My name is Andia. I live in Tirana, Albania with my parents and brother. Although I grew up in a loving family, we faced many challenges at home. My brother was unemployed for several years, and this caused tension in our family. I also grew up in a large extended family and lived with my uncle’s family, so there were always many people in the house. While it was nice to be surrounded by family, I often felt overlooked and did not always receive the emotional support I needed. I felt lonely and struggled to express myself.
My cousin invited me to church 13 years ago. It was difficult for me to go because my father did not always support it. As I listened to God’s Word each week, I began to understand Jesus, what He did for me, and why having a relationship with Him was more important than simply knowing about Him. My faith became stronger, and I realized how much I needed Him to transform my life. I then became connected with Young Life through a friend who invited me to camp and I have been going to activities ever since.
As a recipient of the Developing Global Leaders scholarship, I am studying social science at the University of Tirana. I will be the first person in my family to graduate from university. After graduation, I want to become a teacher and university lecturer. I want to make a positive impact on children’s lives, helping them grow academically and teaching them important values and life skills. Through teaching, mentoring, serving and leading, my greatest goal is for my life to point others to Christ.
