My name is Ruslan, and I live in Chernivtsi with my parents and sisters. It wasn’t always like this. I was born into a family with six other children. When I was still very young, my parents divorced. Dangerous things began happening at home, and I often felt afraid. Sometimes my mom would disappear for several days, and it was my sister who took care of us. By the time I was five years old, I had already started wandering the streets looking for adventure because home didn’t feel safe. One day, social services took us to a shelter, and my mother lost custody. After six months in the shelter, three of my sisters and I were adopted by Sasha and Ira, who became our real mom and dad. 

Even before we were taken from our home, my sister had been attending Young Life clubs. The couple who adopted us were Young Life leaders, who found out about us because of my sister. I knew they were Christians, and that didn’t scare me—in fact, it inspired me. They were the ones who showed me who Jesus really is, through their lives and love. Later, I went to a Wyld Life camp, where I gave my life to Jesus and am now a leader in Young Life where I help plan clubs and prepare events for teenagers who haven’t yet heard how deeply God loves them.  

I’m studying marketing and dream of becoming a successful salesperson who can generously support this ministry. Through the DGL program, I want to grow as a leader and become the kind of friend who shares Jesus through real-life experience. I believe God is good to all of us, and He gave us Young Life as a beautiful way to know Him—that’s how I came to Him myself.