Seyum Eshetu – Ethiopia

Area Director

Seyum grew up one of 12 siblings. His mom was killed during a political riot while she was searching for him. God brought Compassion International to sponsor him, and they provided regular food, water, and security for a time. Unfortunately, Seyum was struggling, and he lost his sponsorship because of poor behavior; he ended up living on the streets. Young Life leaders met him there and they became friends. His leaders invited him to camp, where he accepted Jesus. He later moved back in with his family and continued to grow in wisdom. Seyum’s growth led to him being invited into the Developing Global Leaders program, a program which enables select high school graduates to obtain a university education while serving as a volunteer leader. After graduation, Seyum joined the Young Life staff as an area director in Jimma, Ethiopia. His hard experiences have left him uniquely suited to minister to kids in prison.