Yelizaveta

My name is Yelizaveta, my friends often call me Liza. I live in the capital of Ukraine with my mother, grandmother, and younger sister. I came to this city because we were escaping the war that started in my city in 2014. These events were traumatic for me. During this period my parents divorced. Their relationship was difficult from my childhood. Now my dad stays in my hometown, and I don't even know if he's still alive because we don't talk often, and the war is still there.

When I moved to the city, it was very difficult for me to adapt. I always felt lonely until a new girl joined our class, who turned out to be a Young Life leader. We became friends and I came to the club to support her; I was scared and excited at the same time. I went to camp and realized that God really loves me and cares about me, and I decided to devote my life to Him. I made new acquaintances; real friends who I really trusted and made me feel alive again. As a leader, I began to be friends with teenagers and be their support. I began to feel an atmosphere of real life and that I was going in the right direction, because God is my guide.

Now I serve as a photographer at the Young Life clubs, it excites me, and I want to develop more and more. I like to capture important moments. Now I'm getting a degree in film and television directing at a local university. No one in my family has ever graduated from university and I will be the first.