Freedom for the familia

My parents, brother and I have been on the telephone these days more than we usually are. Our family is about to grow by six. Six relatives straight from La Isla.

We are, to say the least, joyous and also, to say the least, un poco freaked. It's the paperwork, the unknowns, that have us talking, but so is the possibility of uniting with loved ones we have only seen a handful of times.

The relatives are my father's oldest daughter, her husband, two adult children, baby granddaughter and son-in-law. I've met most of them during our three trips to Cuba and they are funny and charming and creative. They gave me their food rations book once and instructed me to show everyone in America just what they ate, and didn't eat. It sits on my bookshelf next a collection of Cuban history books.

My father has seen his daughter less than five times, so my heart swells at the possibility of their making up for too much lost time. His great-granddaughter is 2.

The paperwork to bring them to the U.S. has been in for a while and the target arrival date was sometime in 2010, but in November the government announced a new reunification program. My parents got a letter a few weeks ago that our family qualified. We still don't know how soon they'll be here.

My mom says a woman she knows got word that nine relatives are on their way. I imagine this is the case for many families in the diaspora.

In the mid-90s I did some volunteering and some befriending of Cuban refugees who had been resettled to Nashville. I was amazed by their questions: "Do I have to go register with the police to tell them I am here?''
No, you are a free man.

I was amazed by their quick successes and ridiculous mistakes.
"What do you mean you just took the car back and left it at the dealer?'' I said to one guy.
"It was a lemon, una mierda,'' he said.
"But you bought it, you can't just leave it and not pay,'' I said.
"I didn't want it anymore,'' he said.
I translated for him in small claims court. He lost.

And now the education of our own family will begin. What a blessing to be able to show them America grants you opportunity and success and that all you have to do is want it and work for it. America grants you the liberty of spirit (and credit card offers!). These are truths and concepts that are completely foreign to my relatives.

But one day soon, they'll get it and they'll live it. There is no doubt for me they'll find joy here, peace here.

And that 2-year-old will grow up free.