Christmas Far From Home. A Migrant Worker’s Message of Love Sacrifice and Hope By Melgrim

Christmas feels different when you are working far from home. It is quieter, heavier, and filled with a kind of longing that words can barely explain. The lights may still shine, the calendar still says December, but the warmth of being surrounded by family is something I deeply miss. Yet even in this distance, this season reminds me why I continue to keep going.

I carry my hopes with me every day. I hold tightly to my dreams, especially on the nights when loneliness feels louder than usual.

Every sacrifice I make as a migrant worker comes from love, from the desire to give my family a better future, even if it means missing important moments and celebrating holidays alone. Strength is not always loud; sometimes it is simply choosing to endure, choosing to stay, choosing to believe that all of this will one day be worth it.

To my family, this is my Christmas message for you. I miss you more than I can ever fully say. I miss the comfort of being together, the simple moments we used to share. The conversations, the laughter, the feeling of belonging. I miss being home. My prayer is that the coming year brings us more strength, more love, and more reasons to remain hopeful. Please know that wherever I am in the world, my heart has never left you.

As the year comes to an end, I often think about our New Year traditions back home. I picture the round fruits on the table, symbols of hope and abundance. I imagine the familiar smell of food cooking, the noise in the house, the laughter, and even the small superstitions that always made us smile. Even though I am celebrating quietly this year, those memories wrap around me like warmth, reminding me of who I am and where I come from.

To my fellow domestic workers, especially those spending this season far from their loved ones, I see you. I wish you peace, courage, and a gentler year ahead. May the coming year bring better protection, fairer treatment, and more respect for all of us who leave our homes to care for others. Our sacrifices matter. Our lives matter. Our dignity should never be optional.

And to the people who supported me throughout this year, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your kindness helped me survive days that felt too heavy to carry alone. You reminded me that even in hard times, compassion still exists.

This Christmas, my hope is simple but powerful, a future where dignity is not a privilege, but a standard. Where no one has to choose between survival and being treated with respect. Until then, I will keep holding on, believing, and loving from afar.

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