GB INTERNATIONAL-DEVELOPMENT COMPONENT

The Brigade international Structure

The Girls' Brigade International Council (GBIC)

The Girls' Brigade International Council (GBIC) is the co-ordinating and communication arm of 'The Girls' Brigade' in the World. The GBIC, comprising representatives from over 60 countries in which The Girls’ Brigade functions, meets once every four years in locations around the world.

The Brigade international countries

Girls lives transformed, God's

world enrichedChurches around the world have Girls' Brigade

groups that meet  each week. The girls who

attend experience a fun, non-competitive program. 

They wear a great uniform that promotes a sense of

belonging.  The have wonderful leaders who are well

trained and are great role models.  They are

encouraged to seek, serve and follow Christ.   

All girls who are school aged are invited to join in the

fun at Girls' Brigade.  Contact us for details of your

closest group.

Girls' Brigade - Get into it!

5 FELLOWSHIPSThe Five FellowshipsThe GBIC has divided The Girls’ Brigade family into 5

International Fellowships each operating within geographical boundaries and supporting national groups of Girls’ Brigade in their area. The five fellowships are:

The Africa FellowshipThe Asia FellowshipThe Caribbean Americas FellowshipThe Europe FellowshipThe Pacific Fellowship

Their Extension Workgirls' brigade Africa mission statement:

activities:

"That all countries in the Girls’ Brigade Africa Fellowship will be equal partners and shall not neglect to network and meet together to share in each other’s strengths and weaknesses, using their varied gifts and cultures for common good to be able to grow to full maturity in Christ." Hebrews 10:24 - 25

Fellowship Conferences are held every two years with the next one due to be held in 2012, in Tanzania.

In April, 2009, the first Fellowship Girls camp was held in Livingstone, Zambia. It is hoped that these will also be held every two years and the girls chose South Africa as their venue for the 2nd Fellowship camp.

Annual camps, fun-days, hiking, canoeing and workshops are happening all the time in every country. Get in touch with a GB contact in your country or nearest country if there is no GB in your own country.

The Continent of Africa is vast and travelling between countries is very expensive and prohibits effective attendance to Fellowship gatherings. The Fellowship is therefore looking at the possibility of dividing it into regions. Fellowship events will still be held but smaller regional events will also be organized.

Their Extension Workgirls' brigade Asia mission statement

Activities:

Reaching out – Touching Lives

GB continues to have a high presence as extra curricular work attached to many of the schools

New GB methods include community development projects that use the educational segment of the GB fourfold programmes to teach and train girls with life skills

Leadership Training and the nurturing of leaders has a high profile. Leaders are encouraged to participate in Christian Leadership Training Programmes such as lead Like Jesus or John Maxwell’s Million Dollar Leader Programmes . 

The One Chance Project launched by GB Asia in 2006 continues to help develop work in Cambodia and the International family are invited to help support this work financially and in their friendship

The Asia committee meets twice a year to manage the business and mission of GB Asia, meetings are hosted by different member countries to allow others to see the work of different countries and encourage national leaders in their ministry.

Their Extension Workgirls' brigade Caribbean &

Americas mission statement:activities:

Divided by Seas United by Christ mission Divided by Seas, but United in Christ in

the mission of encouraging regional cooperation and advancement of Brigade for the transformation of the lives of Girls and enrichment of the world around us, by being deliberate BEES for Christ in Building, Equipping, Extending and Serving in Christ’s kingdom.  In 2010 the Fellowship assigned Outreach Executives in the South East and North West Region. They will focus initially on existing member countries in need of renewed ties or extension or re-establishment work. After Equipping these countries, the Outreach team will focus on Extension.  No member country is too small or too large for the extended hand of God.  So, with his guidance we pledge to forge on.

Fellowship Conferences, to foster fellowship, encourage regional growth and provide networking and training opportunities and are held once every four years, with the next Conference planned for the British Virgin Islands in July 2012.  

Fellowship Camps for Girls and Leaders, held in the alternating years,   are fun, light-hearted events geared at bringing God’s message specifically with the girls in mind. They encompass hikes, sightseeing, youth inspired workshops, beach outings and a taste of local culture.  The next such camp is in July 2011 in the beautiful islands of St. Vincent & the Grenadines. 

Nationally, our member countries celebrate annual Girls’ Brigade Weeks and the GB International Day of Prayer. They hold Church Parades to celebrate national holidays and special occasions and engage in Competitions, Rallies and Achievement Days. 

Their Extension Workgirls' brigade europe mission statement:

activities:

To support, encourage and equip our member countries in their desire to make disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.

goals Following ICGB 2010, when GB

International agreed a new Vision Statement, GB Europe identified the following four goals to help them  further the vision of ‘Girls’ lives transformed; God’s world enriched’ :

To Communicate Effectively To Inspire Discipleship To Empower Emerging Leaders To Explore Cultural Relevance GB opportunities! Through GB young women and leaders

can get involved in a wide range of projects/events as leaders/helpers. These events are a great way to make a difference, develop skills, be stretched - and to make new friends too.

From helping lead a children's club at a Christian event to being involved in an International Mission opportunities with our FIZZ teams

Girls' Brigade provides the church with a fun and welcoming way in which to connect with girls and young women in their local community:

Activity groups for girls and young women.

GB 'companies' are fun, safe, stretching places where girls can really be themselves and have a great time meeting friends, getting involved in fun activities, developing new skills, serving their community and discovering Christian faith.

Leadership training GB has a wealth of experience in working with

children and young people, and in training leaders in how to be relevant, safe and effective in outreach, evangelism and nurture. These can be found in the yellow box to the side of this page.

Events Events for children and young people are

happening all the time in GB! From locally planned fun days, praise parties and residential holidays to international events for young women - GB is full of action.

Their Extension Workgirls' brigade Pacific mission statement:

Leadership training

That all countries in the Girls' Brigade Pacific Fellowship will be united and equal partners in caring, sharing and in teaching of each other

Pacific Fellowship Goals:All countries to be

represented at Pacific Fellowship Annual General Meeting and workshops.

Each country to play an active part in the Pacific Fellowship

Communicating with each other, and the Chairperson.

Sharing of resources, programmes, and knowledge between each country.

› GB has a wealth of experience in working with children and young people, and in training leaders in how to be relevant, safe and effective in outreach, evangelism and nurture.

Events › Events for children and

young people are happening all the time in GB! From locally planned fun days, praise parties and residential camps to international events for young women - GB is full of action.

GB visionTo establish and grow Girls’

Brigade in every Pacific Country by 2015

Message from the Africa Fellowship, IVP Priscilla Penny

Dear GB Friends,Welcome to GB Africa Fellowship. The Girls’ Brigade is represented in 12

countries on the African continent with a membership of almost 30 000. Africa is full of diversity in culture and ministries which makes it a unique continent.

There are a lot of challenges that the Christian family faces throughout the continent of Africa. This calls for the need to develop a generation of Spiritually strong citizens and Prayer Warriors. We, in the Girls' Brigade Africa Fellowship, have a passion to nurture our girls to be able to stand up as Women and Leaders of tomorrow with strong Christian and Social foundations.

Wherever you are in Africa, the Girls' Brigade is for you if you care about the future of our beautiful continent. We aim to develop a holistic girl with a four – square programme covering, Spritual, Physical, Social and Education.

The current leadership of the fellowship was ushered into office in August, 2008 in Abuja, Nigeria. It is an honour and a challenge for me to lead the fellowship and pray that together, we can accomplish the aim of the organisation of helping the young people to know Christ and find true enrichment of life.

Isiah 45 vs 2- 3 says, "I will go before you and will level the mountains. I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you riches stored/hidden in secret places, so that you may know that I an the Lord". We claim this promise for Africa as we strive to heed his call in this ministry.

Pasellah P. Penny, International Vice President, Africa

Welcome from IVP Tnay Yong Hua: Greetings and Blessings from all of us on the Asia Fellowship Committee.  The Asia Fellowship committee sees its role a s being the feet of GB International in

this part  of the  world, going to all of Asia on behalf of GB International. We go  to bring the unchanging message through changing methods to build lives and communities for the extension God’s Kingdom amongst girls.

Our bi annual Fellowship meetings are planned and executed with the four components present:

F – Fellowship – where we build community as a GB family E – Encouragement – where we encourage one another as we share our celebration

 and concerns E – Equipping where we come together to be trained as trainers tat we may serrv

better. T – Teaming Together – to extend and establish the GB mission and ministry in

Asia. It is awesome to see how God is mobilising the GB family to reach out together.

