Alya

Alya (name changed for safety) is a friendly and responsible young woman from a Siberian city in Russia. The only child in her family, Alya’s parents worked hard to provide for her, but she was closest to her grandparents until their passing when Alya was young. The loss left a void and revealed a great emptiness and loneliness that followed her to school, always hoping for deep friendships and a sense of belonging. In the heart of her adolescence, Alya says, “There was no one to share my life with, I didn’t have real friends, and I didn’t want to tell my parents about my struggles because they were so busy and had problems of their own.”

One summer in high school, Alya had a summer job working with youth and met a Young Life leader in her community. After a few weeks, she and her team were invited to Young Life camp. Not wanting to be the odd one out, Alya reluctantly agreed to go, only to find out that she was the only one to follow through and go to camp. Alya shares, “Jesus foresaw everything, He knew that it was I who should go! As the leaders spoke of an unknown God, I knew there was a desperate void inside me, but Jesus was right there to fill it! After camp, Alya began to study the Bible with a small group and pray together, eventually becoming a Young Life leader herself.

Now a Developing Global Leader, Alya is studying education at a local university. She expresses, “I love children, and I really love communication and conversation, so by working as a teacher, I can use my gifts to impact others.” Alya is dedicated to the club she leads and the teens in her life. As the first in her family to graduate from university, Alya dreams, "I want to be financially independent so that I can bless others. I believe that God also wants this and He will not leave me alone on the journey!”