Jessica

Hello, my name is Jessica! I live together with my mother and half-sister in a small apartment in the city of Bogotá, Colombia. My childhood was lonely and difficult, I spent most of my time alone. My mother worked constantly to provide for us, and I had to grow up and learn many things on my own. My mother and stepfather separated when I was fourteen years old, this is a painful memory because their relationship was tumultuous, resulting in many conflicts that resulted in physical violence. Because of this trauma, I became a very closed and shy person.

Due to all of the negative experiences in my childhood, I began to believe that something was missing in my life and that there must be something more. I felt an emptiness in my heart and a thirst that had to be quenched. In the middle of that search, I found Young Life. From that point, everything changed. At camp, I felt loved for the first time, loved by Jesus. I wanted everyone to know his infinite love and I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I want everyone to know God’s love and be healed, just as He has done in my own life. I now serve as a leader in my community, caring for kids and accompanying them in their faith journey.

Music has always been my way of expressing my feelings and my most effective way of connecting with Jesus. Music, in my country, is not considered important and it is difficult to access music lessons. As a Developing Global Leader, it is possible for me to study music at Sergio Arboleda University. I hope to be able to make music something accessible to all people in my country, and ultimately, use music as a means to share the love of God.