International Day of the Girl – Friday, 11 October: 2 Days to Go

 

The United Nations declared October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child in 2012, to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.

Through their “Because I am a Girl” campaign, Plan International aim to reach 4 million girls directly – improving their lives with access to school, skills, livelihoods and protection. They will also achieve these improvements through better family and community support and access to services for girls.

They also aim to reach 400 million girls through policy change. This means helping to bring about quantifiable improvements in policy makers, service providers and government support for gender equality and girls’ rights.

Check out the Plan International Website to find out more about the issues facing girls around the world http://plan-international.org/girls/

Jennifer Box, IVP for the Pacific Fellowship says in the GB 2013 Prayer Wave resources “Prayer is powerful. Prayer is radical. Prayer can change our world.”

Take time today to pray that more girls around the world will have access to education, so that more girls can make choices over their own future and be a huge part of creating lasting change

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.  John 14:13-14

 

 

TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO JOIN A FIZZ KOSOVA TEAM…

 

Katherine Rush (GBNI) with some of the girls at Rugove Holiday Bible Club

The deadline for FIZZ application forms is FRIDAY 7 MAY! For many of the members last year, FIZZ was a life changing experience. Remember that the team is open to women and girls of all ages (at least over the age of 16 years old). WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Worried about finances? Scared about not knowing anyone? Anxious that you won’t be good enough? Read Isaiah 41: 14-16 (The Message):

Do you feel like a lowly worm, Jacob?
   Don’t be afraid.
Feel like a fragile insect, Israel?
   I’ll help you.
I, God, want to reassure you.
   The God who buys you back, The Holy of Israel.
I’m transforming you from worm to harrow,
   from insect to iron.
As a sharp-toothed harrow you’ll smooth out the mountains,
   turn those tough old hills into loamy soil.
You’ll open the rough ground to the weather,
   to the blasts of sun and wind and rain.
But you’ll be confident and exuberant,
   expansive in The Holy of Israel!

Need any more prompting? Read Katherine’s story of her amazing week in Kosova…

When we left Gatwick airport on Monday 24 August, we had no idea what to expect when we arrived in Kosova. The four of us were the last group of girls of the summer to participate in the GB Europe Fizz Team programme. We left with the anticipation to serve God through helping others, but we did not expect how much Kosova would help each of us!

Some of the 100s of graves on the hill overlooking Gjakove.

 Our base for the week was the lovely, newly built Smile Centre. The UK based charity, Smile International, works in many countries such as Sri Lanka and Uganda, but was founded in 1999 due to the war in Kosova. During the Kosova conflict, over 10,000 men were killed, leaving many widows and fatherless children. Approximately 2,000 men are still missing and every day mothers and wives of missing men visit the municipality office in Gjakovë to ask if there is any news of their loved ones. They have done this for the past nine years. Smile financially and emotionally supports these families, as well as stepping out to show them the love of God despite their Muslim culture.

Throughout the week we participated in five different Children‟s clubs, plus one Girls’ Brigade meeting. As our theme was animals we were able to tell the children the stories of the Lost Sheep and of Daniel in the Lion‟s Den (with the help of our translators). Twice we visited the village of Rugovë and led a bible club in the local church. Here the children were extremely well behaved, and loved to sing and dance for God. Their favourite song was “Our God is a Great Big God”, and they even taught us a new chorus called “Jesus‟ love is bubbling over”. The church in Rugovë consisted of a small room, with very stiff carpet which was sore to kneel on. The children were well used to sitting on the floor to do all their colouring in.

Children at the Holiday Bible Club in Rugove.

 On Wednesday night we were privileged to attend the Girls’ Brigade meeting in Eternity Church Gjakovë. Here many of the girls wear the GB polo shirt with the emblem. They were very excited to welcome us into their company and once again loved to sing “Our God is a Great Big God”. Throughout the summer the girls have been learning about the miracles of Jesus, and we were blessed to see how they could recall each of them in detail.

 Throughout our time in Kosova we had the privilege of carrying out four different house visits to various widows. Going into many of the homes was extremely heart breaking as on the wall there would be pictures of all the husbands, fathers and sons who had been taken and killed during the war. All of the widows were very welcoming and on all occasions we were offered biscuits, cake, and delicious home grown juicy plums. One of the widows that we visited was called Susannah and she lived in one of the Roma Camps, right beside the town rubbish dump. The house only consisted of two small rooms, where Susannah and her three teenagers slept. However it is here where we were blessed to see that each member of the family had a Bible which was frequently read, and their hearts’ desire was to worship God.

Susannah, a widow, with the amazing worship graffiti that was scrawled on the wall as you entered her house.

 One of the main reasons why we knew God had called our team to Kosova this particular week was to meet a group of young women from a neighbouring Catholic village. Smile had instigated this meeting as they wanted us to share our experiences about GB in the hope that the girls would then start a company in their village. However that night God gave us the opportunity to share our testimonies and as a result the girls asked some very important questions about their own faith. Please pray for this group of girls that they experience the reality of God in their own lives.

Pastor Driton with a young male member of Eternity Church in Gjakove.

