Divine

My name is Divine. I live in Iju Oloko, Nigeria, with my parents and siblings, I am their oldest daughter. My parents are very poor and that made my childhood difficult. It was hard to find three meals a day, proper clothing, healthcare or medication. The neighborhood kids would run away from me and my siblings because of how ragged we always looked. I found myself tutoring my siblings because my parents could not afford to send them to school. I struggled to pay for my high school exams and textbooks. I had to find menial jobs, like cleaning a neighbor’s house, and they would insult me and beat me if I did not do the job well. There were times when I wished that I had not been born, but I continued to survive. As a teen, I learned that God created me for a purpose and through Him, I found my identity. I said yes to Jesus when I was a teenager at a Young Life outreach camp in Lagos, Nigeria. Since then, my life has not been the same. My Young Life leader found me as a lost kid and showed me Christ’s love. God gave my life meaning and direction. I am now a Young Life leader too. I also attend a local church and participate in Bible study and choir there. As a recipient of the Developing Global Leaders scholarship, I am studying mass communications at Babcock University in Ogun state, Nigeria. I will be the first person in my family to graduate from university. I want to use my degree to become a journalist and make a positive impact in my community. I also want to continue leading with Young Life and helping others.