nectarine chutney
6 nectarines, stones removed, cut into
large wedges
1 large red onion, sliced
2 red chillies, sliced
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground allspice
3 tablespoons soft brown sugar
Juice of 1 lime
For the ricotta:
½ teaspoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
500g ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
3. For the ricotta, lightly toast the coriander and
fennel seeds in a frying pan over a low heat, until
their aroma is released. Stir into a bowl with the
ricotta and olive oil. Take 2x30cm square pieces
of baking paper and lay them on top of each
other at different angles. Spoon the ricotta into
the centre. Gather the paper to form a parcel and
secure with string. Put on a baking tray and cook
for 20 minutes, taking care the paper doesn’t
come into contact with the top of the oven.
4. To serve, untie the parcel and drizzle with
olive oil. Enjoy on naan with the roast
nectarine chutney.
SPINACH & POTATO TARTS
Serves 6 as part of a spread
Ingredients
800g new potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
6 curry leaves
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2cm ginger, grated
200g baby spinach
325g packet ready-rolled all butter puff pastry
5 tablespoons Greek-style yoghurt
1 green chilli, sliced
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
Method
1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Put the potatoes in a large
saucepan and cover with plenty of cold water. Bring to
a simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes or until just
tender. Drain in a colander and leave to cool for a few
minutes. Put on a board and cut into bite-sized pieces.
2. Place a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat.
Add the oil and, when hot, add the mustard seeds,
curry leaves, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring, until their
aromas are released. Stir in the potatoes and season
with salt, then fold through the spinach. Cook until the
spinach is just wilted, then set aside.
3. Unroll the pastry onto a baking sheet lined with baking
paper. Use a sharp knife to cut it into 6 equal squares,
then mark a 1cm border around each one, being careful
not to go all the way through to the base. Bake for 15
minutes, until cooked.
4. Spread a thick layer of yoghurt at the base of each
pastry case. Pile the potato and spinach mixture on
top. Scatter with the fresh and dried chillies, and
drizzle lightly with olive oil. Return to the oven for 8-10
minutes, until golden.
CHICKEN & TOASTED
RICE LARB
Ingredients
Method
Serves 6 as part of a spread
1 tablespoon jasmine rice
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 lemon grass stalk, white only,
finely chopped
1 green chilli, chopped
2 tablespoons light-flavoured oil
500g chicken mince
3 spring onions, finely sliced
2 teaspoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
4 tablespoons lime juice, plus
wedges to serve
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes, plus
extra to serve
1 kaffir lime leaf, finely sliced
2 cos lettuce, broken into leaves
bunch coriander, leaves picked
1. Toast the rice in a small, dry frying
pan over a medium-low heat for
about 10 minutes, stirring regularly
until the rice is lightly toasted.
Transfer to a pestle and mortar (or a
food processor) and pound until finely
crushed. Remove and set aside. Bash
the garlic, lemon grass and chilli to
a paste.
2. Heat a wok over a high heat, add the
oil and, when hot, add the mince and
spring onion. Cook until the mince
is browned. Remove the wok from
the heat, add the garlic and chilli
paste, sugar, fish sauce, lime juice,
chilli flakes and lime leaf, and stir to
combine.
3. To serve, pile the larb onto a big
platter and sprinkle with ground rice
and extra lime wedges, put the crisp
lettuce leaves in another dish and the
coriander in a third; let your guests
dig in and make themselves a larb
parcel on their plate. Serve with extra
dried chilli flakes.
salvos.org.au/Christmas / 17
Overcoming
loneliness at
Christmas
Christmas is usually seen as a time to celebrate but for
some, particularly the aged, it can bring up feelings of
grief, loss and loneliness, writes LYN BEASY
L
evels of loneliness are on the rise in our society, with
nearly a third of Australians professing to be lonely at
any one time.
The hardest-hit group tends to be the elderly, with symptoms
of loneliness often most extreme at Christmas time. This
can be due to the large number of bereavements in an older
person’s life, ill health, immobility or isolation from family. And
loneliness in the elderly is known to have a negative impact on
health and overall wellbeing.
Helping others with loneliness, especially at Christmas,
needs to become a community issue. We all need to be more
conscious of connecting with our more elderly citizens who
are alone or experiencing loneliness. When we are lonely, the
last person we want to spend time with is ourselves.
One way to alleviate loneliness is taking the step to reach out
to others. A simple way of connecting is to check in and say
hello to isolated neighbours, particularly if they are elderly.
