KARLA GONZALEZ: MEDICAL GRADUATE OF OUR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM GOES ON MISSION TO BRAZIL

Twelve years ago, Karla González traveled with a group of pilgrims from our community to WYD 2013 in Brazil. At that time, she was not sure about what career to study, so, in an act of faith, she asked people on the streets about her future.
The most recurrent answer was “Medicine”. A sister of the Religious Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament and Mary Immaculate (MISSAMI Sisters) not only confirmed that suggestion, but encouraged her to practice for free to serve those who needed it most.
Upon returning to Tijuana, she tried to enter college, but failed three times. Frustration may have stopped her, but in her heart she knew God had a plan for her. Confident in her purpose, she applied a fourth time and was finally accepted with one of the highest GPAs.

Entering college brought new challenges: tuition, supplies and clothing were expensive. However, her determination led her to receive support from the “San Eugenio” Scholarship Program, a relief that allowed her to focus on what was most important: her vocation.
In 2017, together with a group of healthcare students, she founded the Health Program, an initiative that today provides medical care to thousands of people without access to health services. This project became a testament to the impact young people have when they combine their training with a charitable purpose.

However, in Karla’s mind, there was still a promise to be fulfilled: to return to Brazil and practice her profession there. It was her way of thanking God for guiding her to her vocation.
After successfully graduating in 2022, she started working hard to make her dream come true. She contacted the MISSAMI Sisters and started saving for her trip. She worked in various hospitals, organized raffles, and led various activities. In the meantime, she spent countless hours providing free consultations to the community, gaining experience for the challenge ahead.

Finally, she spent three months in a rural hospital in Salvador de Bahia, where there was only one doctor on duty. That experience completely transformed her vision of medicine and reaffirmed her conviction that if more young people had the opportunity to learn about other realities, they could change countless lives.

Karla is just one of our more than 120 graduates of the St. Eugene Scholarship Program, young people with a burning desire to transform society and make a difference in the world.

Let’s continue to pray that our scholarship students achieve each of their dreams and continue to be a light for others with their service!