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Girls’ Lives Transformed, God’s World Enriched

No. 37, April 2012

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Breaking Camp ……….. GB on New Journeys

Looking at ‘New Journeys’ happening within the Girls’ Brigade Worldwide

Family

From our International

President Dear Friends,I often wonder about the people we read about in the Bible, how their faith was so strong. How they would take God at His word. Look at Abraham and how he obeyed God and left his home country to venture into the unknown. He had to break camp and journey to a land that he did not know! He had to completely trust God to take him to a place of safety, a place of prosperity, a place he would call Home. To break camp and move on a new journey is not easy, it takes courage and strength - it takes faith.As you know, at the end of 2011, my daughter Petra and I took a journey to the Pacific Fellowship. Well, our journey could not be compared to that of Abraham, but we took a journey from our home in Lusaka, Zambia to Queenstown in New Zealand, Sydney in Australia and Raratonga in the Cook Islands! These were places that neither of us has ever been to before. It was a trip of faith - trusting that at the end of our journey, we will find someone waiting for us.We started with the Pacific Fonomarae

in Queenstown. We met over 40 young ladies with their leaders for a week. It was a time of learning new lessons. Firstly, Petra and I had to get used to the different accents in order for us to understand what was being said. I think it was easier for Petra because I understand there is a new language that has emerged which most young people are familiar with. By the end of the week, we had formed strong bonds with ladies from New Zealand, Australia, Niue, Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and American Samoa. The theme of the Fonomarae was Cross Over …. Break Camp …. Move On, based on Deuteronomy 1: 6-7. With inspiring devotions each day aimed at looking at the Challenge of the lesson, Change, Courage and Confidence, the days were filled with activities that physically, mentally and socially challenged all of us to aspire for greater things in life and for GB.Just when we were getting used to being in this beautiful city, we had to break camp and move on….. So on to Sydney to join the Australian Fonomarae which was already on to the 5th day of the programme. We joined the group on the Sydney Harbour Dinner Cruise. To see Sydney Harbour by night was spectacular and memories will last a long time. When you join a camp in the middle it takes you a long time to fit in because people have already formed groups, friendships and they have developed

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relationships with others. Not so, with the Oz Fono, we were made to feel at home and fitted in immediately. It was like we had been there from the beginning. Petra made new friends, some by reference from the Pacific Fono, and others by mingling and chatting. This is as a camp should be - fun-filled, adventurous, skills building as well as spiritual., “It’s my Choice” sessions for devotions each morning set the temp for each day for everyone to feel Encouraged, Embraced, Empowered and Enabled. Meeting all these awesome women who had worked so tirelessly to make this Fono the success that it was, was an amazing opportunity for the Chikasa ladies. We were certainly encouraged to try new things (craft, taipan, big wing, etc.), embraced as part of the team, empowered to be the best that we can and felt enabled to move on with courage and confidence as we explore the world of GB. What a time of new lessons we had! At the end of the camp there were tears as we said goodbye to the many friends we had met. I am sure the bonds that were formed will last for a long time to come. This was not the end of the journey. Petra and I packed our bags and on to Raratonga for the last leg of our trip.

Time was so confusing for us that we had stopped checking what time it was at any given time. But we were more confused when after spending a whole Saturday in Sydney, getting on an evening flight to Raratonga, we arrived on Saturday at 0500 hours! We had two Saturdays! Raratonga was fun and leisurely, the pace of doing things was much slower than Queenstown and Sydney. We were given a real Cook Island welcome and made to feel the Island vibe! Visits to the Queen’s representative, the Prime Minister and being part of the training and conference of GBCI were some of the

activities that we were involved in. The biggest highlight of our visit to the Cook Islands was to officiate at the Duke of Edinburgh and Queen’s Award Service. This was just awesome!Many of you this year will be on your own journeys. Going to camp, training, conference or whatever you GB journey will be, take the lessons and treasure the moments. Do not be afraid of stepping out of your comfort space. Stepping out will challenge and help you faith to grow. I pray that you enjoy your GB journey wherever it takes you this year.God bless you,Ruth Ruth Chikasa, International President……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Comments from the Pacific Fonomarae“….by the end of the camp, I left with a whole new appreciation and awareness of how Girls’ Brigade is at work around the Pacific Fellowship and within the live of girls.” Meredith, Australia

“This year with the confidence I have gained from this camp, I am going to

be an officer for the seniors in our company and from what I have learned

from the Fonomarae, I have the skills and the knowledge and also the

support of my fellow friends to do this task.” Teamita, Cook Islands

“I really enjoyed the whole Pacific Fonomarae heaps. It was great to meet so many people from different countries and to hear about their culture and what Girls’ Brigade is like in their communities.” Olivia, New Zealand

“The girls easily adapted to both the 3


cultural diversity and change in the environmental setting and enjoyed the art and craft sessions the most besides

the sight-seeing adventures.” Bella, Papua New Guinea

“New friends were made or old friendships renewed and strengthened through sharing of experiences, knowledge and skills and challenges and concerns exposed and addressed.” Solomon Islands“Thanks to everyone who supported this Fonomarae in any way, from fundraising in order to get your girls to Queenstown, to those who provided financial sponsorship. From comments received everyone enjoyed the experience and they are now using the new skills learned to further the work of GB in their countries.” Jennifer Box, IVP - Pacific Fellowship

