Gimena's Story

Argentina

“My life was complete chaos”

My childhood was spent travelling back and forth between Cordoba and Rio Cuarto in central Argentina. My parents had separated when I was seven and, growing up, my life was torn between the two towns. The only constant was a nagging feeling of rejection from both sides – never really belonging.

As a teenager I started going out late and wouldn’t come home until five in the morning, sometimes I didn’t make it home at all. I started working when I was seventeen and within three years I was holding down five different jobs at the same time; working twelve hours a day, every day. I was independent but my life was complete chaos.

One day my cousin invited me to an event she was running with some of her friends, it was Alpha. I wasn’t sure about it but I promised her I’d give it a go.

I had no idea what to expect. I studied religion at school and I’d seen it in the same way that I saw math or science: learning topics to pass exams but without any kind of real understanding.

By the time I arrived on that first day there were already a lot of people around, everyone was so nice but it was a Sunday and it felt strange to be there and not watching football… So I’m a little ashamed to say that I spent that first session with one earphone in listening to the match.

“At first I thought Alpha was just more of the same”

At first I thought Alpha was just more of the same that I’d heard before, but there was something attractive about that place and every week I made the choice to go back. Over the sessions I discovered more and more about Jesus. I was introduced to him, experienced him and felt his love. I think I found that real understanding that I’d missed first time around.

I started to feel more grounded and, before I knew it, the love that for so many years was just another subject at school had become real in my life.

Alpha is an opportunity to explore the meaning of life.  Find an Alpha near you