Gabriel

My name is Gabriel, and I live in one of the most populated cities in Mozambique, in a neighborhood in Maputo defined by poverty and crime. My parents are separated, and my four brothers and I, all of school age, live with my mother who is unemployed. Not wanting to face the conflict at home, I joined my peers in unhealthy behaviors and experimented with drugs and alcohol throughout my adolescence. However, my life began to be impacted by God in high school. I was invited to club, and though I was drawn to all of the fun, my heart was captivated by the conversations about Jesus. My understanding of God was that He was distant and couldn’t possibly accept me. After hearing the Gospel at camp, I surrendered to God and accepted Jesus in my heart recognizing my need for Him in all things. I realized that I was not in the world by chance, and that God wants to use me to impact others. Serving God as a Young Life leader gave me focus and now I recognize the opportunities that God placed in my life for the benefit of my family and my community.

As a beneficiary of the Developing Global Leaders scholarship, I am able to continue my studies to become a high school English teacher by attending Pedagogical University. I am thirsty to learn new leadership skills and plan to continue to make disciples and thus, contribute to the development of my community and the growth of the kingdom of God. I will be the first in my family to graduate from university.