Hello, my name is Felipe Bedoya Sanchez. I am from Colombia and am 22 years old. I would like you to read my story below:

In my country, getting into the university is a privilege that very few of us have. According to statistics, only 15% of young people of school age achieve it (15 out of 100), that is, 85% of young people in Colombia cannot study a professional career. However, I believe that access to education should not be a matter of blessings or privileges, but should be seen as a human right—a reality that in my country is far from being seen.

While getting into a university is an achievement, staying there is a challenge. It is estimated that approximately one out of four university students drop out less than halfway through their studies. This is mainly due to a lack of financial resources to support themselves during the university semester. The situation is exacerbated if the socioeconomic conditions of the household are scarce and limited to cover basic needs.

I am a third-semester student of Political science at the National University, the sixth child of my mother Marta and my father Octavio, who died 18 years ago. He was a Christian pastor, who on January 23, 2003, was tortured in front of his children and wife, and then kidnapped and murdered by paramilitaries because of the complaints he had made to the district attorney’s office. From there the information was leaked, and as a consequence, we lost our father. Living the difficult reality of growing up without him—without a decent home, in poverty, and with multiple deprivations as a result of forced displacement—allowed me to understand how necessary it is to study in order to be an agent of change. My father’s denunciations, which cost him his life, are an example for me of courage and struggle for truth and justice. As Jesus Christ teaches us, God will give justice to him who appeals to God for it (Luke 18:1-8). I believe that he manifested himself in my father’s work, in his struggle, and in his death. This for me is a great example for my life.

In spite of the pain that his loss has generated in our family, and the years of poverty and discrimination that resulted, I have seen God’s care of my family. He has placed wonderful people in our lives who have given us a hand, and have loved us, and accompanied us in our pain. They are missionaries James and Miriam Marquardt, and missionary Jeannine Brabon, who, since I was small, have supported us in love and company, even from far away. To them, love and gratitude forever.

My professional aspirations are to dedicate myself as a political scientist to journalism. I believe that from this scenario, I will be able to have a significant impact on my community. Since power lies in information, in how we interpret the facts and the decisions made by leaders and how they affect us, journalism is necessary in a democracy. It has the objective of monitoring power, analyzing it, and if there are irregularities, denouncing them, just as my father did. For this reason, my academic training is crucial and must be of quality to be a competent professional, and is why my goals are to continue at the National University to finish my career in Political Science.

However, I have experienced economic difficulties month after month in meeting all my needs. The road has not been easy: the privilege of being within the university involves paying for books, lectures, student insurance, educational credit, food, and other basic necessities. That is why I have entrusted my monthly needs to God, and have written this letter so that you might accompany me in prayer—already a reason for my gratitude. And if it is in your heart to support me financially as well, I will be very grateful. Thank you for reading my story.