Cristina-Loredana

My name is Cristina. I live in Constanta, Romania, with my parents, but plan to move to Bucharest for college. I grew up in a close family where faith was always the central pillar. However, my childhood also came with challenges. My first disappointment was in middle school when I failed a math entrance exam for a high school program. That failure and academic pressure brought anxiety into my life. In high school, I then found myself knowing very few people and having to step out of my comfort zone to build relationships. I got through these moments by trusting God. 

Although I was familiar with the church’s teachings from my family, my faith became a big part of my life in middle school. My religion teacher explained Jesus' love and forgiveness in a simple way. However, the moment when I truly encountered Jesus personally was during an 8th grade math exam. I was stuck and panicking. I put down my pen and prayed, and God sent me the idea I needed to solve the problem. After that moment, I understood that my steps were guided by Him. I then grew more in my faith at Young Life. I met people who were genuinely interested in bringing young people closer to Jesus. I am now a Young Life and WyldLife leader.

As a recipient of the Developing Global Leaders scholarship, I am studying aerospace engineering at Politehnica National University of Science and Technology in Bucharest. I chose this university because of my passion for science and desire to work with young people. After university, I want to pursue a masters or Ph.D. I also want to continue leading Young Life.