But thanks to the Army’s work on the streets on India, despair is being replaced with hope for a better future.

A Different Life
The Jeevan Asha project opened in 2004 as a drop-in centre for women and children in prostitution in Mumbai’s infamous red-light district. Counselling, health education, literacy classes and vocational training are offered to women desperate to provide a better life for their families. The project pays particular attention to the children of the women, offering schooling, meals and a safe place for them to be with caring staff members. Property in Mumbai is expensive to rent and own so the Army operates a small school in the loft of its office in the heart of the red-light area.

The Jeevan Asha project works in partnership with the Aruna Children’s Shelter. Sex-trade workers usually have few options for the care of their children, especially when evening falls. In addition to their exposure to the sex-trade business itself, the children often witness their mothers being abused and beaten. At the shelter, the children—primarily girls—are given a glimpse of how different life can be away from the sex trade. Within the safety and security of the shelter, the children learn that they are precious to God.

Sincerity of Faith
At the opposite end of the spectrum of vulnerable people are the blind. The Blind Working Men’s Hostel cares for an often-overlooked group who have little family support and who have been left to fend for themselves.

Most of the men have been blind from birth. Ostracized and neglected by their families, some were dropped off as children to a Christian organization. Others were thrown out of their homes with little thought as to how they would survive. That is what happened to Javed Warsy. An embarrassment to his family, Javed was still a child when he was no longer welcome at home. He has lived at the hostel for nearly 12 years and has blossomed. When a local organization provided the hostel with a special “speak-easy” computer for the blind, Javed was the first to teach himself how to use the new technology.

The 2010 Partners in Mission Campaign, launched in February, is an opportunity for us to demonstrate our generosity. The money raised will be distributed through International Headquarters to ensure that the Army’s mission remains strong in territories with limited opportunities to raise the funds necessary for their ongoing ministry. Without our financial support, The Salvation Army in many parts of the world would face significant financial burdens as they minister in Jesus’ name. Thank you for supporting the 2010 Partners in Mission Campaign.

Top photo: Children join in song at the Jeevan Asha project school in Mumbai; middle: Blind men find a home and security at the Blind Working Men’s Hostel; bottom: Mjr Gillian Brown distributes new clothes to the children at the Aruna Children’s Shelter

Major Gillian Brown is the associate director of World Missions. For more information, visit Salvationist.ca/partnersinmission

Leprosy treatment at the Mirpur Urban Health and Development Centre

A merchant and children at a train station

Literacy and Fair Wages

The literacy rate for men is 54 percent and drops to 32 percent for women. The Salvation Army offers several literacy programs. Whether for women in brothels or poor women from villages, the programs aim to first educate and then build on basic literacy. Participants are taught practical vocational skills, paid a fair wage for the products they make or are provided with an opportunity to join micro-credit loan programs.

Literacy and vocational training in Old Dhaka

Sally Ann Fair Trade wares in Dhaka

A woman in Jessore holds a pumpkin grown through a
micro-credit loan

A tailoring class in Old Dhaka

A Salvationist ministers outside a brothel in Jessore

Safe Water Projects

It’s estimated that half the population can’t access clean water and 60 percent lack proper sanitation. A major problem for many Bengalis is water contaminated with arsenic. The Salvation Army runs a number of water and sanitation projects that include working with local communities to build water filtration systems. In addition, the Army has built latrines and washroom facilities to help prevent illness and the spread of disease.

A water collection point for 17,000 people living in slums in Mirmur

Arsenic and iron removal in Kholadanga

Education

The Salvation Army is actively involved with education, supporting several schools with specific attention to children with special needs. An integrated school for the visually impaired as well as a school for the deaf ensures that these children have the same opportunity to achieve as others in the community. The Salvation Army also operates a home for orphaned girls.

A music class for the visually impaired in Savar

Integrated Child Care Centre in Savar

Integrated Child Care Centre in Savar

Health

The Canada and Bermuda Territory has maintained an active interest in Bangladesh since the country separated from Pakistan. As access to adequate health care is scarce, The Salvation Army operates a number of health clinics, including those that specialize in the testing and treatment of tuberculosis and leprosy, which continue to be problems in Bangladesh.

Men receive assistance at the leprosy clinic in Mirpur

Children benefit from Army programs

Sally Ann workshops, now known as The Salvation Army’s Fair Trade movement, began under the direction of a Canadian Salvationist serving in Bangladesh. The Army has also partnered in a variety of projects, including the construction of a new playground at Savar’s Integrated Child Care Centre. Captain Elizabeth Nelson, a Canadian officer, has been serving in Bangladesh as the projects officer.

Worshipping at The Salvation Army Savar Corps

Take time to learn more about the great work being done in Bangladesh and in our partner territories. Visit Salvationist.ca/partnersinmission for more information or click here to access additional Partners in Mission resource materials.

Through its work in 119 countries, The Salvation Army is doing its best to make the world a better place. Whether in China, Liberia, Hungary or Bangladesh, the Army offers programs that meet spiritual, physical and emotional needs.

Although the Canada and Bermuda Territory offers financial support to a number of Salvation Army territories and commands worldwide, the 2010 Partners in Mission focus is on Bangladesh. Here are some of the projects The Salvation Army is involved in.

Health Clinics

Bangladesh has experienced significant progress in addressing health concerns, with The Salvation Army contributing to the improved health of women and children. Leprosy is no longer the major concern it once was, people are living longer, and the control and prevention of childhood diseases has reduced childhood mortality. However, many challenges remain.

Tuberculosis, malaria and HIV/AIDS continue to pose significant threats. Of countries affected by tuberculosis, Bangladesh is sixth. Every year in Bangladesh, 70,000 people die from this treatable disease. Health specialists are concerned about the emergence of drug-resistant forms of malaria and tuberculosis, especially in children.

Malnutrition continues to be the major cause of death in children. It has been estimated that 75 percent of a child’s life in Bangladesh is spent battling diseases related to malnutrition. Take a moment to consider the difference this makes on a child’s ability to concentrate at school, play and develop friendships.

To address this need, The Salvation Army has developed school programs that ensure children receive nutritious meals. The Army runs seminars and teaching sessions as part of its literacy programs, organizes saving groups, and offers goat banks and micro-credit programs. Each of these programs empowers families with the skills and opportunities necessary to earn an income to help pay for health care.

Above photo: A health specialist discusses the dangers of malaria with a mother

Water and Sanitation

In the West, we spend very little time each day thinking about the privilege of having water piped into our homes—water that is safe to drink, readily accessible for loads of laundry and hot showers or baths. For most of the world, much of life is centred on the four to five hours spent each day walking to collect water. Often the water is contaminated, compromising the health of families.

Bangladesh is no different than most of the developing world in its concern for a safe, accessible water supply, with one unique twist. In the 1970s, various charitable organizations responded to the water issue with the construction of hundreds of tube wells. Although the tube wells eliminated one problem, they created a new tragedy—arsenic poisoning. Today, more than 30 million people in Bangladesh are exposed to water that has been contaminated with arsenic by hundreds of tube wells. It’s been called the biggest mass poisoning in history. Arsenic symptoms vary from blackened fingernails to serious damage to the lungs, liver and kidneys. There are nearly 3,000 arsenic-related cancer deaths each year. Coming to terms with the problem has taken a long time, primarily because the symptoms may not appear for 10 years or more and vary from one person to the next.

The Salvation Army in Bangladesh has responded to this concern through the establishment of an arsenic and iron removal project. As new technologies develop that provide a more cost-effective way to ensure that the water is safe and clear of arsenic contamination, the Army will look for ways to expand its projects to rural communities.

Above photo: An arsenic and iron removal plant

Working Conditions

Fair wages and and healthy working conditions are essential in order to ensure the safety and dignity of workers. In Bangladesh, these basic standards are frequently violated in the garment and textile factories. As companies in the West look for ways to offer products that are available at the lowest cost, the temptation is to look to the poorer countries of the world to provide cheap labour. In Bangladesh, there are more than 4,000 garment factories churning out name-brand clothing, employing more than 1.5 million, mostly women.

Frequently referred to as sweat shops, most workers at these facilities earn a mere $14 per month for 14- to 16-hour work days. Although international attention has resulted in a few factories raising their standards and benefits for their employees, most remain overcrowded, lack sanitation and are poorly ventilated, ideal conditions for the spread of tuberculosis. Over the years, a few brave workers have spoken out about the physical and verbal abuse, the long hours of forced labour and delays of up to a month in receiving wages. Those who do speak out are sometimes mistreated and their employment terminated.

Local corps offer support for those who work in this industry. In Canada and Bermuda, we can show that we care by becoming aware of where some of the products we purchase have been made and choosing where possible to support the fair trade industry.

Above photo: Workers at the Sally Ann fair trade factory

Climate Change

As a low-lying delta country, Bangladesh is especially vulnerable to climate change. Global warming has already shifted the country from six seasons to four, with the weather becoming increasingly unpredictable and destructive. Much of the land has become water-logged and inarable. It is estimated that by 2050, millions of people will be homeless due to rising sea levels.

