A day in the life of ... Major Elizabeth Garland
A day in the life of ... Major Elizabeth Garland
30 January 2023
Major Elizabeth Garland has seen The Salvation Army make a huge impact on the lives of people impacted by the war in Ukraine.
Australian officer Major Elizabeth Garland is the Development Officer for The Salvation Army in the Eastern Europe Territory (EET). This area includes the nations of Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine. Elizabeth, who has a Bachelor of Nursing degree, post-graduate qualifications in primary healthcare, health and international development, and a doctorate in Public Health, also has social program experience with The Salvation Army in Africa and Australia. She has experience in clinical and public health administration, community development and engagement, social policy, homelessness, alcohol and other drugs, and impact measurement. Elizabeth has also spent three years at International Headquarters in London as Impact Measurement Coordinator and international statistician.
Others Online writer SIMONE WORTHING spoke with Elizabeth about her current role in the EET.
Can you give us an overview of your role?
My role includes overseeing projects, including writing and reporting on projects, community development and emergency response across the EET. This includes our anti-human trafficking response. For anti-human trafficking, there is a consultant and territorial coordinator who are responsible for this work, but I monitor our funding and overall direction in this area. I also coordinate mission support projects that fund the Salvation Army’s evangelical mission here in EET. The development side of my work includes being a member of the Ukrainian taskforce, looking at areas of community engagement and how this all comes together in terms of the ongoing sustainability and mission of The Salvation Army.
How long have you been serving in the EET?
I arrived in January 2022 and contracted COVID-19 within a week. I had one week in the office, and then Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February. At the beginning of the war, there were daily meetings with our Salvo leaders in each of our countries and writing and coordinating emergency projects and meetings with IHQ Emergency Team members. Since those early days, we have also been establishing longer-term projects, such as for (northern) winter and Christmas. Our workload has dramatically increased, and we have been trying to bring in extra resources as we are quite a lean team.
What does a typical week include for you?
We have prayers first thing every morning for 10-15 minutes; then it’s opening my computer to see what’s happened overnight in terms of any announcements and emails. The correspondence I receive includes emails from Salvo donor offices around the world – money coming in, ideas and requests from the division. Each week there is a meeting with our country/divisional leaders to talk about their work with Ukrainian refugees, other ongoing projects, funding and a range of different issues. I have regular contact (through Teams meetings and emails) with the divisional leaders and project officers within each of the countries that make up the territory.
Our project board meets every two weeks to discuss new and ongoing projects, as well as emergency responses. There is reporting and correspondence around these meetings. I also meet with International Headquarters regarding finances and new projects and also regularly liaise with donor offices in Europe, USA and Australia. Major Galina Burlacu is the Territorial Emergency Coordinator responsible for the territory’s emergency response. We work closely together and have regular meetings for the work that is going on with refugees.
As an Australian who only speaks English, it’s interesting working with our project coordinators in each country – each of whom speaks a different national language. English is our common language, for which I am grateful. I am working to upskill our project coordinators and give them further training opportunities.
What are some of the most challenging elements of your role?
The legal finance systems in each of the countries we work in are quite complex and challenging to understand. I didn’t realise how easy the Australian tax system was until I came here!
What are some of the most rewarding aspects of your work in Eastern Europe?
Seeing the impact of The Salvation Army in local communities and individual lives – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. In Georgia, for example, I met a mother who had escaped Ukraine. She was there with her 13-year-old son and had just given birth to a baby. Her husband was at the front in Ukraine. The Salvos are supporting her, providing meals, giving her community and care, and opening opportunities for her son, such as a summer camp. This family would be quite isolated if the Salvos weren’t supporting her.
In the first couple of months of the war, we had refugees staying in the hotel rooms and at The Salvation Army’s building here. Our corridors became a playground for the children staying in the rooms, and it was interesting to see how the kids played, knowing they were safe. One boy said it felt like he was on holidays – he could go to the park, play, walk around the lake. He was so happy. A few times, some of the refugees have said that the Salvos are the organisation that wants to keep people safe. It’s lovely to be known for this and for our anti-human-trafficking work, to see that the work we do is translated into people knowing we are here to help them.
How has the outbreak of war impacted your work?
It is totally different to what I expected. I work in many different areas, all wrapped up in the emergency of the war. We are establishing a lot more projects. We did 5-6 last year; this year, we did that in the first month of the war. It was unsettling at the beginning, hearing reports that we might have to evacuate. I had a bag packed and ready to go, whereas now, I just have things at hand, just in case. Life has settled down, and this is our new normal.
What do you miss the most?
My family and friends. I am the proud auntie of seven nephews aged from their late teens to early 20s. I miss my mum and dad, my two brothers and my sister. We have regular contact, though. Driving on the other side of the road is a bit of an adjustment as well. Not speaking Russian or Romanian means conversations aren’t as easy, and I miss the familiarity of home. I have worked overseas a lot, though, and I tend to settle into most places quickly. Please pray that peace will come and that no other countries will be drawn into the war. Pray for safety and for the health and protection of our officers and people in Ukraine and throughout the territory. And please pray for additional resources for our team so we can serve more people!
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