Welcome to Saint John: A mother’s journey across borders
Global News
At the age of 29, Ophelia Maestrado made the difficult choice to leave her husband and three young children in the Philippines to chase a dream in Canada.
This is part 3 in our series Welcome to Saint John, where we share stories of immigration as it grows and shapes the city. In previous stories, we’ve looked at how newcomers will fuel key sectors, including health care. We also profiled a cardiovascular surgeon at the New Brunswick Heart Centre who says his journey from India helped shape his life.
At the age of 29, Ophelia Maestrado made the most difficult choice a mother could make: leaving her husband and three little boys aged two, four, and six in Bayugan, Philippines, to chase a dream in Canada.
Thinking back to her childhood, she remembers the struggle and the strength it gave her.
“We (would) pick any fruits from our trees and just sell them in order to have money,” she said.
“Even if we are poor, the upbringing is, I would say, solid.”
While she was educated and trained in accounting, the field couldn’t open doors in Canada. So, she made a bold pivot and trained as a caregiver — a profession in demand.
From Singapore to Hong Kong, she cared for other families’ children and seniors, while also juggling part-time jobs to make ends meet.
It was a chapter that would stretch over several years, until the day her greatest wish came true.
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