WITNESS-Conclusion

WITNESS-CONCLUSION

The carpet in the large apartment was a dusky blue.  I ran from room to room to see it all.  How different it all looked.  The ceilings were low not tall like back home, there was carpet not tile on the floors, except for the linoleum of the kitchen and the octagon shaped white and black tiles in the bathroom.  If I dragged my feet, my skirt would stick to my legs and a current of electricity would shock anyone I touched.  Some of the windows looked onto the brick walls of the apartments next door.  The kitchen window looked out to a screened porch and beyond there was a tiny square yard, frozen over like everything else in this cold place.  The front windows were my favorite because they looked out to a park filled with naked trees and covered in layers of snow.  The rooms were all empty of furniture.  Mami looked about with a bewildered look.  Where would we sleep?  Where would we eat?  Papi hugged her close and then pulled the rest of us to them.  We were together.  At last, we were all together.  The rest would work out in Dios’ time.

A knock on door broke us apart.  Papi opened the door to a miracle.  A truck sat on the icy road in front of the apartment building.  The man at the door had a chair in his arms and behind him were more men and woman carrying things.  And what things they were!!  Beds, mattresses, sofa, chairs, tables and more chairs made their way through the door.  Mami had shaken off her shock and was now using sign language to gesture where to put the items.  My brothers and sisters put their coats and boots back on and helped bring the things in. 

There were bags of warm clothes.  I quickly found a pair of boy’s boots just my size.  I kicked off my blue shoes and stepped into their warmth.  In the kitchen two ladies were filling up the pantry with food.  Plates, utensils, pots and pans came next.  Mami hugged the women to her and debuted her English “sank ju!, sank ju!”(Thank you)  I came to understand that all these wonderful people had come from the local parish.  This was their welcome to the newest immigrants to their country.  My father thanked everyone again and again.  Tears shined brightly in his dark eyes.  My brothers and sisters were speaking English with everyone and I yearned to understand what they were saying.

That night we were all together for the first time in  what had seemed like years.   We were warm, our bellies and our hearts were full.  We had been welcomed and embraced by our new faith community to this strange land of cold and ice.  My angel told me that I wouldn’t be seeing him/her much longer.  I had my family now and all the new, kind people that God was putting in my life.  But my angel had been there for me when I was scared and lonely.  I didn’t want him/her to go.  “I will never leave you.  You can talk to me anytime.  I will help you always if you let me.  Call on me, I will be here.  You and I will be companions in this life and the next.”

I knew that I was loved by my family and God.  I was safe and all my needs were met.  I let myself feel the happiness and as I slept, dreamed of blue skies framed by palm trees.