GB International is excited to launch its Prayer Wave and Walkathon resource for 2015, enabling you to pray for girls and women inside and outside GB across the world.

Ensure your company is involved in this year’s Prayer Wave on GB’s International World Day of Prayer on 10 June (or on a suitable date that is as close to it). GB’s Prayer Wave 2015 resource enables you to pray with your fellow GB-ers from around the world for the different countries needs within our Fellowships. Prayer is powerful and it is one of the greatest privileges we have as Christians. When we pray, we open the door for God to come into our problems and situations and work on them. Prayer makes us partners with God.

This year’s resource shares stories of transformation from ICGB, prayer requests from GB countries around the world and is also linked to the Hope for Girls resource (available to download for free on 15 April 2015). There is also information on GB’s Walkathon for 2015. We encourage all companies to take part in this event which raises funds for the GIVEaGIRLaHOPEfund.

This resource has been published early this year so that we can focus not only on our GB International World Day of Prayer in June, but so that we can also become involved in other significant global days celebrating girls and women such as International Day of the Girl and International Women’s Day – see pages 17-18.

Make sure every leader receives a copy of this so that all companies worldwide will be praying and walking together for girls in 2015. It is really important that you start preparing for these events as soon as possible, please don’t leave it till the last minute.

Although the resource is designed for use on GB International’s Day of Prayer, on 10 June 2015, it can be used at any time. You can use it to pray every hour between 9am and 9pm for specific GB countries in the five fellowships.

Most of you will be aware of Cyclone Pam who is heading through the Pacific causing mass destruction in Vanuatu. The Solomon Islands and Tuvalu have also been hit and Pam is heading to New Zealand and is expected to hit Northland’s east coast late Sunday or Monday. For those of you who are not on Facebook here is a message that I have posted on the GB Worldwide Facebook page and also the Pacific Fellowship Facebook page this morning:

“Cyclone Pam causes destruction in Vanuatu is one of the headings in the news this morning. Solomon Islands and Tuvalu both GB countries have also been hit and it is heading to the east coast of Northland here in NZ late Sunday or Monday. In Vanuatu there are unconfirmed deaths of 44 in one of the north eastern provinces. There are 83 islands in Vanuatu and many people live in housing that is made of lighter building materials such as cardboard, straw and corrugated metals. These will not withstand a storm packing 250km winds. Evacuation centres have been set up in churches and schools. Most communication and power has been cut by the storm. It is said that Vanuatu will need some serious assistance from the international community because the storm has wreaked an awful lot of damage. Schools will be damaged or destroyed, health centres will undoubtably be flooded or damaged. Both UNICEF and World Vision have personnel stationed in Vanuatu. Before the storm hit World Vision helped communities to prepare by positioning water, food, blankets, tarpaulins, hygiene and kitchen kits in key places. Renelle (deputy chair) and I are booked to go to Vanuatu in 5 weeks time to provide training and support for their GB leaders. We will be guided by Vanuatu as to whether this is the best time to be going.

Please keep all these countries in your prayers.”

I have seen some photos on the internet of Tuvalu with quite deep water on their streets and also some video clips of Vanuatu. News is being updated regularly so you may like to check out news updates on the internet.

Please pray for these countries as they battle with Cyclone Pam. I will keep in touch with them as I am sure that they will be needing resources etc once things have settled down, and they look at rebuilding what has been destroyed. If there are ways that GB can help, I will certainly be in touch with countries.

Jill, Laeheng and Sulufaiga please be assured of the prayers from your sisters in the Pacific at this time.

God bless,

Jennifer

Jennifer Box, QSM, JP

International Vice President

Pacific Girls' Brigade

Insight Conference 2015 now has its own web page here. From it you can download a Programme and your Registration Form.

