1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:05,519 --> 00:00:24,799 Speaker 2: Hi from the Salvation Army. You're listening to Words of Life. 3 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 3: As these are the words of the life. 4 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:32,159 Speaker 4: Hey, welcome back to Words of Life. Last week we 5 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 4: launched a new series focused on our neighbors. Bernie Dake 6 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 4: is being joined by our Mission Evangelism and Cultural Ministry 7 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:44,199 Speaker 4: Secretary Major Sandra Pawar. Throughout this series, we're sharing practical 8 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 4: ways we as followers of Christ, can make a tremendous 9 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:50,919 Speaker 4: impact in the communities where we live. After we hear 10 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 4: from Bernie and Sandra, we'll hear from a Salvation Army 11 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 4: pastor and volunteer who are helping neighbors during times of 12 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 4: crisis through the Salvation Armies Emergency Design Extra Services. To 13 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 4: learn more about any of the resources we mentioned during 14 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 4: this episode, check out the show notes or visit Words 15 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 4: of Life podcast dot org. 16 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 2: Hello, welcome back to Words of Life. I'm Bernie Dac 17 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 2: and I am so excited to welcome back to this episode. 18 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 2: Major Sandra Poar. I'm so excited that you're here. 19 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 1: Thank you. 20 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:09,920 Speaker 2: You've been inspired by some reading that you're doing and 21 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 2: have put together some really cool Bible studies. And there's 22 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 2: a quote from the book that encouraged you that says this, 23 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 2: The solution to the problems in our neighborhoods aren't ultimately 24 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 2: found in the government, police or schools, or in getting 25 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 2: more people to church. The solutions lie with us. It's 26 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:30,959 Speaker 2: within our power to become good neighbors, to care for 27 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:33,959 Speaker 2: the people around us, and to be cared for by 28 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 2: the people around us. What did that quote mean to you? 29 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think the part that most resonated with me 30 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 1: for this quote was about becoming good neighbors and to 31 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 1: care for the people and to be cared by And 32 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: I might get a little bit emotional, but this spoke 33 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 1: to me a lot, especially recently because my father just 34 00:02:55,960 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 1: passed away in Australia and I went home to visit 35 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:06,080 Speaker 1: my family, and my mom was just sharing about the 36 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 1: neighbors that they had made and how they had cared 37 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 1: for her and for my dad, and I was really 38 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 1: just taken her back, because I never really thought my 39 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 1: parents were very like social people, but ever since they've 40 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:24,639 Speaker 1: been in Australia for maybe ten years now, they really 41 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:28,360 Speaker 1: invested in their neighbors and they would hold Christmas carols 42 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 1: in their backyard each year, and they went from like 43 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 1: ten people to. There was one hundred people at the 44 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 1: last one that they had. Again, there was no agenda. 45 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 1: It's just they wanted to know the people in the 46 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 1: neighborhood and do something for them, and so they created 47 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: this event. But then at my dad's funeral, there was 48 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 1: some neighbors there that, you know, they don't go to 49 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: the Salvationami, they're not Christian other than the fact that 50 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 1: they live on the same street, and they just had 51 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 1: a connection to my dad and they were looking out 52 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 1: my mom and then they were telling me the story 53 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 1: of how my dad fell down a few months ago, 54 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,680 Speaker 1: and my mom called them and they just came and 55 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 1: picked them up. And that's good neighboring, right, That is 56 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 1: allowing other people to care for you as well, and 57 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:22,799 Speaker 1: that it's reciprocal. You know, my mom could have called 58 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:28,039 Speaker 1: the ambulance, but she calls her neighbors. And then they 59 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 1: came to my dad's funeral and then they got to 60 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 1: hear about this life that my dad had lived for Jesus. Again, 61 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:40,440 Speaker 1: no agenda, but God just continued to move and to 62 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:43,360 Speaker 1: speak into people's hearts. And so yeah, so I think 63 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 1: that that quote speaks to me a lot, because I 64 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: feel like we can be good neighbors, and we can 65 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 1: enjoy the good neighbors that God gives us. 66 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:55,919 Speaker 2: And just that little bit of engagement for them in 67 00:04:56,000 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 2: their community offered them an opportunity to witness. Yeah, to 68 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 2: be available for them as well. That's beautiful. 69 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:07,840 Speaker 4: Yeah, Hey, you're listening to the Salvation Army's words of life. 70 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:10,160 Speaker 4: We're going to take a quick ad break and we'll 71 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 4: be right back. 72 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:23,279 Speaker 2: I sometimes think that we might make the idea of 73 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:26,840 Speaker 2: being a neighbor or being engaged in our community a 74 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 2: little bit too difficult. It can be simple, right. 