Bangladesh is only one of many poorer nations hard hit by climate change. As Christians, we can make a difference. The words of Micah 6:8 remind us of our calling to “act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Every day we make choices that have an impact on our environment. Why do we drive distances that are close to where we live? Why do we buy so much stuff only to throw it away? Why do we replace things that are not broken? Why do we leave lights and appliances on when they are not being used? These choices are simple and basic yet are small steps in reducing our impact on our world.

The Salvation Army is loving people and our earth all around the world. From bio-gas projects to solar stoves, the World Missions office is committed to supporting the poorest and most vulnerable people, raising environmental awareness and working toward responsible use of the earth’s natural resources.

Above photo: Rising water levels leave many families homeless

February also marks the launch of the Partners in Mission (PIM) Campaign. Aside from the obvious connection between the beginning of the Lenten season and a campaign built on sacrificial giving, it is fitting that the appeal is promoted in a month devoted to extravagant love.

After telling the parable of the Good Samaritan (see Luke 10:25-37), Jesus changed the focus of the question of “Who is my neighbour?” to “Which of the three characters in the story proved himself to be a good neighbour?” It is a significant shift, compelling us to reflect on the ways in which we show ourselves to be good neighbours. In the parable, the Samaritan proved to be the better neighbour through a response that required a change in plans, as he became personally involved in caregiving at a financial cost. Two thousand years later, the demands remain much the same, although perhaps the boundaries of our neighbourhood have expanded considerably.

This year’s PIM resource package introduces us to the challenges faced by The Salvation Army as it ministers to our neighbours in Bangladesh. Some of the challenges are consistent with those in the developing world: access to clean, safe water; education for all children; the opportunity to receive fair wages; adult literacy; and increased earning opportunities. Other challenges have a particular urgency in Bangladesh, for example human trafficking, which preys upon vulnerable women and children. Climate change is also rapidly affecting the lush vegetation that has been the pride of the nation. Water sources once thought to be safe now expose more than 25 million people to toxic levels of arsenic.

Being a good neighbour means taking action. Here are some good ideas for sharing your love with those overseas:
• Host a Foods of the World event at your corps, with all proceeds going to PIM. It’s also an opportunity to introduce one another to foods that are part of your family tradition.
• Fast one day a week throughout the campaign and donate the money you would have spent on food to PIM.
• If you’re feeling adventurous, try living on the $2-a-day budget that is the reality of more than half of the world.
• Organize a giant garage sale with all monies going to the PIM Campaign. It’s a great way to raise funds and simplify your life.
• Make your fundraising more intriguing by hosting a mystery auction, as one corps in Newfoundland did for the 2009 campaign.
• Invite your congregation to bring their PIM offerings publicly, walking or dancing down the aisle to music that expresses the joy of giving.
• Use the 2010 World Missions calendar (available with PIM resources) as a year-round reminder of our neighbours.

Responding to the needs of the man left to die by the roadside required the Samaritan to make choices. Being good neighbours to those in the developing world also demands we make choices that express our love in concrete actions.

Love is in the air. Catch that loving feeling as you respond to the Partners in Mission Campaign.

Major Gillian Brown was appointed as Associate Director of World Missions in June 2006. In this role, she travels frequently to other countries to observe projects funded by The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda. She is married with three adult sons and has a daughter-in-law. Gillian has her Master of Religion degree from the University of Toronto and in May 2009 was elected as one of the three Vice Presidents of the Canadian Council of Churches.

A Life in Darkness

Laboni was born into the sex trade. Raised in a Jessore, Bangladesh, brothel and vulnerable to exploitation, she wanted to make different choices for her life. Poverty and little education were not the only challenges that Laboni faced. She was born with a deformity in her foot, limiting her job opportunities.

Hope came when Laboni became involved in a tailoring program The Salvation Army offered across the street from the brothel. She proved to be a quick learner, able to sew basic clothing items. Army staff also worked with her mother, helping her leave prostitution and stay employed with small jobs.

The tailoring program offers more than sewing classes. The day begins with prayer. Most of those involved in the program are sex-trade workers from the brothel or street prostitution. Many have come to trust in God and can nod in agreement when Laboni says, “Before our life was in darkness, now we have learned many things.”

Photo: Laboni learns to sew at the tailoring course in Jessore

Newfound Joy

Faustina arrived in Tijuana, Mexico, four years ago hoping that she would find work. A single mother of two young children, she also cared for her mother. Faustina was desperate for employment. Tijuana is well-known for tourism and numerous American-owned factories that promise “the good life.” That very few of the hundreds that pour into the city are able to eke out a living was something Faustina had yet to discover.