Offer to do some shopping for them while you’re out. Organise
a group of friends to visit their local aged-care centre and sing
a few carols, help decorate for the festive season, or leave
some small care parcels for each resident.
being alone without being lonely, of being happily alone. It’s a
positive and constructive state of engagement with oneself.”
Sometimes, we need to tune out the “noise” in our lives, like
those offered by social media, to reconnect with ourselves
and with others in more meaningful ways. Seeking solitude
requires taking the journey inward to discover who we are
and beginning to accept ourselves for who we are. We can
then move outward towards connecting to others in a more
satisfying and fulfilling way.
Christmas can be a deeply spiritual time. This season allow
yourself those moments of solitude where you can find inner
peace and contentment as you contemplate the wonder of
who you are in Christ, without comparison. Instead of hiding
from the world, turn to Jesus who, having suffered the pain
of rejection himself, understands our hurts and need for
relationship. The Christmas message means God reaching out
to us, right where we are, to be our best friend.
Instead of standing on the outside looking in, come into his
presence and the warmth of fellowship with him. As our Lord
and Saviour, he offers us a life of hope and a release from the
hurt of loneliness.
Be aware that, for some people who feel isolated, joining into
someone else‘s Christmas festivities can often highlight what
they don’t have. Being alone doesn’t have to equate with being
lonely, as being alone some of the time is essential for our
mental wellbeing. So don’t be offended if they decline an offer
to join your Christmas Day lunch.
If you are feeling lonely this Christmas or need help,
you can call Salvo Care Line, day or night on 1300 36 36
22. The Salvation Army has a professional counselling
service with locations across NSW, ACT and Qld.
Go to salvoscounselling.salvos.org.au
The flip side to being alone is to seek solitude. In his book
Solitude (2011), Simon Parke writes, “Solitude is the state of
By Lyn Beasy
Salvation Army consultant psychologist
18 / Connect 2014
Ageing is a fact of life and The Salvation Army Aged Care Plus affordable Home and
Community Care Services can help your loved one stay at home as long as possible.
Call 1300 111 227 today to talk about our options.
www.agedcareplus.salvos.org.au
By Bill Simpson
Ron Wilson’s long association
with The Salvation Army
started 40 years ago in the
aftermath of Cyclone Tracy.
Photo: Shairon Paterson
F
News presenter Ron Wilson has never forgotten
the generosity he experienced from The Salvation
Army in the aftermath of Cyclone Tracy
orty years ago this Christmas Day, Cyclone Tracy
roared through Darwin destroying Australia’s
northern-most city.
Sixty-five people died, hundreds were injured and 30,000 of
Darwin’s 49,000 population were left homeless.
National television and radio news presenter Ron Wilson –
then a 20-year-old radio rookie – and his family survived the
cyclone, but lost their home and everything else.
The Salvation Army were there providing crisis support for
Ron and his family. The shared experience launched a close
relationship between Ron and The Salvation Army. In the 40
years that have followed, Ron has remained a supporter of
The Salvation Army.
20 / Connect 2014
Ron has been the face and voice of many Salvation Army
promotional events, including Red Shield Appeal launches, and
has made personal appearances to promote the work of The
Salvation Army.
He says he will always make himself available to support the
Salvos because of what they did for him and his family in
Tracy’s aftermath.
Ron and his family – parents and one brother – had been
living in Darwin for four years before Tracy struck. They had
immigrated to Australia from Northern Ireland, living first in
Melbourne and then Darwin.
He was acutely aware of the coming cyclone as Christmas
1974 approached. Ron was an announcer working on Darwin’s
8DN radio station. He had been broadcasting warnings for
several days.
But Tracy was far more ferocious than first anticipated. The
Wilson family home was just one street back from the beach
on Darwin’s most northern suburb. It took a direct hit. As early
morning Christmas Day winds intensified and their house
shook, Ron and his family sought refuge beneath mattresses
on the lounge-room floor.
Agonising hours passed as they heard the horrid sounds of
smashing glass and stripping of timber. As they reappeared
from beneath the mattresses, they discovered their home
was gone.
Even today, Ron finds it difficult to retell the story. It still
emits strong emotion. “Within 24 hours of Tracy’s havoc, The
Salvation Army was on the streets,” Ron remembers.
“Simple things; but things we needed right then and there …
food, clothes, a helping hand … a smile and encouragement to
keep going,” he says.
arranged for mum and me to travel to Wollongong, where we
were met by a Salvation Army officer, who had rented us a
unit and paid the first month’s rent.”
