Thanh Tai

My name is Thanh Tai and I was born and raised in a Christian family in Vietnam. When I was in 7th grade, my mother suddenly passed away from kidney cancer and a brain stroke due to the side effects of western medicine. At school, I was a victim of "body shaming" and bullied as “no mom child”. I struggled with smoking, gambling, alcohol, and same-sex relationships. It was all a facade that let people see me as a strong person. Yet, because of God’s mercy, I still attended the best high school in the province.

I drifted away from my old self and struggled with temptation until I participated in a Young Life event. I did not know the reason why, but I truly wanted to go back to church. At that time, my heart was still hard, so I was not very faithful. However, God had a special plan for me. Through my sister, who is a leader of Young Life , I kept attending events and gradually experienced God’s healing and transformative power. She is not only a good counselor but also a good sister who always shares God's word with me. From her, I learned more about God, his Word, and evangelism. She guided me on how to connect with teenagers and she prayed for me so much. Currently, I am one of the main staff of Young Life in my area and working as a youth in the community.

As a Developing Global Leader, I am studying community services at the university. I hope to build a community of young people and care for children who have accepted God. I also want to do pastoral work for orphans and young people in the LGBT community.