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Hand—Carved Mission
HOME ➝ Who is Arotahi? ➝ Arotahi whakapapa

0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} it all started The first Baptist church of Aotearoa New Zealand begins in Nelson in 1851. Just 34 years later, by members of the now 27 Baptist churches around the country, our little mission organ­i­sa­tion is born. At this time, there is a growing aware­ness and excite­ment for what is hap­pen­ing globally.  1885 2022 1891 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} Rosalie Mac­Ge­orge 1886 27-year-old Rosalie Mac­Ge­orge boards a ship with a one-way ticket, the begin­ning of her journey to B—sh (South Asia). Rosalie would form deep con­nec­tions with her com­mu­nity, leaving behind the con­fines of the con­ven­tional mission house to move in with a local Hindu family. Rosalie would become a trail­blazer in cross-cul­tural work and is still talked about today as “years ahead of her time”. Rosalie died at age 31 in the South Asian region she loved deeply, after con­tract­ing illness (likely typhoid). Read Rosalie’s incred­i­ble story here. Rosalie Mac­Ge­orge 1885 1891 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} Medical work commences 1891 Medical work com­mences in Br—ria (South Asia), largely with the support of global workers Walter La Barte and Annie Bacon. Hopestill Pillow was in charge of the dis­pen­sary station, while also vis­it­ing women in their homes and running school classes for chil­dren. Min­is­ter­ing to the health of the body is seen as a way of meeting the spir­i­tual needs of the people. 1886 1901 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} Global workers 1901 Global workers Dr. Charles North and Emily Wiseman oversee the opening of a hos­pi­tal in Ch—pur (South Asia). The hos­pi­tal would begin with 4 wards; 24 beds and an oper­at­ing theatre. Doctor North and local doctor Amir Hossein, along with the local and inter­na­tional team of assis­tants, would see 78, 373 patients from more than 1200 vil­lages in the first nine years. 

