Christianity is a strong quality of my family. As we moved from the Philippines to the United States, we carried our religion over. At a young age, it slowly became apparent to me that my family would always have rosaries. We kept them around anywhere, whether it was under our pillows, in our pockets, cars, and even on jewelry. Shortly after my fourth birthday, my mom gave me a rosary and told me to keep it on me at all times. Without knowing, I followed her advice and put it under my pillow. I was not aware of why we had them, until one day I asked my parents the story behind it. At that moment, it made sense. It has consistently been a tradition to keep a rosary nearby as we believed that it would grant us God’s safety. Even while moving, all of my family kept a rosary on them to remain under God’s guidance, which made migrating more comforting rather than hard. Therefore, this tradition grew into my family with no questions asked. It has grown to have a significance within my life and family because of how much it has connected me with Christianity and God. Like others’ stories, one object can have a big impact, whether it is in the past, present, or possibly in the future. Just like how one may say that finding a four-leaf clover grants good luck, having a rosary with me ensures that my family and I are always safe and have direction through God. It may not be true for others, but I strongly practice in keeping rosaries and will continue to do so for years to come.

– Gian Raneses

Relationship:  Im/migrant who arrived as a child Im/migrant who arrived as a child