Max

My name is Max. I live in a city in southern Russia in an apartment with my parents. As a child, I was quiet and did not feel accepted at home or at school. I did not have many friends and there were conflicts in my family, specifically with my father and brother. My father lived at home with us, but had nothing to do with our family life. Living in such an unstable place became part of normal life for me and I had difficulty trusting other people. I did not feel that I could be loved for who I was.

Then, I met Jesus at a church camp. My grandfather had died, and this led my mother and I to start looking to God. We began going to a local church, and my heart was overcome by His Love. I am thankful that I was able to meet Jesus Christ. My relationship with Him opened my heart to the world and helped me overcome my fear of society. Now, I have a love for people and life that did not exist before meeting Jesus. I heard about Young Life through my church. I started going to Young Life club and was then invited to join the team as a leader.

As a recipient of the Developing Global Leaders scholarship, I am studying logistics at university. With this degree, I want to work as a logistics specialist and purchasing manager for a transportation company in my city. The opportunity to work in this field will also help me financially support the Young Life mission in my area. I want to continue leading with Young Life after I graduate from university.