I am an International student.

I pay out of pocket with my father’s help and family. I have one daughter and she is extremely intelligent and kind. Everything is doing well with our status here in NY until the biggest typhoon in the planet hit my country, the Philippines.

The devastation hit our place. There was the 7.2 magnitude earthquake and after 2 weeks “Haiyan” with a hurricane 5 equivalent in the US. Thankful to god that my family is safe and sound, but the wake of the natural calamities changed us abruptly.

My father who is used to sending us financial help is asking for assistance now. Cousins and friends are emailing for financial assistance. I am an international student, I am not allowed to work without the permit, and to make it more challenging the school sent me a notice that my tuition is due and if I won’t be able to pay, my status will be jeopardized. I have to pay $750 a month. All I could ever do was cry and pray for strength. I have on my shoulders my daughter who needs shelter and food. I have in me the dire need to help my family in the Philippines who need shelter and food, and I have to pay school to keep us legal. We can’t go home to the Philippines, especially with the situation that our country is in.

But I did not loose hope.

I put into practice The Magic book, thanking everyday, looking for positivity a midst the pain and trouble. I lift my bible and believed what it says. I am what I am and I have what I have.

Suddenly, little by little, angels came helping. My friend wants me to babysit for them in the morning and pay me and I go to school at night. Somebody is taking care of my daughter while I work and study. Fraction of the pay I pay for food and shelter.

And amazingly, the school offered me economic hardship help! By helping them market every day for 4 hrs, a total of 20 hrs a week, they will pay me $10/hour. That’s a total of $800 a month, $50 more than the tuition that I need to pay. And what’s amazing is that I can give out fliers while I’m babysitting.

I am grateful to God and America, USCIS is granting Filipinos studying in the US a work authorization permit as a relief!

Now, I am thanking every day for the fast approval of my work permit and I thank god for the right people he lined up for me who are generous with their time, money and effort in helping me go through this. I sent out the application last week and I see the permit in my mail.

God is good all the time.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!