War Cry - April, 2013 Page 25

The War Cry | APRIL 2013

ONE ARMY

130th Anniversary

Celebrations in Sri Lanka

Spirit�filled Gatherings in

India West, Central Territories

General Bond

Calls Salvationists in South Asia

To Change the World

General Linda Bond's visit to Sri Lanka to celebrate the
130th anniversary of Salvation Army ministry in the country
began with a meeting with the Hon. D. M. Jayaratne, Prime
Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. The
gathering included the presentation of a new postage stamp
and first-day cover featuring a photo of the General alongside
the logo of The Salvation Army's International Vision.

The vision itself � One Army, One Mission, One Message�

was the main focus of the celebrations.

Around 2,000 people gathered at the Cathedral of Christ

the Living Savior in Colombo for the anniversary celebration
service. Greetings from the wider Church were given by
the Rev W. P. Ebenezer Joseph, General Secretary of the
National Christian Council of Sri Lanka.

The General enrolled 75 junior soldiers and 74 senior

soldiers, telling them that they need to be "soldiers of
Jesus Christ before being soldiers of The Salvation Army."

In her Bible message, translated into Sinhala and Tamil,

General Bond explained that even though there is great
diversity around the world, The Salvation Army must remain
united. "We know who we are," she said. "We know what we
believe and we know why we serve." She called on young
and old to give themselves afresh to the Lord.

When 350 people gathered at the Colombo Central Corps

the next day to witness General Bond ordaining and com-
missioning 12 cadets of the Proclaimers of the Resurrection
Session as Salvation Army officers, she challenged the new
lieutenants to look for the hurt, the broken, the lonely, the
dispossessed and the lost, and to bring them to God to
receive salvation.

At least 15,000 Salvationists in the India Western Territory
and about 8,000 in the expansive India Central Territory
came together for meetings led by The Army's internation-
al leader General Linda Bond. The General was given
a spectacular and colorful welcome in both territories,
including the honor of arriving in a brightly decorated
horse-drawn chariot known as a ratha yatras.

Attending a Youth Congress in India Central, the General

commended the young people for being from a generation
which treats women with dignity, stands for social justice
and brings people to faith. "This is your day," she said.
"Stand for Jesus!"

At Anand, the General saw signs of a thriving Salvation

Army. In her Bible message she spoke about the apostle
Paul's transformation. She encouraged the Church of to-
day to be relational rather than religious. "There is nothing
more important," she reminded Gujurati Salvationists,
"than to have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ."

While in Anand, the General visited The Salvation Army's

historic Emery Hospital, where she prayed with new moth-
ers and held some of the babies in the maternity ward. She
encouraged the mothers to ensure that their children grow
up to know God.

The public meeting in Ahmednagar included the publi-

cation of the Marathi-language Salvation Army song book.

Speaking about the tremendous growth of the Early

Church, the General told her listeners that "120 people gath-
ered in the upper room changed the world," adding the
challenge that the 7,000 Spirit-filled Salvationists gathered
for the meetings also had the potential to change the world.

From report by Major Babu Samraj

Sri Lanka

Left: The General with children
and a staff member from
The Haven Children's Home.
Right: The General with an
elephant from the welcome
parade--complete with the
International Vision logo!

Photos by Charles Withana

India Western Territory

Above: Seekers at a youth

congress in the India Central

Territory come to the mercy

seat. Right: General Bond greets

Salvationists during her visit.

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