“The unit building was brand new. It was probably better
accommodation than I had ever lived in before. Not only that,
but it was furnished – all brand new furniture. Never once was I
asked to fill out a form, prove my need or given a lecture.
“It was just friendship
and help. Eventually, we
rebuilt our family and
our lives. And that is why
I will always do whatever,
whenever, for the Salvos.”
“The Salvos stuck it out with us in the miserable conditions
with no electricity, no running water, no sewerage facilities, in
the oppressively humid heat and drizzling rain in the weeks
that followed.”
Within two months, Ron and his mother were on an
evacuation flight to Sydney. His father remained in Darwin
to help rebuild, while his brother had left for Canberra and
university enrolment.
The only possessions Ron and his mother had on arrival in
Sydney were the clothes they were wearing and a few more in
a small bag.
“As ever, the Salvos were at Sydney Airport when we touched
down,” Ron says. “We spent the next six weeks at the East Hills
migrant hostel. It was a very frustrating time – no money of
our own, no job, no friends; just bad memories.
“It was just friendship and help. Eventually, we rebuilt our
family and our lives. And that is why I will always do whatever,
whenever, for the Salvos.”
Ron has since had a highly successful media career, including
a 30-year association with Channel 10 as news presenter
on the national breakfast program and evening news, and
presenting news broadcasts on several Sydney radio stations.
He is currently breakfast newsreader on the NOVA FM
national radio network.
“The Salvos seemed well aware of the risk of depression and
through their daily visits encouraged us on all of the positives
that lay ahead.
“Salvation Army officers [pastors] visited us every day,
without fail. Each day they handed us a $20 bill. It doesn’t
sound like much today, but it was enough for treats like a
bar of chocolate. It also allowed me to work a nearby public
phone into overtime trying to track down a job.”
Ron was successful in finding a radio job at Wollongong
station 2WL (now WaveFM). “A week later, the Salvos
We’re about people finding freedom / 21
G I F T S
F R O M
T H E
S K Y
For years Simon and Natalie Steele lived “the great Australian
dream”—a house on the water, barbeques with family and friends
and their fair-haired kids growing up splashing in the surf. Christmas
Day always involved a swim—or two, or three! But six years ago, the
family’s world dramatically changed when they felt a calling to the
skies, writes LAUREN MARTIN
N
ow ministers with The Salvation Army, Lieutenants
Simon and Natalie Steele admit they weren’t looking
for a lifestyle change, but, as it would turn out, God had
other plans. The Salvation Army was looking for new Outback
Flying Chaplains, and Simon was a qualified pilot.
“We saw the role as a great opportunity,” says Natalie of
the family’s snap decision to move to Mount Isa in outback
Queensland. “We came into it with a sense of adventure,
knowing it’s a season in our life and that it’s God’s place for us.”
Natalie says it’s been a huge change. The lack of mobile
phone coverage, internet and shopping malls in the city of
21,000 people certainly makes for a simpler lifestyle than that
experienced by families in larger, urban cities.
No time is this more evident than at Christmas. Instead of a
“mad-rush” to get all the shopping and preparations done, the
Steeles say that the closer it gets to Christmas in Mount Isa, the
quieter the city becomes. “It’s very much about a time of resting
and being together, it’s a winding-down time,” Natalie explains.
The Steeles spend much of December in a Robinson 66
Turbine helicopter, delivering presents to disadvantaged
children in remote indigenous communities and farmers on
isolated properties, and Christmas hampers to schools in
isolated communities.
Simon says his favourite part is being able to share the real
meaning of Christmas with the kids: “I always teach them about
Throughout December Lieutenants
Natalie (left) and Simon Steele
bring smiles to children’s faces by
delivering gifts to children living
in isolated regions in Queensland.
Photo: Adam Hollingworth
22 / Connect 2014
giving and receiving and the joy of that, and about the story of
Jesus and the story of how God gave his wonderful gift.”
Each child is given a gift (donated through The Salvation Army
Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal) and after that they are given the
opportunity to select a second present – one they can give to a
friend or family member.
The Christmas visits last all day and are enjoyable for both
children and adults. There are games, special food and squeals
of excitement as the helicopter arrives and departs.
“The kids are a real delight,” says Natalie. “They love seeing
Simon coming in with the chopper and making lots of noise
and raising the dust.”
On the flight home, Simon and Natalie watch the colours of the
outback change as the sun sinks toward the horizon. “It’s an
absolute harsh beauty,” says Simon. “It reminds me of God and
how amazing he is.”
