We truly are global citizens living in a global economy, and what better proof of that than the outstanding Jovenes Adelante students who are selected for university scholarships based on the honors work they did in high school. Once selected and placed in the better universities in the Mexican Republic, they generally are recognized by their schools, by governments, by associations as those with the greatest potential. This potential likely would not have been recognized if you in our community had not already invested in them, for our students lack the resources to get to university without our combined support.
More of our students are being selected for international internships every year. And more and more of them are able, through your generosity, to get to Japan, Chile, Cuba, France, etc., to take advantage of those global opportunities. They come back having been tested to the limits of their endurance physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and fiscally, and they come back aware that they are as good as it gets in the entire world! They come back as proven global citizens.
We are all one family, a family of haves and of have nots. A family of care. A family of humanity. As Emily Blunt said, “If you can capture the humanity of a family struggling in an economic crisis you can make a difference. You can raise awareness just of the simple humanity.” You are making that difference through your simple humanity. Through your gifts to deserving students, you are proving that we are one human family.
The pride of humanity is that humans sacrifice their time and wealth to renew humanity. Humanity is our family, which is something the world seems to lose sight of sometimes. “All humanity is one undivided and indivisible family, and each of us is responsible for … the other,” said Mahatma Ghandi.
“If we could but recognize our common humanity, that we do belong together, that our destinies are bound up in one another’s, that we can be free only together, that we can be human only together, then a glorious world would come into being where all of us lived harmoniously together, as members of one family, the human family,” said Desmond Tutu.
We are a family of great humanity. Thank you for all you have done, are doing, and might yet do in service to the future of San Miguel, which increasingly is providing leaders who will impact the world. If you would like to know more about how to volunteer, provide leadership to, or donate to Jovenes Adelante, please contact Executive Director Angie Arguelles at 415 150 0030 or JovenesAdelante.org.
Scholarships are the equivalent of a cup of coffee a day ($4 USD/day), which is about $120 USD/month, about $1,400 USD/year, about $7,000 USD over five years. We provide tax deductions in Mexico, the US and Canada. We have an 85-percent graduation rate, which is roughly four times that of Mexico in general, because we provide student support services including financial stipends, laptops appropriate to their majors, mentors, psychology, life skills, English, and a graduate network.
By Robin Loving
