Jarl Wahlström facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
General
Jarl Wahlström
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Jarl Wahlström (right) together with Helvi Sipilä (left) during the visit of Lady Baden-Powell (middle) to Helsinki in 1960.
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| 12th General of The Salvation Army | |
| In office 14 December 1981 – 9 July 1986 |
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| Preceded by | Arnold Brown |
| Succeeded by | Eva Burrows |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jarl Holger Wahlström
9 July 1918 Helsinki, Finland |
| Died | 3 December 1999 (aged 81) Helsinki, Finland |
| Spouse | Maire Nyberg |
Jarl Holger Wahlström (9 July 1918 – 3 December 1999) was a very important leader in The Salvation Army. He was the 12th person to hold the top job, called the General, from 1981 to 1986.
Contents
Jarl Wahlström's Early Life
Jarl Wahlström was born on July 9, 1918. He was the youngest of five children. His father, Rafael Wahlström, was also a leader in The Salvation Army.
Jarl grew up in Finland. He became a Christian when he was seven years old. In 1937, he went to a special college in London, England. He trained to become an officer in The Salvation Army. He officially became an officer in 1938.
Service During Wartime
Jarl's first job was helping at the Oulu Corps, a local Salvation Army center. When World War II started, he joined the military. He served for four years.
For two of those years, he worked as a chaplain for a military group. He helped soldiers during the Winter War and the Continuation War. These wars were fought against the Soviet Union.
Family and Leadership Roles
After the war ended in 1944, Jarl married Lieutenant Maire Nyberg. He then became the main organizer for the Boy Scouts in Finland. Seven years later, he moved to Helsinki. There, he worked as the youth secretary, helping young people.
In 1963, Jarl became the training principal for Finland. This meant he was in charge of training new Salvation Army officers. A year later, he received a special honor. He was made a Knight of the Order of the Lion of Finland. This was for his great work with the Scout Movement.
Becoming a General
Jarl Wahlström's first job outside Finland was in 1972. He became the chief secretary for The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda. This was a very important leadership role.
In 1976, he returned to Finland to lead The Salvation Army there. Then, in 1981, he became the leader in Sweden. Later that same year, he was chosen to be the General of The Salvation Army. This is the highest position in the organization worldwide.
Leading The Salvation Army Worldwide
As General, Jarl Wahlström led several big events. In 1984, he led a meeting for leaders in Berlin. A year later, he led a special gathering in the Holy Land.
He also led the International Youth Congress in 1985. This event took place in Macomb, Illinois, USA. It was the first time young people from The Salvation Army around the world gathered since 1950. It was also the first international Salvation Army meeting held outside the UK.
In 1986, Jarl Wahlström retired from his active duties. He moved back to Helsinki, Finland. He passed away in 1999 after being ill for some time.
Jarl Wahlström's Achievements
Jarl Wahlström left behind an important legacy. He wrote a song called "Great Joy Is Found in Serving Jesus." This song is number 857 in The Salvation Army Song Book (1986 version).
He received many awards for his work. In 1983, he was honored with the Mugunghwa Medal from South Korea. This is a very high award. In 1985, he received an Honorary Doctorate from Western Illinois University.
In 1987, Rotary International gave him a Paul Harris Fellowship. This award recognizes people who help others. In 1989, he was made a commander of the Order of the White Rose in Finland.
General Wahlström also helped The Salvation Army grow around the world. He worked to build stronger relationships with other Christian churches. He believed in working together with Christians from different groups.
