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HAITI—Children at one Salvation Army school in Port-au-Prince, College Verena, are learning about cleanliness and fighting disease by singing the “Hygiene Song.” Watch the video online: https://tiny.cc/prxbg.
Even without understanding Creole, a viewer can follow the song through the motions. This knowledge of basic hygiene will help in Haiti’s fight against the spread of cholera.
AUSTRALIA—“Salvos on the Move”—an outreach of the Werribee Corps (Victoria)—operates from a 22-seat bus with kitchen facilities.
Teams consist of two men and two women—both Salvationists and non-Salvationists—manning the station on Friday nights and Saturday mornings.
Assistant Corps Officer Envoy Ronald Stobie said that those helped are primarily youth coming home from a long night, the homeless and transients.
Corps Officer Captain Lance Jeffrey said, “We are helping an average of 40 people a night. The corps is passionate about being engaged with our community.”
From onFire, March 12, 2011
KENYA—The district of Makueni, east Kenya, experienced drought during the last quarter of 2010, causing crop failures and leaving 2.6 million people in need of food aid.
The Government Agriculture Office (GAO) asked The Salvation Army to provide food for 388 families in a designated area that the government was struggling to aid. An Army team distributed a two-week ration of maize, beans, and cooking oil to the residents.
The GAO consulted with community leaders and staff from local non-governmental organizations to choose the appropriate beneficiaries.
CANADA—The Salvation Army released a report that shows many people still believe myths about poverty. The information came in conjunction with “The Dignity Project,” a campaign designed to enlighten the public about what it means to live in poverty and what they can do to help.
Some common misconceptions are: 1) A family of four can exist on $10,000-30,000 a year; 2) If the poor really wanted to work they could find a job; 3) Living in poverty in Canada is “still pretty good”; 4) The poor would take advantage of any assistance program; 5) Poor are poor because they are lazy; and 6) Being poor cannot rob people of their dignity.
From salvationist.org/intnews.nsf/
U.K.—Maidstone Corps hosted a Mamma Mia evening in memory of Major David Baxter, who died of cancer. Almost 100 people attended with donations totaling 600 pounds (approximately $975) for prostate cancer charity.
In addition to viewing the film, guests enjoyed a karaoke-style sing-along with the movie, which features songs by Abba. Visitors came dressed in Abba/’70s costumes and a youth band played theme music.
The evening included a traditional Greek meal, quizzes and a costume competition.
“It wasn’t all about the money. People came who had never attended the corps. Now they can’t wait for the next event,” Major Raelton Gibbs, Baxter’s son-in-law, said.
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