To see Lieutenants Simon and Natalie Steele bring
Christmas to the bush, search “The Flying Padres Bring
Christmas to Urandangie” on YouTube or
go to youtu.be/10P_soIXS8Q
The Salvation Army were able to purchase this
helicopter through funds donated by Parmalat – the
makers of Paul’s Milk.
Above: Lieut Natalie Steele (left) hands out
gifts to children in outback Queensland.
For the past six years, Lieut Simon Steele has been flying
into regional farms and communities to offer a helping
hand via a helicopter. Photo: Shairon Paterson
PRESENCE THE REAL PRESENT
The Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal has been
working together with The Salvation Army
for more than 25 years to make Christmas
brighter for thousands of families in need.
Gifts can be donated at any Kmart store in
the weeks leading up to Christmas. For more
information, go to salvos.org.au/Christmas
A FLYING VISIT
S
I
The project offered farmers living in remote areas around
Quambone, in central NSW, the services of 17 volunteers over
two days in December. It was sponsored by Canberra East
Rotary Club.
Mark and his wife, Captain Jo, have witnessed the staggering
desperation of many farmers, rural businesses and
communities after years of drought, flood and more drought.
alvation Army rural chaplains in central NSW, Majors
Maree and Trevor Strong, instigated the Farm Hub
Project at the culmination of the National Year of the
Farmer in 2012.
Rotary members and their partners raised funds and
assembled 40 Christmas hampers, before joining Salvation
Army volunteers to help with a range of jobs on farms
including cleaning, fixing windows and fly screens, repairing
a tractor, roofing and building.
“Every farmer was just over the moon and so appreciative
of the gifts of labour,” says Maree. Since then, The Salvation
Army’s presence in Quambone has continued. Last year they
painted and revamped the general store and post office.
The renovations are part of a community development
project, which also includes repairs on local farms and
farmhouses, running activities at the Quambone, Marra and
Carinda primary schools, building community groups, and
providing emotional support, a listening ear and friendship,
especially to farmers experiencing tough times.
Salvation Army Rural Chaplain, Major
Trevor Strong is on hand to assist
outback communities in Quambone,
Central NSW, at Christmas.
n the past year, Salvation Army pilot in southern
Queensland, Captain Mark Bulow, has driven 47,000km,
clocked up 200 flying hours and visited 120 stations,
providing care and support to struggling farmers.
They provide flood funds, food hampers and fencing supplies,
and assist communities struggling with drought. Last
Christmas, Mark and his team travelled to six rural towns,
blessing community members by carolling and handing out
gifts to children.
While material help is appreciated, Mark says offering a
listening ear and spiritual and emotional support is vital.
“Human interaction is essential to those living in remote
areas,” he explains. “Although we live in a world that has the
phone, internet, Facebook, Twitter and Skype, nothing can
break the isolation of our vast country like a face-to-face visit.”
Captain Mark Bulow spends many hours in the sky visiting regional farmers
to deliver food hampers or provide a listening ear. Photo: Shairon Paterson
salvos.org.au/Christmas / 23
Is Christmas too commercial?
By Lauren Martin
I
t happened gradually in our family. “This is getting out
of control,” somebody said one year. “There are just too
many presents at Christmas, we need to cut down.” So we
started a Secret Santa for the adults – after all, Christmas is all
about the kids, right?
A few years later there was another discussion.“The kids are
getting way too many presents, it’s over-the-top,” we decided.
We wanted our kids to have values, know the true meaning of
Christmas – it’s not all about getting “stuff”.
This year the discussion began again. “Do we really need to do
the Secret Santa? After all, we’re adults, if we want something
we can just go and buy it ourselves.” And, “Christmas is just
about being together as a family, we don’t really need presents.”
Fair enough. Most people will agree that Christmas (just
like Easter and Valentine’s Day and all the other “Hallmark”
occasions) is far too commercial. But in all our striving to get
back to the “true” meaning of Christmas, I started to wonder if
letting go of the gift-giving was really the answer.
The very first Christmas centred on a gift. It’s written in the
Bible that “God so loved the world that he gave his only son …”
(John 3:16, English Standard Version, emphasis added) Jesus –
a gift for all of humanity.
Giving is a caring, thoughtful, selfless act. It creates a loving
connection with others. To give a gift is an emulation of God’s
love for us, a fulfilment of the new commandments that Jesus
spoke of in the Bible: to love God and to love others (Matthew
22:36-40). Giving – when caring, thoughtful and selfless – is
never commercial or materialistic.
Giving does not need to require a “thing” that
is gift-wrapped and perfect. It could involve the
giving of a person’s time or skills, the donation
of funds to a worthy cause, or an experience to
enrich relationships.
