Alejandra

My name is Alejandra, my family and friends call me Ale. I am the oldest of three sisters and we live with our parents in the city center of Estelí, Nicaragua. The daughter of a teen mom, my childhood memories are shrouded with a veil of fear and loneliness; we lived with relatives immersed in unhealthy lifestyles and my mother worked tirelessly for less than ten dollars a month. I learned to be seen and not heard; I was insecure with a quiet and timid disposition. However, when I was eight, something miraculous happened in my father’s life. He abandoned his addictions and committed his life to Jesus and pursued my mother and I in hopes of restoring our family. Now, we have a beautiful family centered on the love of Jesus and I have an earthly example of the Father’s love.

Early in my teen years, I wrestled with insecurities and struggled to value myself, I wandered away from God and disrespected my parents. In spite of my parents being Young Life leaders, I grew hard-hearted towards God. Negativity was my closest companion, inadequacy and fear, the loudest dialogue in my head. It wasn’t until I went away to a week at Young Life camp that I finally heard the voice of the Father. He boldly spoke words of grace and love to my heart. Transformed by reading God’s Word and the reinforcing encouragement of my Young Life family, I believe that I am valuable and known and loved. My greatest joy is to speak life and love to leaders and teens in my community as the team leader of the club where I first encountered Jesus.

Overwhelmed by the metamorphosis of a once timid child with no voice, I am now a woman with a heart’s cry for truth and justice for the helpless and am pursuing a law degree from the Catholic University of the Dry Tropics. As a Developing Global Leader, I love training and supporting the leaders in my community who are chasing after teens with the love of God.