Photo: The Martinez family at Luis’ graduation from Eastern Mennonite Seminary. Photo provided. 

A version of this article originally ran in the Hesston (Kansas) College Horizon. Mackenzie Miller is a first-year student at Hesston. 

With only a few weeks until her high school graduation from Eastern Mennonite School in Harrisonburg, Virginia, Mariana Martinez is waiting.

Waiting for the news.

Will she be a Hesston (Kansas) College Lark come August?

Unlike most students who apply to Hesston, filling out the application and getting accepted is only the start of the tedious process Martinez must endure.

Originally from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Martinez and her family came to the United States in 2009. The Mennonite Hispanic Initiative invited her father, Luis Martinez, to help plant a church in Harrisonburg to reach out to the local Hispanic community.

After earning his Master’s of Divinity degree at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, Luis continued to minister the area.

But in 2017, the Martinez family received notice from the United States government: Return home to Honduras or jeopardize your future status. In order to abide by the law, the family returned to Honduras to await further word from the government.

They all returned to Honduras except for Mariana, who still waits to graduate high school and hopes attend Hesston College. Her ability to attend Hesston in the fall will depend on whether or not she can raise enough financial support to cover the cost.

“Being a dependent does not allow me to work, so I have been in the mindset that I have to try my hardest and hope for as many scholarships as I can,” she said. Because of her immigration status, Martinez also doesn’t qualify to receive federal financial aid.

At Hesston, Martinez plans to play soccer, sing in the Bel Canto choir, and study ministry.

“Hesston is a small community, but it is very alive and proactive,” she said. “I want this a lot and I feel

directed to go to Hesston College.”

While the college waits on her “evidence of sufficient funds,” Martinez is trying everything in her power to speed the process along.

Mari Sailors, Associate Director of International Admissions, continues to walk with Martinez, as well as with many other international students, throughout this process.

Sailors says that international students bring energy to the campus. “The international program here is big and people care about it,” she said. “They want to support international culture on campus.”

And people do show that they care, often in tangible ways.

In Martinez’s case, care is coming from Hesston music director Russell Adrian, the Bel Canto singers and the women’s soccer team.

Inspired by Martinez’ gifts and desire to attend Hesston, Adrian began brainstorming ways to personally help Martinez. He dreamed up the “Mission Through Music” benefit concert that will support Martinez as she graduates high school and looks for enough funds to apply for her visa.

“Mission through Music: A concert to benefit Mariana Martinez” will take place at Whitestone Mennonite Church in Hesston on May 9 at 7 p.m. The Bel Canto singers will provide entertainment and the soccer team will serve refreshments. Donations will be collected for the Martinez family.

Noah Yoder and Andre Eanes, both Eastern Mennonite School graduates, will share personal stories about Mariana throughout the program.

The hope is that the event will continue to fuel support for Martinez and her family across the country.

Martinez is grateful. When Adrian posed this benefit concert idea to her, Martinez was all for it. She just couldn’t believe that there were people wanting to help.

Adrian is also hopeful that this benefit will create a possible model to use in the future. Many international students wish to come to Hesston College each year, but struggle to find the financial means. Adrian sees this concert as a potential annual event.

For now, Martinez will keep waiting. She’s determined to get here.

And Sailors echoes this determination: “There won’t be a stone left unturned before Martinez gives up on Hesston.”