I’m not one to get involved in public political debates. I know what I believe in (I’m no fence sitter), but I prefer not to get into public battles about political issues. So, by no means do I intend this to be a politically themed entry. But we all know that illegal immigration has been front and center in the political arena the last few days. And, in reality, illegal immigration affects every one of us in our daily lives.
All this talk about illegal immigration has really got me thinking about where I stand on the issue. Instead of thinking…this is what the government needs to do, or this is how I would solve the problem…I got to thinking about a time in my life just a few years ago.
I was a volunteer at a local literacy center. In the beginning, I helped elementary age students with their reading. I really enjoyed helping the kids and seeing the progress they made in their abilities. Soon after I began volunteering, a couple came to the literacy center wanting to better their English skills. A husband and wife, both in their mid-50s, had come to America from Columbia. Amidst death threats, losing their land, and forsaking their country, they came to America seeking safety and a better life. This couple knew English, but their ability was limited.
The literacy center director knew I was an English major and asked me to help this couple with their English skills. Talk about a humbling task! But I took on the challenge. As our lessons progressed, I learned about this couple. They were both born and raised in Columbia. They owned a beautiful piece of farm land and enjoyed their life. Soon, because of political and religious unrest, this couple was targeted by mobs. Their lives were in danger and they were forced to leave their homeland. Whenever the husband would talk about this time in their lives, he became teary eyed and sad. They found their way to America…and found their way to safety.
What amazed me about this couple was their resiliency. Neither one of them let their unfortunate circumstances bring them down. They were determined to make a better life for themselves and to make something of their situation in America. The husband was a mortgage lender and he knew improving his English would help him advance his career. They both studied so hard and had the strongest desire to better themselves. I was in awe every time we met. They literally inspired me to be a better person, to not take my “easy” life for granted, and to appreciate the wonderful freedoms that I enjoy in this country.
I remember one particular day vividly. I used to go to the literacy center after working at my full-time job. Often, I was tired and just wanted to go home and sleep. But I knew this couple was counting on me. This day, I had a rough time at work. It was just one of those terrible days where you wished you could go home and start new. I was in a foul mood. I ended up being a few minutes late to the literacy center. As I walked into the room, there were my students, with huge smiles on their faces. But what attracted my attention the most was a beautiful vase of roses. They had brought these roses for me. The sweetest note was attached about how much they loved me and how much they appreciated what I was doing to help them. I was so humbled that they took the time to thank me for the small efforts I took to help them. Here was a couple that had been stripped of everything familiar to them, and they were offering me words of hope. To this day, that memory lives in my mind. When I have a rough day, I think of those roses and remember the feelings I had sitting at that little table in the library.
Every time the immigration debate comes up, I think of this couple. Whenever I find myself judging harshly or complaining about some silly thing, their faces come in to my mind. I’ve since lost track of both of them, but the short time we spent together in the library changed me forever.
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