Volunteer teams have been unable to visit schools since April because of the pandemic.

Virtually all Nigerian schools and universities, both private and state, have been closed since March and will not reopen until the spring.

Learning has suffered as schools have not been offering online lessons; most students and teachers don’t have the internet at home. Instead government radio stations have been providing essential lessons for secondary school pupils only.

This means our volunteer teams have not been visiting schools to share the gospel and test pupils for HIV/AIDS as we usually do.

The Yola team was able to visit two schools in November, sharing the gospel with 192 students and encouraging them to live lives that honour God.

During these visits 103 students chose to be tested for HIV/AIDS; one person tested positive and is now being supported by their school.  One hundred and twenty four students rededicated their lives to Christ and nine made a first commitment.

“This year has been tough for students and their families. Parents have been back at work since October and so children are on their own at home or being cared for by relatives, usually grandparents,” said international coordinator Tassie Ghata.

“We are hearing increasing stories of rapes and crimes; families are struggling financially. Only senior people in government worked between April and October so there was not much support. Though all government staff are now back at work, services are not yet functioning well.”

Prayer Requests

Please pray for Nigerian school children and their families: support for those who have been harmed, incomes to feed the family and pay back debts, schools to restart in the new year.