Thursday, September 6, 2012

A Border to Cross

It was a year when heat blistered the land. Rain deserted the region like an adulterous lover, although humidity blew herself up to full strength and forced her sodden belly onto the earth, smothering it.

Already on that particular morning at 7 AM, beads of perspiration were forming on my face as I walked from the far end of the parking lot to my classroom. In the office, I grabbed a tissue and dabbed my face as the secretary said, "We've got a new student. Spanish only. He's going to your 7th grade language arts class."

"Did we get any records on him?" I asked.

She shook her head sympathetically. "No. Evidently in Mexico, he was out of school for a long time, like maybe never was in school at all. An aunt checked him in yesterday afternoon."

I let out a breath of exasperation. It was already a large class, and now I had one who didn't speak English and who may have never even been in school period.

When the 7th graders filed in later that day, I noticed Jaime immediately. He was thin, almost gaunt, and had a new haircut and an ill fitting school uniform. Long lashes curved over his brown eyes.

I showed him where to sit and patted him on the shoulder as I got the other students started on a warm up.

I knelt beside his chair and asked quietly, "Habla Ingles, Jaime?"

His deep eyes widened and he shook his head rapidly side to side. "No, no," he whispered as he stared down at the table. His brow furrowed as he bit his lip. He was the same age as my daughter and my heart melted.

I patted his back again and reassured him in Spanish. He kept his head down until I finished talking, and then he gave me a tiny peek. I smiled at him and although he didn't smile in return, his face softened, just a little.

In the next few months, Jaime initially struggled as he worked to master new lessons and build his English. Soon, though, just as his body filled out from regular meals, his English vocabulary also flexed muscle. He was still shy and introverted, but answered more and more questions in respectful, hesitant English.

One afternoon after school, he was the lone student in tutoring. He labored over a paper he was writing and then sighed and rubbed his fingers as he put his pen down.

"Jaime, how is it going for you? Are things getting easier?"

He looked up, a slight smile on his face. He nodded his head and said haltingly, "Yes, some things better, some things not."

I moved over to his table and sat across from him. "Would you like to tell me about it? How did you end up here? En Espanol?"

He searched my face for a moment, looking me in the eyes for the first time. He took a deep breath and began, in Spanish.

"I came here to find my mom. She crossed the river and came to Houston to find work so she could send money home to my grandma so my little brother and I would have enough food to eat."

"And your dad?" I asked.

"He's never been around. I don't even know what he looks like. We were so sad when my mom left. My little brother would cry for her at night. I told him it would be OK. She loved us and she was trying to help us.

"She sent money and letters, and we were able to get food for all of us. Sometimes she'd call our neighbor's house and we'd get to talk to her. She always told us she loved us.

"But then, we stopped getting letters from her. She didn't send anything, didn't call... We didn't know what had happened. My grandma heard very bad stories about what happened to ladies sometimes who come up here by themselves.

"One night I had enough. I was the man of the family and I had to find out what happened to my mom. So I found the coyote (human smuggler) who helped her get up here. I had a little money saved from what my mom had sent us. I left a note for my grandma and took off with them.

His eyes clouded for a moment. "Many bad things happened on the way, Senora." He exhaled.

"Jaime, you're so very brave. I'm so sorry you had to go through all that."

"That wasn't the worst, though. Once we got across the river, I thought it would be better. El Coyote told us he was dropping us off and we'd have to walk maybe two or three days through the brush to stay away from the Border Patrol, but then he'd pick us up again and we'd get to Houston."

I cringed, remembering the record heat wave we'd had around the time Jaime had arrived and mentally calculating the 47 miles of uninhabited, rugged brushland they'd had to navigate.

"We didn't have any water, but we found some cattle troughs we drank out of along the way. We were so thirsty, all the time. One lady with us got too sick and said she couldn't walk anymore. Her lips looked all weird, really big, and she crumpled onto the ground and closed her eyes and wouldn't talk anymore. I saw her quit breathing. I didn't want to leave her behind, but the leader said we had to, or we'd all die.

"Sometimes, I thought I heard my mom's voice talking to me, but I had to tell myself it wasn't real. More people from our group disappeared. I don't know if they died or just turned themselves in to the Border Patrol."

He paused. I hesitated to ask more because our laws say school employees cannot ask children if they are here legally or illegally, so I waited for him to continue with what he wanted to share.

"I'm not even really sure, Senora, how I was able to find a ride here. The lady I stay with now is a friend of my uncle's, from back in Mexico, and she came to get me when she found out I was here. She's nice to me, but I'm not going to stay here long. I still have to find my mom."