John Takle’s com­mit­ment to the Muslim com­mu­nity would see him spear­head con­tex­tual resources for other global workers, and beyond.  1891 1920 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} shelter is established 1920 A shelter is estab­lished on a piece of land in Br—ria, where young women and chil­dren can make a home. At this time child brides often found them­selves widowed, some with chil­dren that were vul­ner­a­ble to being sold or stolen. On a piece of land in the com­mu­nity are built cot­tages, a store-house for rice and veg­eta­bles, a cook-house, dining room, and a weaving room.  1901 1931 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} Invi­ta­tion 1931 We were invited into T–ra by the Maharaja (it was 1937 when MJ & Cath Eade would move here), where many of our team served faith­fully until 1973. By this time, the church was fully autonomous with over 7,500 members. Strong local lead­er­ship has seen the fel­low­ship grow expo­nen­tially. We were lucky to cel­e­brate along­side the T–ra Baptist Chris­t­ian Fel­low­ship in 2019, as they marked 75 years. A rich history we are so proud to be a part of! 1920 1941 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} English Medium Schools 1941 Amy Cowles is the first global worker to travel to South Asia by plane. Amy first trav­elled to this region in 1911, trained as a teacher and a nurse. She says of the flight, “It was the best way I have ever trav­elled yet. When in the tropics, it was good to soar up to 7,000 or 8,000 feet.” Amy Cowles, Hilda Rice, Mary Brad­field, Eileen Arnold, Marjory Bush and Jean Thomp­son would show us the sig­nif­i­cance of long-stand­ing com­mit­ment- impact­ing an innu­mer­able number of women. A com­mit­ment to edu­ca­tion is made during this time, one that would con­tinue with Ross & Cindy’s vision of English Medium Schools  Ross & Cindy 1931 1945 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} Wartime 1945 Wartime would see three global workers serve in the Armed Forces of a South Asian nation. WWII had seen the spread of famine in South Asia, with large price increases to basics such as rice and wheat. Global worker B.N Eade sets up an organ­i­sa­tion for relief in response to this crisis, which becomes a model for other famine areas to repli­cate; even winning the esteem of the Kaisar-i-Hind gold medal. 1941 1969 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} Edu­ca­tion in PNG 1969 The first global worker, Dianne Milmine, arrives in PNG ready to work in education/English teach­ing. Our rela­tion­ship with this place would con­tinue to grow and evolve, with many other global workers getting involved in medical work, admin­is­tra­tion and man­age­ment, pas­toral work, and further education.  1945 1972 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} New Tes­ta­ment translation 1972 Romesh Deb Borma, Jong Bahadur Deb Borma, and Brian Smith sit in an apart­ment in K–ta and begin the task of New Tes­ta­ment trans­la­tion into Tripuri. For the next three and a half years, they would revise and refine the trans­la­tion until finally the first print run of 5000 New Tes­ta­ment copies would be sent to their new home in Arg–la. 1969 1974 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} Solomon Islands 1974 Our rela­tion­ship with the Solomon Islands begins, with the Harry’s joining a com­mer­cial venture in part­ner­ship with a local church. Expan­sion was fast, with only ten years seeing 250 local staff employed – many being trained for lead­er­ship positions.  1972 1984 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} student hostel 1984 The doors of Br–ria student hostel are first opened as a home for young boys from rural or mar­gin­alised com­mu­ni­ties to study and live com­fort­ably in prox­im­ity to the school. Find out what the boys of Br–ria hostel are up to today! hostel spon­sor­ship 1974 1985 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} A College of Chris­t­ian Theology 1985 A College of Chris­t­ian The­ol­ogy in South Asia (est. 1968) is joy­fully handed to local lead­er­ship, Rev. Simon Sircar. Since then, global workers have been involved in short courses, sem­i­nars and tutor­ing in support of the College.  1984 1999 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} sus­tain­able businesses 1999 A team heads to K–ta, with the vision to open sus­tain­able busi­nesses that can be a light in the com­mu­nity. Some of the most well-known freedom busi­nesses in the world were born from this brave and inno­v­a­tive dream. Take a look at Joel & Lizzie and Jo & Charlie’s work. Joel & Lizzie Jo & Charlie 1985 1885 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} cen­te­nary 2019 B–l Baptist Fel­low­ship marks their cen­te­nary! Another long-stand­ing, mutual rela­tion­ship that we see the fruit of today. 1999 2020 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} Mission Council 2020 Mission Council for­mally apolo­gies to Te Kapa Rautaki (Baptist Māori leadership/strategy group) for inten­tion­ally turning away from rela­tion­ship and fel­low­ship with Māori in the late 1800’s, an action that would carry much pain for gen­er­a­tions. We are thank­ful to now be kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face). Read about Māori leaders and trail­blaz­ers who we partner with here.
 mahi­tahi 2019 2022 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} Arotahi: Hand–Carved Mission 2022 A new name signals a new and unwrit­ten chapter; simply the next part of a rich and dynamic story. Arotahi: Hand–Carved Mission. Rela­tion­ships and works that span many global places, but with a united focus on Christ. Want to be a part of the story? Check out our global expe­ri­ences now.  global expe­ri­ences 2020 1885

Whakapapa

When talking about Whaka­papa, we are dis­cussing lines of geneal­ogy and ances­try in light of lead­er­ship, kinship and those who have carved the paths we walk on now. Whaka­papa maps and binds all con­nec­tions – both spir­i­tual and phys­i­cal. Our Whaka­papa must begin with God, thus our whaka­papa is wide and long. The above explo­ration into our history and whaka­papa only gives a slight sense of the many threads that have woven us to our place now.

For further self-exploration: 

Toward the Sunrise

novel (The Cen­te­nary History of the New Zealand Baptist Mis­sion­ary Society 1885–1985. Email jasmine@arotahi.org.nz for a copy.

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female figures in Arotahi

Find out more about the female figures in Arotahi/NZBMS’ history:

female figures
A history of the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society 1885–1947

Simpson E.P.Y.

Read more
Baptist Māori Speak:

Ko Ngā Kōrero O Ngāi Māori Iriiri.
Rāwiri Auty, Ngāti Kahun­gunu Ki Te Wairoa. Email jasmine@arotahi.org.nz for access.

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Arotahi - NZBMS - New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society.
Arotahi - NZBMS - New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society.