Perhaps this year, in order to draw closer to the
true meaning of Christmas, we need to give
more, not less.
A festive toast to
clean drinking water
B
efore The Salvation Army stepped in, Liu Li Xia
had to walk a long distance to collect water for
her household.
The water wasn’t very clean, but it was all they had, so they
drank it. Sometimes it made them sick. And even though they
used it sparingly, there still wasn’t enough for washing. Liu Li
washed her family of four’s clothing in the local river.
The situation was so bad in her Chinese village of Luoling that
even school children had to help in the effort to gather water –
taking them away from their studies for several hours a week.
The Salvation Army in Hong Kong was aware of the hardships
being faced by villagers and wanted to help, but lacked the
finances to provide them with clean water.
They contacted The Salvation Army International
Development Office (SAID) in Sydney, Australia. Through
generous donations to the Salvos Gift Catalogue, SAID was
able to fund a clean-water tank and pipe system in the village.
Liu Li’s home was fitted with taps and basins, making it a gift
that keeps on giving.
24 / Connect 2014
“It’s now more convenient
and saves me time and energy,”
she says, beaming. “I don’t have to go to the river
to wash my clothes … I have more time to help my children with
their homework.”
SAID works to alleviate poverty and empower communities in
Africa, Southeast Asia and the Pacific. They work with local
people to improve water, health and sanitation, education,
and the economic empowerment of women and families.
You can help SAID this Christmas by
giving a gift that will bring lasting
change to women, men and children
around the world. Check out the gift
guide at salvosgifts.org.au
Above right: Liu Li Xia no longer walks long
distances to collect drinking water for her
family of four.
10 steps to Christmas shopping
KRISTEN HARTNETT, salvation army Moneycare Counsellor, shares her
plan to help cut the financial stress out of your Christmas
START EARLY
Don’t wait until the tinsel is up and the carols are playing –
start planning your Christmas as early as possible. This will
give you more time to set aside money and look for the gifts
you want at pre-Christmas sales.
SQUIRREL YOUR MONEY AWAY
Do you have a Christmas savings account? If not, create one.
Even if it’s a simple “change jar” for coins that you bank at
the end of the week, it all adds up and will give you a good
headstart for your Christmas spending.
REMEMBER
Think back to last Christmas. Where did you overspend? Write
down what you would like to do better this year.
ON THE HUNT
Take a look around your house – do you have presents stored
for future use? Note what you already have so you don’t forget.
PLAN
Make a list. Who do you need to buy gifts for this year? (Check
off gifts you already have.) What food items will you need to
buy? Don’t forget to budget for wrapping paper, cards, petrol
for long drives or anything else you will spend money on at
Christmas that you don’t include in your weekly expenses.
DISCUSS
Christmas is a time for connecting with those we love. Speak
to friends and family members to set up realistic expectations:
“Who is buying for whom?” “Around how much money will be
spent on each gift?” (Often it is easy to cut down expenses on
children’s gifts.)
CREATE
Homemade gifts lower expenses and are a wonderful, unique
expression of your love. Freshly baked treats tied in a festive
bow might make the perfect gift for a teacher or friend; handsewn or knitted baby toys or clothes are cherished. Show off
your talents with creative wrapping – affordable presents can
look extravagant (see page 28 for budget gift-wrapping tips).
CHECK
Now you have checked your home for already-purchased
gifts, discussed with family and friends the expectations at
Christmas time, and made a list of items you need to buy
or create, take a moment to check your list one last time. Is
everything there? Are there any other ways you can save?
DO THE SUMS
Carefully add up each item in your list. Then add a buffer of
about 10 per cent to the final tally to account for emergencies
or anything you may have forgotten. Consider the final dollar
figure and work out how many weeks you have left before
Christmas. Can you save that much money in time? If not,
where will you reduce expenses? (You may need to go back
and re-do some of the earlier steps in this process.)
SHOP
The very last step in the process is to go shopping! Stick to
your list and your budget, using your savings – not credit cards
– to make your purchases.
REMEMBER: The cost of a gift is not a reflection of your love.
Not only are the best things in life free, the best things in life are
not “things”.
View more Moneycare tips for your Christmas at
salvos.org.au/Christmas
If you do get into financial difficulties and need help,
contact a financial counsellor. The Salvation Army
Moneycare financial counselling service provides
help to people in financial difficulties and crisis. It is
a free service.
Go to salvos.org.au/moneycare for more information
or call Salvo Care Line on 1300 36 36 22.
