16 June 2026Bokkos Local Government Area Has Its First Volunteer Team
A new team formed in Bokkos following our latest volunteer training and new members have been added to teams in Panshin, Mangu, Bauchi and Jos.
Bokkos is a rural local government area south east of Jos, and consists of many dispersed farming villages surrounding the small administrative town of Bokkos.
The team was formed following new volunteer training at the end of January and early February. Twently-three participants took part in the training and all joined either the Bokkos team, or the existing teams afterwards.
During the training, they explored in depth the scriptural basis for social righteousness, which underpins all we do.
This includes our response to HIV/AIDS, medical and societal aspects of the disease, counselling, care and support, team work and relationships, how to contact churches, preaching, and establishing voluntary savings and accountability groups and action committees that administer Grace & Light activities in each church.
They also learnt how to share Grace & Light’s four key social righteousness focuses – poverty and wealth, work and corruption, sexual and gender-based violence, and the politics of righteousness.
Volunteers were able to put what they learnt into practice on the final day during vision sharing, counselling and testing in a Jos church.
Teams in Mangu, Bauchi and Jos now have new members and the Mangu team has reactivated following a five month hiatus.
In Panshin the team has also been reactivated, after being inactive for a few years. It is a small team and is being supported by Jos volunteers as they rebuild relationships with local church leaders and congregations.
This was our 49th volunteer training in Nigeria and the first time we have used our new Jos training centre to deliver training.
Prayer Requests
Please pray for:
- More people in Panshin and Bauchi to volunteer for training and strengthen these teams so they can continue to visit and minister to local churches
- The Bokkos team as they establish themselves and build relationships with churches in their local area; that members will remain committed to God and to Grace & Light as well as the congregations they visit
- Local church leaders will welcome volunteer teams into their churches to share the gospel with congregations, as well as counselling and testing for HIV and setting up voluntary savings and accountability groups.
16 June 2026Understanding What it Means to Live as a Christian
Church congregations continue to be surprised when they hear our message that Sunday attendance is not enough. God expects living out of faith in their homes and work places.
Again and again our volunteer teams hear the refrain, ‘we never knew what it means to be a Christian, living according to gospel teaching and serving God from our hearts’.
Men have greater understanding of their responsibilities to their wives and children, what being head of the house in Christ means, and loving rather than bullying.
Wives have greater understanding of how to nurture their husbands and children and become equal partners in serving God in their families.
“After hearing us speak people have a change of heart. What we share impacts their lives. They want to please God and so rededicate their lives,” says international coordinator Tassie Ghata.
“Church leaders are happy we are speaking to their congregations because we are able to talk about challenges that directly affect people. Our sharing gives pastors permission to cover these sensitive topics in the future.”
Six volunteer teams were active in the first four months of 2026. They visited 34 churches, sharing the gospel of righteousness with 10,487 people and testing 997 for HIV/AIDS. Of those who tested, just four were positive.
The majority (95.5%) chose to be open about their status; many joined voluntary savings and accountability groups when these are available in their churches. Significant numbers rededicated their lives to Christ (1,078 people) or made a first commitment (110 people).
The active teams between January and April were Jalingo, Jos, Lafia, Mangu, Yola and Zing. Jalingo and Mangu teams are active despite insurgency in their areas.
Grace & Light now has a You Tube channel – Grace and Light International Ministries where you can watch talks in churches. Do subscribe to our channel.
Prayer Requests
Please pray for:
- Members of the Jalingo and Mangu teams, that God will keep them and their families safe and they will be able to continue ministering to churches in their areas.
16 June 2026Students Choose Serving God
Students are looking forward to their futures, they have discovered purpose and want to serve God rather than being swept around by the winds of social media.
Nigeria’s schools are full of talented young people who have no faith in their political leaders, church elders, or parents. They see no point in working hard and studying, and every advantage in cheating and stealing their way to worldly success.
But when they hear our volunteer teams explain how God sees them and his expectations, their attitudes turn around 360 degrees.
“God awakens them and they give their lives to him. They say they are looking forward to graduating, living well and serving our nation when they graduate,” says international coordinator Tassie Ghata.
“When we revisit schools we find they are continuing to live by Gospel teaching and what they heard from us.”
The Yola volunteer team visited two schools during February and March, speaking with 224 pupils and testing 64 for HIV. Of these 179 students rededicated their lives to Christ and two made a first commitment.
Prayer Requests
Please pray for:
- Students to remain faithful to Christ in their school and home lives, to be supported by their teachers and families
- Teachers at these schools to also be faithful to Christ and to support and encourage pupils in their faith and lifestyles.