 A highlight of our week was being able to join together with the young people of Eternity Church for Bible study, praise and fellowship. The church had approximately 20 young people, all of who were ablaze with God‟s Glory. Many of the teenagers come from Muslim families, and in some cases have to smuggle bibles into their own homes. However they are such a light to their country, they wear their faith on their T-Shirts and WWJD bracelets and are a real witness for God. Please pray that they continue to stand strong and are blessed.

And there were lots of fun times too:

Swimming at Mirusha Falls.

Messing around with our translators Berti and Kiki!

The amazing ball pool at the SMILE centre. Need I say more?

Words cannot describe our time in Kosova. We thank you all so much for your prayers and support. God‟s spirit is rapidly moving across the land. God has taught us so much from our short time there, and we cannot wait to return there. Thank you (faleminderit) from Kosova.

 Katherine Rush (GB Northern Ireland)

Want a FIZZ application form and info booklet? They have been uploaded to the blog – just click on the links on the right hand side of the page.

Want to get a taster of SMILE International’s work in Kosova? Check out this video – www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQCzNYIaciI

Want to see what accommodation at the SMILE centre is like? Check out this video – www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0GXrAp9gzU&feature=related

AN UPDATE FROM HELEN (GB TANZANIA)

As we finish week four of our new GB Sewing and Handcraft Course, we have much to thank God for.

The centre is to teach girls sewing and other handcrafts, with Bible and English lessons as well.  Our vision is to equip young women to have skills and spiritual maturity so that they can run their own income generating projects and stand firm in Jesus in their lives.  We have started with 12 students, selected from 26 applicants.  Most have finished primary school and had no chance to further their education.  One has finished Form 4 but was not able to further her studies.  And our oldest student only did 2 years of primary school. In our morning devotions on the first day, she gave her testimony, saying she never thought she would be in a classroom again and thanked Jesus for giving her this opportunity.

The school day begins at 7 am each morning, with a break for breakfast/morning tea at 11 am and then through to 2 pm.  Four of the girls selected come from villages and so we have rented a room for them just up the road from the school.

On March 8^th classes began.  Justina, Lilian, Jertruda, Loyce, Maria, Mariamu, Veronika, Modesta, Airini, Alisi, Zipora and Neema are so thrilled.  They range in age from 15 to 34.  Some are from our GB companies.  And we also have girls from the Methodist, Mennonite and Pentecostal churches. On the first day Alisi came with a baby on her back (she is married with 3 children).  Lilian and Jertruda are both orphans so this is a unique chance for them to continue with their education.  In our Bible lesson one week, as we looked at Naomi and Ruth, there was opportunity for the girls to share when someone had encouraged them in a difficult situation.  Mariamu shared that when she became pregnant, people talked and judged and said she had ruined her life.  But her mother encouraged her and stood by her and now we also join  in encouraging Mariamu to follow Jesus for herself and her baby daughter.

For many of them it was the first time to sit down at a sewing machine. At first they were just learning how to operate them, but were soon sewing pieces of paper, then scraps of material and then hemming. Now they have each made their own school uniform and look very smart in their blue striped skirts. They have also started handcrafts and made bead crosses for Easter.

Noadia and Christina are our sewing teachers. Jane will be teaching English (and also learning sewing).  The four of us will share the Bible lessons.  And we are excited to have guest teachers from Musoma.  Amy Vink will be coming down once a month to teach a Bible lesson and an English lesson.  Emma and Errin (two short termers helping with home schooling for Vinks and Archers) will also be teaching English on a roster.

On Monday we had lunch together and the students stayed back for more sewing and a game of basket ball.  That was such a success it is going to be on our program twice a month.

As we get to know the students and learn more of their stories and hopes and struggles, we pray that we will grow together as a real Christian community and that we will have opportunity to nurture and encourage the girls in their faith and in their lives.

Helen is currently taking a well deserved break in the UK and Israel and will hopefully return to Bunda on 5 May. Please pray that she will be refreshed and rejuvenated.

If you would like to learn more about GB Tanzania, scroll down and read two of the previous blogs posted in March.

GROWING GIRLS’ BRIGADE IN KOSOVA

As Vivienne wrote in her blog entry last week, one of the most exciting things to happen in GB Europe over the last few years is the creation of a GB company in Kosova. The Balkans is a region that was involved in a horrific conflict in the 1990s which saw many families bereaved. Hope, however, is growing and Kosova is now rebuilding itself. The Christian Church and Girls’ Brigade is also growing. Mike and Diana Seeney have been development officers for GB Kosova for over a year now and helped orchestrate the GB Europe FIZZ teams last summer. They have just spent a month in the region and have some very exciting news to share with us…

Hannah Boulton, GBEW and SMILE gap year volunteer, with Hana.

Mike and I have just returned from four wonderful weeks in Kosova. We arrived there on a snowy winter’s day in March and left in lovely, warm, spring sunshine having seen the countryside come alive with colour – blossom, forsythia, daffodils, primroses and trees becoming greener daily. With lots of snow still on the mountains it was a beautiful sight and such a reminder of God’s wonderful world and the new life given through Jesus’ sacrifice at Easter.

Drill - GB Kosova style!