We’re about people finding freedom /25
Whether you’re looking for a Christmas gift, a festive party dress
or summer fashion, Salvos Stores eco–stylist Faye De Lanty,
founder of Fashion Hound blog and expert shopper, styles this
season’s looks from local Salvos Stores
EVERYDAY ACCESSORIES
Glitter bangle: $3; Turquoise ring: $10;
Diamond-inspired ring: $5; Black handbag: $10
“It’s really blowing people’s minds on how stylish and chic
second-hand can be if you just do a little bit of research
and get to understand how to op shop. So I love hearing
people say, ‘Is that from the Salvos?’.”
PARTY OUTFIT
Cocktail dress: $40; Statement
necklace: $8; Shimmer clutch: $5
“Every store I go to you
can always find something
wonderful. They get a
lot of great brands,
good quality, wonderful
vintage and there’s so
much stock. You’re spoilt
for choice really.”
Photos: Luke Brailey
26 / Connect 2014
SUMMER WEAR
Pink-strapped bag: $5; Simple white top: $5.50;
Sunglasses: $6; Floral pants: $8
To shop at your nearest Salvos Stores or online,
go to salvos.org.au/stores
Visit salvos.org.au/stores
for more information or
call 13 SALVOS (13 72 58)
to donate goods.
MySalvosStores
@MySalvosStores
salvos.org.au/stores
13 SALVOS (13 72 58)
SUE ELLIOTT, from the Salvation
Army’s Moneycare program,
suggests a simple, cost-effective
way to add a personalised touch to
your gift-wrapping this Christmas
JANELLE BLOOM shares
an easy shortbread star
recipe which will make the
perfect Christmas gift
THE STAR OF ALL
CHRISTMAS GIFTS
Shortbread stars
Makes 32
250g butter, at room temperature
½ cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups plain flour, sifted
⅓ cup white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
CELLOPHANE BAGS WORK A TREAT
Cellophane bags, as opposed to sheets of cellophane, make
wrapping homemade baked goods a breeze and are available
in a variety of sizes.
1. Place baked goods (see recipe on your right for
shortbread stars) into the cellophane bag.
2. Gather the top edges of the bag and seal tightly, close
to the gift, using a single piece of ribbon (rubber bands
or sticky tape would also work). This will allow you to
decorate your bag without having to hold the cellophane
in place.
3. Decorate the top of the bag using curling ribbon (using one
edge of a pair of scissors to create beautiful curls), storebought ribbon bows or a tie a simple bow with a piece of
twine. You may also wish to fasten a Christmas decoration,
cookie cutter or gift tag to the outside of the bag.
Tips
• Simply trim the top of the bag if there is too much
cellophane.
• Create a gift hamper in a basket with a variety of
individually wrapped items in cellophane bags, and then
use a large bag around the entire hamper.
Method
1. Preheat oven to 160°C fan forced. Using an electric
mixer, beat the butter, caster sugar and vanilla
until pale and creamy. Add the flour and stir until
the dough comes together. Turn onto a lightly
floured surface and knead gently until smooth.
2. Cut the dough in half, press each piece of dough
into a 2cm-thick round. Wrap in greaseproof paper
and refrigerate until firm enough to roll out.
3. Roll the dough out until 1cm thick. Using 5cm star
cutters, cut biscuits out and place onto a tray lined
with baking paper. Place the trays in the freezer and
chill for 10 minutes until firm (this helps shortbread
hold its shape while baking). Press any unused
dough together, re-roll and repeat.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until light golden.
5. Combine the white sugar and cinnamon. Remove
the shortbread from the oven and stand for 5
minutes on trays. While hot, brush with water and
sprinkle or toss in cinnamon sugar. Serve warm, or
at room temperature.
Tip
Making your own cinnamon sugar is far cheaper than
purchasing the premixed one from the supermarket.
These stars are a great gift to give to kids’ teachers.
• Depending on the size you require, oven bags can be a
more cost-effective solution than cellophane bags.
Shop around to find the best prices for your gift-wrapping supplies at supermarkets, discount variety stores and craft
supply shops. Go to salvos.org.au/Christmas for more gift-wrapping tips. For more information about Moneycare, go to
salvos.org.au/moneycare
28 / Connect 2014
By Captain
Sandy MacDonald
7. Get cooking
From simple pikelets to a complete
meal, the kitchen can be a fun focal
point during holidays with the bonus
of mastering life skills. Get the kids to
plan, shop for and cook a meal. I’m
hoping my six-year-old will be able to
feed our family a meal other than fairy
bread (her current specialty) come
Australia Day!
