Denys

Denys, who goes by Den, is a dedicated servant from central Ukraine. His childhood was different from other children because of the family's financial situation. Therefore, from the age of fourteen, he was forced to work twelve-hour shifts in the restaurant kitchen. At the same time, his family suffered a great loss, his father died in front of him, which made him lose faith in many things and in God. He decided to believe that God does not love him, and that God does not exist.

But then Denys met the Young Life team, and he says he was happy to be with them because they were cool and different. "They were honest and kind to us. It was the first time I met so many kind people who were willing to treat me to something." Denys earned money on his own to pay for a trip to Young Life camp, where he was deeply impressed by the Gospel and the fact that Christ suffered for him and how much He loves him for nothing. He was overwhelmed and decided to give his life to Christ and follow Him with his wonderful friends.

Now, he serves as the head of the Young Life team in his city, combining this with his work in the kitchen. His goal is to get a higher education to be able to balance serving as a leader and providing for his needs. As a student in the Developing Global Leaders program, Denys is studying business and economics and hopes to specialize in online marketing. He shares, “My desire for the future is to be a quality person for God, for the country and the Young Life mission, to be able to spread the Gospel."