 The first GB company (Brigada e Vajzave) in Gjakove is going really well with Hannah Boulton (1^st Gawsworth Company) helping there while on a SMILE gap year.  She has taught the girls drill which they do beautifully – not easy when you are working on a ruckled carpet in slippers or socks, but the custom in Kosova is always to remove your shoes when entering a home or church building so the same rule applies for GB.  The girls love everything about GB, games, singing, crafts, bible stories and their uniforms. They are currently pinning badges onto sweatshirts but I am going to make sashes for them while back in the UK and they will then transfer their badges to those.

 I have been able to do n:counta training (GBEW senior girls’ programme) with both Hannah and Emily, the captain, while I’ve been in Gjakove so they are now looking forward to starting that shortly. As most of the girls are in the senior age range they really should enjoy the new programme. We have also been able to get a new GB leaflet ‘Discovering Life to the Full’ translated into Albanian which will be so useful for future publicity.

Captain Emily Morina awards a drill certificate.

Last summer we were able to take some of the FIZZ teams to work with the Roma children in a village called Rogove and we are thrilled that the second Kosova company is to be formed there. We have had meetings with Pastor Blendi and his wife Julie (pronounced Yulie in Albanian) and began her training and now Hannah will work alongside Julie as the company starts to meet each Monday.  Julie is really excited and as soon as she feels confident she wants to start yet another company at their other church in Gjakove.

Emily Morina (left) with Julie Brazhdi (right), the new captain for Rogove company

We are also hopeful that a girls group which has started to meet in Permishte near Hereq will become Girls’ Brigade. The leaders Flora and her sister Ylbere (which means rainbow) are very committed believers and they are praying about GB. They currently have 8 – 10 young women in the 16 – 20 age range and are doing ‘Christian Living’ with them. Flora also works with a group of younger girls in Dechan so there is hope for GB there as well.

Please pray for each of these exciting situations. Just think- there could be FIVE companies soon if they all decide to go for GB. And pray for Hannah as she keeps the work going until Mike and I return in July, along with this year’s FIZZ teams.

FIZZ TEAMS – SIGN UP NOW!

And talking of FIZZ – have you signed up yet? There is still space and time, booking is open until 7 May and you are promised an amazing time in Kosova working with the GB companies, running holiday clubs for girls and boys, visiting widows and their families, sightseeing and sharing fellowship with other GB members and worshipping with the believers in Gjakove. The experience can count towards Duke of Edinburgh residential or Queen’s Award as well if you wish.

Zoti ju bekoft (God bless you )

Diana and Mike Seeney – development officers for GB Kosova

Want more info about FIZZ? Leave a comment on the blog or scroll down the blog and read the first three entries.

Want a FIZZ application form and info booklet? They have been uploaded to the blog – just click on the links on the right hand side of the page.

 More uniform (sweat shirts and polo shirts) is urgently needed for the new companies in Kosova. If you can help, let Diana know via the GB Blog or email – mikedisee@blueyonder.co.uk

Meet Vivienne aka International Vice-President (GB Europe)

 

Vivienne Aitchison has been the International Vice-President (GB Europe) since 2006. Read on to find out more about what this role involves as well as learn more about some of her exciting highlights of being involved in GB on an international level (and how YOU can get involved too!)

 

 1. How long have you been involved in GB?

I joined GB when I was 7 years old… a friend told me it was great fun and that you played games. I discovered she was right. GB was fun and you did play games, BUT I also met Jesus there. I made my commitment  to Him when I went to camp at the age of twelve years old! What a lot I owe to the devoted leaders of GB! (Please note I have not said how long I’ve been involved that might make me feel far too old!)

2. You have a very fancy title – International Vice-President of Girls’ Brigade, Europe. What does that role involve?

Yes it is a very fancy title!  There are two parts to my role. 

First of all GB around the world is divided into 5 areas or fellowships. I look after GB in Europe. Europe in GB terms is England & Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland together with Romania and just recently Kosova too! My job is to encourage and help the ladies who lead GB in these different parts of our fellowship. Senior leaders in an organization such as ours have an often lonely and difficult task. My role is to help them to learn from one another, to share both spiritually and practically and so to extend the number of young people meeting Jesus through GB in Europe.

Ruth Chikasa, GB International President (2006-10)

My other role is to meet each year with the International President  (Ruth Chikasa) and the Vice Presidents from the other four fellowships. Our task is to look at GB from a world wide perspective, to see how God is using GB to meet more and more young people and to determine how He wants to use GB in the future.  We have a responsibility to look at the big picture.  To see how GB can be the same and yet different. The uniform may be varied, the programmes will suit the local needs, the cultures will be changing, the structure will function in so many different ways and yet wherever GB is, we are bonded by our common desire to help young people Seek Serve and Follow Christ.  As an International President I am privileged to be part of all this

3. You have been IVP for nearly four years. What has been some of the high points?

There are so many – here are just a few:

Being present at and helping to host the International Conference of Girls’ Brigade in Northern Ireland in 2006 – worshipping with ladies from Africa, Asia, The Pacific and The Caribbean Americas, seeing their passion, joining in the Lord’s Prayer spoken in so many different tongues and yet united because we are all praying to Our Father!  

