26 Novmber 2010
Ivan is a gem. One of those rare people in life who is well rounded, talented, smart and humble. His attitude to life is 'easy-breezy' and his love for God is so evident.
An average day for Ivan starts at 6am, when the alarm goes off beside his bed. Trained well by his mother and seven brothers, his day begins with devotions and then a shower. Breakfast usually gets wolfed down and consists of bread and butter and sometimes an egg or two. By 7am, he’s out the door and walking up the hill to the Vocational School to fit in a quick spot of revision from the previous day's learning. Devotions are led everyday by a different Vocational Department and when it’s the Building Department's turn, Ivan is often the one leading worship and reflecting on a passage he finds particularly helpful.
During the school day, the Building Department is where one would find Ivan. He’ll either be learning theory with his 15 other classmates, or busy doing practical assignments such as brick-making, building the corner of a house or levelling ground. His grades reflect his commitment to detail and excellence and his teachers rate him as one of the best students in the class.
Lunchtime is always a 'much-anticipated occasion for Ivan. Starving from the day’s activities, 1pm can’t come quick enough! After polishing off his beans and rice, it's usually straight to the field for a friendly yet feisty game of soccer against the Mechanical Department of the Vocational School.
Once school is over at 4pm, Ivan heads on home and gets changed into his running shoes. An excellent runner and one of the fastest in the village, he often leads the afternoon charge on a 3km run. Barely breaking a sweat, his fitness levels are well above average and Ivan is sure to keep that up by exercising almost every single day in the week.
Food is Ivan’s favourite thing, chicken to be precise. No surprises there – he is 22 after all! Luckily, his Watoto mother is not only a great cook but a generous server. Making a large dinner for Ivan every night means he has more time for his studies. And it’s just as well, as he’s back to school on week nights from 7.30-9pm doing revision.
There are so many students at Watoto with wonderful talents, skills and abilities. For Ivan, being an architect is what he wants to do most. Designing houses and buildings is something that completely fascinates him and what he dreams about as he drifts off to sleep at night. We’re sure he’ll accomplish incredible feats in that field, aren’t you?
