Baptista

Known for his charisma and humility, Andre is a man from a small neighborhood in Beira, a major port city in Mozambique. After the death of his mother at age four, he lives with his father and step mother and their four children. Andre’s home life has been a challenge, facing difficult dynamics within his blended family, as well as years of suffering through a skin disease and late-detected vision problems, which led to a lack of confidence in his academic abilities. Andre recognizes that the trials he has faced have contributed to the resourceful and independent person he is today. Andre contributes much of the man he is to the love of Jesus and the opportunities to grow and lead within Young Life.

Now a Developing Global Leader, Andre is pursuing a journalism degree at Journalism University. He hopes to use humor and joy as a means to facilitate clear and useful communication from the media to the people in his community. Andre dreams that the people of his country would have equal access to public services, as well as more opportunities for education and employment. He hopes to grow in his leadership and ministry skills through the DGL program, as he continues to serve kids throughout his community. Andre will be the first person in his family to graduate from college.