Seeing GB start in Kosova. What a wonderful story of God at work that was. If you don’t know how it all happened read one of the previous blogs to find out about it!

Seeing young people giving up their time  and talents to serve God by going to work in Romania and Kosova, helping to tell others of the love of God. Our FIZZ teams as we call them, have been a real highlight. Did you know you could be a part of one of these teams too? If not there is another blog for you to read too! (The application forms for the FIZZ teams are on the right hand side of the page).

Chairing and leading our annual GB Europe conferences and seeing the numbers attending grow each year. Did you know that anyone over 16 years can come? It’s  a time to share our passion, to find space with God, to learn new things about our GB family and to be challenged. This year we are meeting in June in Northern  Ireland. Our theme is Intermission…Into Mission.  More news of that is on the blog too. Why not join us? I’d love the meet you in person. (Click http://www.gbeurope.org/pdfs/conference10.pdf to get an information leaflet).

4. How can we pray for Girls’ Brigade International?

Well just read the blog and you will read of many things that are happening in our GB world that need our prayers:

• Pray for the new work in Kosova – that it might grow!
• Pray for The FIZZ teams that are spending time this Summer in Kosova – that  young people may be blessed through the ministry of the teams and that  the young people in the teams may have a deep sense of God in their lives as they serve in this way.
• Pray for  Diana Seeney, our GB link in Kosova –  that she might have the strength and energy she needs to mentor the groups that go out.
• Pray for the work in Romania – they are going through a tough time at present with leadership shortages.
• Pray for the EF Conference scheduled for June – that God’s Holy Spirit might fill us.
• Pray for GB in Cambodia – a country we are supporting this year with an International Fund Raising Appeal (see more about this on our International website.)
• Pray for The Girls’ Brigade International Council meeting due to take place in August in Malaysia – that those needing visa might get them, for safe travel, for the organising committee in Malaysia, for the delegates that they may be blessed in meeting together and that strategically we may make the decisions that GB International needs at this time.

EXCITING WEEKEND AWAY OPPORTUNITIES JUST 4 U

Girls’ Brigade is all about bringing girls and women together. It is very easy to forget that we are part of something bigger. I know that I was guilty of just thinking about GB in local terms. But GB IS bigger – there are many groups meeting across the UK and Ireland every week. Do you want to meet girls and leaders from ‘across the water’? Do you want to share your stories and even ideas? Do you want to have fun? YES…? Read on to find out more about two very special GB weekends JUST 4 U…

INTERMISSION: INTO MISSION (GB EUROPE LEADERS WEEKEND 2010)

Who is it for?

EVERYONE connected with GB (and over the age of 16). Leaders, helpers, chaplains and ’emerging’ leaders are all welcome (there will be a special stream for this age group). If you are going on a FIZZ team to Kosova or attending ICGB you are required to attend. There will be pick-ups from Belfast City Airport and Belfast International Airport on Friday afternoon to the Drumalis Retreat Centre.

What do you do during the weekend?

It is a fantastic opportunity to meet new people, be refreshed and have some space with God. There will be a chill out zone, prayer room, helpful workshops to get your creative juice flowing and the International GB Day of Prayer service on Saturday night – ‘Arise! Shine! Claim God’s promises’. If you are a member of the FIZZ teams to Kosova and the ICGB delegations, you will also participate in some fun and interactive training sessions. The Drumalis Retreat and Conference Centre is also situated on the beautiful Antrim coast so there are lovely grounds and gardens to explore. Check it out – http://www.drumalis.co.uk/Facilities.aspx.

Who is the main speaker at the weekend?

It is a privilege that Helen Warnock, the director of Scripture Union NI, will be our main speaker and will lead a few sessions over the course of the weekend. Helen has fifteen years experience in youth work and has a heart to see young people come to faith. Helen was an inspirational speaker at the GBNI ‘kNOw escape’ worship event for brigaders in March 2009.

Think it is only for more mature leaders? Think again…

There will be a special ’emerging leaders’ stream and with the FIZZ teams growing bigger, there will be plenty of girls and women under the age of 30. Emma McCarey (first on the left in the GBNI FIZZ team members photo) was apprehensive about going last year but had an amazing time. Emma said: ‘I arrived at Belfast International airport not knowing what to expect but came home buzzing about the potential inside each of our girls… The leadership event allowed us to meet many influential and inspirational ladies from GBNI and from over the UK who I wouldn’t have come into contact with normally. I learnt so much… I came back to Belfast with so many new contacts and friendships. The GBEF weekend reminded me not to be afraid to get involved, God is always holding your hand when you step outside of your comfort zone.’

Inspired? Click http://www.gbeurope.org/pdfs/conference10.pdf to download an application form and get more info (including cost).

PLACES ARE LIMITED. PLEASE BOOK YOUR PLACE BY 30 APRIL 2010 WITH A £25 DEPOSIT.

NORTHERN SAINTS WEEKEND

What is it? northern saints promises to be a fresh and exciting event enabling young people from all over the north of England to enjoy a festival experience without having to travel too far. It’s being organised by Girls’ Brigade England and Wales, the Boys’ Brigade and the North East Region of Youth Officers in the Church of England and will take place over the August bank holiday weekend, 27 to 30 August. It is also open to young people from outside GBEW (but you need to arrange your own travel arrangements).

