Our Miracle From Heaven 11.4.2000

One wam sunny afternoon on the 2nd of April 1998 my husband, Jose, and Allan a friend of ours came up with a bright idea of going to Tijuana, Mexico.  Just like a coupld of teenagers, they became esctatic and called a few or their friends to go along with them.  It was four o'clock in the evening when everyone arrived at our apartment.  Allan and Angel came walking across the way from their apartment to ours.  Jose put on his blue and white Converse and didn't even bother to grab a sweater, figuring that he would be fine in the jeans and T-Shirt he was wearing.  Once it was time for them to leave, Jose approached me, gave me a hug and kiss and whispered in my ear, "I love you, Mija."  He then hugged our two-year old son and rubbed my stomach, saying goodbye to the baby inside.  As they piled into the already full, yellow, 1987 Honda Civic, he waved and blew us a kiss goodbye.  As I watched him drive off, I had a sick feeling in my stomach.  I told Angel that I had a feeling in my stomach like something was going to happen.  She answered, "Estas Loca.  It's just the baby making you feel sick."  I agreed.  My son, Anthony and I went throughout the night as normal, watching Space Jam, two times, eating dinner, bathing and going to bed.

It was 2:52 am when I was awakened by a startling phone ringing in my ear.  It was Allan.  He told me that he and the other guys had just crossed the border but that the Border Patrol wouldn't allow Jose to cross, he is not a legal resident and only had his work permit.  I asked him, "Well, where in the hell did you leave him?"  He answered, "Over the border." I couldn't believe Allan, our "best friend" had left my husband behind.  Allan told me that he and the other guys would be home in the morning and we hung up.  Then, what had just been said hit me; my husband was stuck in Tijuana.  My stomach felt as if I had just jumped off the Grand Canyon and I couldn't hit bottom.  I called Angel to inform her of what had happened, but when she answered all I could get out was a horrible wail that I couldn't control.  She finally got me to calm down enough so that I could tell her what happened.  After talking to Allan once he finally got home, I found out that in the process of crossing the border, my husband had been arrested for perjury.  Now, I was frantic.  I called Jose's boss to inform him of the situation.  He offered to take Anthony and I to Tijuana, and so we went.  After the whole ordeal of finding Jose, I was escorted into a "holding place" for those people who have tried crossing the border illegally.  As I walked into this obscure building, I saw hundreds of Hispanics, all in chairs, eating, sleeping and crying.  I saw infants still nursing on their mother's breasts to senior citizens, all with the same motive: to get to a country of freedom.  Then, I saw him, his small build all scrunched up, his bones extruding in his face as if he hadn't slept in months and exhausted from crying.  I thought I would faint.  My legs went weak.  I saw Jose jump up with all that was in him and call out, "Mija!"  I caught myself and regained my strength.  I had to take my strength from God and be strong for Jose.  I had to get my baby out of this god-awful place.  The officer took me to the counter and advised me on a few steps that I could do, which wasn't much.  While being escorted back out, I looked into his eyes, sunken in and full of tears.  I had to hold in my tears.  I whispered, "I love you.  I'll get you ."

Days went by with no success nor help from anyone.  My Grandfather gave me a number to our Senator, Jerry Lewis.  There, I found his secretary who gave me another number to call.  I spoke with a man who gave me a list of information that I would need to fax over.  He told me to direct it to the woman who was the head or Border Patrol.  He told me exactly what to do, and I did it with faith.  The next day, April 9, 1998 my grandfather, mother, son and I drove to Tijuana on a very stormy day.  We arrived at 7:45am.  An officer escorted us all from the border check point in through a large building into the main office. Jose was there waiting for us.  He looked as if all life itself had sucked everything out of him and all that was left was his corpse.  My mom approached him with our son and they held each other as they prayed.  I spoke with the same officer I had a few days back.  I informed him of what I had been told to do, and he responded as if I didn't know what I was talking about.  He asked me for the phone number that the Senator had given me.  He tried to call the number, but all he got was a message that stated, "this number is no longer in service."  He then called the head of the Border Patrol, and she asked him to come to her office.  We waited very impatiently for thirty-five minutes.  He was finally back with a stack of papers: the ones I had faxed, and a passport, signed, stamped, and ready for Jose.  The happiness that came out of us was overwhelming, as we all stood in the office crying, hugging, and praising God for the miracle He had just performed for us.  The whole way home, all I kept repeating was, "Thank you Jesus, thank you Lord."

Wow, talk about bringing up emotions!  This is a true story and after typing it from my written story, I remember details that aren't in the story.  I didn't want to add to it but just know, God is AWESOME!!!  I wish I could write out more stories of when He has 'came to our rescue'!  

I hope you enjoyed my trips back in time....