David

My name is David, and I live in a village in the Amuria district of Uganda. I grew up in a poor family to a mother of ten children and a polygamous father of three additional wives and children. Throughout my childhood, I suffered through many atrocities including: abuse, hunger, abandonment, and rebelliousness. I was even abducted by rebels that raided my village, but God made a way where there was no way. My uncle, with whom I was caught, has never returned home. God had a purpose of sparing me and I believe that purpose is to lead other teens to Christ. I persevered to complete my secondary education, but was unable to continue to the university due to a lack of fees. I carried bitterness in my heart because I thought my dreams were falling apart.

Following my peers, I fell into a lifestyle of rebellion in high school; however one day, I was invited to Young Life club and then camp. At Young Life camp, I was profoundly impacted by a touching message where a boy lost his life because of peer pressure. Appealing to my conscience, the message was meant for me, and finally I gave my life to Christ. Growing in my faith, I eventually took over the Young Life leadership in my area with the help of my area director's encouragement.

As a Developing Global Leader, I am attending Uganda Technical College and studying building and civil engineering. I hope I become the first engineer in my community and the first in my family to graduate from university. I pray that God gives me self-control and the patience to walk with and teach youths how to live a faithful life and tell them that God loves them.