We invite you to come and respond to what we term an Asia-donian call to minister in Asia to help birth a generation of Esther generation of girls who know the reason they are here on earth. We need all whose hearts are open, whose hands are willing, whose feet will go. Will you ride the waves with us until all of Asia has a GB presence?Shalom,Tnay Yong Hua (International Vice President, Asia)

Welcome from IVP Hazel Ann Hannaway Boreland:

Greetings from the Caribbean Americas The Caribbean Americas Fellowship covers one of the largest geographical areas in the

Brigade family and represents 22 member countries as listed opposite. Through the commitment of Christian volunteers who meet weekly with girls throughout the region, as a Christian Youth Organisation, Girls' Brigade provides activities designed to help girls attain physical, mental and spiritual maturity, and encourage them to exercise what they learn through practical service to the home, church, community and the world.

With the sheer geographic vastness of our region, comes its inherent challenge. However, for this 2010-2014 quadrennial we have taken some time to examine where we are as a region in order to determine the steps needed to soar ahead as true G Bees for Christ.  In the words of Rev. Ong Hwa Teik from ICGB 2010, ''the problem with modern life is that people are always rushing forward, without seeing where they were, so they are bound to stumble...To walk with God we must move forward, but spend time to understand our journey by looking back." Having examined our unique needs, our pledge is to be G Bees in the sense of us being busy worker Bees in Christ’s vineyard:

G Bees in Caribbean Americas: Building – stronger inter country bridges in greater exchange and fellowship and

renewed connections

Equipping – girls, young leaders, officers and member countries through Camps & Regional Conferences, Youth Empowerment Programs and resources.

Extending – our reach within existing member countries and regionally by outreach to un-chartered paths.

Serving – our member countries in continued community service and adopting families on the edge.

Join us in our mission in being worker bees for Christ. Contact us if you would like to become a GB volunteer or if you know girls who would like to visit a local GB Company.   We will be delighted to assist you with your queries, so feel free to contact us. Our aim is to help girls to become followers of the Lord Jesus Christ

Hazel Ann Hannaway Boreland .

International Vice President Caribbean Americas

Welcome from IVP Vivienne Aitchison Hello Everyone!

The European Fellowship is the part of the Girls’ Brigade family made up of England and Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland,  Romania and most recently in Kosova. The Fellowship has some 62.000 members and is working in over 12,000 companies. As you will see from our mission statement, the aim of the fellowship is to support and encourage our member countries, helping them to accomplish the world wide aim of our organisation, helping girls and young people to meet with Jesus.

I have been privileged to lead the fellowship since April 2006 and am continually amazed at all that is happening around GB Europe:

National Boards creating structures and constitutions able to meet the changing world of the 21st century.

Work groups developing modern programmes and planning events which meet the needs of the young women living in a changing and developing culture

Faithful leaders providing secure environments and building relationships that are lasting and valued.

Young people who are passionate in their faith and responsive to Christ’s call to follow him.

Christian women seeking to bring the message of God’s love to the unchurched young people in this corner of God’s world.

It is a privilege to work with all these people!  Part of the purpose of the Fellowship is to encourage and support our leaders and each year we hold a conference to help us to do just that. If you ever feel you need some space for yourself, if you could do with a word of encouragement, if you would you benefit from having time with like minded people to meet with God and listen to Him…… then don’t miss our conference, it is especially for you.

Christian love and prayers Vivienne AitchisonChairman GB Europe

A message from Jennifer Box International Vice President (Pacific)

Dear GB Friends,Welcome to the Pacific Fellowship. The Girls’ Brigade is represented in 10 countries in the Pacific, each with their own unique culture (see list to left).As a Christian Organisation we provide activities that will provide the girls with values and life skills, as they develop spiritually, physically, educationally and socially.

Communication would be the biggest problem in the Fellowship, even though all countries are contactable by email now; this is not always reliable with power outages and tele communications sometimes being down.I praise God for the many Churches who have taken on Girls’ Brigade as a mission outreach in their Pacific countries.  While membership has its highs and lows, everyone is encouraging young girls and women in their communities to “Seek, Serve and Follow Christ.”

While we all work on the same programme based on Luke 2 : 52, each country delivers this in different ways as they need to work within their own uniqueness and culture.  Although uniforms may differ between our Pacific countries, it is the Girls’ Brigade Crest on that uniform that links us all together. 

My prayer for the Pacific is that God will continue to encourage the girls and young women to take up the opportunities that Girls’ Brigade has to offer, with the ultimate goal of developing them for a life with Christ. 

My heartfelt thanks goes out to ALL Leaders, Helpers, Chaplains and Supporters of GB in the Pacific, your work is appreciated and I look forward to working further with you all.

God Bless,Jennifer

Jennifer Box, QSM, JP,IVP Pacific