Living a life of social righteousness in Nigeria is not easy; people who make a commitment to do so need on-going support and encouragement.

The experience of one woman sums up the struggle many face. She committed to living a life of social righteousness when the Jos volunteer team visited her church in 2014.

However, this has made her unpopular with her work colleagues and she now feels she has no friends in her office. She says: “people don’t like me because I tell the truth. They say I’m being too spiritual.”

In her team people have developed the habit of arriving just before the boss at 11am, but signing into the timekeeping system as if they arrived at 8am.

This woman no longer does this. Instead she arrives and signs in at 8.30am. Once she does so the system does not allow her colleagues to sign in at an early time – which they resent.

“We are supporting her as she rebuilds relationships with her colleagues,” says Tassie Ghata, Grace & Light international coordinator. “She is explaining why she has changed her behaviour and also starting work at 8am so she doesn’t create problems for the others.”

During January and February the Yola and Jos teams visited eight churches, testing 607 people of whom 93% chose to be open about their HIV status and join a life-sharing group. Of those tested, 18% rededicated their lives to God and social righteousness, while 3% gave their lives to God for the first time.

Churches visited were LCCN Sangere FUTY, CRCN Yolte Pate, LCCN no.1 Bature, ECWA Kparichinge, ECWA Zagun, LCCN Modire, ECWA Katon Rikkos and EYN Janbutu.