It was 1979, my mother was working in a factory in Chicago. My parents came to this country in pursuit of a better future for their children as so many others in this country do.  Sometimes it may seem there is no plan in our lives and we’re part of this planet by chance. It feels like we are no more nor less then an insect. We merely exist for the sake of existing. But I truly believe  that isn’t the case.

So my mother tells me, at that moment and time she was  9 months pregnant. She was only weeks away from her due date.  My mom tells me that many great women as well as relatives worked at this factory to provide a better life for their children, but on that day, life would take a different turn for everyone.  My mom was working at this factory in order to help out my Dad with the bills and everyday necessities.  It just so happens that on this day, the factory would be raided by immigration. Many of her friends would be  arrested and deported, including other women from other countries she did not even know. My mother shares with me that  she patiently waited in a room to either be arrested, interrogated, or deportation. She admits being a little scared, especially being 9 months pregnant.  At the time my mother was still in process of finalizing her US citizenship, so all this made it so much more nerve recking.   All she knew was that she had to do whatever necessary to survive and provide the promise for her kids and her husband. It’s sad how this affects so many people all over the country today…We’ll leave that topic for another day.

The officer walked into the room and saw my mother. My mother recalls the woman looking at her,  she was dressed in her law enforcement attire. The woman looked at my mom’s belly, made eye contact with her and told her to leave and go home. My mother didn’t hide, runaway, nor retaliate. She grabbed her things  walked out the front door and went home. I can’t help to think  God must have had a plan for her, our family and  those women that were arrested and deported.  2 weeks later after the raid, I was born.  31 years later I am here, on a journey towards my destiny.  It’s real stories like this that give me so much hope. It’s stories like this that I enjoy sharing. It’s because of heroes like my my Mom and Dad  that had the courage to take a journey towards a better life that I am here. What maybe seemed as a misfortune at the time, has become a stepping stone into greatness.

From time to time I ask my mom the same question. Just to make sure I got it right… I ask my mom, what her job was at the factory back in 1979?  Her job was to  Sew the inside lining of Guitar cases…

-fuser+

misfortunes make giants