War Cry - August, 2015 Page 38

lay on the fl oor of our corps' chapel, half
underneath the grand piano. That night, sur-
rounded by friends in a gospel group called
New Direction, I got saved. There was an

overwhelming sense of my need for God,
combined with the confi dence that He was

there waiting for me.

When I arrived home, my mother

knew that something had changed.
She said it was as if a light was shin-
ing from inside me. I was 17 at the
time, and I had no idea what God
had planned for me.

In 1983, at the New York City

Temple, Commissioner Orval Taylor
sent me out to Kingston, Jamaica.
Little did I know that this would
launch a journey of almost 30 years
to places far from home. "Home"
took on new meaning along the way.

There were many goodbyes

that opened the way to an ex-
traordinary collection of hellos, in

Jamaica, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana,
Nigeria, South Africa, Rwanda, Congo, Democratic Re-

public of Congo, India and Bangladesh.

But at that moment, as a 17-year-old in Kearny, New

Jersey, lying under a piano, I couldn't imagine what God
had in store.

1. REALLY SEEING

My first term as a layperson serving overseas was

at the Salvation Army School for the Blind* in
Kingston, Jamaica. I lived in a small apartment in the
boys' dormitory on school grounds. Just over the wall
was a bar that played reggae music 24 hours a day,
seven days a week.

One day, I gave an exam in religious education class.

As I read the questions, students typed

up their answers on their Braille
machines. After a few questions, I ob-
served one student slip his hand onto
the Braille paper of his neighbor, read
the answer and then type it into his
own machine. This pattern continued
for several more questions. I coughed to
alert him, but nothing worked. Finally,
I said, "Matthew."

"Yes, Ms. Foster?"

"You know I can see, right?"
"Yes, Miss."
"You know I can see everything you are doing."

A smile of realization crossed his face. "Yes, Miss.

Sorry, Miss."

For three years, I lived in a community where I was

one of only a few sighted people. But I learned that seeing,
really seeing, has to do with more than just eyesight.

During a rare period of violence in our neighborhood, a

military helicopter landed on our school compound. Fully
armed SWAT�like police emerged, scattering into the
neighborhood. I could see everything as the sound of gun-
shots surrounded us. I will never forget one student who
took my hand during that time and said, "Don't worry,
Ms. Foster. Everything's going to be okay."

The War Cry | AUGUST 2015

APRIL FOSTER,

a Salvationist from the USA

Eastern Territory, has served for 29 years
in overseas ministry in Jamaica, Zambia,
Zimbabwe and Kenya. In her new series,

"Walk Far," she shares lessons learned

along the way. April is currently the di-
rector of Others � Trade for Hope in the

USA Eastern Territory.

NEW WAR CRY SERIES

In Focus

............

Walk

Far

APRIL FOSTER

If you want to walk fast,

walk alone.

If you want to walk far,

walk with others.

--AFRICAN PROVERB

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