GB International on New Journeys - From Around

the World

GB Friendship Day (Singapore) Guess who made the news on 9th July 2011?The Girls’ Brigade Singapore (GBS) did! Over 800 girls and officers from 47 companies worked seamlessly to host some 1,000 elderly friends in celebration of the inaugural GB Friendship Day.GB Friendship Day 2011 marked the start of GBS’ initiative to connect GB girls and officers to the community and

to serve and befriend Lonely, Elderly, Needy and those with Special Needs (LENS).This project hopes to equip GB girls with skills through a specially designed curriculum and for them to put into practice their learning through service. In the process, GBS hopes the girls will also be able to demonstrate the values of humility, compassion, responsibility and service.Working with Willing Hearts, a charity in Singapore that cooks and distributes meals to the needy, some girls whipped up lunch for the elderly friends, while others put on performances, cleaned, served and mingled.The GB Friendship Day was graced by Guest-of-Honour, Mrs S R Nathan, wife of former President of Singapore, Mr S R Nathan, who was also the immediate past Brigade Patron.Our hearts well up with thanksgiving to God for giving us this opportunity to serve the special friends in our community. Indeed we are blessed to give.“What impacted me the most were the smiles of the elderly. Out of the 365 days in the year, GB Headquarters was only hosting them for one day. Yet, they were still grateful and very happy.” - Pte Michele Chang (Sec 1)“All the GB girls worked together to serve the 1,000 elderly which brought unity and strengthened the ties among us.” - Pte Lin Yan Fan (Sec 3)Article is the contribution of 84th Singapore Company [Singapore Chinese Girls’ School]

Eight Primary 6 girls had to overcome their nervousness to ask vendors for donations of fruits and vegetables at

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the Pasir Panjang wholesale centre yesterday.As members of the Girls’ Brigade, they needed the produce for a charity cookout on Saturday where GB members and volunteers will be preparing food for 1,000 elderly people at the GB Centre in Upper Serangoon.The event will be held to mark the first GB Friendship Day, a community service event that will be held yearly as part of GB Singapore’s efforts to bring their members closer to the needy.Said Ms Cho Pei Lin, 33, former GB member and current volunteer: “We hope to educate young people on how to interact and bond with the elderly.”“Inter-generational bonding forms the fabric of society,” said Ms Cho, who works in public relations.Mrs S R Nathan, wife of Singapore’s President and the Brigade Patron of GB Singapore, will be the guest of honour at the event. The GB will work with Willing Hearts, a charity that cooks and distributes food to the needy, to identify the elderly in need of help as well as prepare the food during the cookout.With so many to feed, the GB members yesterday were glad that the vendors in Pasir Panjang were very supportive.The fruit of their labour was a van filled with potatoes, strawberries, onions and Chinese mustard greens.Said Amelia Tai, 12, from Raffles Girls’ Primary School: “We were very nervous at first but we gathered up our courage and are very proud of what we’ve accomplished.”As printed in ‘The Straits Times’, Singapore…………………………………………………..

Iconz4girls –

Beginning of a Journey ….. (New Zealand) The membership of the Boys’ Brigade and the Girls’ Brigade in New Zealand has been in decline for some years. In an effort to address this situation Boys’ Brigade NZ stepping out in faith, launched a new programme called ICONZ. In November 2007, the then National Director of BBNZ gave a presentation about the development of ICONZ and its success, to a GBNZ combined national sub-committees meeting. He advised that churches had started asking for the girls’ equivalent of ICONZ and sowed the seed that “if GBNZ was willing to accept the challenge of developing a girls’ version of ICONZ, they would assist by gifting to GBNZ all their relevant resources and materials.” Interest was shown by GBNZ following this presentation, and from that “seed” a Steering Committee was formed to investigate a similar programme launched by GBNZ.Huge support was received from BB/ICONZ as the project developed. For the next eighteen months a hard working team of four GB leaders, spent endless hours researching programme material, creating resources, developing a name and logo and in May 2009 the first IFG Unit (iconz4girls) was launched.Currently there are 18 IFG Units operating throughout NZ. IFG is based on the Aims, Principles and Vision Statement of GBI and is offering “A life development programme for NZ girls.” An IFG Unit is “owned” by the host church as a ministry outreach into the community. The church appoints the leaders, provides the venue and the ongoing support. The programme consists of Spiritual, Physical,

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Adventure, Community and Interest topics, and the girls earn badges for each subject completed.The leader of the first IFG Unit at Northpoint Baptist Church, Taranaki writes:“I had the privilege of being involved in starting up the first IFG group in the world. WOW what an adventure we have had, it is a privilege to mentor and teach these girls. Two years down the track and still the waiting list is bursting at the seams. Praise the Lord that we can have input into all these girls’ lives.” Joanna Elliott

A leader with Challenge age girls writes:“The name itself has created more interest from adults as well as girls. With its bright logo and catchy name advertising has been a breeze.The programme is fast moving and flexible that engages girls in a variety of stimulating activities specifically applicable to their age group.Changing from Girls’ Brigade to Iconz4girls has meant we have become accountable to church leadership which in turn means we have great support both financially and spiritually.” Glenda Burgess

Another IFG leader shares her journey:“Why we got started?”

