Commissioners William and Nancy Roberts,
the Army's national leaders, visited Japan
this spring to view, and officially open,
projects completed in response to the March
12, 2011 tsunami. The projects were managed
by The Salvation Army World Service Office
(SAWSO), and funded by contributions from
the American public who spontaneously and
generously supported the relief effort.
The tsunami, caused by the most powerful
earthquake ever to hit Japan (measuring
9.0), left tens of thousands of human casu-
alties, and hundreds of thousands of de-
stroyed and damaged buildings.
Projects included constructing and equip-
ping temporary shopping centers in the fish-
ing villages of Onagawa, Minamisanriku, and
Ofunato, and the purchase of forklifts and
rehabilitation materials for the fisherman's
unions in these communities. A mobile feed-
ing program, instituted immediately following
the disaster, continues, serving those still
living in temporary shelters. The purchase
of a mobile canteen vehicle greatly facilitates
the feeding effort.
At the opening of the Onagawa shopping
center, the result of a partnership between
The Salvation Army, Trident Seafood Com-
pany (of Seattle), and the local shop owners
association, great appreciation was expressed
to SAWSO and the American public for this
tangible evidence of interest and concern.
The National Commander reminded those
in attendance that "our best work is done in
partnership with others, and that God is
pleased when His people work together in
harmony, serving those who suffer and are
in need, in a spirit of love and compassion."
The territorial leaders for Japan, Commis-
sioners Makoto and Kaoru Yoshida, are con-
fident that this ready and willing response of
The Salvation Army will lead to further op-
portunities for Army mission and ministry.
6
The War Cry | July 21, 2012
One Year After Tsunami, Projects,
Partnerships Solidified in Japan
PROGRAMS
It is possible, and cer-
tainly desirable, for a
Salvation Army corps
within a community
made up of people from
many different nations
to be a place where
everyone feels welcome.
Turning the desire into
a reality, however, can
be daunting. This goal
can only be achieved
through deliberate focus,
awareness and practices.
From article by Major Bruce Dom-
row, corps officer for The Salvaton
Army in Sydney, Australia.
How to
Cultivate a
Multicultural
Corps
WORLD SERVICE/JAPAN
1
Be intentionally multicultural
Involve people of different nationalities in the ministry, worship, leadership, manage-
ment and service of the corps. Intentionally placing people from different cultural back-
grounds on the leadership team, the ministry team, the worship team, says more than
a thousand sermons on cultural inclusion.
2
Act as if you have company
Some things about The Salvation Army may appear strange to those who have no prior
knowledge about its background or the structure and administration. It helps to re-
member to explain terms used by The Salvation Army and to answer such questions
people might have as what it means to be an officer, cadet, soldier or adherent, what
a corps is, what the significance of such ceremonies as a dedication or an enrollment
are, and what the different aspects of Salvation Army life, faith, and worship mean.
3
It's not about us
A corps does not only exist for the soldiers, adherents and other members of the con-
gregation that currently attend. The corps exists for others, those who do not yet at-
tend. Worship, ministry and programs are also for those who are new and those who
are not yet present. This may mean that those who are already part of the corps may
need to learn to do things in different ways, like singing songs they don't particularly
like, in order to communicate the gospel message to others. When all is said and done
it is not about us, it is about others. If these elements of diversity are encouraged, with
the idea of always making others the priority, then it is possible, and perhaps even nat-
ural, to be a multicultural corps.
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