Three Journeys, Three Lives and One Body
I want to share three different stories from three women I had the opportunity to know closely. These three women have two things in common: they are immigrants from Central America and South America respectively, and they are active members in their local churches. The struggle of these women has been an example for me within my own struggle: as an immigrant, as a lay professional, and as a young adult.
In this article I cannot discuss why I need to keep their names anonymous. I have chosen three biblical women that have played an important role in theological reflections and bible studies I have been involved with. My intention as you read this article, is to give you a story behind the face you have met in your churches. These Latinas have expressed they have recovered their social status while becoming part of a spiritual community of support in our local churches. I want to take this opportunity to honor their experiences of survival and their spiritual journey.
“Naomi” is in her mid-forties, she arrived to the United States twenty years ago. She was single and a young adult at that time. She had to cross the border. She came because she couldn’t find job opportunities in her country and her town was located in one of the most violent states of her native country. She bought a size 36 bra, four sizes bigger than her normal size. She created two little bags with a piece of garment, and she put the money her parents gave her inside them. She filled her “c” cups with the money. Her parents supported her decision and went to the bank and obtained a second mortgage to provide Naomi the money she needed to come to this country. She arrived to the U.S. in good conditions of health and without getting assaulted by the “coyotes.” She was wearing dirty jeans, a sweatshirt, a rosary and a bible her mother gave her before she started her journey. Despite the horrible moments she experienced she felt God’s presence by her side. She found a spiritual family in one of our churches in the New York area. She is a very active lay professional in her congregation and one of the vestry members in her church.
“Ruth” came escaping from her husband’s violence. She was a victim of domestic violence in her native country. She was an elementary teacher. At that time, she had two children. Even though her children were not victims of domestic violence yet, Ruth knew they were her husband’s next victims. She was the wife of a local politician in her town at that time. She was helped by relatives to gather some money and with connections she was able to get the U.S. visa for one of her children. She left one behind with family members that promised her to take care of him. Ruth arrived to the U.S. 30 years ago. She arrived with one bag, her child, a rosary and a bible. She studied and learned English. She enrolled her child in the nearest school, and she found a job there. She was one of the School’s cleaning ladies. She knew, she needed to find a spiritual community, and she found a spiritual “familia” as she calls her community in her local church. She is a lay professional, vestry member and active member of the cursillo community in the Diocese of Long Island. She lives in Port Chester.
“Rachel” arrived to the U.S. 12 years ago with her three children, one adolescent and two more of 5 and 8 years old respectively. She was a victim of domestic violence by her former husband, an engineer in the capital city of their country. She was a sophomore in college. She was getting her BA in Early Child education. She arrived to this country with her three children, her luggage, her bible and the Book of Common Prayer. At the present time, Rachel is one of the bilingual Christian Formation trainers of the Diocese of Long Island. She is a lay professional active in children and youth ministries, as well as discernment and vocation among adult lay leaders of the Diocese of Long Island. She is a member of the Hispanic/Latino network of Province II.
Sharing these stories help me realize how connected we are with one and another. Each one of us found a space for grace in our communities. We understood we were called to be part of a new family in Christ where each body part “forms one body.” (1Cor 12:12) Naomi, Ruth, Rachel, you and me are called to be the body of Christ because “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” (1 Cor 12:26)
In this article I cannot discuss why I need to keep their names anonymous. I have chosen three biblical women that have played an important role in theological reflections and bible studies I have been involved with. My intention as you read this article, is to give you a story behind the face you have met in your churches. These Latinas have expressed they have recovered their social status while becoming part of a spiritual community of support in our local churches. I want to take this opportunity to honor their experiences of survival and their spiritual journey.
“Naomi” is in her mid-forties, she arrived to the United States twenty years ago. She was single and a young adult at that time. She had to cross the border. She came because she couldn’t find job opportunities in her country and her town was located in one of the most violent states of her native country. She bought a size 36 bra, four sizes bigger than her normal size. She created two little bags with a piece of garment, and she put the money her parents gave her inside them. She filled her “c” cups with the money. Her parents supported her decision and went to the bank and obtained a second mortgage to provide Naomi the money she needed to come to this country. She arrived to the U.S. in good conditions of health and without getting assaulted by the “coyotes.” She was wearing dirty jeans, a sweatshirt, a rosary and a bible her mother gave her before she started her journey. Despite the horrible moments she experienced she felt God’s presence by her side. She found a spiritual family in one of our churches in the New York area. She is a very active lay professional in her congregation and one of the vestry members in her church.
“Ruth” came escaping from her husband’s violence. She was a victim of domestic violence in her native country. She was an elementary teacher. At that time, she had two children. Even though her children were not victims of domestic violence yet, Ruth knew they were her husband’s next victims. She was the wife of a local politician in her town at that time. She was helped by relatives to gather some money and with connections she was able to get the U.S. visa for one of her children. She left one behind with family members that promised her to take care of him. Ruth arrived to the U.S. 30 years ago. She arrived with one bag, her child, a rosary and a bible. She studied and learned English. She enrolled her child in the nearest school, and she found a job there. She was one of the School’s cleaning ladies. She knew, she needed to find a spiritual community, and she found a spiritual “familia” as she calls her community in her local church. She is a lay professional, vestry member and active member of the cursillo community in the Diocese of Long Island. She lives in Port Chester.
“Rachel” arrived to the U.S. 12 years ago with her three children, one adolescent and two more of 5 and 8 years old respectively. She was a victim of domestic violence by her former husband, an engineer in the capital city of their country. She was a sophomore in college. She was getting her BA in Early Child education. She arrived to this country with her three children, her luggage, her bible and the Book of Common Prayer. At the present time, Rachel is one of the bilingual Christian Formation trainers of the Diocese of Long Island. She is a lay professional active in children and youth ministries, as well as discernment and vocation among adult lay leaders of the Diocese of Long Island. She is a member of the Hispanic/Latino network of Province II.
Sharing these stories help me realize how connected we are with one and another. Each one of us found a space for grace in our communities. We understood we were called to be part of a new family in Christ where each body part “forms one body.” (1Cor 12:12) Naomi, Ruth, Rachel, you and me are called to be the body of Christ because “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” (1 Cor 12:26)
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