Where Does Your Feeling of Safety Come from? By Paula Rose Michelson

Posted by Unknown , , Wednesday, December 14, 2011 5:10 PM


From Chapter One of Casa de Naomi: The House of Blessing Book 1


“…believing that immigration would never let her stay in America now, Naomi closed her eyes. Only when the boat docked and the man grabbed her arm to hurry her onto the wharf did she open them.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Reflective Questions~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have you been so frightened that you could not face the next moment?

Why were you in that situation? Were you all alone?

Was anyone there to help you?

What did you do?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


They entered a building and turned down a dark corridor. The man pointed to a chair in a stark office. She nodded, entered, sat down on the hard, wooden chair, and clutched her worn, brown, leather suitcase to her chest. An official took a man into a room. Before the door shut, she heard his interview begin.


She believed hers would be next, closed her eyes, and tried to think about her answers. But all she could think of was that her bright plans of coming to America to find her uncle were for naught. She remembered leaving her family in the middle of the night without an explanation or a good-bye and tears threatened to fall. I was a fool to agree to work for no wage because Mr. Sosa promised to help me achieve my dream when we arrived. She thought of all she had left, Mr. Sosa’s promise, and admitted, He lied to me!


Her thoughts returned to Abuela Sosa’s death. She could almost hear the old woman say, as she had the day they first met, “Many get to America. But getting into America can be difficult.”


I should not be here, she told herself while she tried to still her fidgeting. My entry into America should have been easy. Everything was attended to at the American Consulate before we left Spain—my documents, my medical history … I filled each paper out with the utmost care!


She looked around the waiting room. She was the only one there. Aware of the stories of the chosen few who were allowed to enter the country, she tried to think of anything but the future she feared
and remembered reading that the original buildings had burnt to the ground and nonflammable materials had been used when they rebuilt the facility. It must have been an awful fire. Still …


When she heard the door to the office open, she looked at the wall clock and realized that at least an hour had passed since she sat down. An official took the man they had interviewed away. He left the door open at another man’s request. Hoping she might hear the men she assumed would decide her fate; she leaned forward in her chair, saw them pace back and forth, and listened to their conversation.


“Too bad the grandmother died,” she heard the large man say, his voice filled with what she prayed was sympathy for her plight.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Authors' Comment~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


 Naomi is placed in an untenable situation for having left Spain without her parents’ permission, she cannot return! However, she knows and trusts no one. Had she read, 1 Peter 5:7, which says, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you,” she might have discovered that she was precious to God in a way she had never expected. If you would like to know more, follow the hyperlink.

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