Even with the political climate as it currently is at this time in the United States, we need to be grateful that we live here, rather than in another country where life as we know it does not exist. What Wudasie and her husband , as well as her entire family went though is unbelievable and how she persevered and stayed as strong as she was is remarkable.

What an amazing book of struggle, strength and overcoming obstacles! A mother who only wants for her child to have a medical procedure so that she does not have a short life.
A family who lives in Eritrea just north of Ethiopia has seen good peaceful times and the ravages and fear of war also has a daughter who is failing in health and she needs an operation. The only thing is the operation cannot be performed in their country as medically there is not advancement in the medical field. It is also near to impossible to get a visa. After struggling financially through war and as well seeking a job herself to save money she is faced wilth her own employer not giving her the reference for her visa. She uses all of her smarts and a little bit of intimidation to finally gain her and her daughters visa to the USA. The only catch is she has to leave her youngest and her husband at home. Her country has given her no choice though. She travels alone to America to get the much needed medical treatment for her daughter while leaving the rest of her family in Eritrea while not telling a lot of people she has left as she is fearful for her family. After many years of separation the story has a happy ending however not without a lot of suffering tears and financially paying off the right people.... would recommend this to all

This is an excellent book about the living in a third world emerging nation. Her journey to get a medical procedure for her daughter is heartbreaking. You can really feel the cruelty in the bureaucrats as she tries to navigate the exit visa process. I wish there had been more detail in how her family made their way back to Eritrea and her other trips outside the country.

Wow.

If you ever are in need of a serious attitude adjustment and have become just a little too comfortable in your white privileged, read this book and it will SNAP you back to reality in a heartbeat. What Wudasie and her family has to endure to get first her daughter Titi [who has a heart condition] out of the country to get medical care, to the excruciating amount of time it took to get her second daughter to America and then her husband and the amount of money and danger that changed hands and that they faces is just incredible. Those of us who sit in our houses and comfortable lives have no idea what it is like to try and flee the country you were born in and love all because it is dangerous to live there anymore and your child could die if you stay.

I am amazed at Wudasie's resilience and commitment to her family, both when she lived in Eritrea and again when she comes to the United States - the work she committed to doing to be self-reliant for herself and her daughter and then for the rest of her family is inspiring. Would we all be like that in the face of adversity.

As someone who went through the Immigration process three times [one in going to Brazil and twice with my ex-husband coming to America and then me going to Canada], it is TOUGH coming to the US - the hoops you have to jump through and the money you have to spend is close to criminal. But I agree with the author when she said she would have spent thousands more to be able to be with the ones she loved. Would we all have someone in our lives that would love us like that.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kobo Writing Life for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.