“My seven year old daughter had been attending GB in Christchurch, it finished late and then the drive home. My son was attending Hornby ICONZ for Boys and I liked what they stand for and the activities. Hornby has IFG, but they start with Adventure and my daughter wasn’t old enough.I was lucky to attend Every Girls Rally when I was a girl, but didn’t attend church, the teaching I got through a Christian organisation was fantastic, and I thought it would be nice to give back to my community something for

girls that don’t attend church, to learn about God and what he can do for us. I also was talking to God and thanking him for all he has done for me, and offered myself to whatever he wanted me to do … and then the idea of IFG was sown into my heart. I knew it was of God to start IFG in Rolleston. Also the doors just opened with getting leaders, support, etc. and it was very much God’s plan and it was in his timing for it to get up and running.I was with a group of friends that also had girls at GB and we were all travelling, and we thought it would be great to have something in Rolleston, closer to us all, and if it was IFG, that would be even better. From that conversation three of us committed to be leaders, got on board two more leaders, so we started planning with five leaders and our own daughters - a total of seven girls.First of all we planned for Explore and Adventure age groups, but as families rang to book in their daughters, before we knew it, there were six Challenge aged girls wanting to also attend.I contacted my church, Horny Presb. Community Church, who were already supporting ICONZ and IFG to help us set up in Rolleston, they were more than happy to help and support us as a team. IFG offered a valuable day’s training for the leaders and we were able to find our strengths amongst the leaders to delegate the different tasks, so no one leader does all the work, we are a team working to our own strengths.It took six months from our first conversation till we started in February 2011. We launched with all three groups: Explore, Adventure and Challenge, five leaders and two young leaders. With word of mouth we had 37 girls start and a waiting list of 12.A year later, we have three more

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leaders and have 11 new girls start, bringing our total up to 48 girls and 10 leaders. We still have a waiting list of five girls … our venue isn’t big enough to bring on more leaders or girls. Girls are talking at school and I am getting more interest and girls coming to check us out, but sadly we have to advise there is a waiting list.There is a huge need in Rolleston for this type of activity for girls; we are now waiting for Boys ICONZ to get going :-)” Pam BunzComments from girls attending IFG in Rolleston:Olivia, aged 9 years (Adventure) “It is a lot of fun; we learn about God and do crafts.Emily, aged 5 years (Explore)“I like IFG because we learn about God and do fun things together.”Elise, aged 8 years (Adventure)“I like IFG because we can make friends and learn about God. We do fun things, play games and do awesome badges.”Hannah, aged 11 years (Challenge)“I love IFG because we learn about God and meet other girls, make friends and learn new skills and cool badge work.” IFG is continuing to grow as more Churches find out about the programme and become interested in launching it in their community. There are four age groups: Explore - 5-7 years, Adventure - 8-10 years, Challenge - 11-13years and Ultimate - 14 years and over. The older girls have the opportunity to work for their Ultimate Award, Duke of Edinburgh, Hillary’s Award and complete Leadership Training.For further information, check out our website: www.iconz4girlz.org.nz…………………………………………………..

Adopt a Family (Caribbean & Americas) In July 2010, at the Fellowship AGN, the Adopt a Family: Empowering Families initiative was agreed and was then launched in September 2010. It was decided that it would be piloted in member States locally for 2010-11 and then adopted regionally from 2012-13.The vision is Empowering Families on Socio-economic fringe by offering them equal access to education - by granting the adopted families aid for secondary education costs (school lunches, transportation, books, uniforms, facilitating child medical checkups, etc.) to stem the trends of drop-outs, underperformance or withheld secondary education for rural/low income families, coupled with mentorship from Young Leaders and GB’s review of adopted children’s performance.In January to May 2011, the Initiative was implemented by GB British Virgin Islands who have selected two families, approved their funding and commenced the program.Adopt A Family EFA Initiative - in actionSingle low income mother of three (aged 10-16 years) receiving a grant from British Virgin Islands National Council to aid her with educational costsHer story - her name is Nancy and she works at a below subsistence job, with wages so low her employer simply covers her monthly housing rental and to meet basic necessities for her and her children.

Therefore, Nancy has to work a second and third odd job to the extent that

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she and her children often go without regular meals, clothing or school necessities.

She struggles to keep pace with working at so many jobs as she suffers with heart problems and poor circulation, due to her obesity clearly brought on by poor diet.

When we had met her, in desperation she turned to the National Family Support Network (FSN) who had turned her away because she was solely a poverty issue (not a domestic violence or abuse case which they cover).

The FSN was so excited when we contacted them for profiles on clients with secondary aged children who were struggling below the subsistence level, because they immediately said that they knew of a number of cases, especially this one that they had turned away.

