Secondary schools are more open to visits from Grace & Light volunteer teams since their staff joined our Teachers Conference in September last year.

During the conference, Grace & Light staff trained two teachers in each of 17 secondary schools in Jos who received pastoral care skills to help them support their students.

Subsequently, they have seen students’ attitudes change from stubbornness to openness to God.

“During our school visits children open up, in on-to-one counselling, about the troubles at home and how this impacts their behaviours,” said international coordinator Tassie Ghata.

“They are looking for love and support and when they don’t receive these they turn to stealing, lies, bullying and cheating in exams.”

Many don’t have enough food at home so come into school hungry and are unable to concentrate. Teachers see the consequences of this in poor behaviour.

During Jos volunteer team visits to their schools, the teachers are saying they now understand students better and are able to provide the pastoral support they learnt about during the training that is changing behaviours.

Between April and June the Jos teams visited eight secondary schools, sharing the gospel of social righteousness with 2,582 students and testing 639 for HIV/AIDS. No students were positive.

In total, 431 students rededicated their lives to God and another 173 made first commitments to him.

Prayer Requests

Please pray for:

• Pastoral care-trained teachers will continue to feel confident supporting students in their schools
• Volunteer teams will continue to be invited into schools to share the gospel of righteousness, counsel and test for HIV/AIDS
• More schools across Nigeria will open their doors to visits from Grace & Light volunteer teams.