I was surprised that he cried when I was finished with my story. I told him that all I wanted was a chance for freedom, just as he had here in America. The man’s emotional response opened my mind to the power of my own story. It gave me hope for my own life. By simply telling my story, I had something to offer, too. I learned something else that day: we all have our own deserts. They may not be the same as my desert, but we all have to cross them to find a purpose in life and be free.
