Kindness isn’t the easiest trait to have, especially in the face of adversity. But when friends of Morningside student Sara Marrufo were asked to choose one word to describe her, they had no trouble making a decision.
Lucia Kruize is a good friend of Marrufo, and when asked about Sara’s character, Lucia did not hesitate to say, “Sara is always kind to everyone no matter what, even to the people who aren’t always being nice back. It is definitely one of her best qualities.”
Marrufo isn’t your typical Morningside student. Sure, she attends class and school events like most other students, but her background is what sets her apart from the rest.
Sara is from Venezuela, and moved to Sioux City to attend Morningside in January of 2022. Morningside has a large percentage of international students, but not many of them are from third world countries like Sara.
Growing up in Venezuela, Sara didn’t have the same security that students from other countries did. She rarely had guarantee of safety, whether she was at home, attending school, on vacation, or just out in her community. Protesting and political riots were common in Sara’s community when she was growing up, and the government did not respond well to those activities. Sara and her family would constantly have to be alert and ready to respond to threats.
Life in the United States is drastically different for Sara compared to life in Venezuela. She said, “I get a lot of benefits and opportunities in the US that are harder to find back home, such as good education, electricity, water, and safety. But back home I’m closer to my culture, my family and childhood friends, and our lifestyle, which I see as a little more active.”
Lucia explained how Sara has opened up to her friends and explained the daily struggles that come with living in Venezuela.
“Sara has opened my eyes to how her life at home is. Of course, I already knew some of the stuff going on in Venezuela and know how hard people can have it, but meeting someone in real life who has been through it really opens your eyes,” Lucia said.
Even though her past was filled with hardship, Sara is still kind and welcoming to every single person she meets, and is always looking to make new friends. Additionally, she has been a very successful student at Morningside, academically and socially. This semester, Sara helped revive a club called International Students Association, or ISA. Working with other students to make this happen, Sara helped advertise and create this club.
Richard Lopez is a junior at Morningside University, and is a member of ISA. Sara was the one to reach out to him and welcome him to ISA. She also is involved in promoting the club to try to increase their members.
“Sara has helped promote the club by setting up a fundraiser to get us money, she created an Instagram to reach more people through social media,” Richard said.
Overall, Sara is continuing to grow and learn here at Morningside, and she is determined to not let anything get in her way. She is proof that the past does not define the future, even though she has experienced what it is like to struggle in ways many of us will never understand.
“I’ve become so much more independent, and I’ve realized I am capable of way more than I think. I’m not as scared as I used to be to stand up for what is right, and I try to go after as many opportunities as I can, even if they seem intimidating. I try to always act from the heart and find the balance between honesty and kindness.”