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GB 18–30s Nexus (Europe)

Within the UK Church, the 18-30s generation is known as ‘the missing generation.’ Similarly within GB, many young women leave home to seek employment and start university study. This is a time of major life change and some young women lose contact with their local GB group and as they are juggling new responsibilities and do not have time of energy to get involved with a new group. So what is GB doing to inspire, equip and empower this ‘Esther Generation’ to be transformers and disciples in the wider world?In 2011 GB Europe launched a new expression of GB called Nexus. In world terms, Nexus is defined as a series of connections. In the GB

sphere, Nexus is a new initiative to help connect and inspire 18-30s with the wider Girls’ Brigade vision. Nexus is responsive, relevant and relational to the needs and lives of the 18-30s generation. The groups are fluid and organic as members get to decide where they meet and how often they meet. Still in the early stages of development, each Nexus is encouraged to balance faith and fellowship as they grow together as a unique community. Led by a local facilitator, the groups often communicate over private social networking sites.Nexus has spread to university cities in the UK, including Edinburgh, as others catch the vision. The oldest member of the family is the Oxford Nexus and it has been exciting to watch this group of young women develop into a Christ-centred community. The facilitator of this group, Charlotte Hendy, Shares their exciting journey with us:In June 2011, four of us sat together around a table in a coffee shop. We didn’t know each other but we had one thing in common - Girls’ Brigade. We were the first members of the GB Europe 18-30s Oxford Nexus! We sat talking for ages, excited about this new venture - what would Nexus become? What would it mean for us? We decided to meet every two weeks, to fit around our busy student schedules, and to alternate between Bible studies and socials. Leaving the coffee shop that evening, I knew I’d made three new friends, and couldn’t wait to meet with the Nexus ladies again!

There are now eight of us in the Oxford Nexus, and we are a mixture of students and professionals all aged between 18 and 30. So many of us had never met before being part of Nexus, but today we enjoy each other’s company, enjoy spending time with each other, and our get-togethers are

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full of laughter! We come from so many different walks of life, and from all over the country; some of us are still involved in Girls’ Brigade, some of us only when we visit our companies at home, and some of us have lost touch with GB as we transition into this next period of our life. But Nexus unites us!

We continue to meet on a fortnightly basis, and we are currently taking turns in hosting the group at our house, where we share a meal together. We have had chocolate parties, played on the Wii, chatted for hours, had a chocolate fondue….. Every time we meet, it is a lot of fun! Every fortnight, we share the responsibility of leading the rest of the group in a Bible study, using a resource that explores the roles of men and women in the Bible - what an exciting topic for us to delve into together! Jesus is at the centre of our fellowship together, and as we gain new friends and try new things, we are also learning more about Him and exploring His Word.

When I try to explain to my friends outside of Girls’ Brigade what Nexus is, I get very excited, and find it hard to put into words! I don’t quite have an answer to “What does Nexus mean to you?” but I do know that I have made a group of friends who I can rely on, spend time with, and grow closer to God with, and I think that’s the reason why Nexus is so exciting.!

Nexus is a new expression of Girls’ Brigade which is relevant, responsive and relational to the needs of the 18-30s generation in the UK. If you would like any more information about Nexus, please contact GB Europe Co-ordinator, Claire Rush:claire,[email protected] …………………………………………………..

GB International Camp (Africa)

Stellenbosch UniversitySouth Africa

7th - 14th December 2013

AFRICA NEWS FLASH!!!!!!Africa is proud to be hosting the first every International Camp for Girls and Young Women. It is a challenge and exciting for the team in South Africa and indeed for the whole of Africa.The camp will take place at the University of Stellenbosch in Cape Town, South Africa. All the delegates of the camp will be accommodated in a girls Hostel in campus called ‘Nerina’. The University was seen as an ideal location as it offers a wide variety of facilities which are all in walking distance from the Hostel, and it is centrally located from the city, airport and coast.Stellenbosch Town is in walking distance from the Hostel. The town is filled with coffee shops and cafes as well as clothing stores. Various historical monuments and features are also found in the town. This is a perfect setting for a treasure hunt with all the historical monuments

ActivitiesSome of the activities on camp include:* Teambuilding games* Crafts* Treasurer Hunt* Beach Games* Sightseeing* Mission Work

Some of the Sightseeing…..Table Mountain

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WaterfrontGreen Market Square (African Craft Market)Amusement ParkStrand Beach

Comments from the Organising Team

“It is a real privileged and honour to host such an auspicious event. We are all excited to welcome officers and young women from all over the world to beautiful South Africa.”

“I can’t wait to meet girls from all over the world who also belong to Girls’ Brigade.”

Mission WorkIn line with our Vision, we will be looking at making a lasting impact to the lives of children and a number of outreach programmes will be lined up during the Camp,Visiting disadvantaged children in different situations and distributing toys, books, etc. Delegates will be expected to pack something that will put a smile on the faces of one or two children!!

Mission Work Before and After Camp

Programmes will be available for those interested in Mission Work before or after the camp as a group in various institutions around South Africa, and neighbouring Zimbabwe and Zambia.Details will be available to the President’s Committee at their meeting in July. Once approved, delegates can sign up!A blog page will be available soon on the Africa website: www.girlsbrigadeafrica.org

This promises to be THE CAMP so

come join us! Deadline for registration is 30th June 2012. Forms and details are available from your Fellowships.Do not be left out! Come and join the GB on its New Journey and have fun!!We look forward to welcoming you to the Land of Beauty, Africa.Priscilla P. PennyInternational Vice President (Africa)

Supporting the GB Family

Financially - Grant

Information

GB’s International Training Scholarship About Margaret O’RourkeMargaret O’Rourke was from Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and was the International President of The Girls’ Brigade from 1973 until she died in 1977.Margaret was an enthusiast who had a love for the ideals of the Girls’ Brigade. She had a gift of patience and an intuition for where help was needed.As a tribute to Margaret, the Margaret O’Rourke Memorial Scholarship was instituted in 1978. The aim is to enable a person to attend a course of training that will help her to give service and to use these gifts for the extension of the Lord’s work.Criteria

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http://www.girlsbrigadeafrica.org/


The Margaret O’Rourke Memorial Scholarship is a training scholarship awarded each year to a Girls’ Brigade member from any country who:· Wishes to attend a training

opportunity which will equip them more fully for service within The Girls’ Brigade on a national or local level.

· The applicant must explain how they will put the training into practice in their Brigade work and be clear on the benefits to the Brigade as well as to themselves.

· This scholarship is not intended to be used for a person’s general education or qualifications.

· The recipient of the scholarship is asked to give an undertaking that after completion of the training at least one year’s service will be given to The Girls’ Brigade. An official report on the training is also requested.

· If, after receipt of the scholarship , the recipient does not undertake the training or fails to complete it, then the scholarship must be returned in full.

ApplicationApplications for the Margaret O’Rourke Memorial Scholarship are via application form. · Application forms must be signed by

the applicant and endorsed by the National Council.

· Application forms can be obtained from and should be returned to from the Girls’ Brigade International Headquarters by emailing [email protected].

· The maximum award is £300. · Applications should reach the GBI

office at least six weeks prior to the annual meeting of the President’s Committee.

· As a courtesy, the International VP for the Region should be informed of

the application by the National Office.

Example GrantsIn previous years, the types of applications that have been awarded the Margaret O’Rourke Memorial Scholarship have been:* Brigade training in another country.* Attendance at Fellowship or ICGB

Conferences* Bible College Courses * Missionary Training* English Courses* Dressmaking Courses* Attendance at a Keep Fit Conference…………………………………………………...

On a New Journey? The Seed Grant The SEED Award was instigated in 2005 to support the “Start-up” of projects and initiatives that will promote the work of The Girls’ Brigade International Council amongst girls and women around the world.A grant to a maximum of £1,000 may be awarded each year to any Girls’ Brigade member (from any country) who wishes to START a NEW project.This grant is for projects which are organised and initiated by Girls’ Brigade and is available to any member country whose fees are paid regularly. The project must bring benefit to the people within the local community and must also demonstrate that it contributes to the development of young people.The applicant for this grant may be

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either an individual, member country or Fellowship, and all application forms should be countersigned by representatives of the relevant National Board. The International VP should be made aware of the application so that she can speak knowledgeably about it at the PC meeting at which the application is presented.Application forms can be obtained from and should be returned to the Girls’ Brigade International Headquarters and should reach the GBI office at least six weeks prior to the President’s Committee.

Training Scholarships

and Seed Grants - What

Happened Next……...

Isabel Ross - New Zealand ICGB Youth DelegateI was privileged to receive a grant from the Margaret O’Rourke Scholarship towards my attending ICGB in 2010, an experience that I would label invaluable.It was fantastic to get to meet Brigade leaders from so many different countries, and to hear about what God is doing through GB in nations across the world. Whether it was a part of formal reports and seminars, or

through informal chatting at meals or outings, I was able to hear about the challenges and successes of different people, the more the essence of what GB really is came through. It can be too easy to focus on the small things, but seeing what is common to GB in every country reminded me which parts of the organisation are most important.As a company Captain, the best place for me to begin to put what I learnt at ICGB into practice is in my own company. I returned from Malaysia with many new ideas, and was grateful that my leadership team was keen to listen to them. In our planning for 2011 we took a fresh look at the way we do things, and realigned our focus so that we are serving God and the girls in a stronger capacity than we have previously. Having done this, we have seen our numbers grow and our relationships with the girls and their families strengthen. I was also struck at ICGB by how many other countries have a missional focus to their program, seeking to reach out to their community and further afield. This was something that I shared with my leaders and girls. After the Christchurch earthquake this year my Pioneers put this into practice by choosing to incorporate fundraising for Christchurch into their badge work. Seeing this, the Seniors followed suit.On a national level, two of us who were at ICGB have been asked to run some ‘technological’ aspects of GB, including a Facebook page, Twitter account and blog. We had heard from other attendees how they use these things in their country, and thanks to the aforementioned technology, we are able to keep in touch with them and seek their advice as we begin to establish our own.In summary, I would say that attending ICGB inspired me to move in my work in Brigade. I also loved getting to

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explore a new culture, and have made friends from other corners of the world.………………………………………………………..

Claire Rush - Northern Ireland ICGB DelegateI am extremely grateful to the International President’s Committee for awarding the Margaret O’Rourke Scholarship to me for travel expenses to attend ICGB in 2010.It was a privilege to represent Girls’ Brigade Northern Ireland at ICGB again. As soon as I entered the huge ballroom (and even before at the airport when I met the Jamaican delegation), I felt part of a huge family of women who loved God and were passionate about showing girls their true identity in Christ.The week was a whirlwind of meetings, prayer times, fellowship groups and formal events. A few of the highlights were attending the early morning prayer sessions and feeling God’s wonderful presence and praying together with new sisters in Christ from across the world. I also loved meeting the other under 30s representatives. We shared an amazing time of prayer together beside the pool. In 2014, I would love to see more intentional use of the skills and creative energy of the under 30s representative as I feel that the conference would benefit as a whole. I do not advocate segregation of this age group but I think that there should be more timetabled sessions together (formal and informal) as well as the opportunity for them to lead the conference in a discussion or workshop.