The bus arrived and Jaime had to leave that afternoon. It wasn't but a few days later when he disappeared, withdrawn from our rolls. The "aunt" he was staying with was also gone.

Maybe, just maybe, some day a tall man with long, curving lashes and deep brown eyes will approach me, an older woman on his arm, and say, "Senora, I'd like to introduce you to my mom, my brother, and grandma. We are together again."

I have strong opinions about adults, specifically those who wallow with drug cartels, who cross  borders illegally. You can read it in some of my earlier posts. But where children are involved, my heart is open wide, and always will be.)

46 comments:

  1. Shelly
    Your writing makes it clear that your "heart is open wide" for anyone who has a need, has been lonely and tired, or who has been hurt.

    Your beautiful spirit shines through your writing. Blessings to you today. ...Marsha

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    1. Marsha: Ahhh, you're so very kind! Thank you, my friend~

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  2. Jaime's is a disturbing story, Shelly, but one that needed to be told. It reminds us of another world that exists far away from Beaver Cleaver's fictional Mayfield, where students face far greater challenges than trying to decide which college offers the best football program, and where families face enormous challenges that most of us cannot even fathom. It's always the children who suffer most, isn't it? I pray that some day you'll know what became of Jaime and his mother. I hope they will somehow beat the odds and that their story will end happily, just like it always always always does on those warm, fuzzy, family friendly situation comedies set in clean, comfortable, white, mainstream middle class America. Thank you for giving us much to ponder today, dear friend Shelly, and have a safe and happy weekend!

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    1. Shady: Honestly, what some kids endure and still come to school, eager to learn, polite and respectful, leaves me in awe. I know we still have great things to hope for in the future if kids like him can finally get a leg up. Thank you, friend. Happy weekend to you, as well~

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  3. Your compassion is clearly shown her. You have a big heart, Shelly. I cannot imagine that poor mother. I never leave my kiddos and what she had to do must have been so hard. I hope and pray he finds his mother.

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    1. Christine: What so hits me is imagining my own kids or me in that situation. What other people have to go through makes me all the more thankful for the easy life I lead.

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  4. Such a bittersweet situation. Very well written also!
    Okay, I really would prefer that the criminals stay on the other side of the border, but I have ABSOLUTELY no problem with honest and hardworking Hispanic people coming here for a better life. Life is hard and life is cheap in most parts of Mexico. I live in southern California and we have a huge Hispanic population here. Legal or not, for the most part these folks are extremely hard working and family oriented people. Friendly, polite, and all they want is to survive. They don't want wealth, they don't want to take our jobs, they just want to raise their children in a proper and decent manner. Some people complain about kids that speak little or no English being inserted into classrooms because it slows down the teaching. I TRULY believe that in some parts of the country, ALL kids should be learning both English and Spanish in school and that it should be started in the first year.
    Add to all this that Mexico is one of the most corrupt countries in the world. They simply don't give a darn about the poor folks there. Okay, off the soap box!
    Great post Shelly...

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    1. Pat: I'm in agreement with you. People who want to work hard and are fleeing difficult and violent situations in Mexico now I have no problems with. We used to help those people all the time when they'd stop and ask for food or water. But the evil drug scum that are coming through very near our back door have made us take safety measures I never thought we'd have to. The kids, especially the kids, will always have my heart.

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  5. Oh my. That is heartbreaking to think about a child in that situation. Thank you for taking the time to write this. I hope someday you will be able to find out what happened to Jaime. You are very dear for taking the time to talk with him and listen to his story.

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    1. Nonnie: I truly hope that someday I will know the rest of his story. He was a really sweet kid-

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  6. Very heart-wrenching. I hope you see him again one day. It must be terribly hard to witness these things and be limited in what you can do to help. But be assured that your kindness to him nurtured his spirit and gave him strength to keep going.

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    1. jenny_o: I SO hope that someday I can see him, with his family. It's too heartbreaking to think otherwise. He is a special soul~

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  7. If only thousands more could read this post then so many more hearts might be opened.

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    1. Stephen: There needs to be a whole lot more compassion for the kids caught up in this.

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  8. Dearest Shelly,
    Wow, what a hard experience Jaime has been through!!! Your story gave me a slight idea of the situation. Yes, I DO hope he got a little courage from your kindness and find the way through tough life finding his mom someday☆☆☆ I can guess your feeling for the helpless or beyoud control dilemma. I didn't kow what coyote means here.
    Sending you lots of love and hugs from Japan, xoxo Miyako*

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    1. orchid: I'm sorry, my dear friend Miyako- I should have included the regional definition of coyote. It is a person who is a human smuggler. Here, they smuggle people across the border from Mexico into the US, usually with no regard for the welfare of the people they are smuggling. They charge large amounts of money, too.

