The Lucky Ones..

LUCKY (adjective). Definition: 

1: having good luck

2: happening by chance : FORTUITOUS

3: producing or resulting in good by chance : FAVORABLE

4: seeming to bring good luck

We all know what it means to be “lucky”. It’s a common term we use when we have good results, or good fortune. We are more likely to use this term when these results and fortune happen unexpectedly. With that being said, some people seem to have all the luck. They are always in the right place at the right time, and the odds are forever in their favor.

This brings me to Amna’s story. Amna thinks she is the “luckiest” person in the world. Amna is a Certified Caregiver and she has worked for Christian Care, for the past three years. I met Amna on my first day of work. She was one of the first people I met. Amna has a smile that lights up a room. It speaks volumes about who she is and how much she loves her job.

Jami & Amna

I love the people I work with and I love to hear their narratives. It’s one of the most rewarding aspects of my job. I want to know who they are and where they came from. Their stories matter. So, I asked Amna what made her decide to come to America. She answered with her huge smile, “I just got lucky!”

Over the past couple years, I have had the privilege to work with Amna and get to know her better. During this time, she has gotten married, had her first child, and is completing her nursing degree.

Today, Amna was excited to share with me that she became a U.S. Citizen. She said, “I am an American!” We both choked through the tears, and embraced. I am so proud of Amna and all she has accomplished. I asked Amna to remind me, what brought her to America. Many of our employees come to the U.S. as refugees, many join their family here, and some have other stories. Once again, Amna said, “I just got lucky!” This time, I asked her to elaborate. “What does that mean- that you got Lucky?” She said, “I just put my name in, and they chose me! Can you believe it!”

After further investigation, I discovered that Amna was indeed chosen to come to America by chance, through a Diversity Visa (DV) Program managed by the U.S. State Department. The DV Program operates as a type of Lottery, issuing immigrant Visas, each year, to individuals from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Not all countries are available to participate in this program. Successful registrants must meet certain requirements. At minimum they must have a high school education, and a work trade. All applications must be submitted online. Obtaining your Visa in this manner is compared to winning the Lottery. There are so many applications, but only a few are awarded.

I now understand why Amna says she was “just lucky”. Amna was living in Egypt at the time, and had just finished her education there. She was a Social Worker. She never dreamed she would be chosen to come to America. It was all by chance. But we all know… nothing happens by chance. I truly believe that God knew what a difference Amna would make when she came to the United States; He knew the lives she would touch. He knew we needed her at Christian Care. Everyone who knows Amna, knows that we won the Lottery. We are truly the LUCKY ONES!

~ Jami Gross, Executive Director