I feel that my attendance at ICGB had a strategic value! As GB Europe Youth Co-ordinator, it allowed me to establish good relationships with other young women and also recruit more international participants for the GB Europe CONNECTED blog. This allows GB Europe to improve its flow of communication amongst its members and brings the international family closer together. It was a real joy to co-ordinate the blog during ICGB and it thrilled me to know that people from across the world were sharing and following our exciting journey. During the week of ICGB, the blog recorded 1,281 hits.What words can I use to describe my week at ICGB? Inspiring, exhausting, amazing, God-filled and challenging! Once again, thank you for awarding the Margaret O’Rourke scholarship to me. God bless the IPC as you continue to make decisions that serve God and this amazing organisation.………………………………………………………..

Hannah Field (GBEW) - If 42’s the answer then what’s the question?*Thanks to the support of the Margaret O’Rourke Scholarship Fund, Hannah Field, Mission Co-ordinator for GB England and Wales was able to purchase materials to help her study Theology at Oxford University. Here she reflects on her experiences:

When younger I believed that if I read my Junior Encyclopaedia from cover to cover, I would know all the answers to life’s questions! Needless to say having learnt about X for Xylophone, Y for Yacht and Z for Zebra …. I’m still

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struggling! Just imagine my joy when told during my first Theology lecture at Oxford that by the end of it all we will: ‘know more and more about less and less’ and that if we ‘leave with more questions than answers, it will have been a success’! However, paradoxically this has proven to be a real blessing, because it has really highlighted the importance of asking the right questions when seeking to grow in discipleship and mission. After all it’s certainly no coincidence that children learn the fastest and also ask the most questions!Jesus too regularly encouraged and used questions to help people grow, and so as I sought to grow through this course, I was grateful to be able to grapple with questions such as:· What does the Gospel look like/mean

to different communities … the refugee, the abused, the secularist…?

· How can we be contextually and culturally relevant in God’s mission?

· What does it mean to be a community built on grace?

In the ‘pursuit of questions and answers’, it has been both a privilege and a blessing to know and experience Jesus more, as it’s in Him that the answers can be found. In particular, it has been really helpful to explore what Jesus demonstrates about God’s mission of restoration and the lessons that I (both personally and in terms of my GB role) can learn from this. For example, the importance of:· Equipping and releasing mission

teams/mission enablers· Emerging relevant expressions of

mission from within the context· Ensuring language, values and

actions reflect those of Jesus and His Kingdom

Through all of this exploration, it is clear that the opportunities for GB to

be transforming and enriching lives and communities are massive! This is great, but if we’re honest, it can also be quite daunting! How reassuring it is to know though that we can trust in God and His Power - through Him all things are possible! This course has certainly shown me, that sometimes I can too easily limit God and what He can do to the limits of my mind - fortunately though (cue: big relief!), God is so much bigger than that (as demonstrated by Ephesians 3:20)!The support of the Margaret O’Rourke Scholarship fund has been a real blessing and enabled me to purchase some really helpful books (strangely enough my Junior Encyclopaedia wasn’t on the core reading list - probably because T was for Trampoline!). Anyhow, it’s true that I do now have new questions to grapple with; however, I am grateful for this - as without questions, there are no answers! What’s more, it is through asking questions that we seek God and His will for our lives - and for sure, that can only be a good thing!* 7 x 6Linked to some to the research done with Oxford University, GB England and Wales have produced a mission toolkit called: ‘Being a People of Transformation’ - if you would like to access your very own copy of this, please contact the GBI Office or email: [email protected].

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GB Tanzania - English Classes for GB OfficersGB Tanzania has been very blessed to be recipients of the Margaret O’Rourke Scholarship again in 2008.

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We used this scholarship to have English classes for Officers in four of our Companies.Tanzania is very much a Swahili speaking country, and little English is spoken in the rural areas where most of our Companies are located. Yet, as part of GB Africa and GB international, we are aware that for us to relate in a meaningful way in the Fellowship and International family, and to participate in Africa and international conferences and events, we need more of our members to be fluent in English. And also as we receive many visitors from overseas who don’t speak Swahili, we need to be able to speak English to understand their teaching and to communicate with them.The English courses were of great benefit to improve our ability to communicate and keep up to date with GB all over the world. And we are also realising the importance of more of our Officers and Companies to have access to the Internet. At this stage a small number of our Officers are attending computer courses with this aim in mind. But of course, they would not have been able to benefit from the computer courses without first improving their knowledge of English.So thank you to GB International for helping GB Tanzania take steps forward in enlarging our horizons.………………………………………………………..

