This is an alfombra from Guatemala during Semana Santa, or the Holy Week. My family's immigration story starts in 1988 and lasted till 1994. Religion has always played a significant role in my family's lives, especially to my abuelo who is a pastor. He and my abuela decided to migrate to the US to provide their children with better opportunities during Semana Santa in 1988. He believed that the power of the Holy Week would help them during their journey as they escaped the Civil War in Guatemala and illegally crossed the border to the states. My grandparents traveled 2,600 miles in the span of six, grueling days and arrived in Los Angeles, California. For the following five years they labored away until they saved enough money to bring my Tia, their eldest child, to the US. The following year, my mother and Tio would follow and the family reunited the day before Christ. However, their immigration story does not end there. While my abuelo was approved for a Visa and was able to apply for the rest of my family, they still were not permanent residents of the United States. At one point, he paid $6,000 to get legal documents, but he was scammed. It was not until 12 years after my grandparents' arrival in the States that my family would be granted citizenship. Since then it has become tradition for them to celebrate the Semana Santa by enjoying food from their home country such as tamales and rellenitos de platano. My abuelo would recite verses from the Bible as they expressed their gratitude to God who guided them on their journey and kept them all safe.

– BV

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant