Six years ago, a blessing was bestowed upon me
Something that no material object can replace
In my arms is a serendipity
One that has the same features as me
That moment of something I will forever miss
The fire from my heart, keeping us warm
That’s when I made my promise
To protect my angel, from all harm
My love for my daughter is like no other
So for her, I’m ready to endure any pain
They say a child is inseparable from their mother
So why am I in an airport, waiting to board a plane
The longer I’m gone, the harder it is to live
But I know I have to face my fears
To provide my child with the best future I can give
Even if it means being apart for years
So I sit here, from the opposite side of the planet
Where my nights are my family’s days
And our only connection is through internet
And left my daughter to my family to raise
To think she couldn’t even walk when I came here
And now she has a mind of her own
Just the thought of it makes me shed a tear
It’s crazy to see how much she’s grown
Many seem to think that being migrant is easy
They think it’s all sunshine and rainbows
But the emotional baggage isn’t payable by money
Being alone going through all kinds of highs and lows
It’s hard to not think about what could I’ve been
Never a time where I am at ease
It’s like watching a film from a screen
Hopelessly dreaming about all the possibilities
But this is not a fairytale, this is for real
For my family, I must keep my head up high
I am a daughter, a sister and a mother
I’m ready to do everything to see them again eye to eye
So for now, I’ll continue watching from far away
While being the best I can be
And show my love in all the different ways I can convey
All for the good of my family
About the Author:
Jenny is a domestic worker, born in the Philippines. She worked in the government sector but the salary was not enough to feed her family. She left this good job and ventured abroad to work for her family’s future. She is now one of the active members of The Voice of Domestic Worker and was selected to participate in the Future Voice training programme to develop skills and confidence as a public speaker.
She says that writing a poem is “my way to ease the pain and the homesickness. Leaving my daughter is a huge sacrifice and it breaks my heart that she is growing up without my presence. I’m hoping the government will see this struggle and give us back our rights as domestic workers”
@jennyabenoja32
Find out more about the Voice of Domestic Workers Future Voices programme #VODWFutureVoices and follow The Voice of Domestic Workers @thevoiceofdws