I have a dream....

I guess it is everybody's dream to have a good life.  Most Filipinos would like to work and live in another country.  This is not because Filipinos do not love their own country; it is because they wanted to have a taste of the things that they can't have in the Philippines.  

I have plenty of relatives who have been working and living in another country, so being far from the family in the Philippines is not new to me.  Even my ex-husband was an OFW.  I must say that my relatives were able to get a taste of good life after working hard in another country and with that, they can also share the blessings that they have received.

My father was also a hardworking man.  He dreamt of giving us a good life.  My brothers and I studied in private schools during our grade school and high school days, and in our college years, we studied in prestigious schools in the Philippines.  He was blessed to be able to travel around the Philippines and several countries around the world because of his job (he used to work with the government), so it is also his dream for us to be able to go to far places, may be it for leisure or for business.  My father was able to secure US tourist visas for my mom and two brothers (they were minors way back then).  I wasn't able to get a US tourist visa because I am no longer a minor, so I have to apply a US tourist visa on my own already.  One brother has been living in the US since 2001 and the youngest brother has been permanently living in the US since 2005 and has acquired US citizenship in 2010.  My mom has been in and out of the US since 2001 until she decided to process her migration papers in 2014.

Me?  Obviously I'm still here in the Philippines, hehe.

I tried applying for a US tourist visa in 2002 but I was denied of the application.  I was a graduate school student then so I do not have any proof of income to show to the consul.  However, my father still wants me to go to the United States.  I inquired for a Montessori study program in Seattle, Washington, but my father said that I finish my graduate studies first before I pursue my plan of going to the United States.  I finished my graduate studies in 2005 but we were constructing our new house then so my father didn't have extra funds to help me in processing my US working visa (it may cost around $10,000).

Fast forward, I got pregnant, married, papa got sick, papa died, got separated from my ex-husband....so there, I am still here in the Philippines :)

I know the Lord has reasons why I am still here in the Philippines.  There are still lots of things that I still need to process here.  I am considered as my family's steward.  I am taking care of what is left by my family here in the Philippines (though one by one, we are already in the process of preparing for the future plans).  I am still awaiting for some legal decisions too.  

My mom decided to process her migration papers so that she can file a petition for me and Kib.  The hope is still there that I will be able to join my family in the United States.  It has been almost 15 years since we had a complete family picture (and we will never have one anymore, sniff, sniff).

Our family picture when my brother went to the Philippines to surprise our parents in 2010.  They didn't know that he was arriving to have a vacation.

My brother together with his wife and son during their vacation in 2011.  My father already passed away then.

My two brothers, sister-in-law, nephew, niece, and my mom taken in 2014