Maximina Torres from Mexico I lived in Tijuana for five months with my husband. At first, our lives were okay. After three months my husband started to drink too much, and he treated me very badly. Everytime he returned from the canteen, he was very drunk. He started to argue, but I never answered one word. Each time he was furious. He would grab my chin, pull my face up, stare at me, and scream "Say something!" But I never said a word because I was already one month pregnant, and I felt so terrible. Two months later he went to Michoacan and grabbed another lady. She was almost nine months pregnant because she had lived with my husband before, but I didn't know until he returned to Tijuana with her. Our lives were like being in hell. Finally one night, I decided to leave him and try to come to the USA. I didn't care if I would be illegal. When I crossed the border from Tjiuana to the United States in 1985, it was the most horrifying adventure in my life. First, the leader called the twenty people to make a circle, and he told us all the rules that we had to obey. He was very important because he showed us which direction we had to follow in order to cross the border safely. After he finished, he called me and said, "Maximina, why did you decide to go to Los Angeles instead of Michoacan? You are three months pregnant and it is very difficult to arrive there with no family." "I'm sorry but I am already three months pregnant, and I feel so terrible to return to my parents' house without my husband and I plan to go to the United States." When we started to walk at eight in the evening, I met a young, tall and handsome man. His name was Manuel. He asked me, "Ma'am, can I help you with your backpack?" I said, "Sure, finally I will get some weight off my back." A few minutes later, we had to climb a mountain. I had trouble climbing because my sandals kept sliding on the gravel and I was slipping back. The same gentleman said, "Let me help you." He offered to hold my hand and pull me up the hill, but each time I slipped back, he did too. It was very difficult because we had to hold onto bushes. Otherwise, we would slip right back down. After that, we crossed the desert. I kept slipping again, but the gentleman held me with his strong, big hands, and he didn't let me touch the ground. Around 4:00 a.m. I could not walk anymore. The entire group was ahead of us. I told Manuel that he must walk fast and catch up to the group, but he said, "Maximina, why would I leave you in the middle of the desert all alone? If you can't walk any longer, I will just stay with you. "That is when I yelled as loud as I could, "Wait up! I can't walk." The leader of our group returned. He and Manuel held me by both arms until we reached the group. Then we rested until I was well enough to continue our journey. Then I gave thanks to God for keeping me with a strong and good hearted man who helped me the whole way a cross the border. I don't know what I would have done without his help. I also thank God for the full moon that was bright enough for us to see. At 6 a.m., we arrived at a dry river bed covered with many dry leaves. We spent the whole day until eight in the evening without eating anything. Finally, the man arrived with a van with eight people inside. Then the 20 of us got inside. We were like a pack of cigarettes. I was very smart because I sat near the driver. It was so hot that I felt my backside was burning because I was sitting on top of the engine. He drove three hours without stopping until we arrived at L.A. I
am very proud of myself because my daughter was
born in San Bernardino, and I have been a citizen
since 1996. Living in the U. S. provides a better
future for my daughter and me than in
Mexico.
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