We now have a stunning postcard and an attractive flier with the updated website address ready to print. Print and use as is, or place your company contact details in the spaces provided before you print. Go to the Resources page on our website to download and print.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen" (Ephesians 3:20)

Let’s Be Expectant of all that God is saying and doing in the world: we have lots to anticipate! What is it that you imagine God can do in GB in your part of the world? What do you want to ask of Him confident that He will respond? In order to help you engage with the theme of expectation throughout the year, we have devised a range of resources which you can dip into. They are split into four sections:

ReflectExploreWorship frameworkCreative ideas for worship

An Hawaian Luau and crafty ideas for upgrading your clothing feature in the Summer youth newsletter Something Worth Reading, which you can find on our Youth Page.

National Youth Rep Sarah Millar has holidy greetings for all: "I hope you all have a great holiday break, and a happy new year. Remember to swim between the flags, slip slop slap and wrap, and stay safe this summer. Don’t forget to encourage all the girls in your companies and areas who are eligible to come to youth forum to start saving! "

Here are this edition's contents:

Message from your National Youth Rep; Anchor’s Away; Fundraising ideas; Crafty Corner; Hawaiian Luau; Simply Mission; You’re not too young

Read the Summer Somthing Worth Reading here.

Pioneers and Leaders (ages 15 - 25) this is for you!

Our 2015 National Youth Forum is to be held in the Bridge Valley Adventure Centre in Nelson 22 - 25 May.

Tonight Natasha Connolly (pictured here with her sisters - all GB members) was awarded the 6th Auckland Company Girls' Brigade Trophy for 2014.

Girls' Brigade Scotland has some awesome on-line fun activities for girls. They include games, quizes, recipies and art. GB in Scotland has three age-groups: Explorers, Juniors & Seniors. Try out their activities and have a look at how girls in Scoland do GB!

Click here to go to Girls' Zone, Scotland!

The Pacific Fellowship Development Group has commenced the task of looking at the feedback from the discussion themes at ICGB. This group has one youngish leader on the team from each country (who attended ICGB), and she is being mentored and supported by one of the national leaders or by a “more mature” leader who also attended ICGB.

This group has been put together for a specific task which is to look at the collated feedback from the themed discussion topics at ICGB and formulate an action plan firstly for their country and then collectively for our Fellowship. We will then look at what has been identified by each country to see if there are links between countries needing to work on the same theme. For example if countries identify that they need training in mentoring leaders, then this is something that the Pacific

Fellowship could include at our next conference, or maybe get a resource written so countries can train their own leaders in mentoring. Points identified as being specifically for one country, will be fed back to that country.

This follow up from ICGB is extremely important as the themes addressed are very relevant for the future of GB. Our leaders gave us their feedback and thoughts and now we need to be formulating an action plan. I believe it is all about working together and sharing resources, there is no point in everyone doing their “own thing”.

The Development Groups are to feed back to me by Friday 10th October. At some stage following that date the findings will be sent out to everyone.

We are excited to announce that the national Insight Conference is coming to the South Island!

Put the weekend of 28 & 29 March 2015 in your diary / calendar NOW.

The inspirational speakers will equip and give you good resource for your personal life and GB/ IFG involvement … so plan to come and to invite your friends, family, women from your church and community.

We are in the early stages of seeking funding and sponsorship and would suggest that the registration could be $180.

The registration form will be out in November and to assist with our booking of the venue and accommodation we will ask for a deposit to be paid by 19 December 2014.

From all over the Lower North Island, we came and converged at Silverstream Retreat for another round of Central’s Awesome Leadership. As well as learning the skills offered in the Awesome Leadership programme, we then put those skills into practice and received tips and resources to take back to our Companies. There were lots of things to fill our leadership ‘toolboxes’.

The emphasis was on the practical resources for the evening programme, with a range of different activities to both inspire and enjoy. The first night involved creating a wearable art-style cocktail dress for the Captain’s dinner. Considering the supplies, there were some pretty amazing creations that appeared! Our second evening was a paper craft night run by the Level 3 girls. Saturday night was action packed with mocktails, a photobooth, an awesome paper flower craft, high tea supper and a late night movie. Sunday night was the Captain’s Dinner, with parents coming to join us for tea and the Presentation afterwards.