When I was 12 years old I found this picture between old books. I didn't know who he was. My mom said that was my dad when he was in the military. I couldn't believe it was my dad! I didn’t remember what he looked like because he died when I was 2 years old. 

When my father died my grandfather, my dad’s father, said to put all of my dad’s things together to bury them. That was the custom of the people in my village who believed that if a person took some things from a member of a family who died, their spirits would come back to ask for their things. We believed that their spirits were not going to be in peace until they had all the things that they used when they were alive. My grandfather even wanted to kick us out of my dad's house. But a judge said otherwise. He said that house was my dad's and our inheritance. 

It was hard living without my dad. My mom started drinking a lot and did not really work. Many times in school my classmates bullied me because I didn't have a backpack and my family was very poor. I didn't have a dad who could provide for us. My life was very sad at that time. 

When I saw that picture of my dad, I was happy because I finally knew that I had a dad and what he looked like.  When I look at this photo, it makes me realize that I will also struggle in life like my dad did when he was in the military. He faced many things but he overcame all of them. My family's situation makes me understand that it doesn't matter the difficulties you face in life, you can overcome them! 

– SC

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant