Transforming Lives in Samoa
Since officially commencing operations in Samoa in 2018, The Salvation Army has become a vital force for social and spiritual transformation across the islands. Responding to a heartfelt invitation from the Samoan Government, the Army began its mission with a clear focus: to address pressing issues such as drug and alcohol addiction, domestic violence, and poverty through faith-based and community-driven services.
Captain Julie Turner has spent the past four and a half years serving in Samoa alongside her husband, Captain Eric Turner. The couple are the regional leaders, as well as the corps officers of Apia Corps (church). With oversight of various impactful ministries, Julie is not only excited about what God is doing, but passionate about the role she gets to play.
A different outlook
It’s abundantly clear that Julie has fallen in love with Samoa—but it’s the people she cherishes most.
‘I love the people I work with—we’re a small but close-knit team—and I love the people I worship alongside on Sundays. At the beginning of this journey, if I’m honest, I sort of grouped everyone together as being “Samoan”, which makes me laugh at myself now. I’ve come to know so many different and wonderful individuals!’
When asked how the experience of serving in Samoa has changed her, Julie pauses before responding. But she smiles warmly as she speaks about the peace and contentment that have infused her life since arriving in Samoa.
‘It’s almost hard to remember what I was like before,’ she says. ‘I have a different outlook on life, on poverty and on the challenges people face. My eyes have been opened, and I’m grateful. Life is simpler in Samoa. Many of the things I thought I needed—or wanted—just because I could have them, no longer seem important. I’m much happier with less in my life. Things I used to be quite particular about have simply faded into the background.’
While Julie’s faith—the core of who she is—has remained steadfast, her image of God is being expanded.
‘So much of how we experience faith and interpret the Bible is shaped by our upbringing, church tradition and culture. My faith has been influenced and shaped by Western palagi (white/pākehā) culture. My image of God has grown in Samoa because I’ve encountered another way of thinking about and expressing faith—another way of being in relationship with God. ‘There are tenets of faith we absolutely stand on, but witnessing the work God is doing in people here and eing how faith is lived out—that has changed me. It’s softened me.’
‘Family is almost everything in Samoan culture, which is incredibly powerful. Every single day, our families have a time of devotions together—Lotu. Sometimes twice a day, depending on the family. There’s a certain formality that some in New Zealand might view as “religious”, but what I’ve witnessed is an absolute devotion to gathering together to seek God’s presence as a family. And that’s amazing! In our Western quest to prove that God cannot be confined to a building or a specific time of day, I wonder if we’ve lost something,’ says Julie.
Initially surprised by the formality embedded in many aspects of Samoan culture, Julie says that after nearly four and a half years, she’s come to appreciate this unexpected dimension.
‘When people are speaking in a group, there is so much more respect here for whoever is speaking. And there is something truly lovely and deeply honouring about that,’ she says.
Mission to the marginalised
Julie explains that, over time, the ethos behind the mission of The Salvation Army is becoming increasingly embedded in the hearts of Samoan Salvationists.
‘The Holy Spirit is moving in people’s lives, deepening this absolute dedication to serving the people of Samoa. Our mission to the marginalised and vulnerable is becoming a stronger and stronger theme as people grasp it and engage in mission.’
Unlike Aoteraoa New Zealand, Samoa has only limited government welfare support. The cultural expectation is that families will support their own if they are struggling, or that their home church will step in. However, with increasing urbanisation, some people become disconnected from their rural families as they move to the city. Julie is careful to explain that offering support to a stranger—not a family member or someone from church—has been a developing conversation for Salvationists. She believes The Salvation Army offers a safe landing place for those who find themselves in Apia without immediate connections.
Another factor contributing to estrangement from family and church communities is alcohol and drug addiction. The work of The Salvation Army’s Alcohol and Drug Treatment Programme, led by Aukusitino Senio, is absolutely essential in Samoa, and Julie is deeply proud of the work the addictions team is doing.
‘Methamphetamine use is increasing in Samoa and is recognised as a major social issue, impacting the very things that bind us together—family and church. We’re finding that many of our addiction clients’ struggles stem from being disconnected from family, church and of course, God. A big part of what the team does is help people reconnect with family and church, because those are significant protective factors in recovery,’ explains Julie.
The Salvation Army is playing a key role in helping to disrupt the meth trade in Samoa. In January, Major Sue Hay and other experts in the addictions field from Aotearoa New Zealand arrived to facilitate an educational workshop and raise awareness of the realities of meth use. The workshop was attended by 60 people from across the spectrum of Samoan society—church leaders, school principals, corrections officers and police.
‘It was a real milestone for us in terms of connection and collaboration with the wider community. One of the most beautiful things about Samoan culture is that even at a workshop about meth use, everyone who spoke offered a prayer and sang at the end of their presentation. God’s Spirit was infused through everything,’ says Julie.
For women and girls
Julie is especially passionate about the expansion of the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls campaign. With funding from the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development (Samoan Government), The Salvation Army has delivered a range of activities aimed at ending violence.
‘It’s been humbling to sit in that space as a palagi and hear about the research into Samoan society. Violence towards women and girls was not part of Samoan culture prior to the arrival of the colonists. Tough to hear, but important to accept so we can be part of turning the tide.’
A particularly exciting development has been the implementation of training to empower others to deliver their own campaigns.
‘Our team has taken things to the next level by training community leaders. We ran a workshop in a village, and they then ran their own campaign,’ explains Julie.
Another win was a workshop for young people about their role in speaking up about violence in their own homes. Using tools such as poetry, short stories and songwriting for inspiration, the workshop concluded with a concert for parents and church leaders. Following this, two corps members ran a workshop for Apia Corps.
‘That Sunday we held a three-hour workshop instead of our usual service. It was so powerful to come together for worship and talk about ending violence in our own homes—praise God!’
Funded by the Sponsorship Programme of the New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory, another important ministry is changing the educational trajectory for Samoan children. Coordinated by corps member and university senior lecturer Anita Niusulu, a reading programme is focused on instilling a love of reading in children.
‘The reading programme is about ensuring children have a better future. If a child can’t read, they cannot access a university education, which makes it difficult to find employment—and that impacts levels of poverty in their family,’ explains Julie.
Prayer and praise
Julie is excited about the growing number of people stepping into full membership as soldiers. With formal membership holding deep significance in Samoan culture, enrolments are particularly special.
‘I haven’t seen anything like it before in my lifetime in The Salvation Army,’ says Julie. ‘Seeing people connect with the mission of The Salvation Army and watching how that strengthens their faith and desire to serve God is truly exciting.’
Julie shares a touching example of when a young soldier’s sister was enrolled.
‘He was so proud to hold the flag for her, because it was such a special moment for their family. The pair then sang “Lord, I Give You My Heart” as a duet and, believe me, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house!’
