Enrique's Journey

The preface of this book had me in tears. The book follows the path of a young man from Honduras, desperate to reunite with his mother in the United States. This is a personal look at the issue of immigration into the U.S. The number of mothers leaving their children behind is high. These mothers must make the ultimate sacrifice to be able to give their children the bare necessities. The mothers leave out of love for their children and they hope that as their children grow up without them, they know that their mothers love them. Most children left behind spend their lives yearning for their mothers and many, some as young as 9, make the dangerous journey to the United States. This trip is made on top of trains and is filled with the dangers of bandits, military and police. The book follows Enrique on his many attempts into the U.S. with his success and reunification with his mother. The book even goes as far as to explore Enrique's and his mothers relationship when they are reunited in Nebraska. These children long for their mothers for years and years and when they are reunited there is a period of turbulence between parent and child. The parent wants to protect their child and the child is feeling anger towards their parents for leaving. The book ends by demonstrating the cycle that immigration beings. Enrique had left behind a pregnant girlfriend in Honduras. When that child is about 4 her mother leaves her to join Enrique in the U.S. to provide their daughter with a better life. This was such a wonderful book. In order for this book to be authentic the author traveled the same path as Enrique, by traveling on top of trains and seeing first hand the dangers of this kind of journey. You will sympathize with Enrique, and with his mother and see the Catch-22 that many immigrants find themselves in that lead them to the U.S.

I want to thank my compadre for sharing this book with me.

Money Rating: $$$$$