Jorge

Jorge is Jessie's current boyfriend. He is a Mexican from Mexico. Jessie says she's mexican too, but she's not nationally or culturally really, but she is learning some Spanish due to the fact that Jorge barely speaks English. This is like a generational replay since Jessie's mom's boyfriend is Mexican, who barely speaks English.

We were all hanging out for mother's day, which was a really sweet time of enjoying each other and playing spanish bingo. Jorge and Frieda's boyfriend got really animated as we played and they were able to tell us some about their moms in Mexico.

I found out that Jorge came over with just his dad and uncle when he was only 16 years old. I can't imagine the terror he must have had and the loneliness he still feels with his mom and siblings, his life and all he knew so far away and totally unaccessible to him now. He is here with some forged papers, working as a dishwasher. His hands are red and diseased looking- from the bleach water he washes with. They hurt him a lot. He rides a bike across town to work, every day, rain or shine.

He sends money home and gifts, to his niece, mom. He's quiet, with a timid smile. I can't imagine living his life.

The book shares a lot of counsel about how we should treat foreigners. No matter if they are here legally or not, I don't think it includes hunting them down with riffles and ferreting them out of our food pantries. This is already one young man who has given up so much at the chance for a better life for his family. What if he was welcomed with love, understanding, compassion and the same opportunity as others? What if we really treated our neighbors as ourselves?