Csenge Savanya is the Deputy Head of YouthBuilders in Hungary.
When did you trust Christ?
I accepted Jesus' calling in 2014 when I was 15 years old. I went to a summer camp where an American girl told me many things about Jesus that I had heard before but had never taken seriously. My English language skills were relatively poor back then. It was God's gift that I understood her because it took me several more years to acquire the vocabulary that would have been needed for that conversation. We prayed together, and I invited Jesus to be the King of my life. He kept blessing me by continuously proving what He had shown me that day.
What have been the defining moments of your Christian walk?
Any service I do strengthens my faith, thanks to God's grace. I have been involved in mostly missionary activities so far. I had the chance to go on a missionary trip to the Middle East, which was a milestone in my Christian identity, development, and career goals. I realised how much I liked it when God used me as the first impression of Christianity for someone from another culture or a different background than mine. I also had a turning point in my Christian walk when it was time to pick a university. I considered applying to a theology course because I thought it would be easier to discuss my beliefs if I had it as my 'profession'. However, I decided to study business at a secular university where I wholeheartedly speak about Jesus to my schoolmates.
What do you hope to gain from participating?
I want to attend the Forum for inspiration, refreshment, and some memorable moments with my team. I would like to learn more from Christian leaders, their stories, and the Lord's miracles in their lives. I also feel responsible for bringing international resources back to Hungary, as many sisters and brothers don't have the chance to receive fresh knowledge because of language barriers.
What is your ministry?
I serve as the Deputy Head of Youth Builders. Besides helping our President lead our team, I am responsible for IVK, one of the biggest yearly conferences in our region that provides inspiration and professional support to the youth workers from any Christian church, regardless of their denomination. In this role, I mentor and support our event manager in leading her volunteer team with love and compassion and organising a conference where youth workers can learn and develop in God's presence.
What is your leadership role or what were your past leadership roles?
In the past, I have led several student associations, coordinated an international student exchange programs' training team, organised several intercultural learning conferences and training weekends for students, and built a team of students who created a career-related YouTube channel. I also have a family business focused on horse-assisted leadership development, where we train corporate clients and leaders of Christian organisations.
Why should someone invest in your ministry?
We impact more than 300 leaders serving in youth ministry in Hungary. All our work is made possible by the donations and investments of private individuals who believe in developing youth leaders.
