Дмитро

My name is Dmytro, Dima for short, and my two siblings and I live with my aunt and uncle and their kids in the small town of Myropil, Ukraine. We all live together because my parents were unable to care for us properly. My aunt stepped in the gap and took us in five years ago; without her care, I have no idea where I would be today. Prior to age fourteen, my life was filled with a great deal of confusion and pain. My father did not treat me as a loved son and was cruel with his words and actions. Though I felt loved by my mother, she, along with my dad, were lost in addiction. They brought many negative people and experiences into our home, resulting in immeasurable pain.

In light of my painful and secular upbringing, God was always a “hard to understand” topic for me and it seemed that all believers were just fans of religion. In fact, I was quick to mock any of my friends who professed faith. However, after many invitations, I began attending a youth group, but my wayward lifestyle did not change. Eventually, I encountered love like never before, my heart began to soften, and I made the decision to follow Jesus. I began serving in the children’s ministry which lead to serving in Young Life. I am the only one in my family who believes in God, so it is a bit complicated, however, I am compelled to seek the Lord and invest in lost teens in my community.

Now, a Developing Global Leader, I attend Zhytomyr Ivan Franko State University and am pursuing a degree in social work. I want to work in a Christian organization’s Day Center where I have volunteered in the past. The mission of the center is to tell children about the Lord, give them food and offer tutoring and counsel. Such centers need specialists in social work, therefore, I plan to combine social work and ministry. I will be the first person in my entire family to graduate from university.