By Jorge Suarez
(Aptos, California) – A letter from the parent of one of our participating students, sharing reflections on the transformative experience in Tijuana.
Dear Juan Carlos,
I hope this message finds you well. It was great meeting you both today.
I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for the extraordinary experience you provided my daughter, Camila, through the recent trip to Tijuana, México, for students from Saint Francis High School College Preparatory in Watsonville, CA.
As a father, it is not often that one witnesses something so profoundly impactful in a child’s life that it changes not only how they see the world, but also how they understand themselves. This experience has done exactly that.
From the moment my daughter returned, it was immediately evident that something meaningful had taken place. She described this trip as “the best experience of her four years at Saint Francis,” and as her father, those words carry tremendous weight. But beyond the words, I could see the transformation in her perspective, her tone, and her sense of purpose. There was a depth in her reflections that I had not seen before—one that spoke of empathy, humility, and genuine human connection.
As parents, we strive to teach our children values such as gratitude, compassion, and service to others. However, there are lessons that cannot simply be taught—they must be lived. Your program created the environment for those lessons to come alive. By placing these students in direct contact with individuals and families facing significant hardships—whether due to limited resources, health challenges, or abandonment—you allowed them to move beyond abstraction and truly encounter the dignity and resilience of the human person. My daughter found great value in, and was deeply impacted by, the conversations she had with some of these individuals while washing dishes during meals.
From what my daughter has shared, this was not just a trip of “helping others,” but a deeply mutual experience. She learned that service is not about charity from a distance, but about relationship, presence, and respect. She saw firsthand that joy can exist even in the midst of material scarcity, and that human connection transcends socioeconomic boundaries. These are lessons that will remain with her for a lifetime.
I also believe she learned the importance of gratitude—an authentic, grounded appreciation for the opportunities and blessings in her own life. At the same time, she developed a greater sense of responsibility: a desire not to take those blessings for granted, but to use them in service of others. That shift—from awareness to responsibility—is incredibly powerful.
Equally important, this experience seems to have strengthened her confidence and sense of agency. She realized that even at a young age, she has the ability to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. That realization will undoubtedly shape her decisions, her leadership, and her character in the years to come.
As a father, I cannot thank you enough for creating such a thoughtful, intentional, and transformative program. The care, structure, and purpose behind what you do are clearly reflected in the impact it has on the students. You are not only organizing service trips—you are forming hearts, shaping leaders, and cultivating a generation that is more compassionate, aware, and committed to making the world a better place, which I am sure Saint John Bosco envisioned when he founded the Salesian order. Your program and the work you all do are living proof of that.
Please continue this important work. Programs like yours are essential, not only for the communities you serve, but for the formation of young people who will carry these experiences forward into their lives and professions in the Salesian charism. The ripple effect of what you are doing is far greater than any single trip—it is lasting, meaningful, and deeply needed in our world today.
Thank you again for the gift you have given my daughter and our family. We are truly grateful.
With sincere appreciation, may our good Lord continue blessing your endeavors.
Jorge Suarez
Aptos, CA
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