International briefs – World leaders inspire thousands in Sri Lanka
General Lyndon Buckingham and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham, international leaders of The Salvation Army, brought renewed hope and inspiration during their visit to the Sri Lanka Territory from 9-15 January 2025.
Their time in Sri Lanka included meetings with Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, government officials, diplomats and church leaders, as well as commissioning, officers councils, rallies, public meetings, visits to Salvation Army centres and tsunami commemorations.
More than 1500 Salvationists attended the public meeting in the capital, Colombo. “General Lyndon Buckingham’s message sparked a spiritual awakening and his challenge – ‘Let your faith proclaim the love of God to others’ – resonated deeply,” said Captain Aseervadam Cheeli, Territorial Financial Secretary.
“The General’s call to ‘wake up and experience Jesus’ inspired a renewed focus on authentic Christian living, with immediate and profound effects: more than 100 people sought spiritual renewal at the mercy seat, and 26 junior soldiers and 46 soldiers were enrolled.”
For more information and photos, click here.
Ukraine Divisions hosts children’s activities
Throughout the (northern) winter break in Ukraine, corps across the war-torn country have been providing holiday activities for children to “help them relax, have fun, to put smiles on their adult faces and bright colours in their pictures,” the leaders say.
For Ukrainian children, the war means that holidays, like every day, feature air-raid alarms, the sound of rockets hitting their homes, the destruction of these homes and the loss of their homes. It means activities in bomb shelters, receiving news of a loved one’s death and other tragedies, and enduring almost three years of war and aggression.
The corps work together to help children recover and to maintain hope and faith where God’s love reigns and there are no sirens, explosions or death.
Click through the slideshow below for more photos.
‘NAPpad’ pilot keeping rough sleepers safe
In the United Kingdom, the innovative pop-up accommodation (NAPpads), for people forced to sleep rough, launched in Merseyside this (northern) winter after a successful pilot. These pods are not designed as homes, but they do provide somewhere warm and dry to stay for the night and are situated in the car park of the Salisbury House Lifehouse (temporary supported accommodation).
The NAPpad, which is the first of its kind in the North West, contains four individual units, each equipped with a toilet, sink and bed. There is also a window, security door, power point, small electric heater and an LED light. As people who have been sleeping rough long-term often have complex health issues, each pad is also fitted with sensors that detect if someone stops breathing, giving responders vital minutes to save a life.
Amber Sylvester, Development Manager with The Salvation Army’s Homelessness Services Unit, said, “The pilot has been more successful than we could have imagined. The NAPpad, which offers rough sleepers somewhere quiet, warm and safe to stay, has been full most nights, and the feedback we’re getting from clients has been really positive.
“We envisaged them being used by entrenched rough sleepers who struggle in traditional hostel environments. We’ve not only been able to help them but also offer beds to people who may have no recourse to public funds*, have been sofa surfing or, due to relationship or family breakdown, have had nowhere to stay. As part of our ‘trauma-informed’ approach, they provide dignified sanctuary from the streets for people who may be suffering from mental health issues.”
Adam (not his real name), a frequent NAPpad user, said, “Without the NAPpad, I would be on the streets permanently. It’s not so bad during the summer, but it’s much harder in winter. If I haven’t got the NAPpad then I’ll be back out under a bush.”
For more information, click here.
Renovated phone boxes become works of art
A Salvation Army community drop-in in West Yorkshire, UK, is making its mark on the town centre by taking part in a project that creates unique art displays in renovated phone boxes.
Heckmondwike Corps teamed up with CreativeScene, a local arts organisation, and Keep Hecky Tidy, a community group committed to improving the local environment, to fill disused phone boxes in the town centre with unique art displays during the recent festive season. The artwork was produced at the corps’ drop-in group, Friday Friends, a café and community area open to anyone who needs a warm space, friendship or an affordable place for children to play.
Janet Devine, Heckmondwike Corps Sergeant Major, said: “When Creative Scene approached us about the project, we jumped at the chance to be involved. Friday Friends is a very relaxed environment where people can just come and sit and enjoy a cup of tea, but we also want to offer activities for people to get involved in, and this fits perfectly. People enjoy fun, interactive sessions and get to contribute to the artwork being displayed in these unique phone box galleries.
“As we celebrate the one-year anniversary of Friday Friends, it’s a reminder that we’re not only a warm space, but a friendship space. Our message is we are here, and we can support you. We call it church on a Friday.”
Pam Lonsdale of Keep Hecky Tidy said, “The phone boxes are listed buildings, but had been badly vandalised so we worked with our local MP and local business PPG, to renovate them. For the past two years, we’ve worked with schools, adults with additional needs, scouts and community groups to create these community galleries. They’ve gone from being an eyesore to an asset, so this has worked really well.”
