James

My name is James and I live in Bukavu, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. I am the oldest in a family of eight children—five younger brothers and two younger sisters. Growing up was not easy. My father traveled often, and sometimes we went days without hearing from him. My mother had no stable income, so I carried a lot of responsibility at a young age. We lived in a rented house and faced many challenges, but these experiences taught me responsibility, perseverance, and care for others.

I first heard about Young Life from other youth in my neighborhood, but I didn’t feel interested at the time. That changed when I met my leader on a football field. He took time to get to know me, invited me to a Young Life camp, and showed me intentional care that deeply impacted me. At camp, the message of Jesus was presented in a way that touched my heart. Afterward, I joined Campaigners, made the decision to follow Christ, and was baptized. I started serving first as a WyldLife leader, then a Young Life leader, and now I am a team leader for both Young Life and WyldLife.

Now as a DGL, I am studying Sustainable Development. I want to excel in my university studies so I can build a strong professional future. In ministry, I hope to develop my leadership to expand Young Life to include ministries we don’t yet have—like YoungLives and Capernaum—so even more young people can meet Jesus.