Finding Hope

It is our honor to share a piece written by a young member of our RILA family. Jessica* recently graduated from high school and is now heading off to college.

I was born in Ecuador. However, due to family and safety concerns, my future had to be rewritten in a foreign land, the United States. When I was 15-years-old, my mom and I began our journey of sojourners. We left Ecuador with our hopes and prayers directed to God to help us reach safety.

After arriving in the United States, due to language barriers and trauma, it was hard for me to adjust to a new country and its people. I tried my best to fit in without changing who I am and my roots, which now I can happily say I have done. My goal has always been to be defined by God’s love and His purpose. My dream has also always been to keep my studies in hopes of becoming a cardiologist. Therefore, I applied to multiple universities, and God directed me towards the University of Virginia (UVA).

You may wonder why I wish to be a cardiologist. The reason is that I admire health care workers. I admire their selflessness, perseverance, dedication, and service. I have attended career shadowing events at Fauquier Hospital, and I am soon to begin volunteering as well, in hopes that my passion increases.

RILA has helped me make this country my home and the place my future belongs to. I have promised myself to contribute back with service to the community I belong to and to keep working hard for my dreams. I am thankful for RILA and its mission to help asylum seekers without judging our backgrounds or religions. RILA will remain in my heart as an organization that immensely helped me to be sure that I do belong in the United States and I am no longer a sojourner for safety.

*Name has been changed to protect privacy.