      I pray for Jaime, and truly hope he has found te good things in life. He certainly deserves some good things in his life!

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    2. Dear Shelly,
      Oh, thank you so much for the explanation. I should have written that I checked the meanig, my friend. Large amount of money... sounds like it makes vicious cycle, isn't it. Love you, xoxo Miyako*

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    3. Orchid: You are such a dear friend, Miyako, to first take the time to wade through all my odd English expressions, and then to take the time to look up a Spanish word I thre in. Thank you!

      P.S.- I edited and included a little definition of what it is~

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  9. My heart is always open for children too. What a brave soul!

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    1. Missed Periods: I am in complete awe at their bravery~

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  10. Yes my heart goes out for the children who have to deal with so much and be so brave and older beyond their years......

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    1. Jo-Anne:It makes my hug my own kids that much tighter~

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  11. That poor boy, but so brave to try to look for his mum like that. I pray that he hasn't come to any harm my friend . You are so compassionate and you must be such a wonderful teacher, who really does genuinely care for her pupils . Blessings.

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    1. thisisme: He is still in my prayers, too. I so hope things have come to a good resolution for him. The odds are against it, but I have to keep hoping~

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  12. Dear Shelly, I have a heart for those who have arrived, seeking an honest living and a new life. During my time as an ESOL tutor, I made many friends whose stories made me cry during our lessons. Mexico is our neighbor. We are all North Americans. Some of the most compassionate beautiful people live so close, and yet a world away. The stigma of the immigrant needs to be removed, especially for the children. Criminals need correction. Families need hope, prayer and understanding.

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    1. Jenny: We've seen so many decent, hard-working folks who have come here in the past that it boils my blood what the drug cartel thugs have done to hurt those people, and the rest of us. Our country's very foundation is built on the hard work and dedication of immigrants, and I don't think we can ever move away from that.

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  13. I knew just from knowing you that you have a heart of gold. I bet there are a lot of stories out there that happened just like that. It must be hard. I am totally against drugs same as you and my heart is for the children too.

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    1. Sandie: It's those stories of people who are never known that really get me. The kids are the innocents in all of this~

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  14. This brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for sharing the story.

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  15. I'm so sorry for this boy and his family. I also hope one day he will come back with his mother and grandmother. I will never understand countries that don't care about their people.

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    1. Belle: It is tragedy and travesty, what is going on in Mexico right now. Kids and families like this arre too much the norm instead of the exception. I so hope they have reconnected.

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  16. nice post thanks for sharing...blessings

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  17. A warm post. Touched my heart Shelly. Blessings.

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    1. Just Be Real: Thank you, my friend- I hope no more hurricanes come your way!

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  18. Such a tragic life a seventh grader has to go through. As such that age ( puberty) is hard to deal with. I hope that there are not too many kids like him and that good Lord is with them.

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    1. Munir: Sadly, there are way too many kids like him. I hope and pray good things for them~

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  19. Dear Shelley, a poignant story. I, of course, don't live in an area where border crossings take place. I'm a person who thinks that our country was first Native America and then immigrants came. So almost all of us are the descendants of immigrants. And so I welcome the energy and talent and compassion and Oneness of immigrants. And yet I recognize that the drug cartel is an evil thing. But what really concerns me is that because of our governmental and state policies, people have to come in the dead of night, like Jaime did, and suffer greatly. I wonder why we don't welcome them in the light of day to our country of immigrants. Peace.

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    1. Dee: I'm in total agreement. The drug cartel violence, though, has become so malignant on this side of the border. Literally just a few miles from our house several of those guys pulled a teenager off his tractor and tried to execute him. God intervened and he was saved, but they are all over the place, now, sadly. It is the good and decent and hard working people like Jaime and his family who deserve a chance to make it here.

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    2. Dear Shelly, you see all of this so clearly and I admire the compassion in your heart for the hard working people like Jaime and his family. It would seem that the state and federal governments must concentrate on eradicating the cartels and be accepting of those other people who just long for a better life in the United States. Peace.

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    3. Dee: You are so right- they must focus on getting rid of the cartel traffic instead of focusing so much on the individuals who just want work. I wish there was a quick solution for this~

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  20. Shelly my friend, you have seen so much in the years you have been teaching. That was a touching story and it would be awesome to read one day that he did make it back to see you with his mother. Thank you for sharing these lovely stories.

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    1. Odie: It would be beyond terrific to know for certain they were reunited. Thank you, friend~

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