Where is it? Aimed at youngsters aged 11 plus, northern saints will take place at the Hollybush Centre, near Thirsk in Yorkshire, where there’s plenty of space for camping. The site also boasts showers, toilets, two great indoor venues and a coffee shop. The camp site will be divided into villages; each looked after by hosts, which means the event is great for individuals and small groups, as well as larger groups.

What’s there to do? Lots of activities are being planned and the programme will include different styles of worship, workshops like circus skills, concerts, quizzes, films, competitions and time to chill out around the site. Also on offer will be a beauty zone for treatments like nail painting and hair braiding; an electronic games arcade area for large screen Wii and Xbox games; a Big Brother style diary room; a 23’ pink air dancer, labyrinth, climbing wall and much, much more.

How much? The cost of the festival is just £50 per person and the programme will begin around tea time on Friday and finish after lunch on Monday.

 Check out www.northernsaints.org.uk for the latest details and to download a booking form – don’t miss the early bird booking deadline of 9 April.

‘GB TANZANIA GIRLS, YOU ARE MORE PRECIOUS THAN RUBIES!’

You are more precious than rubies - Proverbs 3:15

Proverbs Ch.3:15 tells us we are ‘…more precious than rubies.’ This was a very apt theme for the GB Africa girls’ camp in Zambia in 2009. There are 13 registered companies in GB Tanzania (with 18 waiting to become official). Girls’ Brigade is growing through the country – just look at the stats:

• In June 2009, GB Tz had 10 camps with over 800 girls from 21 Companies participating.
• In September 2009, there were 75 officers at the Officers’ Training event.

As Helen Hoskins, CMS missionary stated in last week’s blog, GB is helping reach more girls with the vital message – your worth is in Jesus! What a crucial and empowering message to convey in a country which culture states that girls are only worthy as wives and mothers. In the words of Helen, the stories of girls like Sara, demonstrate how GB can have a positive impact and speak words of truth into difficult situations…

Sara’s story

Sarah and baby Juiliana, February 2010

Sara was so excited to attend the GB Africa Fellowship girls’ camp in Zambia. And she came back to her village with new confidence and stronger in her faith as one who is indeed ‘more precious than rubies’ as the theme of our camp reminded us all. It is now some 5 years since she had plastic surgery on her cheek and surgery on her jaw. Her jaw is still locked together and the plan then was that she should have further surgery when she is 16. This is her last year of primary school, so it was good timing for her surgery on completion of her exams. It was devastating, however, to go out to her village in November and discover that she is pregnant. According to the law of Tanzania, the young boy involved could be jailed for 30 years, but he was a visitor in the village and is now nowhere to be seen. Now her life has taken an unplanned direction and Sara felt ashamed and distressed.  She has been very courageous and completed her Standard 7 exams (last year of primary school).   

Her beautiful baby, Juliana, was born in early 2010. When I visited her again in February, she cried but we were able to encourage her that she is still ‘more precious than rubies’. Her surgery to correct her jaw and any further studies will have to be postponed until baby Juliana is a bit older. We encouraged her to go back to church and Girls’ Brigade where she can learn more of Jesus’ love for her and how he can help her even in such a difficult time. Her life has taken a different turn, but Jesus is still in control.

Margaret’s story

In November 2009, we traveled 2 ½ hours to the remote village of Sakawa to attend the funeral of Pastor Patrober, one of our GB chaplains. His widow, Margaret is a Girls’ Brigade Officer, and a courageous Christian with a strong faith. Most of Patrober’s extended family are nominal Christians, and so see their responsibility in terms of tribal traditions rather than Christian love and support. According to the tribal tradition, Margaret, as a widow, should be ‘inherited’ by another male relative. He would already have his own wife/wives and family, but would see his responsibility to take on Margaret as an additional wife. And in doing that he would provide for her, first of all by building a house for her to live in with her 5 boys and helping with their education. But Margaret made it quite clear publicly at the funeral that she was not to be inherited and that she would trust God to provide for her and her boys. Margaret is so alone and vulnerable. For her, the cost of following Christ seems high. The traditional means of support and practical help are not there for her simply because she has stood firm in her Christian faith.

And Margaret is keen to continue with her GB ministry. She has left the village where her husband was the pastor and left the GB company there, and is living in Sakawa, her husband’s home village and so the new home for her and her boys. Now we are planning to open a new GB company there.

The opening of the GB Sewing and Handcraft Centre

The classrooms are painted.  The windows and cupboards will go in next week. Noadia, Christina and I have worked very hard and have 11 sewing machines, and sewing materials and other items sorted and ready (with many thanks to MAG – Mission
Aid Group – from CMS Australia for the goods sent in the container). Next week we will purchase some treadle sewing machines, and need to get tables and stools and other furniture made (with many thanks to funding from GB International). Letters and forms have gone out to all our GB Companies and to all the denominations in Bunda and applications have started coming in. Pray that God will show us the 12 girls who will be our first intake of students. Classes will start at 7.30 am on Monday March 8^th. And I am looking forward to doing some Bible and also English classes with them.

Justina at the opening of the GB sewing and handcraft centre

UPDATE: Classes in the GB Sewing and Handcraft centre started last Monday. Helen is thankful that it went well. She wrote ‘ It has been an exciting week for us all, specially the girls. They are already sewing straight lines on paper and able to use treadle, hand and electric machines and it is a joy to hear the buzz of 12 machines and 12 happy voices. We have had English lessons with much laughter and learning new words.  Our Bible lessons have included making visual aids to explain the gospel message.  At 7.00 am each morning, the girls begin arriving. Our program starts at 7.30 am with a time of Devotions, prayer and praise. Lessons start at 8 am, with a break for porridge at 11 am, and then continue through till 2 pm. Half an hour for jobs and 2.30 they go home. Christina and Noadia are teaching Sewing.  Jane and I are teaching English, and the four of us all share the Bible course.’

Please remember Helen, Sara, Margaret and the work of GB Tanzania in your prayers. As the apostle Paul wrote, we are all one body in Christ. If you would like to receive monthly prayer updates direct to your inbox from Helen, please email prayerpoints@cms.org.au.

‘GB HELPS GIRLS SEE THAT THEIR WORTH IS IN JESUS!’ Meet Helen from GB Tanzania…

Helen and a Young Leaders' Team from GB Australia.

Helen Hoskins has played a vital role in developing Girls’ Brigade in Tanzania. A missionary with CMS (Church Missionary Society) for 27 years, she has devoted her life to seeing God glorified in the country. Today (Monday 8 March 2010), GB Tanzania launches its new sewing and handcraft centre. Helen shares her life story with us and the exciting things that God is doing through Girls’ Brigade in Tanzania:

How did you find yourself involved in GB Tanzania (Tz)?

I have been working in ministry in Tz for 27 years now (as a missionary from CMS Australia), and came originally to teach in a Bible School, which I did for 15 years. More recently I have been involved in training lay people in village churches for ministry – Sunday School teachers, RE teachers, Evangelists,  Bible Studies, Church Elders, Mothers’ Union, Bible Studies (Bible studies is in list twice) and Church Treasurers being just some of them. In 2001 GB was started in Tz with 5 Companies and so I became involved in the Company which was started in my parish. Then gradually my involvement with GB grew and grew and I was doing more and more and visiting all the Companies, then started helping with Trainings and setting up new companies. In 2005 I was elected as National Secretary of GB Tz, and since then have been doing GB full time with the blessing of my Bishop and Mission Society.

Map of Tanzania

How many GB companies are there in the country?

We now have 13 registered Companies, and 18 companies preparing for registration.  This year we plan to register more companies and also start more new companies.

How is GB impacting the lives of Tanzanian girls?

GB is giving girls in Tanzania an opportunity to grow in Jesus, and to know their value and worth in him, and to know that they can have choices, and dream dreams, and have futures which give them hope and worth. Traditionally girls are the most undervalued and unappreciated part of society. But in GB they are given opportunities to have fun, to learn, to be special and to exercise their gifts. The new GB Sewing and Handcraft Centre aims to help girls continue with their education and to equip them to have their own income generating projects. It is aimed at girls who have completed primary school and have not had the opportunity to go to secondary school. Mostly these girls would be pushed into early marriages and pregnancies.

 Traditionally there is much pressure to marry and have babies to show worth as a woman, but GB helps girls see that their worth is in Jesus, and they can follow his plan for their lives. GB helps girls be able to make decisions in their lives, and in circumstances where they don’t have choices, it helps them have peace and security in Jesus even in difficult situations. In Tz, teenage pregnancies are common. GB helps girls overcome the pressures which lead to pregnancies. In GB girls learn sex education, health education and life skills and personal development, which help them to stand firm and look after themselves and prepares them for Christian marriages. I could go on and on. GB does so much for girls in Tz and it is a wonderful opportunity to give them a new hope in life.

Tell us about the ‘More than Rubies’ event…
‘You are more precious than rubies’ was the first ever GB Africa girls’ camp which was held in Zambia last year.  It was attended by girls from Zambia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Malawi.  The program included Bible lessons, craft, games, drill, a session on Virginity, a visit to Victoria Falls, and a Proudly African Fashion night.

What has been your personal GB highlight?

Helen Hoskins

So many highlights – it is hard to name just one.  But it was quite overwhelming in Nigeria at the Africa Fellowship Conference in 2008, to be elected as the Vice Chairperson of GB Africa. As the only non-African in the Fellowship, I felt quite privileged to be given this position and to have the opportunity of extending my GB ministry beyond Tanzania, to other African countries. Can I call it a highlight, when I go on a Sunday to a village church, and see a group of GB girls stand in front of the congregation with such confidence, introduce themselves, and sing? Normally they would never have had such an opportunity and never had the self-confidence to do it.

