Immigration, a reminder

Immigration  is an issue where the people who struggle to come to the US are often disparaged. CNN has shown what hell people go through to walk to the states. Immigrants are often chided for not working and taking up resources. They are treated often like animals and told they should come legally, a system that is so broken that their method has a greater chance of success than going through the system.

Of the immigrants I've met over the years, I find spirit and courage.

Rose is an example. This was my first time using a wheelchair at an airport. It was four airports. Toulouse, Heathrow, Miami and Orlando. All those who helped me were immigrants: Pakistani, Indian, Haitian. All were exceptional in the service and I talked to all three about their lives.

Rose was the most  impressive. Between poverty, crime, and corrupt government, she decided to leave her country, Haiti.

The first thing she did in the US was to learn English. Her life long dream was to be a doctor, but she felt she needed to bring her mother to safety first. She worked two jobs and finally did it.

She fell in love and had three children. Her husband encouraged her to become a nurse, although financially she had to work two jobs beside taking care of her family and going to class. She enrolled and loved her studies.

Her husband became ill. While nursing him through his illness, her studies were slowed. Her husband urged her to not give up, when she felt she couldn't go on.

She is still mourning his death. Her oldest child, a 14 year old girl and an all A student has taken over his encouragement. She  knows she's a role model for her kids so she keeps going. She says her daughter says she wants to be a doctor to fulfill her own dream as well as her mother's.

While she was pushing me, an angry man came up to say how long his parents had been taking to get two wheelchairs. She immediately called her supervisor to get them help, but he did not stop being verbally abusive. She never lost her cool even when he ignored her comments on how she was trying to help.

Rose has one more year of studies. She is grateful for her job, saying how her employers are supportive of when she has to do special classes or has exams. There are times she needs a second job to make ends meet.

I asked why she wanted to be a nurse. She replied she wants to help people. I believe her in the way she treated me, making sure of my comfort and safety. It was more than routine. She cared.

Rose will be 40 when she begins working as a nurse. The US had a shortage of 800,000 I heard on CNN. She will be a valued American citizen.

Rose is one of many immigrants I've met who work hard to build a good life. In doing so they will add to their communities. I'm not sure how many people who disparage immigrants would be able to face the problems and level of hard work necessary to succeed.