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Churuquita Chiquita, Penonomé, Coclé  (Panama), 03/31/2025, Churuquita Chiquita community.- When Sister Donatila González Gómez was a child, she used to walk through water and mud to get to school. She wore sandals—not out of carelessness, but because it was customary in her community, which only had dirt paths. Yet she knew that what truly mattered wasn’t what she wore on her feet, but what she carried in her heart and mind: a deep faith, dreams, and a commitment to prepare herself to become a teacher and serve her homeland.

Recently, that big-hearted girl, now the director of Carmen Conte Lombardo Educational Institution in the community of Churuquita Chiquita, Penonomé, Panama, was nominated for and received two honors: the “Oye Mujer” Award, which recognizes the value of women leaders who make their voices heard across different sectors of the country, and the “Victoriano Lorenzo Medal”, commemorating the indigenous leader who gave his life for Panama’s freedom. These distinctions honor the life of dedication of women who, like her, have made love and education their passion and banner of struggle.

Sister Donatila has made her religious vocation a beacon of light and hope for children, youth, and their families, carrying in herself the charism of her foundress, Marie Poussepin—a woman who, in the 17th century, saw with eyes of mercy the misery and abandonment of orphaned children and youth as a result of the Fronde wars in Sainville, near Dourdan, her birthplace in France. With the boldness of charity, she responded to the great needs of her time: education and healthcare. In this same spirit, the mission of the Congregation to which Sister Donatila belongs extends far beyond the classroom—reaching the most vulnerable in 36 countries around the world through acts of charity.

As a community, the Sisters have patiently and faithfully woven a network of spiritual, human, and educational support that has transformed the lives of many generations through presence, visits, listening, timely advice, and simple gestures of kindness inspired by charity. They sow hope, faith, and integral formation, leaving an indelible mark on the lives of all those they accompany and with whom they share their journey. Throughout her mission, Sister Donatila has represented her Congregation at various national and international gatherings, sometimes as the only Panamanian representative. In those spaces, she humbly testifies to her identity as a consecrated woman and renews her motivation to continue giving her life to the Lord in the noble task of educating.

She firmly believes that “together, we do greater things,” and from her role as principal, she leads with the teaching team an educational project that not only forms students but also develops people with values, goals, and a strong sense of community. The school’s motto is: “From the countryside arise the living forces of the nation,” a motto that comes to life in her testimony. For from the heart of the countryside, she has emerged as a living force—transforming with dedication, guiding with wisdom, and leading with the Gospel.