75 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, it can be really simple. And I would say 76 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: I'll just give two things that our family has done 77 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:39,240 Speaker 1: that has made it a bit simple of us is 78 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:43,240 Speaker 1: that whenever we move into a neighborhood, we go door 79 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 1: to door with a little gift. So one year it 80 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 1: was popcorn, and it had a little card that said, 81 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 1: we're just popping in to say hi, just to let 82 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 1: them know that we moved into the neighborhood. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 83 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:03,279 Speaker 1: And then another thing that me and my youngest have 84 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:06,040 Speaker 1: done for the last two years in our neighborhood is 85 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 1: some of our neighbors put up Christmas lights. You know, 86 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:13,360 Speaker 1: at Christmas time, and so we kind of have this 87 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:18,440 Speaker 1: judging contest in our house and we get a gift card. 88 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:22,239 Speaker 1: And so for the house that brang us the most 89 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 1: joy that year, we go after Christmas and we just 90 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 1: knock on their door and we say, hey, you want 91 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: our families competition, And just see their face when they 92 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:40,600 Speaker 1: get that, Like, it's not even worth that much. I 93 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:43,159 Speaker 1: think one year is a box of chocolates and then 94 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 1: this is a gift card. And like the ladies who 95 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:48,920 Speaker 1: house we knocked on, we didn't even know who lived 96 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 1: behind the door. She didn't speak a lot of English, 97 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 1: but she was so blessed and she just kept saying, 98 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:58,160 Speaker 1: oh my goodness, oh my goodness, like. 99 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 5: I can't believe it. I can't believe it. 100 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 1: And it brings joy to my daughter. It bran great 101 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 1: joy to this person. And so it's very simple, like 102 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 1: engaging with people can be very simple and very easy, 103 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 1: and you just have to be creative. 104 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 5: I think, I. 105 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 2: Think that's incredibly creative. Yeah, but you got to be present. 106 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 1: You have to be present, and I think you have to. 107 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 2: Be open absolutely. 108 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 6: Well. 109 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 2: We hope that this series would be a time of 110 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 2: self reflection, not just for us, but for our listeners too, 111 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 2: and you had come up with some questions that we 112 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:50,960 Speaker 2: could ask ourselves to identify areas that we can improve 113 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 2: when it comes to being a good neighbor. Talk us 114 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 2: through that. 115 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it's just some self reflection. One of 116 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,480 Speaker 1: the questions is in want ways do we try to 117 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 1: justify avoiding loving our literal neighbors? And what are the 118 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 1: excuses that we give? And then who are the neighbors 119 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:12,600 Speaker 1: that we overlook or avoid? Do we have any people 120 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 1: that we definitely they drive into the garage straight away 121 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 1: and don't wait too. Maybe the last question is what 122 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:24,640 Speaker 1: would you change if every christ follower took the commandment 123 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 1: of Matthew twenty two literally? What do you think could happen? 124 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 2: Wow? Well, challenge to our listeners, maybe hit the rewind button. 125 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:36,800 Speaker 2: Hear those questions one more time and ask them of yourself. 126 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 2: What are some practical steps you think we could do 127 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 2: this month to become better neighbors. 128 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:52,920 Speaker 1: There's some simple things that we could do. One is 129 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:56,040 Speaker 1: learn the names of the neighbors that are around you 130 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:58,080 Speaker 1: or on your street. You don't have to try and 131 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 1: do the whole block. At least try and in the 132 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 1: name of six new neighbors on your street. And one 133 00:09:03,679 --> 00:09:05,680 Speaker 1: of the things that I would do is I would 134 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 1: if they introduce themselves to me, I would put it 135 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 1: on my phone, you know, house number and the name, 136 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:14,959 Speaker 1: just so that I wouldn't forget later on. That helped 137 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:15,360 Speaker 1: me a lot. 138 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 5: Pray. 139 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:20,840 Speaker 1: We can always pray, and so pray for each household 140 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:23,560 Speaker 1: by name. And then number three is just think of 141 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:26,440 Speaker 1: the neighbors that you have and any needs that you 142 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 1: might see, and then ask the Lord to show you 143 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:30,320 Speaker 1: how you might be up. 144 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 2: To meet that. 145 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:37,479 Speaker 4: We pray that you're enjoying and being blessed by this conversation. 146 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 4: We're going to take one more ad break and we'll 147 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 4: be right back. 148 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 6: I'm a volunteer disaster volunteer, and I'm working with Emotional 149 00:09:56,120 --> 00:10:01,439 Speaker 6: Spiritual Care team that's been deployed here in Kerrville. Emotional 150 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 6: Spiritual Care, I would say, one of our main roles 151 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 6: is that we just try to come alongside people. 