GB Tanzania - GB Sewing and Handcraft CentreWe would also like to thank GB International for awarding us the Seed

Fund Grant in 2009 to help us start up our GB Sewing and Handcraft Centre. As we began our third year with our third intake of students we are thankful for your support in enabling us to impact so many young women’s lives and to give them more opportunities in following God’s leading for their futures.In the first year twelve students graduated, in the second year thirteen students graduated. And this year we have an enrolment of eighteen students. They are learning sewing as their main focus, but also some handcrafts, Bible lessons, English lessons and cooking lessons. We have a great Burden that they should know Jesus as their Saviour and Lord to be with them in whatever comes their way. Women and girls are often unappreciated and not given fair chances and choices in life, so if they learn an income generating skill and also trust in Jesus, they will be better equipped to be fulfilled women of God. Our two sewing teachers are both GB Officers, both were in the English classes, and one of them was a recipient of the Margaret O’Rourke Scholarship to learn sewing in 2006.So we are thankful to be part of the GB Africa and GB international Family.………………………………………………………..

GB Zimbabwe - Herbal ProjectGB Zimbabwe received a Seed Fund Grant for a Herbal Project.The garden started early in 2007. Below is the herbal garden. We also managed to harvest fresh leaves several times.However, due to a disturbance at the school for the whole of 2008 and 2009,

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there was nobody to tend to the garden as teachers and pupils were not able to attend the school.There was also a lack of water to water the plants as the council pipes ran dry. Efforts to revive the garden have been hampered by the continued lack of water.Mrs Melody MurombedziNational Secretary………………………………………………………..

GB Zambia - Female Youth Peace Initiative DriveGB Zambia received a Seed Fund Grant from the International Girls’ Brigade in 2009 amounting to one thousand pounds (£1,000) specifically to help girls in Zambia with different skills.Girls’ Brigade Zambia established a group for vulnerable girls called the Female Youth Peace Initiative Drive (FYPID). After sharing ideas which Zambia Girls’ Brigade had, to empower the girls in skills with a view of enabling them to make informed decisions in their lives, the International Office gave us a Seed Fund Grant to support the initiative.The money received was used for the following:1. Bought chairs and tables for

tailoring2. Renovated the kitchen and bought

some kitchen utensils for girls to use in catering lessons

3. Bought one industrial sewing machine and a button-hole machine for girls to use when producing GB uniforms

The money helped so much and we appreciate what the International

Office has done for our Country. Our Africa President, Lt. Priscilla Penny, who attended our 2011 National Rally saw for herself what our country has put in place.BeneficiariesTen girls from the Luanshya District were trained in catering. They utilise their skills in events such as Girls’ Camp, weddings, kitchen parties, etc. as a way of raising money for themselves.Six girls from three different districts of Copperbelt are currently undergoing training in tailoring.Future PlansZambia Girls’ Brigade has continued with the project. As a nation, we have acquired a land of about seven hectares where we intend to construct a Multi-Purpose Training Centre. We hope and pray that God shall see us through. Any assistance from other countries will be appreciated.Catherine NaamboNational Secretary………………………………………………………

GB Jamaica - Healthy Lifestyle & Violence Prevention10th October 2008 marked the introduction of the Seed Fund Grant Project to the Chaplain and two members of the Grateful Hill Girls’ Brigade Company. The Goals and Objectives of the project were shared and discussed, plan of work initiated to include the development of criteria for the selection of the working tea, pre-tests for the knowledge base and suggested strategies and management of the budget. The enthusiastic

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management team accepted the responsibilities and pledged their full support.TrainingSixteen Seniors and Brigaders were selected as Team leaders for the project. A pre-test was completed which revealed:1. The willingness of the girls to be

involved2. The knowledge of the topics was

only fair - ten per cent had more than a fair knowledge

3. Most areas needed clarification and or strengthening.

The girls were placed into four groups and worked as four teams with each girl keeping a daily journal of events and activities.The first training programme led by the Chaplain was held on 19th October and a programme plan was developed, timetable set and subsequent dates were made.A total of six training sessions were held between 7th and 13th November. The resource people used included Public Health Social Workers and the Chaplain. Resource materials were prepared using skits, song, dance, poems and drama. The life of the project was monitored by the Chaplain and Captain to ensure that the support material had the correct information and that the presentations were appropriate for the respective audiences.Community OutreachAn informal gathering revealed that the community would welcome the project and were especially receptive to the topics to be dealt with. They had some knowledge of certain areas but incorrect information and myths still

existed. Many people were not aware of the activities of the Girls’ Brigade.The four teams captured the attention of the community in a variety of ways:· Small groups encountered at street

corners and backyards· Encounters with youth clubs, youth

fellowships and community youth groups

· Addresses and discussions in two worship services.

These sessions were stimulating, educational and entertaining and always included question and answer discussion periods. At these sessions all ages were seen there were predominately female adolescents who all showed much interest and willingness to be members. Statistics Number girls trained as Team Leader

16Number of adolescents reached in

youth fellowships200

Number reached in other youth groups110

Number reached by walk and talk160

Number reached in youth clubs180

Number reached in large groups400

Number reached in Church Worships375

Total Number Reached 1441

‘News Burst’

Europe Fellowship Linking with our International Focus of ‘Breaking Camp’, our GB Conference theme this year will be

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‘Beauty for Brokenness’. We will be sharing with the Micah Challenge organisation to see how we can make a difference to the many young people in our communities who live in a broken world - transient relationships, broken homes, uncertain finances, no sense of God. Jesus can transform their brokenness into beauty!…………………………………………………...

