Planned outreach into Borno State, in north eastern Nigeria, should commence in September.

Tony Sudan, Tari Bitrus and other members of the Yola volunteer team were due to visit Maidiguri in June to make contact with local church leaders, as well as with Grace & Light members living in the town.

However, their visit was postponed due to renewed fighting between the military and Boko Haram as well as suicide attacks in Maidiguri on 9, 11 and 21 June, and in nearbt Damboa on 16 June.

Already two Grace & Light members, who were studying in Jos, have returned to Madiguri and are recruiting people for a new volunteer team. Ngaruru Yakubu trained at TCNN (Theological College of Northern Nigeria) and is now a church pastor in Madiguri., while Johnson Ahmad completed his degree in Jos and is now a local businessman.

“They are sharing Grace & Light’s message of social righteousness with their families, friends, colleagues and congregations in preparation for Tony and Tari’s visit,” said international coordinator Tassie Ghata. “We are very grateful for their active support.”

Tony and Tari’s September visit will be exploratory to encourage Ngaruru and Johnson, meet the volunteers they have recruited, and introduce local church leaders to Grace & Light’s ethos.

They then hope to return to Maidiguri before Christmas to deliver the five-day new volunteer training programme and commission volunteers into the Madiguri team.

Money donated by UK supporters to date through our June fundraising walk will fund travel for Tony and Tari as well as their accommodation and meals while in Maidiguri. We will be inviting grant making trusts to fund the new volunteer training later in the year.

Please pray for Ngaruru, Johnson, their contacts in Maidiguri and the local churches, Tony and Tari as the travel to Maidiguri and funds for the training programme.