Mireya helped my mom get a grant for childcare and rewrite her résumé. Within a month, my mom got a full-time janitor job at a hospital. The pay was steady, and she finally had health insurance. My sister and I also started attending a weekend school program that offered free lunches and tutoring. Slowly, things started getting better for our family.
Then, there was an unexpected turn. Mrs. Danika lost her job of eleven years without any severance. My mom invited her to stay with us. We lived in a small one-bedroom apartment, so my sister and I slept in the living room. Mrs. Danika came with two bags and a willingness to help. She stayed for six weeks, and she and my mom would look for jobs together over instant coffee.
The letter she wrote was read out loud: “She once gave me half a salad when she barely had enough to feed herself. She shared her home, her warmth, her hope. I am standing today because she didn’t let me fall.”
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