Cards of Hope
Initiative
One year on
14 April 2015 marks the anniversary of the kidnappings of over 250 young women from a boarding school in Chibok, Nigeria. 219 girls remain missing and separated from their families. Six of them are our GB sisters – Abigail, Deborah, Grace, Awa, Esther and Deborah.
Girls’ Brigade cares for girls because God cares for girls. We believe in hope for the Chibok girls. We believe that God calls us to build the hope-filled Gospel alternative by modelling His transformative and restorative heart. In 2015, let’s be expectant. God loves each one of these girls and He can do immeasurably more than we can ever imagine (Ephesians Ch.3:20).
Cards of Hope initiative
At the start of 2015, young people from GB England & Wales took part in a Cards of Hope initiative. Around 2,500 Cards of Hope have been made and sent in by 100 GB groups as part of a campaign to turn up the volume of hope for the 219 kidnapped Chibok girls in Nigeria. On 17 March 2015, an 18-strong delegation of hope, made up of GB members, leaders and supporters of all ages, went to London to present some of the cards to Baroness Joyce Anelay at the UK Foreign Office, and the door of Number 10 Downing Street, the home of the UK Prime Minister. Lily, aged 10, from 5th Reading, read a poem she had written to Baroness Anelay. She says ‘I think the most important thing Baroness Anelay said was never give up because we need to continue to show how much we care for the missing girls.’
How can you help?
GB would like to invite individuals, communities and churches to contribute to a collective positive action which will ensure that these girls are not forgotten by people in positions of influence. This resource will enable you to make a Card of Hope.
GB England & Wales is continuing to collect Cards of Hope and plans to present them to influential bodies like United Nations, Nigerian government and Council of Europe.
Why should you get involved?
Quite simply - it will make a difference. You will be using your influence in a positive way to turn up the volume of hope for these young women. Your government is elected to represent your views. By creating these Cards of Hope, you’re demonstrating that people care about these young women. GB England & Wales received a positive response from the UK government who listened and valued the views and passion of its members. By creating a hope card, you’ll be saying: ‘I’ve not forgotten you.’ You will also be reminding people in positions of influence not to forget either!
How do you use the resource?
Using the resource is simple. You can make one as an individual, as a family, in youth groups or even as part of a church service. We have designed Cards of Hope for all ages. Just follow the instructions below.
1. Cut out and colour in one
outline of a girl (template is on page 4).
2. Choose a name from the list of Chibok schoolgirls on page 5.
3. Get a hope card sheet
according to your age (primary school/secondary school/adult). You can download these from the Rhythms article. Fold the A4 sheet horizontally and then vertically so the declaration is on the inside right and the GB logo on the
4. Sign your name inside and glue the girl on the front of the card. Don’t forget to write the name of the young women on the front and inside of the card. 5. Spend some time praying over the cards – you can download some creative
prayer ideas and up-to-date prayer points from GB International’s resource here – www.gbworldwide.org
6. If you’re from the UK, please send your Card of Hope to: The Girls’ Brigade England & Wales, Cliff College, Calver, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, S32 3XG. If you live in another country, you could send it directly to the head of your government or another appropriate person of influence along with a letter explaining the purpose of the Cards of Hope.
Please continue to pray for Nigeria
The wider situation in Nigeria is very precarious at the moment. The 219 young women from Chibok represent a small fraction of the many thousands of lives which have been affected by Boko Haram’s campaign of violence. Many thousands of people who’ve fled for their lives from insurgent attacks in Nigeria are now facing the threat of extreme hunger and food shortages. Around 1 million Nigerians have abandoned their homes as a result of attacks by Boko Haram on towns and communities in the country’s north east and tens of thousands have fled to neighbouring Cameroon, Niger and Chad. Without humanitarian help, as many as 3 million Nigerians will be ‘unable to meet basic food needs by July 2015’, according to the Famine Early Warning System. Last year 7,700 people died in this conflict. Please pray for peace in Nigeria and God’s comfort for Muslims and Christians who have suffered as a result of violence.
Thank you
Your contribution will make a difference. What God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbour, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don’t take yourself too seriously— take God seriously (Micah Ch.6:8).
1 Deborah 2. Awa 3. Hauwa 4. Asabe 5. Mwa 6. Patience 7. Saraya 8. Mary 9. Gloria 10. Hanatu 11. Gloria 12. Tabitha 13. Maifa 14. Ruth 15. Esther 16. Awa 17. Anthonia 18. Kume 19. Aisha 20. Nguba 21. Kwanta 22. Kummai 23. Esther 24. Hana 25. Rifkatu 26. Rebecca 27. Blessing 28. Ladi 29. Tabitha 30. Ruth 31. Safiya 32. Naomi 33. Solomi 34. Rhoda 35. Rebecca 36. Christy 37. Rebecca 38. Laraba 39. Saratu 40. Mary 41. Debora 42. Naomi 43. Hanatu 44. Hauwa 45. Juliana 46. Suzana 47. Saraya 48. Jummai 49. Mary 50. Jummai 51. Yanke 52. Muli 53. Fatima 54. Eli 55. Saratu 56. Deborah 57. Rahila 58. Luggwa 59. Kauna 60. Lydia 61. Laraba 62. Hauwa 63. Comfort 64. Hauwa A 65. Hauwa 66. Yana 67. Laraba 68. Saraya 69. Glory 70. Naomi 71. Godiya 72. Awa 73. Na’omi 74. Maryamu 75. Tabitha 76. Mary 77. Ladi 78. Rejoice 79. Luggwa 80. Comfort 81. Saraya 82. Sicker 83. Talata 84. Rejoice 85. Deborah 86. Salomi 87. Mary 88. Ruth 89. Esther 90. Esther 91. Maryamu 92. Zara 93. Maryamu 94. Lydia 95. Laraba 96. Naomi 97. Rahila 98. Ruth 99. Ladi 100. Mary 101. Esther 102. Helen 103. Margret 104. Deborah 105. Filo 106. Febi 107. Ruth 108. Racheal 109. Rifkatu 110. Mairama 111. Saratu 112. Jinkai 113. Margret 114. Yana 115. Grace 116. Amina 117. Palmata 118. Awagana 119. Pindar 120. Yana 121. Saraya 122. Hauwa 123. Hauwa 124. Hauwa 125. Maryamu 126. Maimuna 127. Rebeca 128. Liyatu 129. Rifkatu 130. Naomi 131. Deborah 132. Ladi 133. Asabe 134. Maryamu 135. Ruth 136. Mary 137. Abigail 138. Deborah 139. Saraya 140. Kauna 141. Christiana 142. Yana 143. Hauwa 144. Hadiza 145. Lydia 146. Ruth 147. Mary 148. Lugwa 149. Muwa 150. Hanatu 151. Monica 152. Margret 153. Docas 154. Rhoda 155. Rifkatu 156. Saratu 157. Naomi 158. Hauwa 159. Rahap 160. Deborah 161. Hauwa 162. Hauwa 163. Serah 164. Aishatu 165. Aishatu 166. Hauwa 167. Hamsatu 168. Mairama 169. Hauwa 170. Ihyi 171. Hasana 172. Rakiya 173. Halima 174. Aisha 175. Kabu 176. Yayi 177. Falta 178. Kwadugu 179. Falta 180. Kwadug
