You’ve probably had a dream before — one that seemed impossible, one everyone said you’d never reach.
But you believed. You fought. You gave your hundred percent… and somehow, you made it happen.
Right now in Tijuana, 23 young people are chasing a dream like that:
Going to the Jubilee of Youth in Rome 2025. But this isn’t about a vacation.
It’s about something much more profound:
One of those 23 is Magaly Trejo, 26 years old.
A painful past replete with sadness and pain.
Magaly grew up in Tijuana with her mom — a strong woman who worked two or three jobs to get by. Because her mom was always working, Magaly spent most of her childhood in daycares. Some were okay… others were terrible. Sometimes, if she did something the caregivers didn’t like, they wouldn’t let her eat all day.
One day, some cousins moved in with them from Mexico City. It felt like a blessing for Magaly — she wouldn’t have to go to daycare anymore. They cooked for her, helped her prepare for school, and she felt cared for.
But then one day, while her mom was working late… something horrible happened. She was abused.
She was just 6 or 7 years old when this happened. That day broke her in pieces. She felt ashamed, helpless, abandoned, hurt, betrayed. She hated herself. And most of all… she began to hate God.
“Where were you, God, when I needed you the most?” She asked over and over again.
Her mom would always say, “God will provide. God is with us.” But Magaly couldn’t believe that, not after what happened. She grew up angry and closed off, not wanting anyone to touch her or get too close. Being kind felt dangerous. Trusting people was impossible. She was trying to survive. And she was tired of it.
But out of nowhere… a spark of light When she was 15 years old, someone invited her to a retreat called ´´Search´´. She didn’t expect much. But she went. And there… for the first time… She felt seen. Loved. Held. Not because of what happened to her — but because of who she is. God didn’t judge her. He welcomed her.
The healing journey hasn’t been easy. It’s been full of ups and downs. But slowly, Magaly began to trust again — to love, breathe, and feel.
Now, she’s a Physical Therapist at the Oblate Pastoral Center in Tijuana.
Even with her job, she wakes up before sunrise to bake bread and sell it to help fund her dream of going to the Jubilee of Youth in Rome.
She gets up at 5:30 a.m., mixes the dough, bakes, packages, and sells it herself. Not long ago, her car broke down. She had to spend all her savings to fix it. But she didn’t give up.
Her mom supports her with whatever she can: love, prayers, and hope.
Because when someone believes in you… you start to believe in yourself.
This dream isn’t just hers. Magaly isn’t alone.
There are 22 other young people like her — working hard, selling food, doing raffles, baking all night, standing under the sun at street markets… giving it everything they’ve got. They don’t have much money but they have huge hearts, deep faith, and the courage to keep going.
They all share something:
A living faith.
A burning hope.
A deep thirst for God.
“This isn’t just a trip,” Magaly says.
“It’s a chance to meet myself, to meet God, and to meet thousands of others who are searching for the same thing: a real, life-changing encounter.”
WANT TO BE PART OF THIS DREAM?
Together, they need to raise 90,000 dollars to make it to Rome. They’re doing their part — one loaf of bread, one raffle ticket at a time…But they can’t do it alone.
YOU CAN HELP THEM:
Be the reason a young person finds God in Rome.
Help turn pain into purpose.
Join the journey. Be part of the miracle.
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