2022 LCMS Youth Gathering Sessions. In Christ Alone I Live!!!

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My life journey from Matala, Sri Lanka, to Gbarnga/Monrovia Liberia, and back to Colombo Sri Lanka

Bio: My name is Kanagasbai UmaShankar (go by Uma). I was born in Matale, Sri Lanka, to a Tamil Hindu family but was forced to escape due to the ethnic genocide early in my life while still being an infant. My family and I found refuge in Liberia, where I grew up through my early teenage years. In Liberia, upon turning 13 years of age, I survived a series of Civil wars and unrest, which led me to escape from Liberia back to Sri Lanka. Despite the civil unrest in both countries, I spent the next six years going back and forth between countries trying to find normalcy in life. Finally, when I was 21 years old, I came to the US on a student Visa to attend Concordia University in Portland, OR. At Concordia, I came to understand the saving grace of Christ and became a Christian my sophomore year. Since that moment, I have witnessed my Savior Jesus Christ to the world every day. I completed my basic degree in Science and added a Post – Bacc in Director of Christian Education. I spent ten years as a DCE in two congregations (Christ Our Redeemer in Sandpoint, Idaho, and Trinity Lutheran Church in Hillsboro, Oregon) in the NW and then chose to change course and became a high school teacher/coach. I have spent the last 11years teaching, first in WA (Mount Rainier Lutheran HS) and now in Texas (Concordia Lutheran High School). I have been married to my beautiful bride Toni Raye for almost 21 years, and we have three incredible sons, AviLashan Jonah (21) Arujun Kristoffer (18), and Aashwin Larson (15).