At first, Faustina was able to find a construction job. However, workers were hired on a daily basis without a guarantee that there would be regular work. With shrinking job opportunities and desperate for money to feed her family, Faustina began selling candies on the street with her children by her side.

It did not take long for Faustina to discover the seedy side of life on the streets. Men offered her money to “rent” her children for the night. Faustina began to fear for her children’s safety and knew that she could not allow them to wander from her side, especially when the candy stall became busy. She’d heard stories of men enticing children with “gifts.”

It was when Faustina was at her lowest that she met The Salvation Army through a friend who introduced her to Anna Quintero, the director of an extended daycare program funded by the Army. Anna listened to Faustina and provided the support her young family needed. It was not long before she began volunteering at the daycare and, when her cooking skills were discovered, Faustina was hired as the cook.

“Thank God I am here,” she says. “I don’t have to take my children on the street anymore.” Listening to the staff sharing their faith with others, as well as Anna’s own example, have led Faustina to a new relationship with God, a God who cares for her most intimate concerns. “Through it all,” Faustina notes, “I’ve discovered God’s faithfulness and the newfound joy this has brought to my life.”

Photo: Faustina and her children, with Anna Quintero (left) and Vincent Gaytan (right) of the maintenance/security staff

Answered Prayers

Walking through the narrow streets of Old Dhaka in Bangladesh, a local community leader stops to remark, “Rekha is a good girl—highly respected here.” Rekha smiles at the reference. Her past would not have earned her the label of “good” from anyone in the community.

Rekha spent 12 years caught up in the sex trade. Married to a drug addict, the mother of two had little hope of her circumstances improving.

Then The Salvation Army began an outreach program in the brothels of Old Dhaka. The staff soon discovered that Rekha was bright and intelligent, and desperate to find happiness. Rekha was among the first to attend literacy classes, and was quick to learn crafts and gain sewing skills.

She grew from an illiterate sex-trade worker to teaching reading and writing, with her husband counted among her graduates. The couple now owns a small tea business, continues to make crafts for The Salvation Army’s fair-trade program and regularly opens their home for literacy classes. Home is one small room in an apartment building shared with their two children, two sisters, a brother and his wife, and her mother.

Rekha has seen God answer her prayers in miraculous ways, but the biggest change came when she learned about the love of God. Her faith is simple but deep.

“God is good,” Rekha beams.

Photo: Rekha teaches her neighbours to read in her one-room apartment in Old Dhaka

Looking for something special to put under your tree this Christmas?

The World Missions Department is offering a unique gift in the form of a very practical calendar that highlights some of the international development projects funded by the Canada and Bermuda Territory.

With a minimum donation of $2.50, this gift is something that is affordable as an expression of thanks to special people in your life. Give to friends, neighbours, family, co-workers and even as a nice treat for yourself to use as a prayer reminder, birthday reminder and other dates to remember throughout the year … a handy reference size for any location.

Available from The Salvation Army’s Supplies and Purchasing. To order, phone 416-422-6100 or email orderdesk@can.salvationarmy.org. The cost is $2.50 per calendar, with a minimum order of 10 calendars. Price does not include shipping or applicable taxes.

The Salvation Army doesn’t parachute into troubled communities and start fixing things. Finding answers begins with listening, which is why the Army seeks to build relationships and partnerships in the communities it serves.

Here are a few snapshots of The Salvation Army at work internationally. Through the support of the Partners in Mission Appeal, the Army is able to provide significant support worldwide. Our brothers and sisters, often living out their faith in grave circumstances, depend on us not only for financial support but for our friendship and commitment to uphold them in prayer.

Vulnerable Children

In Tijuana, Mexico (below), The Salvation Army has begun an extended day-care program to ensure that children are nurtured in a safe, loving environment while parents, mostly single mothers, work long hours in factories. The project is one way the Army is responding to human trafficking. In Monrovia, Liberia, the Army operates an after-school program to support at-risk children.

Clean Water

In rural villages, people require access to water for drinking and agriculture. From building boreholes in Malawi, rehabilitating wells in Liberia and reconstructing the water system damaged by an earthquake in Sichuan, China (below), The Salvation Army is ensuring that thousands have access to clean, safe water.

