 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
  |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
A Special Trip to Ellis Island
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As our yellow school bus bounced along the Major Deegan Expressway, Jobelli, a developmentally challenged young adult, shouted out, “Are we there yet?” His brother Sammy was already “dying of thirst.” Zareena, who is from Pakistan, furrowed her brow and asked, “How many people can fit on this boat we’re planning to take?” Zareena had never been on a boat before, but was quite surprised and happy to see that our boat was large enough to hold hundreds of people. It would not sink. The Ellis Island Museum was magnificent! There was a new experience for everyone. Robin Larkins had a special adventure for several of the children. She challenged them to help her research her Italian grandfather, Alberto Roberto, who traveled as an orphan boy all the way from Italy and would have been processed through Ellis Island. The woman in the American Family Immigration History Center very graciously eased the 4 person per family maximum allowed in the computer terminal area, so that the CIS team could investigate. Guess what? Pop-Pop was found! Jeffrey manned the keyboard and mouse, as seven additional sets of eyes were looking over his shoulder. First Alberto’s name was found, then the passenger registry, and then the ship. Saud and Haris jumped up and down shouting “We found him!” We found him!” Charlie thought there should be a picture of each person on the registry. Eric wanted to find more people, and Sammy wondered if he could find some of his own family, but Sammy’s relatives came recently from Guatemala. They then realized Ellis Island has been closed for many years, and people now came to American in different ways. As we read and listened to the stories of these first immigrants to New York, we had the opportunity to listen to some stories told by our newer immigrants as well. Gladys, who is from Honduras, told us her story as she sat at a picnic table overlooking New York Harbor and snacking on sliced pineapple. This is what Gladys said: “I came from a town in Honduras nine years ago. My town is right in the middle of the country and right in the middle of a big mountain. My house,” she continued, “is right in the middle of this town and I lived right in the middle of this house.” Gladys continued again. “Now my son lives in the middle of this house.” When she was asked if she had ever gone back to visit her home, Gladys answered, “No, I have never been back, never.” Balmy breezes blew and cooled us off as we ate our packed picnic lunches, chicken salads, bologna and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, even slices of luscious mango and papaya. A late June sun glistened off the water. Pleasure boats whizzed through the harbor, the children played with balls and Frisbees, and all the while Lady Liberty watched over us and protected us. From the top deck of the boat returning us to the mainland, the children spontaneously began to wave to every other boat in the water, thrilled that their greetings were returned with equal enthusiasm and friendliness. A perfect metaphor for these families. The day was wonderful! We arrived home happy and heartfelt as well as fatigued--a good fatigue. This was a fatigue from the wind and the water, a fatigue from just knowing the trip worked out, perfectly. I think we will do this again sometime soon. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Contact UsSite Terms of Use Privacy PolicySite Index © 2006 Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus