Three years ago I arrived in the United States, a place where I would find new opportunities but also a place unknown to me, having with me a chain of El Divino Niño. El Divino Niño is a little statue of the baby Jesus that can be made from different materials like wood or in this time gold. It is used to pray and show devotion, also often believing that Baby Jesus can bring comfort and blessing.  We keep them in homes, churches, or we carry them with us. This object traveled with me from the Dominican Republic. The person who gave me this necklace was my grandma. She gave it to me as a symbol of love and faith that we will see each other again. The time she gave me this she said to me, “You can do it my girl, never give up and always look to the future.” During Christmas, the El Divino Niño necklace is significant because it represents the birth of Jesus, also the occasion is special because on that date my grandmother gave me that gift. The Divino Niño connects to me as a Dominican because it is an integral part of our religious heritage. Growing up, I was surrounded by images and stories of the Divine Child Jesus, which is a sense of faith and spirituality deeply rooted in Dominican culture.  This object is important to me because in addition to the fact that it was given to me by my grandmother and I know that she gave it to me as a sign of love, also because I think it is a way to feel closer to my native country and know that through that necklace I have a lot of history and memories that remind me of where I come from.

– E.C

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more