Sujeiry Mayeli

My name is Sujeiry and I live in Jarabacoa, one of the most beautiful places in my country of the Dominican Republic. I grew up with my parents and my brothers in a dysfunctional family. When I was five years old, I began to see that my mother was not paying attention to me and it was very difficult for my father to help me, I felt alone. I became angry and I made bad decisions in my life. I started working early at the age of fourteen because of the poor economy of my family.

Everything changed in my life through Jesus Christ.  I went to Young Life summer camp and heard the gospel, but it was different than hearing about Jesus in the past, for the first time I heard that He wants to have a relationship with me. And for the first time I talked to him, and I felt the presence of God. I felt led to forgive my mom, and after that, our relationship changed. I began to emulate what my leader Nathalie did with me and started inviting others to be a part of our family in Christ.

With the Developing Global Leaders scholarship, I will be able to graduate as a pediatric specialist. I want to be a model of Christ in the service of children. I am sure that I could connect my career with the ministry. I want to have a foundation for mothers of children and adolescents to make strong leaders in their faith with God in my neighborhood and continue to grow in my relationship with God. I will be the first in my family to graduate from university.