City Slums

Poverty, hunger and disease are not just rural issues. One billion people worldwide live in city slums, often making risky decisions to eke out a future for themselves and their families. In cities such as Monrovia, Liberia (below), the Army is facilitating opportunities for education and employment in addition to providing assistance for food and health concerns.

HIV/AIDS

Thirty-three million people are living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, with countries such as Liberia (below) having the largest proportion. With funding from CIDA, a three-year project has commenced in Malawi, Tanzania and Kenya, providing HIV/AIDS awareness training, home-based care for the sick and dying, and outreach to the growing number of orphans and vulnerable children.

Adult Literacy and Microcredit

There’s a saying, “Educate one woman and you are educating a whole village.” Literacy, basic math and business skills─along with microcredit loans─create opportunities for women to generate income that will benefit their families. In Bangladesh (below), the Army reaches out to sex-trade workers, providing opportunities for literacy and vocational training that open doors to a better future. In Tanzania, women gain the skills and confidence necessary to operate their own businesses.

Community Mapping

In Tanzania (below), village elders and representatives draw a map of their community, prioritizing their needs and identifying their strengths. The Salvation Army utilizes this approach throughout the world, encouraging people to explore their local potential to respond to challenges.

Click here for more information on Partners in Mission.

Click here for more information on Partners in Mission.

What one thing in my life do I want to give up in order to further my relationship with Christ? Really, I don’t feel as though giving up one harmful habit or innocent indulgence will help me understand the significance of this specific event in my sacred journey. If I stop eating dessert for 40 days, will I really be able to identify with the true meaning of this spiritual discipline known as Lent? Or is it possible that the season of Lent is about more than just giving up something, and is instead about taking something on?

The purpose of Lent is twofold. The 40 days are a time for a probing consideration of our human condition, including sin and its deadly consequences. They also help foster an intense consideration of the new possibilities offered to us in Christ and their implications for practical living.

Time-Honoured Practice
The current experience of Lent in many churches begins with Ash Wednesday, which often includes marking ashes on the forehead as a sign of our mortality. The liturgy then moves methodically through five weeks of preparation, climaxing on Palm Sunday. The blessing and procession of palms, the singing of hosannas and the Gospel proclamation of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem all combine to create a brief festal interlude in the discipline of Lent. This same rite also intensifies our focus upon the sufferings and death of our Lord in the days of Holy Week.

The 40-day Lenten period originated in the early centuries after Christ. It was based on the time allotted for converts to make their final, intensive preparation for baptism. It was to be a time of particular devotion and discipline, including prayer and fasting as recommended in various New Testament passages. Jesus’ own preparation for ministry by fasting for 40 days in the desert influenced the idea of self-denial. Through the practice of going without, the individual can know what it is like to be with God in a new, intimate way—to hear his voice, to experience his presence without any earthly distractions.

For each person, a different pattern of devotion and discipline will be appropriate during the Lenten season. But whatever that discipline looks like, it should be intentional and sustained, and should proceed not from a sense of duty or obligation but from a sense of grateful devotion.

A New Approach
In the past, much was made of the idea of giving up something for Lent. At times it became a trivial, if harmless, pursuit—for example, abstaining from chocolate or from going to the movies. Maybe this was even practised with mixed motives—reducing sweets not for spiritual reasons but to shed some of the extra Christmas pounds. Yet this idea of deprivation doesn’t encompass the fuller Lenten discipline—a self-examination that seeks greater conformity to the mind of Christ, but also more effective ministry on behalf of the world!

How then do we fully encompass the Lenten discipline and engage in more effective ministry on behalf of the world? Rather than a season for giving up something, let us consider Lent as a season for taking something on. For instance, you could conduct weekly or bi-weekly visits with someone who is ill or confined to their home. You could add another Scripture passage to your daily devotions, pray while walking through your neighbourhood or increase your tithes and offerings for six weeks. At the heart of the Christian faith is our common participation in the life, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

You may be participating in this Lenten discipline more than you know! Growing up in The Salvation Army, I am more than familiar with the concept of self-denial, though I never understood it to the extent I do now. I remember giving something up and putting the extra money in my offering envelope for Sunday school, knowing it would go to missionaries in faraway lands or other people in need.

In recent years, the former Self-Denial Appeal has been renamed Partners in Mission. The same idea of sacrificial giving is present, but now we are linked to specific areas of the Army world, so that the focus is not just what we can offer to them, but what they in turn bring to us.

Lent is a double journey—a journey together (and alone) toward the mystery of God’s redemptive embrace in the death and resurrection of Christ. This Lenten season, don’t just give something up for the sake of losing those 10 extra pounds. Instead, take something on for the betterment of this world.