Rory

My name is Rory and I grew up in Bangor, Northern Ireland, with my parents, an older brother and younger sister. My childhood was action-packed as my parents encouraged me to get involved in any opportunity that came along, football, badminton or music as well as church camps or mission teams. Even with all these activities, I still lacked confidence and felt like I had to earn my way to being liked. I would try hard to impress people with all that I did, which benefited me when it went well and devastated me when I failed. At times I felt that I was a puppet who would do whatever I was told just to gain a bit of recognition.

As a child, I grew up knowing about God and revering the Bible. As a teen, I realized I needed more than just knowledge of the Bible to be a good follower; I wanted to build a relationship with God and serve Him. Being on the worship team combined doing what I love, playing music, with serving and giving back. I was surrounded by other Christians and came to understand what having a true relationship with God looked like. My brother introduced me to Young Life where I made great friends and connections and eventually became a junior leader. I continue to lead teens in my community.

I’m working on my degree in education at Queens University and hope to become a professional trombone player whilst being a music teacher. I want to share with people the joy I have when playing and hearing music. I want to help grow my WyldLife club and reach as many kids as we can, making sure that every kid that enters our club feels welcome. Mostly, I hope that the relationships we form with kids will point them towards God.