The Hong, Jalingo and Yola teams have additional members following training for new volunteers in Yola during December.

Tellingly, at the end of the training 15 of the 17 participants rededicated themselves to Christ and committed to living according to gospel values.

“Like others in the many churches we visit, these volunteers saw the way they lived as the norm for Christians. As we talked about social righteousness they came to understand what Christ expects of his followers,” said international coordinator Tassie Ghata.

Tassie travelled from Jos to Yola to deliver the training alongside Yola office manager Tony Sudan. Over five days participants heard an overview of Grace & Light’s distinctly Christian approach, the effect of HIV/AIDS on churches, transmission, prevention and treatment, counselling and testing, care and support for those living with the disease, establishing life sharing groups in churches and maintaining trust and respect within their teams.

Four of the participants joined the Jalingo team taking its cohort to 12. This means the team will be able to visit more churches on a Sunday. During 2019 they were faithful in visiting secondary schools, but struggled to visit churches.

Another four joined the Hong team taking its membership to six people. Hong is close to Mitchika and the town has been impacted by Boko Haram. Previously the two members needed support from Yola to visit churches; now they will be able to organise their own visits.

The other nine new volunteers joined the Yola team and will be visiting churches, schools, work places and prisons in the city and its surroundings.

Tony Sudan has since left Grace & Light; please pray for Tassie as she recruits a new office manager for Yola. We are looking for someone with pastoral and admin skills who is able to motivate and care for each of the team members.

Please also pray for the new members in the Jalingo and Hong teams as well as for the team leaders and other volunteers as they increase their visits during 2020.