http://www.gc3.org.nz/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.gc3.org.nz en-us Sun, 20 Sep 2026 03:05:23 +1200 Rocketspark http://www.gc3.org.nz/blog/post/169438/updated-nepal-flash-flood-response/ Field update supplied: 10 SeptemberAn update from the front lines of the flash floods relief effort in Nepal.Two of our young Alongsiders are still missing, presumed lost. Their names are Shiva and Bishal. They were faithfully walking alongside two "little brothers" who are OK. Together we mourn their loss.We are also trying to find info about a church that was washed away in another region with 17 confirmed dead. Some were Alongsiders.... Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.gc3.org.nz/blog/#post169438 http://www.gc3.org.nz/blog/post/169547/using-what-was-already-in-her-hands/ It started, by Margie Vincent's own account, as nothing more than a prayer as she was planning an overseas trip. "Wouldn't it be a good idea if I did some volunteer work somewhere on the way home?" she remembers asking God. She didn't mind where. She just asked to be shown something. That small, simple prayer led to a conversation with her boss at Open Home Foundation , a training request from an organisation&nb... Fri, 04 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.gc3.org.nz/blog/#post169547 http://www.gc3.org.nz/blog/post/169541/a-letter-to-our-current-day-mission-partners/ Every time a gift reaches you on the field, or a prayer update goes out to Churches back home, you're taking part in something that started 130 years ago with one man, one bicycle, and a calling he couldn't ignore. We wanted to write to you, not just about you, because you're not reading someone else's history. You're living the next chapter of it. In February 1896, a young man named James Kirk left Owaka, in South Otago, and set out for Arg... Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.gc3.org.nz/blog/#post169541 http://www.gc3.org.nz/blog/post/168706/walking-alongside-the-global-church-in-ethiopia/ One of the privileges of my role at GC3 is connecting with churches and church leaders from around the world who are part of our movement. The Christian Brethren (Open Brethren) movement emerged in Ireland and England in the 1820s–30s, and through its missionary activity it has spread to every corner of the globe. It now exists as a worldwide network of independent local churches.  IBCM (International Brethren Connections for Mission) is the main global ... Thu, 13 Aug 2026 13:17:13 +1200 http://www.gc3.org.nz/blog/#post168706 http://www.gc3.org.nz/blog/post/168450/loved-not-left-behind-the-work-of-his-safe-haven-in-liberia/ In parts of Liberia, a child born with a disability is not seen as a child in need of care. In some communities, they are seen as cursed, as evidence of a mother's sin, as sadly, something less than human. Families with a child with special needs can find themselves shut out of their own village: barred from the well, turned away from the market, refused treatment at government hospitals. Some children are taken to a witch doctor to find out "what happened." Again very&n... Thu, 06 Aug 2026 15:31:03 +1200 http://www.gc3.org.nz/blog/#post168450 http://www.gc3.org.nz/blog/post/168048/caring-for-our-own/ By Michael HansonPaul, writing his last letter from a Roman prison, names two kinds of people he has known. "You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me... The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains... he searched for me earnestly and found me." (2 Timothy 1:15-16) Some deserted him. Others searched him out. The question Paul's own experience puts to every sending church is simple and uncomfortable: wh... Wed, 29 Jul 2026 19:26:27 +1200 http://www.gc3.org.nz/blog/#post168048 http://www.gc3.org.nz/blog/post/167140/every-mission-journey-starts-somewhere/ Sometimes the most encouraging moments don't come from a major event or a significant announcement. They come from noticing how God is connecting people across different stages of His mission. Recently, two seemingly unrelated conversations came to light within a short space of time. One involved Sue Hanna, who is faithfully serving in Cambodia through FLAME, investing in the lives of children and families through education. S... Mon, 06 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.gc3.org.nz/blog/#post167140 http://www.gc3.org.nz/blog/post/166989/venezuela-earthquake/ In late June 2026, Venezuela was shaken by a rare and devastating “doublet” earthquake—two powerful tremors striking just seconds apart—unleashing widespread destruction across the country’s northern regions. Measuring magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, the quakes were the strongest to hit Venezuela in over a century, collapsing buildings in Caracas and devastating coastal areas such as La Guaira. As rescue teams raced against time to reach survivors trapped beneath rubble, the disaster quickl... Tue, 30 Jun 2026 15:43:56 +1200 http://www.gc3.org.nz/blog/#post166989 http://www.gc3.org.nz/blog/post/166168/connecting-communities-through-practical-service/ Through the work of Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), isolated communities across Papua New Guinea are being connected with healthcare, education, local ministry, and essential services. Renee and Pascal Muhlematter recently shared how practical acts of service are helping build trust, strengthen communities, and support God’s work in some of the country’s most remote regions. In many parts of Papua New Guinea, a journey to the nearest town can take days. Mountain ranges, rivers, and c... Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.gc3.org.nz/blog/#post166168 http://www.gc3.org.nz/blog/post/165531/a-family-shaped-by-mission/ Earlier this year, Michael Hanson had the opportunity to speak at Hope Community Church in Nelson and reflect on the rich missionary heritage connected to the region. As he shared stories of men and women sent out from Nelson to serve across the world, one family in particular stood out : the Shirtliff family. In 1898, five missionaries left New Zealand for Malaya. Four of them were single women. One of those women was Sarah Shirtliff from Nelson. Few coul... Thu, 28 May 2026 10:00:25 +1200 http://www.gc3.org.nz/blog/#post165531