My Family's Migration To America
I come from Faith, a devoted Roman Catholic family. Faith is embedded in my roots, my mom is Catholic and so is my dad, I have two uncle’s that are priest and one aunt that is a nun. So, as a cradle Catholic, Faith comes naturally, it’s all I know. When life is pulling me down, I rely on Faith to get better. From my parent’s journey to America, to my mother’s childbearing, and to my coming of age, Faith has been a part of my life, even before my upbringing.
My relation with Faith has been with me before I was born, starting with my parent’s migration to America. As a twelve-year-old leaving a Communist ruling Country, my mother certainly needed Faith to get by. Now, because my mother was so young at the time, she did not have the mental
capability to understand what exactly Faith was, all she knew was to pray. She is known as one of the Vietnamese Boat People, those who traveled with little boats, over one-hundred people packed into one at a time. She spent four days and three nights in the middle of the sea with no parents. In fact, my mother traveled across the world without her parent’s guidance. Spending two years living at a refugee camp in Thailand, then transferring to America, my mother would not be where is today without Faith, and neither would I. I admire my mother’s strength and Faith to start a new life in America. As for my dad, he arrived in America about ten years after my mom. He also came from a devout Catholic family. My father flew to America with all twelve of his family members, including the two priests and nun. He and his family settled in staying in California until my dad decided to look for a job in South Carolina. The plan was that my dad finds a job in South Carolina and brings the whole family over, but it did not work out that way. The rest of the family decided to stay in California and eventually, my dad met my mom and stayed in South Carolina on his own. I am not sure how this affected him, but to this day, my dad remains to still have Faith. Faith is what brought my parent’s together and what brought me to this world.
I come from rosaries. When my mom was pregnant with me, it was a high-risk pregnancy. There was an unidentified sac in the womb with me and there was a potential that it could make me suffocate. My parent’s had Faith throughout the whole pregnancy. Not once did they consider abortion, even when asked. Instead, they relied on Faith and prayed rosaries. When I was delivered by C-section, it was as if nothing was wrong. I was born a healthy baby, weighing in 9-pounds and 9-ounces. Rosaries are a powerful way Catholics pray to Mary, the mother of God to reach Jesus. This is why I am named LaVang. LaVang is a place in Vietnam where Mary appeared to the people, so my name represents Mary. Faith has been with me before and after birth.
Now as I am getting older and finding who I am, I never lose my Faith. From school to family life, I keep my Faith with me. I have Faith that I will get into a good college and be successful in life. My Faith lets me know that everything will work out in the end. I come from a Faith-based family and will continue to have Faith in my future and in my legacy.
My relation with Faith has been with me before I was born, starting with my parent’s migration to America. As a twelve-year-old leaving a Communist ruling Country, my mother certainly needed Faith to get by. Now, because my mother was so young at the time, she did not have the mental
capability to understand what exactly Faith was, all she knew was to pray. She is known as one of the Vietnamese Boat People, those who traveled with little boats, over one-hundred people packed into one at a time. She spent four days and three nights in the middle of the sea with no parents. In fact, my mother traveled across the world without her parent’s guidance. Spending two years living at a refugee camp in Thailand, then transferring to America, my mother would not be where is today without Faith, and neither would I. I admire my mother’s strength and Faith to start a new life in America. As for my dad, he arrived in America about ten years after my mom. He also came from a devout Catholic family. My father flew to America with all twelve of his family members, including the two priests and nun. He and his family settled in staying in California until my dad decided to look for a job in South Carolina. The plan was that my dad finds a job in South Carolina and brings the whole family over, but it did not work out that way. The rest of the family decided to stay in California and eventually, my dad met my mom and stayed in South Carolina on his own. I am not sure how this affected him, but to this day, my dad remains to still have Faith. Faith is what brought my parent’s together and what brought me to this world.
I come from rosaries. When my mom was pregnant with me, it was a high-risk pregnancy. There was an unidentified sac in the womb with me and there was a potential that it could make me suffocate. My parent’s had Faith throughout the whole pregnancy. Not once did they consider abortion, even when asked. Instead, they relied on Faith and prayed rosaries. When I was delivered by C-section, it was as if nothing was wrong. I was born a healthy baby, weighing in 9-pounds and 9-ounces. Rosaries are a powerful way Catholics pray to Mary, the mother of God to reach Jesus. This is why I am named LaVang. LaVang is a place in Vietnam where Mary appeared to the people, so my name represents Mary. Faith has been with me before and after birth.
Now as I am getting older and finding who I am, I never lose my Faith. From school to family life, I keep my Faith with me. I have Faith that I will get into a good college and be successful in life. My Faith lets me know that everything will work out in the end. I come from a Faith-based family and will continue to have Faith in my future and in my legacy.