Desperate for money to attend medical school

Dear Pastor,

I am a 19-year-old female from a small, quiet community in rural Jamaica and I need financial help. I was able to a prominent high school after receiving a seven-year scholarship.

I recently graduated and was accepted to go to St George's University in Grenada. However, I was unfortunately forced to decline my offer due to insufficient funds.

I have relocated to stay with my sister in another part of the island in order to work, so that I can try to save and attend college the next school year. My wish is to study medicine. I want to be able to give back to my community and also to make my family proud by being the first to become a doctor. My goal to save has not been working out as I'm faced with the adult responsibility of paying bills and renting a place. Compared to my monthly income, it makes it almost impossible to save anything worthwhile.

I applied for, and was offered, a place at another university in the UK, but my dreams may be slipping away again, as the fees are out of reach for my mom who is a single parent. She does not have enough formal education, and so she remains unemployed, except for small-scale farming. I decided that since I graduated high school, I would no longer burden her to pay for tuition as I saw how much she struggled to help me even with my scholarship. I want to put aside my pride and do anything to lessen her worries so I can provide for her as she has always done for me. I've managed to make her proud so far by earning nine Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate subjects with six grade ones, two grade twos and one subject in a grade three. I've also earned two Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations subjects in double units and four single units with a regional award in logistics.

I know it is heartbreaking for my mom to see me not move on to university, but she understands our background does not make it easy to move further. Besides my passion for science, she is my main motivator for wanting to become a doctor. I do not want another opportunity to slip me again as I do not have any family who can assist me to attend university to study medicine. So if there is anyone my story can reach who is willing to help me get a step closer to achieving my goals, I would be grateful. I pray God blesses them continuously. I don't see any better choice for me than to realise that I'm in need. So whenever you get a chance to read this, Pastor, I'm thankful for any advice you will provide.

J.S.

Dear J.S.,

You are only 19 and I want to say that you have done very well. You need to put your confidence in God and your future in his hands.

So far you have been accepted by two universities, but because of your financial situation you have not been able to enter. That does not mean that you will never attend university to pursue your dreams of becoming a medical doctor. The good Lord might be saying to you right now 'Wait'.

Why is it that you have not applied to attend medical school in Jamaica? If you have, you have not stated that. If you were accepted here in Jamaica to study at our university, you will qualify to apply for student loan. Everybody knows that it is very costly to attend medical school. But if others have done it, so can you. As you know, where there is a will, there is a way. Please don't misunderstand me. I am not saying that you will never receive a scholarship to study abroad, but you need to explore every possibility which should include studying in Jamaica.

I congratulate your mother for doing her best for you. You have already made her very proud. May God bless her. I have known students who have had to struggle to pay their tuition, but today they are medical doctors, and we are very proud of them. I congratulate you for doing well in school. I look forward to the date you will get to medical school, whether it is here in Jamaica or abroad. I will be praying for you. If anyone is willing to make suggestions to you or to assist you, I will contact you.

Pastor