As a person of faith, I believe God calls us to be instruments of healing. My unique contribution to making mental health care more affordable and accessible would be to create community programs that combine professional support with spiritual guidance. Many people, especially in immigrant and low-income communities, face barriers to mental health care due to stigma, cost, or cultural misunderstandings. I want to help change that. Through church-based support groups, bilingual counseling services, and faith-centered educational resources, I would offer a safe space where people can receive emotional support without having to separate their faith from their healing. I also want to train leaders in churches and schools to recognize mental health struggles and respond with compassion. God has used my own challenges to shape this vision. With His help, and the support of this scholarship, I’m committed to bringing hope and healing to others.

A while ago, I went through a very very difficult emotional and spiritual season. I was facing a lot of pressure adjusting to life in a new country ( United States), balancing family responsibilities, and dealing with the uncertainty of my future. Though I appeared strong on the outside, inside I felt overwhelmed and disconnected. That’s when I realized I needed to make my mental, emotional, and spiritual health a true priority because I couldn’t keep pushing forward without first taking care of myself. I turned to my faith and surrendered everything I was carrying at God’s feet my anxiety, exhaustion, and confusion. I started spending intentional time in prayer and reading Scripture, as a routine, as a source of rest and strength. I have read the Bible a lot but one verse that truly anchored me was Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Through this time, I also reached out to people in my church and community, who reminded me that I didn’t have to face everything alone. ( I have a lot of friends from church now, as a family). God didn’t remove every obstacle right away, but He gave me peace in the midst of the chaos. I began to understand that I didn’t need to carry everything by myself, and that even Jesus made time to rest and reconnect with the Father. I also learned that my worth is not found in how much I achieve, but in who I am in Him. That truth gave me the freedom to be kind to myself, to set boundaries, and to ask for help when needed. Since then, prioritizing my mental and spiritual health has changed how I approach everything. In school, I’m more focused and balanced. I’ve learned to manage my time, set realistic goals, and keep perspective. As I prepare for my future, I now see success not only as academic or professional achievements, but as living with peace, purpose, and integrity. I want to serve others well but from a place of wholeness, not burnout. This experience has shaped my view of leadership, education, and calling. I now believe that true strength starts with surrender, and that by keeping God at the center, everything else finds its right place. This mindset continues to guide me as I work toward my academic and life goals and it’s a foundation I will carry into every opportunity, including this scholarship.

First of all, I would like to thank God for allowing me to reach this moment and apply for scholarships because without Him, I wouldn’t even be writing this today. Now, I’d like to share a little about myself and how God has impacted my life. My name is Aznara Durán. I’m originally from Chile and have been living in the United States for almost four years. Since I was a little girl, I attended church, played the tambourine in the worship band, and believed I had a relationship with God or at least I thought I did. As I grew into my teenage years, I drifted away, drawn to the more “fun” things the world had to offer. But even then, I began to feel a deep need what some might call a calling from God. At first, I tried doing things my own way. While some things worked out, many others didn’t. One day, a friend invited me to church. I was excited, but also hesitant, because I knew that walking with God meant I’d have to let go of those “fun” things. Still, I went and I “gave God another chance,” not realizing that He was actually the one giving me another chance. It wasn’t me choosing Him; it was Him choosing me even from the time I had no awareness of His power and love. When I first started attending church again, everything seemed “fine.” But after one sincere prayer when I told God, “Forgive me for all my sins, and from this day forward, let Your will be done in my life” everything began to break apart. Things unraveled, and suddenly, everything felt “wrong.” I remember crying, asking why this was happening to me when I had been so kind as to return to His presence. But then God began to remove everything from my life literally everything. I sat down and thought to myself: I have two options. One, I could go back to the world, where everything seems okay for a while… or two, I could stay in His presence, no matter the cost. And I chose to stay. It’s been a long and often painful process, but I’ve learned that gold isn’t shaped in a cool breeze it’s refined in the fire. It’s been a journey full of highs and lows, but in every moment, I’ve seen how God’s hand has sustained me. No matter what others may say, He always has the first and last word. Like in this situation with school when I applied, everything was going well until I was told one of my documents wasn’t acceptable. They said I wouldn’t be able to start this semester. But when they said “no,” I said, “The One who walks with me is the One who decides,” and I kept believing that the situation would change. I prayed many times, asking God that His will be done. And guess what? This week, I checked my school portal, and my documents had been accepted. What was impossible for them, God made possible. Receiving this scholarship would help me pay for school, which would also allow me to continue dedicating time to serving in my church groups. I almost forgot to mention: I teach the youngest children in church and serve in the young adults ministry. I also volunteer at Nemours Children’s Hospital in the Child Life program. I do everything with love but above all, I serve God.

Honestly, I’ve never had to face a truly catastrophic situation, such as the death of a close family member or dealing with a serious personal loss. However, I’ve always been drawn to helping others in any way I can. From a young age, I found fulfillment in small acts of kindness, whether it was helping a neighbor or volunteering at community events. I never really knew what it meant to be in a critical situation until I had the chance to work in a healthcare setting, which ultimately shaped my decision to pursue nursing as a career. It all began when I started volunteering at Nemours Children’s Hospital. I remember feeling nervous at first because I had never been exposed to such a diverse range of medical cases. At the hospital, I had the opportunity to witness firsthand how dedicated healthcare professionals interacted with families in very challenging times. The children I met had various conditions, some chronic and others acute, and their families were often going through incredibly stressful and emotional experiences. But what struck me the most was the way nurses provided not just medical care but emotional support as well. I recall a moment when I was assigned to the pediatric oncology unit. It was there I saw how much of an impact a nurse could have on a family. A simple smile, a few kind words, or a small gesture of reassurance seemed to lighten the atmosphere, even in the most difficult circumstances. The nurses took time to answer questions, provide comfort, and show that they genuinely cared. It wasn’t just about administering treatments or monitoring vital signs; it was about the human connection, the empathy that nurses offer to families in their toughest moments. This experience profoundly changed my perspective. I realized that nursing wasn’t just a job or profession—it was a calling. It became clear to me that becoming a nurse would allow me to combine my passion for helping others with the ability to make a real difference in people’s lives. I was moved by the level of care and compassion the nurses showed, and I knew I wanted to be a part of that, to be a source of comfort and support for others in need. That moment at Nemours Children’s Hospital solidified my decision to pursue nursing. I’m eager to take that passion for service and transform it into a professional career, where I can serve patients, make meaningful connections, and contribute to the well-being of my community in a lasting, professional capacity.