Emmanuel

My name is Emmanuel and I live with my parents along with my brother and sister in a small fishing village outside of Cebu in the Philippines. My father supports us on his income as a fisherman. My biggest challenge in life has been feeling like a black sheep in my family. I have always questioned whether they wanted to see the good in me. I have borne the weight of their criticism and have tried to use it as a motivation to strive for more.

I grew up in the Catholic church and my mother taught us all to pray from a young age. However, in high school, Young Life came to my area, and I really liked the activities: the games, the huddle time, the club, and most especially the club talk. I've learned that having Jesus Christ in your life changes everything. My relationship with my parents has even changed, although skeptical at first, they have seen my relationship with God change me and the trust between us continues to grow.

As a Developing Global Leader, I am now studying computer engineering at Cebu Technological University because I want to help others relate to and utilize technology. I would love to use my knowledge to bring glory to God. While in my DGL program, my goal is to let my friends, schoolmates and other young adults know more about God’s love for them and that no matter what happens, He is always there for them.