What are the challenges that you would like prayer for?
Challenges are many – please pray for:

• The extension of GB to other regions of Tanzania and to other denominations
• The mentoring and developing of leaders so that GB Tz will have a strong future
• The challenge of being involved in Africa and International GB events with our leaders coming from poor village communities and little financial resources to travel
• An impact on girls’ lives as they come to know Jesus
• A decreased rate of teenage pregnancies
• The new GB sewing and handcraft centre starting TODAY (Mon 8 March).
• Our GB Tz 10 year celebrations in 2011
•  GB Tz as we prepare to host the GB Africa Conference in 2012.

Finally, what is your favourite Bible passage and why?

One of my favourite Bible verses is Ephesians Ch.3:14-21. There is so much we long for God to do, and the amazing thing is that He can do much more than we ever can imagine or ask, and He does it through us and to His glory.

Please remember Helen and the work of GB Tanzania in your prayers. As the apostle Paul wrote, we are all one body in Christ. If you would like to receive monthly prayer updates direct to your inbox from Helen, please email prayerpoints@cms.org.au.

Check out the blog next week to hear stories about individual girls involved in GB Tanzania.

GIRLS’ BRIGADE SPREADS HOPE IN CAMBODIA…

 

Map of Cambodia

 

In 2006, Girls’ Brigade International supported the foundation of a new international charity project – the ‘One Chance Project’. This initiative is managed by GB in Asia and aims at working amongst the underprivileged women of Cambodia. These ladies have little hope in life and GB are setting up T-homes (Transformation Houses) to provide women with social and life skills so that their self esteem can be restored and they can have an opportunity to find employment. Facilities are also being made available to give street children a basic education and to take them off the streets. In 2006 and 2009, Heather Topham, an officer in GBEW, was fortunate enough to visit the project first hand!

In August 2006 I had the privilege of travelling to Cambodia to spend a few weeks alongside the Girls’ Brigade there.  Cambodia is a country that is recovering from years of war and poverty, begun by the horrific regime of the Khmer Rouge in the late 1970s, during which time between 1.4 million and 2.2 million people are estimated to have died.  Freedom of religion was granted in 1991; GB has been working in the country since 1995, 3 years before peace was officially declared in 1998.  Cambodia today suffers from poverty, high levels of human trafficking (in particular for the sex industry), a lack of education and health services, and thousands of unexploded landmines littering the country.  Yet at the same time it is a rapidly modernising country, the church is growing, and the people are amongst the friendliest and most generous that I have met.  These photos give a snapshot of the amazing people I encountered with GB in Cambodia, and the work of God that I was privileged to be a part of.

Young women in the Life Plus project supported by GB Asia.

Life Plus is the closest that I discovered to a “typical” Girls’ Brigade company.  Around 20 young women, aged around 16-26, met on a weekly basis to learn English, study the Bible and complete badgework. I was asked to teach on women in the Bible; here they are making puppets of Mary and the Angel to help tell the story of the annunciation from Luke. Unfortunately craft resources and budget were both limited; the puppets were made from three colours of paper and chopsticks!

Heather meeting the Phnom Penh elephant!

By far the most exciting part of my trip was meeting the Phnom Penh elephant!  Elephants are now very rare in Cambodia, but this one serves at the local Buddhist shrine of Wat Phnom. The Life Plus group took me on an excursion to meet the elephant; unfortunately taking a ride cost as much as they would earn in a week, so I had to make do with feeding the elephant some bananas. The Life Plus girls found the whole experience hilarious. I never did work out whether it was the expression on my face upon first seeing the elephant or the awful white explorer hat that did it!

Workers in the VillageWorks factory in Baray which promotes fair-trade goods.

A cornerstone of GB’s work in Cambodia with the VillageWorks factory, a fair-trade factory producing textile and wooden items in the rural Baray District of Kampong Thom Province.  The female workers were mainly unemployable by secular organisations because of disability, lack of education or having young children to care for.  The men were mostly disabled polio sufferers.  As well as supporting a large staff in Baray, VillageWorks runs a shop in Phnom Penh where many more women work in production or sales.  The shop is situated opposite the Toul Sleng Genocide museum, a memorial to the thousands of Cambodians tortured and killed by the Khmer Rouge on that site and in the nearby Killing Fields. The shop itself is called Songkhem, which means hope – it is a source of hope for its employees and a symbol of the hope that is returning to Cambodia through the work of NGOs such as Girls’ Brigade.  It is also a source of God’s hope as regular Bible studies are held and attended by all employees.

Youth group from the VillageWorks factory in Baray with Filipino missionary, Julie (third from right)

The VillageWorks factory also hosted an informal youth group, who came to the factory for English teaching, Bible study and outreach activities run by a Filipino missionary called Julie (3^rd from the right).  I had the privilege of visiting them on several occasions, teaching English, sleeping on the factory floor and breaking their bicycles because, they told me, I was so fat!  One day we travelled by mini-horse and cart to pray with an old lady in a remote village who was tormented by demons, another day we brought food to a lady in the young people’s village who was too ill to work.  Here the youth are teaching English and Bible stories to the children in their village – they are singing 10 Little Indians complete with ever versatile chopstick puppets!

Some of the Baray youth who have benefitted from the work of Girls’ Brigade.

