felt desperate. He could not get enough food for his family. At the same time, neighbours
were getting sick, and some appeared to be starving. A few hundred miles to the
south, however, lay a richer country. ‘I’ll move abroad, find a job, and then
have my family join me,’ he thought.
also dreamed of a new life abroad. She had no work and few opportunities. She
and her boyfriend decided to travel from Nigeria to Algeria, on their way to
Spain, unaware of how harsh the journey across the Sahara Desert would be. “I
was pregnant,” she said, “and I was determined to give my child a better life.”
wanted a new start in Europe. She had lost her job in the Philippines, and
relatives assured her that domestic work was plentiful abroad. So she borrowed
money for the plane fare and said farewell to her husband and daughter,
promising them, “We won’t be separated for long.”
estimated that more than 200 million people like George, Patricia, and
Rachel have moved abroad in recent decades. Although some have fled from wars,
natural disasters, or persecution, most have moved for economic reasons. What
problems have migrants faced in their new land? Do all find the better life
they seek? How do children fare when a parent leaves in search of a better
income? Consider the following answers to these questions.
Getting
There and Getting Established
first challenge of moving abroad is often the journey itself. George, mentioned
in the first article, traveled hundreds of miles (km) with little food. “The
journey was a nightmare,” he recalls. Many immigrants never even arrive at
their destination.
goal was to reach Spain. She traveled in an open truck across the Sahara
Desert. “The journey from Nigeria to Algeria took us a week, and 25 people were
crammed into the truck. En route, we saw many corpses, as well as people just
wandering about in the desert waiting to die. Apparently, some truck drivers
heartlessly abandon passengers along the way.”
George and Patricia, Rachel was able to fly to Europe, where domestic work
awaited her. But she never imagined how much she would miss her two-year-old
daughter. “Every time I saw a mother caring for her young child, I felt sick
inside,” she recalls.
struggled to adapt to his new country. Months passed before he could send money
home. “Many nights, I cried because of loneliness and frustration,” he admits.
several months in Algeria, Patricia reached the Moroccan border. “There,” she
says, “I gave birth to my baby daughter. I had to hide from traffickers who
abduct migrant women and force them into prostitution. Finally, I got enough
money for the risky sea crossing to Spain. The boat was in bad shape and
ill-equipped for the large number of passengers. We had to bail water out of
the boat with our shoes! When we beached at Spain, I did not have the strength
to walk ashore.”
course, would-be migrants should take into account more than the possible risks
associated with travel. They should also consider potential language and
cultural barriers in the new land, as well as the cost and legal complications
of trying to become citizens or permanent residents there. Those who fail to
obtain legal status often find it hard to obtain good employment, quality
housing, education, or health care. They may also find it difficult to obtain a
driver’s license or a bank account. And all too often, undocumented immigrants
are exploited, perhaps as a source of cheap labor.
factor to consider is money itself. Really, how secure is it? Remember this
sound advice: “Be wise enough not to wear yourself out trying to get rich. Your
money can be gone in a flash, as if it had grown wings and flown away like an
eagle.” Keep in mind, too, that our greatest needs are for things that money cannot buy—namely, love,
emotional security, and family unity. How sad when parents allow the desire for
money to override their love for each other or any “natural affection” they
have for their children!
humans, we also have a spiritual need. Hence, responsible parents do everything
in their power to fulfill their God-given responsibility to teach their
children about God, his purpose, and his standards.
“We
Wish They Had Made A Different Decision”
“The eldest of three
girls, I was nine years old when Mother left for Europe,” says Airen, who lived
in the Philippines. “She promised us better food, better schooling, and a
better home. I still remember the day she left. She hugged me and told me to
take care of my sisters, Rhea and Shullamite. I cried for a long time.
“Four years later,
Father left to join Mother. When he was with us, I tried to follow him wherever
he went. When he said good-bye, my sisters and I clung to him until he boarded
the bus. Once more I wept inconsolably for a long time.”
Shullamite, the
youngest of the three girls, recalls: “When Airen was nine years old, she
became my mother, so to speak. I took my problems to her, and she taught me how
to wash my clothes, make my bed, and so on. When our parents phoned us, I
sometimes tried to explain my feelings to them, but I couldn’t express myself
clearly. I don’t think they always understood.
“People often asked
me if I missed my parents. ‘Well, yes,’ I would reply. But quite frankly, I
didn’t really remember my mother. She left when I was four, and I got used to
being without her.”
“When I was 16,”
says Airen, “my sisters and I finally set off to be reunited with our parents.
I felt so excited! But when we arrived, I found that we had grown apart from
them.”
Rhea adds: “I kept
my problems to myself. I was timid by nature and found it hard to show affection.
In the Philippines, we lived with our uncle and aunt, who had three children of
their own. Although our relatives cared for us, they were not like real
parents.”
In conclusion, Airen
states: “We did not suffer when we were a poor family—we never went
hungry. But my sisters and I did suffer when we were left behind. Our family
has been reunited for nearly five years now, but the years of separation have
left their mark. We know that our parents love us, but we wish they had made a
different decision.”
A
United Family—More Important Than Money
stories of immigrants may vary, but many have a common thread, as can be seen
in the examples of George, Rachel, and Patricia, mentioned earlier in this
series of articles. The family suffers when a parent departs or a spouse leaves
his or her mate, and years may go by before the family is reunited. In the case
of George’s family, that took over four years.
Rachel
finally flew back to the Philippines to get her daughter after being separated
from her for nearly five years. Patricia reached Spain with her baby daughter
in her arms. “She is all the family I have, so I try to take good care of her,”
Patricia says.
immigrants stick it out in their new country despite loneliness, economic
setbacks, and a prolonged separation from their family. They have invested so
much in the move that when things do not work out, few have the courage to cut
their losses and go home to face possible disgrace and humiliation.
who did have such courage was Allan, from the Philippines. He found a good job
in Spain, but 18 months later, he returned home. “I missed my wife and my young
daughter too much,” he says. “I decided I would never work abroad again unless
we could emigrate as a family. And this is what we eventually did. Family is
far more important than money.”
