When Anesu looks back on his childhood, he doesn’t begin with hope.
He remembers walking miles to school barefoot, without food, books, or even a school uniform. He remembers being mocked by classmates—and even teachers—because of his poverty.
Looking back, he writes:
“These words and labels destroyed my value, self-worth, identity, and self-esteem, leaving me feeling worthless.”
As a young boy, Anesu lost both of his parents. Grief, rejection, abuse, and loneliness left deep wounds that followed him into adulthood.
But God did not leave him there.
As a teenager, Anesu encountered Jesus. For the first time, he began to see himself not through the labels others had spoken over him, but through the truth of who God says he is.
That encounter marked the beginning of a different story.
Instead of being defined by rejection and orphanhood, Anesu began to see himself as God saw him. Over time, God transformed his pain into purpose, leading him to serve others and share the hope he had found. Over time, God transformed his pain into purpose, leading him to serve others and share the hope he had found.
Today, Anesu is one of many local leaders who have been equipped through RiverCross training. Now he leads RiverCross Clubs where youth experience safe relationships, discover God’s love, and begin to see themselves through His eyes.
Reflecting on his journey, Anesu writes, “God is my hero because He took my life of despair and transformed it into a story of hope, purpose, and victory. He used my pain to deepen my faith and to equip me to help others who are hurting.”
God turned Anesu’s pain into hope—for himself and others.
At RiverCross Global, we believe God has placed the right people in the right places to help vulnerable youth flourish. Through RiverCross Clubs, local leaders like Anesu create safe, caring spaces where vulnerable youth can begin to make sense of painful experiences, build supportive relationships, and encounter the love of Christ.
Healing doesn’t stop with one person. As God restores caregivers like Anesu, they are able to walk alongside young people who are facing many of the same struggles they once knew. One life touches another. Families grow stronger. Communities begin to flourish.
Because of faithful partners like you, stories of restoration continue to unfold. One restored life can become the beginning of restoration for many more.
