Tyrese

My name is Tyrese and I am from Monrovia, the capital of Liberia. I am the youngest of seven children and I live with my mother. When I was little, I remember being a very happy and active child. I started experiencing bad living conditions, when my father died. I began to feel hopeless and felt that there was no purpose for me in life. I washed people's clothes for money in order to support myself through school. I lived in a large slum community in a corrugated zinc house.

One day, I was sitting alone quietly, and an acquaintance in my community came and sat beside me, and began to tell me a story. After the story, he gave me an invitation to go with him to Young Life club. I went with him on the next Saturday; that was how I first got involved in Young Life activities. I attended the first Young Life camp in my community in 2007 and later met Jesus at camp. Christ changed my life by giving me hope in Him. I am compelled to introduce others to Him, and help them grow in their faith.

I am interested in becoming a medical doctor. My country needs more doctors and nurses, because the population is over grown and there are insufficient doctors in the country. Now, as a Developing Global Leader, I am studying nursing at Smythe College of Technology. I hope to become a doctor specializing in orthopedic surgery. I am involved in my local Young Life club by doing contact work, having Campaigner meetings and Young Life club. I am the first person in my family to pursue a degree at the university.