Last year I took photographs of a family at church. I was asked to drive them home one morning when it rained. I got to their apartment, and there was nothing there, nothing in the way of furniture or anything.
They needed to wash clothes, so I brought the two adult women to my house, and we washed loads and dried them. In the process of talking to them, I learned they did not have proper papers. I searched and printed forms for all of them, about 300 pages. I found out they were here from Nigeria to avoid mutilation of their female children.
I went to the pastor and told him what I had learned. The church got involved.
I gave what I could to help them, but my assets are limited.
I was adopted by all of them. I became godmother for a new baby.
Some of them went out of the country and were not allowed back, immigration came for the others.
My sweet friends are now in Ontario, and my heart breaks for knowing they had a valid reason to seek asylum here. The men were working; they were trying to get papers.
The system, it has robbed those of us who loved and cared for this family, of loved ones.
A broken system does injustice to all of us. Just my take.
I talked to my adopted daughter tonight, and I am going to see what I can do to get phone service to Canada. It was so good to hear her voice.
© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Sunday, May 19, 2009
Haphazard Creative 