Three years later, in August 2009, I had the privilege of visiting my GB friends whilst volunteering in Cambodia for another organisation.  I walked unannounced into a shop where one of the Baray youth, Chanthol (right), was working to be greeted instantly with cries of “Heather!” and “You taught me how to speak English properly!”  It was an amazing, humbling opportunity to see that I had had an impact even as a young, “fat”, white girl spending a few weeks wearing a silly hat in a very hot country!

Two of the youth, Kunthea  and Sokruen (left), are now working for the VillageWorks Songkhem shop in Phnom Penh; Chanthol has recently started an ICT course at a local university after spending a year praying and trusting God to provide his fees. The other Baray youth are working around Cambodia and Julie has returned to the Philippines, so the youth group no longer exists; in its place, however, is a thriving GB company at the local high school. Life Plus is unfortunately also suffering from low membership due to work commitments of its members; however GB work in Phnom Penh, still led by Jayanthee, now encompasses a company of 90 teenagers at a local church, up to 60 kids who attend meetings in a slum area, and 20 street girls who come to another group.

Please pray for the continuation of this amazing work – God has done so much in the lives of Chanthol and the other youth from Baray, and He has grown GB’s ministry in amazing ways.  And if you want a holiday of a life time, when God WILL open your eyes to His kingdom, then GB Cambodia is THE place to go!

Please continue to pray for the One Chance Project and the fantastic work that it is doing in Cambodia.

 You can raise money to help continue the creation of new T-houses, to fund the programme of Life-Plus groups and to contribute to the work of the VillageWorks factory. Get your girls to start collecting their small change (which is BIG change to the people of Cambodia). Need ideas?

• Make paper mache piggy banks and use it to collect your small change;
• Fill water bottles with small change;
• Fill smartie tubes with small change;
• Or organise a good old-fashioned fundraising event!

Then, contact your national office for details on how to donate the money to the ‘One Chance Project.’

 Have you done any fundraising for the ‘One Chance Project?’ Please let us know by posting a comment on the blog!

 

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HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY TO GB KOSOVA…!

Two weeks ago, Girls’ Brigade in Kosova celebrated its first birthday! And what a year it has been. The company attracts a large number of girls each week who come to hear more about God. Captain Emily Morina tells us more about the girls who attend GB Kosova and how they coped with a power cut on their first night…

We decided to start our GB in January 2009 in one of the meeting rooms at the church. The first meeting we had went really well and we had eight girls all keen and eager to see what was going on. We had a very unique first night as the power went out, still quite common here, so we held the second half of the meeting by candlelight! Each week after that the number of girls rose, until we settled at 10 to 15 girls most weeks. For a long time I was apprehensive at the thought of parents coming to the church to complain or take their girls away, but as yet we have no such problem. We are really thankful to God for this as we see how much the girls value this special time just for them.

Some of the members of GB Kosova

We had our first summer holiday club for a week in July last year and we were joined by the GB FIZZ team from the UK. This was a great week and all the girls really enjoyed the activities prepared by the team and the chance to do many different things with them. We had such a blessed time and we are so thankful to the FIZZ team for giving up part of their summer holiday to help us. After the summer for some weeks we were reaching 35 girls at GB which was quite a tight squeeze for us all to fit in the room, but great to see so many new faces.

Emily and some of the uniform that was donated by companies in GB Europe.

We have been very blessed as companies in the UK have donated uniform to our company here and that has been a real encouragement to me and the girls. They love feeling part of the group and as they don’t wear uniform in the schools here, it is something very special for them. We have also received many different items for craft work which has been a great help as there isn’t a lot here.

 As I am still learning the language, it is necessary for us to work with translators when we meet and the girls who were able to help us at the beginning of the year are now heavily involved in their final year studies. So our biggest need at the moment, and what we are praying for, is a female translator. We are using some of the girls who have learnt a little English at school but we really need someone more fluent and with a heart for the girls. We would appreciate your prayers.

 We can’t believe we have celebrated our first year anniversary already and there’s no better way to celebrate than by starting another GB in a village nearby. We are praying for this and are eagerly waiting to start! It’s been a fantastic year and the girls and I have really enjoyed all the elements of Girls’ Brigade. It has been a real blessing for our church here too, to see more girls coming and learning about the Lord. Praise God!

Please remember us and keep praying for us too! 

 Blessings, Emily x

 Do you fancy meeting the girls in GB Kosova?

YES? The FIZZ team dates for 2010 have now been released! If you would like to get your hands on an application form and more information:

• POST a comment on this blog;
• DOWNLOAD the applications from the GB Europe website – www.gbeurope.org
• TEXT GB’s contact helpline – 07797 800575. Text FIZZ and your contact details so we can get back to you;
• CONTACT your national offices – England and Wales (www.girlsb.org), Ireland (www.girlsbrigadeirl.ie), Northern Ireland (www.gbni.co.uk) and Scotland (www.girls-brigade-scotland.org.uk)

Want to get a taster of SMILE International’s work in Kosova? Check out this video – www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQCzNYIaciI

Want to see what accommodation at the SMILE centre is like? Check out this video – www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0GXrAp9gzU&feature=related

Please leave your birthday wishes for Emily and the GB girls by posting a comment to this blog.