The Painful Wait

“The Painful Wait” is a personal account of the days of uncertainty and anguish that I lived with my family in Nova Lisboa. The war surrounded us, and the only thing we could do was wait anxiously for the opportunity to escape. Each afternoon, the radio was our only connection to the hope of salvation, as we counted the days and hours until we heard our names.

In Nova Lisboa, in the uncertainty,
I registered our names with fear,
Days of war, nights of sadness,
Waiting on the radio for our love.

Each afternoon, at six, a promise,
Our names would call, it was the clamor,
Sixteen days of waiting, a rush,
Until the call gave us fervor.

To the airport, in the morning, we left,
With light bags and heavy hearts,
Leaving the truck, we continued on foot.

We abandoned dreams, broken ties,
But hope guided us, we persisted,
And we arrived in Lisbon, excited.

The wait was one of the most difficult experiences of my life, filled with anxiety and pain, but also with an unshakable faith that we would make it. When we finally received the call, we knew we were leaving a part of ourselves behind, but the hope of a new beginning guided us forward. Looking back, I see how this painful wait prepared us for the challenges we would face on our new journey.