1. A gift solution
When family members enquire
about Christmas gift suggestions,
ask for movie tickets. Seeing the
latest movies with somebody else
paying is a great holiday activity.
Alternatively, organise your own
movie or TV series marathon.
2. Get wet
There are a lot of ways to beat the
summer heat with water: the beach,
a lake or river, the local pool, a water
fight, a slip’n’slide or just a sprinkler
in the backyard. Challenge your
family to enjoy as many different
types of wet days as possible. Buy
a multi-visit ticket to your local pool
to get better value for money. Don’t
forget to slip, slop, slap!
3. Go to the shops
You don’t have to spend money
to get out of the house, enjoy the
air-conditioning and keep the kids
entertained – many shopping
centres and community centres
offer free activities during school
holidays. (Avoid mealtimes if you’re
concerned about the cost of buying
a meal out.)
4. Don’t completely
abandon routine
Sure, a break to the daily rhythm
is beneficial, but if every day is
unpredictable it can be tiring. If
Wednesday is “park day”, you all know
what you’re doing each Wednesday
and you don’t have to listen to cries
of, “Can we go to the park today?”
every other day of the week.
5. Camp out at home
Camping in the backyard can be
fun – we’ve even set up our tent in
our lounge room! Eat camping food,
have a sing-along and tell silly or
scary stories by torchlight.
6. Visit Mum or Dad at work
I have a friend who, every school
holidays, takes her kids by train into
their dad’s work for a look around
the office and lunch together. Don’t
underestimate public transport – it
can be a real adventure of its own.
8. Learn a new skill
Borrow books from the library, ask
a friend or family member to teach
a craft, attend a class or look online
for lessons. Learn to draw, knit, cross
stitch, dance, do calligraphy, garden
or conduct science experiments.
9. Try “tech-free Tuesday”
Get the kids on board with
brainstorming in advance the types
of activities to do on days when there
is no TV, computer, iPod or phone.
Getting unplugged is good for all
ages!
10. Meet up with mates
That first day back at school can be
intimidating for a child who hasn’t
seen any of their school friends for
six weeks.
Go to salvos.org.au/Christmas to contact your local Salvation Army church or
centre about the school holiday activities they run.
salvos.org.au/Christmas /29
The unexpected package
“Thelma shared that she had never had a real
Christmas with anyone, not where she felt cared
about and included. This was the first time.”
By Lieutenant-Colonel Miriam Gluyas
I
t was to be a different Christmas that year, one that hadn’t excited me in the lead up,
but one that would change me forever. Every Christmas of my life had been spent
with my family, except this one. I had to stay in Sydney for commitments there.
Disappointing, but necessary. And so a group of us shared Christmas dinner together, with
a very special guest.
Our guest was a little old lady, with more wrinkles than I had ever seen on anyone, small
in stature, but often feisty. When I first met Thelma, she simply didn’t like me, but over the
time we became good friends. She kept most things to herself, but it was obvious that the
years had taken their toll. We enjoyed the turkey and baked vegetables, put on our party
hats, shared around the table, and it seemed that everyone was having a great time.
With a break in the conversation, our group produced some very small gifts, one for each
other and one for our special guest. Thelma looked at the gifts in front of her, was silent for
what seemed like an eternity, and then the tears flowed. And she told us her story.
No-one had ever wanted her. She lived in foster homes for many, many years. She never felt
like she belonged anywhere. She felt like she was the “extra”, in the way. Life was difficult. She
had no-one to call her own. She felt it. She lived it, every day. An incredible sadness came
over her. And then, something happened that moved everyone in the room. Thelma shared
that she had never had a real Christmas with anyone, not where she felt cared about and
included. This was the first time. She wept again, and we wept with her. She opened those
small gifts like they were precious, of unimaginable worth. To her, they were.
That Christmas was to change my life forever. I was so grateful for the blessing of
my family. Now, who do I need to look out for? Who needs to be loved and
included? It’s not about me and what I want. I need to look out for others.
I realised that God turns up in the most unexpected places, through the
most unexpected people, and changes my life and theirs forever.
The story of Christmas is that of Jesus turning up in an unexpected
place, in a very unusual way, in amazing circumstances. Born of
a virgin, in a stable, to be the Saviour of the world. God,
coming to earth in the form of Jesus to show us his incredible
love, to show us how to live, to provide forgiveness and life
in abundance.
Who would have thought that a baby in a stable could offer
life to each of us, an incredible gift, of infinite value?
You, too, may need that love, forgiveness and grace, and
relationship with someone who loves you unconditionally.
