Gabriel

My name is Gabriel and I am from Grenade, Nicaragua. I had a common childhood; my mother worked all day away from the home with my father and I spent most of the day alone with my grandmother and my brothers. I worked hard in school and generally always came out on the honor roll. Everything changed when my parents separated. It was a difficult time for me to not only be aware of their problems, but also to witness situations of aggression and at times be a victim of it as well. This abusive season of my childhood resulted in a lot of insecurities and self-destructive behaviors.

I met Jesus when I went to Young Life camp. Each activity and message reinforced a brand-new understanding to me and caused me to believe that God is always with me. The catalyst for this change was the fact that before approaching Jesus, I was lost. I knew who he was, but I was ashamed to approach Him because of my mistakes and sin. When I understood that I was loved and forgiven just as I was, that compelled me to change and gradually improve day by day to represent the person of Jesus to others. I wanted to be a support for young people who felt like me. Through further involvement with Young Life, I connected with Jesus and wanted to show teens that they are loved, seen and heard by God.

My main vision as a Developing Global Leader is to become a trained professional as an industrial engineer. My goal is to have my own brand of products, made and tested by me, based on my own knowledge. I want to further cultivate my leadership skills and demonstrate in my field of work that I am capable and skillful. In ministry, I am willing to take the challenges that are to come and serve as an instrument to connect kids with the person of Jesus.