Pacific Fellowship The Pacific Fellowship Facebook page will be launched at our Conference coming up in Sydney, Australia, 15th - 20th April. Taryn Manglesdorf, an Australian leader, has created this and will run a workshop session ensuring that everyone knows how to access and use Facebook, Twitter, etc. The word will then go out to all Pacific countries encouraging both girls and leaders to start communicating with each other using this media. It will be a challenge for some countries though as continuity of internet connections is not great.…………………………………………………...

Asia Fellowship GB Asia will be holding its first Asia Officers’ Conference.The conference will be held in Singapore from 14th - 17th November 2012.The participants will also join GB Singapore for its exciting 85th Anniversary Thanksgiving celebration on 17th November 2012.…………………………………………………...

Europe Fellowship A team of young people from GB

Europe have worked hard to prepare materials to stimulate thoughtful relevant prayers both for our world and for young women wherever they may be. This is all part of our GBI second wave of prayer! This year we want the wave to touch even more people because prayer changes things! Please get involved - your national offices will be receiving the material shortly.…………………………………………………...

Pacific Fellowship Vision to Reality - listening to our younger members:Participants at the Pacific Conference will discuss the outcomes of the ‘Vision to Reality’ workshop held at the Pacific Fonomarae in January this year. Comments from the participants have been collated and Conference attendees will look at these in relation to their country. The young leaders have shared their vision; we all need to come on board with them, to make it happen.…………………………………………………

Europe Fellowship

We are living in a world dominated by technological revolutions as more and more ways of communicating are opening up. The young women in GB Europe are proactively trying to use some of these modern technologies to share their passion for GB and to help them in their journey of faith. Wherever you are in the world why not join them by logging in to their blog?www.gbconnect.wordpress.com

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Girls’ Brigade Prayer Wave

2012 On 10th June 2012, the GB global family and friends are invited to join together in a revolutionary wave of prayer. The exciting vision is to unite together and pray to see Lives transformed: God’s world enriched inside and outside of GB. Will you join the Prayer Wave?

The GB Prayer Wave 2012 resource, based on the theme of ‘Break Camp, Move On’, is now available to download from the GB Europe CONNECTED blog (www.gbconnect.wordpress.com). The Prayer Wave will start at 9am and end at 9pm on 10th June 2012. The resource, written by 18-30s across the world, will help people to pray specifically for different GB countries each hour as the sun rises across the glove, starting with GB Pacific. The dynamic resource enables you, your leaders, your girls and your church to pray for GB individually, corporately, creatively and online. Don’t forget to join the Girls’ Brigade Prayer wave Facebook page now.

This year, the Prayer Wave is linked into the International Micah Challenge (www.micahchallenge.org) which is a global coalition of Christians holding governments to account for their pledge to halve extreme poverty by 2015 through their accountability to the Millennium Development Goals (including empowerment of women). We’re blessed to be part of a GB global family. This year, we want to mobilise

the GB world family to pray for girls and women inside AND outside of GB. If we don’t, who will? Scattered throughout the resource is: ‘Because I am a Girl …’ statistics which highlight the gender injustice that women face across the world. Plus, on the final page of the resource, the 12 Steps for 2012 reveal how each of us can get involved in the fight against gender inequality. Everyone can play a part. Everyone MUST play a part. After all, we have been called to ‘act justly’.

GB Prayer wave Co-ordinator, Jayne Ruddock (GBNI) explains: ‘Prayer is powerful. Prayer is radical. Prayer can change our world. Let’s ‘plug in’ to our own designer and feel at our closest to Him in our own lives. Let’s remember our sisters in Christ. Let’s imagine how God could use GB to transform the world. Let’s imagine the restoring and global transforming power of the GB Prayer Wave on 10th June 2012. Let’s pray! Will you join the Prayer Wave on 10 June 2012 and help spread the word?’

Let’s join the prayer revolution!

If you have any queries, please email Claire Rush (GB Europe Youth Co-ordinator) on: [email protected]

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Have you noticed we’ve got a new web and email identity?We thought it helps show the world that we are a friendly, welcoming family so check GB International out at www.gbworldwide.org(Don’t worry though, if you use the old GBIC address or emails you will still reach us : )

Our FoundationsOur aim:To help girls to become followers of the Lord Jesus Christ and through self-control, reverence and a sense of responsibility to find true enrichment of life.Our principles:The Brigade acknowledges Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord according to the Scriptures and seeks to fulfill its aim to the Glory of One God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.The Brigade Witnesses to the standard set by Jesus Christ and gives positive teaching on the Christian attitude to life.The Brigade promotes a just society where all people are equally valued.Our motto:Seek, serve and follow Christ.Our crest:All over the world, Girls’ Brigade members wear the same badge. The badge has 4 main elements, each with a special meaning to those who wear it. PO Box 196129 BroadwayDidcotOxfordshireOX11 8XNPhone: 01235 510425

Fax: 01235 510429Email: [email protected]

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girls' brigade worldwide · web viewhow they would take god at his word. look at abraham and...

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