A FAITHFUL GOD - FAITHFUL WARRIORS (PART TWO)

KIEV CENTRAL CORPS YOUNG PEOPLE'S LEADERSHIP TRAINING 1994

Saturday afternoon gave us much time to eat, share fellowship, meet old friends and for me, new ones.  I very soon discovered that much of the love, affection and high esteem the people have for Sven was eagerly expressed to me too.  People who seemed desperate to greet Sven, speak with Sven, have their photo taken with Sven and thank Sven seemed to come at us from every direction.  It was wonderful to meet with some of the very first soldiers Sven and Kathie enrolled, to hear some of their stories and to see them still faithfully serving God through the ranks of The Salvation Army.  We met some who were no more than children and now, young women bringing their own children to celebrate.  Others who had aged somewhat over the twenty years but nonetheless still gave sincere thanks to God for what seemed like their ‘forefathers’ Kathie and Sven, their heroes of faith.

Many different expressions of worship were shared during the course of the afternoon, out in the park in the heat of the day.  Young brass musicians playing jazzed up versions of familiar SA tunes.  Dynamic youth drama groups performed.  An Oslo Temple band ensemble sensitively fitted in to the whole weekend and added so much. Sven recalled leading them in the triumphant march as they opened fire in Leningrad, following the SA flag to the very place where his grandparents had been arrested.

Russian Cadets 1918 with Adjutant and Mrs. Otto Ljungholm (Cadet Zeligmann was arrested and scheduled to be executed; story follows in a few days)

However, I guess for us and particularly for Sven the highlight of the afternoon had to be watching and listening to the newly formed YP band from Yalta. They played enthusiastically having only been learning for the past seven months.  Sven and Kathie planted the Yalta Corps, and the Commanding Officer had been one of their young people sixteen years ago in the Kiev Central Corps Singing Company.

KIEV CENTRAL CORPS SINGING COMPANY (with a young Captain Ruslan)

Sven now greeted some of their early recruits from Yalta. The Officer invited Sven and me to return with a group next summer (2012) to conduct a ten-day music camp and to encourage the ongoing work there amongst the young people. No one seems to take notice of Sven’s disability… He doesn’t allow them to. They still see him as that strapping Captain that led them, the pioneers into battle in the years following Perestroika. Any interested volunteers reading this please contact either Sven or me.

The evening celebration encouraged us to look at what is happening now and was enthusiastically led by indigenous Officers and youth of the territory.  I found the youth of this territory to be an absolute inspiration and made me feel the Army is in very safe hands as I saw something of their passion, drive and enthusiasm.

Sunday morning brought the Commissioning and Ordination of seven cadets.  A very solemn congregation gathered as the Oslo Temple Band ensemble prepared our hearts and minds for worship with their playing.  Sensitively we were asked to remain seated as the colours were processed into the hall, followed by the Cadets.  Sven however, with a burning in his bones, could not remain seated for the colours and so I witnessed my disabled husband, refusing help, struggle to stand as I realized he could not remain seated for the flag and all it represents. His ancestors and others were prepared to die for our colours, and some did.  In hindsight, I wish I had stood too, but I guess many of us stood in our hearts and in gratitude to God for the beautiful sight of these soon to be Lieutenants. Sven has remnants of the flag his grandfather was holding as he was arrested in 1919. If these stories were told in the IFOT and corps, I believe every soldier, recruit, cadet and officer, including the ex-pats would rise as one in tribute and thanks to God for the true Eastern Europe early pioneers.

Glad Ljungholm, Major
UKT

Part Three will follow