152 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:14,760 Speaker 5: As they're grieving. We have opportunity to listen to their 153 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:20,520 Speaker 5: stories and pray. Yesterday, toward the end of the day, 154 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:24,560 Speaker 5: a lady came up and she lives in one of 155 00:10:24,559 --> 00:10:29,360 Speaker 5: the areas along the river that had substantial damage her 156 00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:34,120 Speaker 5: mobile Homer, her RV was okay, her neighbor lost hers, 157 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 5: and she was concerned about all the first responders that 158 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:41,440 Speaker 5: are working in an area, and she said they keep 159 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 5: recovering missing people. And I asked her if she witnessed 160 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:50,520 Speaker 5: that firsthand, and she said yes, she had just seen 161 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 5: someone being pulled from the pickup track yesterday, and you know, 162 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:59,680 Speaker 5: her heart was really heavy. So we just talked for 163 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:02,920 Speaker 5: a while while. We talked about maybe some things that 164 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 5: she might feel later on when things are quad and 165 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:14,200 Speaker 5: calmed down, waits from now, and what she's witnessed and saw, 166 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:17,719 Speaker 5: and then had an opportunity to pray with her. 167 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 7: So Captain Vange miss, I'm the a Commandant Officer for 168 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:26,600 Speaker 7: the Salvation Army in Texarcana and I'm currently deployed as 169 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 7: Emotional Spiritual Care. So the Salvation Army is here providing 170 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:36,280 Speaker 7: services directly to our first responders. This area has not 171 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:39,920 Speaker 7: opened up yet to residents, as it's still being surveyed 172 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 7: and they're still looking for search and rescue and so 173 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:45,040 Speaker 7: a lot of vehicles that are passing by these are 174 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:48,319 Speaker 7: first responders. We do have some residents that have come 175 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:50,679 Speaker 7: in and so we do have some hygien kleits and 176 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:53,960 Speaker 7: cleanup kits that we're providing to them as well, but 177 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,680 Speaker 7: our services here directly are to the first responders. Have 178 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:02,200 Speaker 7: the opportunity to not only offer a cup of cold 179 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 7: water or power aid or a hot meal, but also 180 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:08,679 Speaker 7: to pray. And so we've had that opportunity, and there 181 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 7: have been a lot of volunteers and first responders that 182 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 7: have come and taken advantage of that opportunity. They're just 183 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:17,840 Speaker 7: they're grateful for the fact that we're here and that 184 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:20,439 Speaker 7: the Salvation Army is willing to come in and support 185 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 7: this community. Many of them and this is where I'm 186 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:27,000 Speaker 7: prideful to be able to stand next to the Red 187 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 7: Shield have acknowledged that the Salvation Army did not come 188 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:32,280 Speaker 7: into this community, but it was already in this community. 189 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:35,000 Speaker 7: And so that's something that I've been able to hear 190 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 7: from a couple of different people. As a core offshold 191 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:43,040 Speaker 7: the Salvation Army, I get to represent the Salvation Army 192 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:47,719 Speaker 7: Shield during these times disaster, but as somebody who has 193 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 7: lived through natural disasters and seeing those firsthand, I have 194 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 7: the opportunity to stand on the other side of the 195 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 7: table with this and so I am prideful and very happy. 196 00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:00,400 Speaker 7: There's a level of joy and excitement that come with 197 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 7: need being able to serve these people, understanding that what 198 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:07,720 Speaker 7: they are receiving is not only the opportunity for them 199 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:12,560 Speaker 7: to receive a warm plates of food or a cold drink, 200 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:15,160 Speaker 7: or a shoulder to cry on, but an opportunity for 201 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:17,480 Speaker 7: them to be called into service in the future, much 202 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:18,040 Speaker 7: like I was. 203 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:31,840 Speaker 2: The Salvation Army's mission doing the most good means helping 204 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 2: people with material and spiritual needs. You become a part 205 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:37,680 Speaker 2: of this mission every time you give to the Salvation Army. 206 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:41,160 Speaker 2: Visit Salvation Army USA dot org to offer your support. 207 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:43,480 Speaker 2: You can subscribe to Words of Life on your favorite 208 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 2: podcast store or visit Salvation armiesoundcast dot org. Join us 209 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:49,960 Speaker 2: next time for the Salavation Armies Words. 210 00:13:49,640 --> 00:14:10,959 Speaker 8: Of Life, Life, Life, the Life. 211 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:30,480 Speaker 9: These are the Words of Life. 212 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 4: Thanks so much for listening to Words of Life. We 213 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 4: want to thank the team that Life Audio for their 214 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 4: partnership with us on the show. Visit lifeaudio dot com, 215 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 4: where you'll find dozens of other faith centered podcasts in 216 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 4: their network. They have shows about prayer, Bible studying, parenting, 217 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:49,320 Speaker 4: and more. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you next time.