Ivan

My name is Ivan, and I live in a large city in Central Asia with my parents and younger sister. Since childhood, I have had problems with my relationship with my parents and socialization. My parents were always at work, so I was always with my grandmother and did not go to kindergarten. When I went to school, I couldn't make friends with anyone and felt like an outcast. I also started doing motocross with my dad, hoping that it would improve our relationship. But his attitude was that of a coach, not a father, which hurt me even more. One day, I endured a serious injury that stopped my career but ultimately improved my relationship with my father.

After my injury, I felt lonely and surrounded by fake friends, until I came to Young Life club. I was very interested in the relationship with Christ that I heard about there. I made the decision to follow God, and my life changed. The Holy Spirit began to work in me, to change me and my attitude toward the world and my parents. After joining the team, I saw firsthand the magnitude of Young Life, and I am incredibly excited to serve with these wonderful people for the glory of God!

Now as a Developing Global Leader, I am studying public relations and advertising. I want to use my skills and talents for the benefit of society and learn how to establish good communications. While I’m in the DGL program, my goal is to share the gospel with students at my university while continuing to improve as a leader. I want to spend more time connecting with young people and growing them in their knowledge of Christ.