Take time to connect this year, with friends, family, and
others who God may send as “unexpected packages”,
and don’t forget who it’s all about.
Lieut-Colonel Miriam Gluyas works for The Salvation Army
in Papua New Guinea.
Go to salvos.org.au/Christmas to connect with
The Salvation Army in your local area.
30 / Connect 2014
Directory of Salvation Army
social services
ACT AND SOUTH NSW
Canberra Recovery Services Centre
Fyshwick, ACT
02 6295 1256
Men – accommodation and support
Griffith, NSW
02 6964 3388
Shoalhaven Bridge Program – drug
and alcohol out-client service
Nowra, NSW
02 4422 4604
Women and men – accommodation
and support
Leeton, NSW
02 6953 7266
CENTRAL AND NORTH
QUEENSLAND
Mount Isa Recovery Services Centre
Mount Isa, Qld
07 4749 2553
Youth – accommodation and support
Bundaberg, Qld
07 4151 3400
NEWCASTLE AND
CENTRAL NSW
Dooralong Transformation Centre
Wyong, NSW
02 4353 9799
Newcastle Doorways Community
Welfare Centre
Newcastle West, NSW
02 4929 2300
Oasis Youth Network Hunter
Hamilton, NSW
02 4969 8066
NORTH NSW
Family Housing Mid-North
Coast Region
Coffs Harbour, NSW
0457 130 397
Family Housing Northern
Rivers Region
Goonellabah, NSW
0448 614 718
SOUTH QUEENSLAND
Brisbane Recovery Services
Centre (Moonyah)
Red Hill, Qld
07 3369 0922
Oasis Youth Support Network
Surry Hills, NSW
02 9331 2266
Brisbane Streetlevel Mission
Fortitude Valley, Qld
07 3852 4438
GREATER WEST NSW
Church Communities for Children
Slacks Creek, Qld
07 3290 5200
Families – accommodation and support
Noosa, Qld
07 5447 1184
Gold Coast Recovery Services Centre
(Fairhaven)
Southport, Qld
07 5630 7939
SAILSS Darling Downs
Toowoomba, Qld
07 4639 4026
Ipswich Community Welfare Centre
Ipswich, Qld
07 3812 2462
Logan City Community Welfare Centre
Woodridge, Qld
07 3808 2564
Men and families – accommodation
and support
Toowoomba, Qld
07 4639 1998
Youthlink
Canley Vale, NSW
02 9725 7779
2168 Food 4 Life Market
Busby, NSW
02 9826 7819
Food 4 Life Market
Warwick Farm, NSW
02 8798 5928
MAJOR SERVICES
THROUGHOUT NSW, QLD
AND ACT
Aged Care Plus – permanent
accommodation and care services for
older Australians
agedcareplus.salvos.org.au
Employment Plus – support for job
seekers
employmentplus.com.au
Family Tracing – search and
reconciliation service for close relatives
who have lost contact
salvos.org.au/familytracing
Moneycare – financial counselling
salvos.org.au/moneycare
Men and women– supported
accommodation
Brisbane, Qld
07 3832 1491
Salvos Care Line – trained counsellors
available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
1300 36 36 22
Southport Community Welfare Centre
Southport, Qld
07 5591 2729
Salvos Counselling – personal,
relationship and family counselling
salvoscounselling.salvos.org.au
Women and women with children –
accommodation and support
Gold Coast/Southport, Qld
07 5591 1776
Salvos Legal – commercial and
humanitarian law
salvoslegal.com.au
SYDNEY EAST AND
ILLAWARRA
First Floor Program – support for
families affected by drug and alcohol
and/or mental health issues
Wollongong, NSW
02 4229 1079
Adults – supported accommodation
[families]
Caboolture, Qld
07 5495 4400
Illawarra Community Welfare Centre
Wollongong, NSW
02 4225 1372
Brisbane Central Community
Welfare Centre
Fortitude Valley, Qld
07 3252 8608
Men with children – supported
accommodation
Sydney and Illawarra, NSW
02 9212 1065
02 8218 1211 (intoxicated persons unit)
Salvos Stores – second-hand clothing
and furniture
salvosstores.salvos.org.au
For welfare assistance, chaplaincy
services and other Salvation Army
social services near you, go to
salvos.org.au/Christmas
The Salvation Army hosts
Christmas carols and Christmas
Day services across NSW, Qld and
the ACT. To find a Christmas event
near you, please go to
salvos.org.au/Christmas
We’re about people finding freedom / 31
salvos.org.au/Christmas 13 SALVOS (13 72 58)