Sometimes, the dreams we have as children seem like nothing more than a distant fantasy, but as time goes by, some of them turn out to be something deeper: a calling that waits for the right moment to come true.
That’s exactly what happened to Mariel García Sánchez: what began as a childhood dream ended up leading her to become one of the founding missionaries of the Semper Altius School Group in Ivory Coast, Africa. There, far from home, she would discover not only a new culture and a community filled with faith, but also the path that God had prepared for her.
Seven years after that experience, Mariel looks back and reflects on how that mission continues to bear fruit in her personal and professional life.
A dream that is taking shape
Originally from Mexico City and now an elementary school teacher at the Colegio Euroamericano de Monterrey, Mariel García Sánchez always felt that Africa was more than just a place on the map. From a young age, she sensed something in her heart drawing her to that continent: “Ever since I was little, I wanted to go to Africa as a missionary. I was interested in helping build homes and spaces for families and their communities.”
Over the years, that longing remained a secret wish deep within her. Although she didn’t know how or when it would happen, the idea of traveling to make that dream come true never left her.
When it came time to choose her major, Mariel pursued a degree in Communication Sciences and later worked in different areas of the field. However, she began to feel it might not be the right path for her. Eventually, she was given the opportunity to work in the administrative office of a private school—an environment shaped by something she had always enjoyed: connecting with people. It was there that she discovered something within herself beginning to awaken, gradually drawing her closer to her true vocation.
“I’d always wanted to work somewhere where I could help others and give back to society a little,” she adds. Little did she know that this place would be the first step toward the mission that would shape her life.
When the call becomes a reality
In the midst of that process of career exploration, the opportunity to travel to Africa arose through her sister, Ilse García, who also works in an administrative office for Regnum Christi in Monterrey. She told him about an educational project led by Jeremy Coulibaly, one of the leaders of the mission in Ivory Coast. The initiative involved helping to open a school, with the goal of bringing education and faith to the local community.
“My sister knew the person in charge of the project there, and since she knew that going to Africa was my dream, she encouraged me to join. This happened at a time in my life when I was searching for answers. I had already been working in the school’s administrative office for two years and was still unsure whether to stay or look for another opportunity,” says Mariel.
Her desire to serve, her interest in education, and that childhood dream seemed to be coming closer and closer: “The decision to join the mission was a bit impulsive, but I didn’t want to waste any time or miss the opportunity. From there, everything happened very quickly: I applied, received a response, and they explained the mission to me in detail. They needed someone to teach classes, and I think that’s when everything clicked: my interest in helping others, education, and serving God.”
Within a matter of weeks, Mariel was already on the program. However, the mission meant leaving her job, breaking out of her routine, and moving to a country with a culture completely different from her own. Regardless of the challenges involved in leaving, she decided to trust in God’s guidance and take that leap of faith.
Building from scratch
The mission was to strengthen the community by educating the children. When the mission team arrived, the project was just getting started; it was a small educational center called Bambolino, attended only by very young children. With the arrival of the missionaries, the center began to transform into a place of dedication, care, and learning.
The team worked on designing an educational program focused on language instruction, so Mariel and her colleagues taught English and Spanish classes: “We designed a curriculum for young children that would help them learn the basics of the languages, and it worked. It was truly impressive to see how, even at a very young age, they were already starting to speak Spanish.”
Amid classes, lesson planning, and daily life with the families, evangelization unfolded in a natural way. Living within a community largely shaped by its spirituality, the school, faith, and families connected with remarkable openness.
“I realized how much people love to talk, listen, and share about God. That’s how I connected with so many of them—through God. It was a beautiful and simple process because people were always willing to listen,” Mariel shares.
Adapting to a new culture
Beyond the mission itself, living in Ivory Coast was both an adventure and a challenge. From the language to the local customs, Mariel and her teammates had to adapt to the place they would call home for that year.
“The first challenge was the language, since they speak French there and none of us knew it. Plus, very few people spoke Spanish or English,” she says. “We arrived at a place where there was nothing—not even internet—so we had to start from scratch and organize everything.”
Added to these challenges were the process of adjustment for each of the missionaries, as well as coming to understand and immerse themselves in a completely different culture: “Learning about their customs and getting used to their way of life was a bit difficult, but with God’s grace and our faith, we overcame all the challenges that came our way.”
However, one thing Mariel noticed right from the start was the joy of the people she met in Ivory Coast: “If I could have chosen where to be born, one option would have been to be born there. I had never seen happier people in my life. No matter the circumstances, the setting, or the hardships, people were always happy and showed it through their customs, dances, and songs.”
Living side by side with the people of the community, their faith, and their joy transformed the way Mariel and the team understood life: “People live out their relationship with God in a very natural way, and you can feel that in the atmosphere. The peace that the community radiates is unmatched,” she emphasizes.
From Africa to the Classroom: A Calling Guided by God
Amid the challenges, the peace, the struggles, and the joy, Mariel found an unexpected answer waiting for her on the other side of the world. At a time when many young people face an overwhelming mix of information, confusion, and uncertainty, she discovered what she wanted to dedicate her life to: teaching.
“Africa taught me what I was truly passionate about, and when I returned to Mexico, I knew I wanted to go back to my job—but this time as a teacher,” she emphasizes. Shortly before this transformative experience ended, Mariel and the team organized a festival to mark the end of the school year. There, she saw the fruits of her labor and dedication without realizing the profound impact they would have on her life.
“For me, seeing everything we had built over the course of that year was incredibly moving. When I saw the children singing and speaking in English and Spanish, I realized the impact we had made after so much effort—planning, meetings, and late nights. In that moment, I said to myself, ‘This is what I want to do with my life.’”
Today, years after that experience in Ivory Coast, Mariel continues to live out what she discovered during her mission: the desire to support others through education: “Discovering my professional calling on those missions changed my life. When I returned to Mexico, I asked the school what I needed to do to teach, so I went back to school and earned a master’s degree in education to prepare myself and give my best in the classroom.”
For her, seeing her students grow, both inside and outside the classroom, has become one of her greatest joys: “Knowing that I was part of their education confirms that my calling is to help others through teaching. And I would never have discovered my purpose if it weren’t for the mission in Ivory Coast.”
Beyond the distance and cultural differences, mission work offers an opportunity to grow, learn, and discover the impact others can have on your life. For anyone considering going on a mission, Mariel’s advice is clear: don’t hesitate. “I encourage you to go for it. Being in Africa has been the best experience of my life. To this day, I remember those moments with love, and I look forward to the day I can return.”
And so, the dream that began in childhood eventually became the path that led her to discover his true calling. Today, from the classroom, she continues to instill in her students what she learned on the other side of the world: that serving others, educating, and trusting in God transform lives in ways we could never have imagined.
“We all have something to give, and when you choose to share it, you discover that your own life is transformed as well,” she concludes.
