My name is Itzel Anaya, I am 19 years old. Growing up, I was raised in church my whole life. Coming from a household where going to church was expected, I depended more on the faith my family had rather than building my own relationship with God. I always knew of the Lord, but I never truly knew Him on a deeper and personal level. Because of this, it was hard for me to find my path or understand my purpose. As I got older, I began hanging around the wrong people, and because of different situations and generational curses passed down in my family, I started experimenting with many things to cope with the pain I was carrying inside. I never thought I was depressed because therapists always told me I was fine, but I constantly bottled up my emotions and let my feelings control me. Eventually, I became tired of feeling alone and bitter toward everyone around me. I was desperate for help but didn’t know who to turn to. Then suddenly, I was reminded of myself as a little girl, always going to church and being amazed by the miracles Jesus could do. Those memories made me sensitive to the Holy Spirit again. Day by day, I began craving the peace I could not explain. Eventually, conviction came over my heart, and I opened my life fully to the Lord. I found comfort in His presence and completely fell in love with Him. One day, I told my mom I wanted to go back to church. It had been years since I stepped into one, but I knew I was ready to take my relationship with God seriously and surrender my life to Him. That is when, a year ago, I walked into Victory Outreach Rancho Cordova. The presence of the Lord was so strong, and I instantly felt peace, joy, and love. Even though nobody knew my past or what I had been through, they welcomed me with open arms and showed me the true love of Christ. A few months later, I felt called to worship ministry. That is where I truly encountered the Lord in a deeper way. I started as a background singer, and through obedience and sacrificing my time, talent, and treasure to God, He began opening doors for me to lead worship. Now, another door has opened in my life: the opportunity to attend UTC South Africa. UTC, which stands for Urban Training Center, is a program for young adults ages 18–35 to encounter the call of God, reach hurting people with the Gospel, discover their gifting, and connect with people from all over the world. If you feel led to support me in reaching my goal of attending UTC South Africa and continuing the story God is writing for my life, you can give here. All donations will go toward living expenses and plane tickets. Every gift is deeply appreciated, and I am beyond grateful for your support. God bless