English

THE FAUSTINO’S STORY

By FRANCISCO ORTIZ VELAZQUEZ.

Communivision Canada.

 
Wednesday, December 2, 2009.

MONTREAL, Canada, (CPN News Service).-- Instead of seeking the "Canadian dream" (which now replaces the "American Dream"), Faustino must face his own struggle, devastating. A tragedy that has no hopeless for him, in a Montreal hospital, with  a terminal liver cancer, without family or anyone to help here. This Mexican immigrant is 32 years old but he is apparently one month old.

This story has shocked and dazed the students of Yves-Thériault Center, where more than 1,600 immigrant students are in the process of "francisation", ie learning the French language and integration into Québec life.

All the immigrants come here with many dreams under the skin and a load of wishful thinking, hoping for a better life. But the case of Faustino Fernandez Bustos is different.

FROM THE LAND OF GOD

A few years ago, Faustino emigrated to U.S.. He left his hometown, Tres Valles, Veracruz, a town in a beautiful plain, rich, prosperous and warm located in the region of Las Llanuras de Sotavento, between Loma Bonita, Oaxaca and Ciudad Miguel Aleman.

There, where the honey of the earth are the juicy pineapples, mangos, watermelons and beautiful brunettes; where the mockingbirds sing and the warm waters of the rivers in the basin Papaloapan, caress the skins roasted by the tropical sun... Where the brave sugarcane grows pointing to the intense blue sky of Veracruz.

A small village located just 40 meters above sea level in the Gulf of Mexico, with an average temperature of 25 degrees and that until 1988 was the municipality of Cosamaloapan, but that year, when Faustino age was only 11, Tres Valles became in a free municipality of Veracruz.

There, where the Canadians ducks migrate in winter and the population do not know the snow, only in the ice creams with refreshing flavors, to appease the intense heat. Where the words "cold", "Canada", "refugee", "Montreal", "visa", "zero temperatures” and the French expressions do not mean so much for this simple village people.

LOOKING FOR A HOPE

But one day, Faustino left that place to look for a better life. Settled some years in the U.S., where he found and lost the love of a woman. A love that blossomed in a girl who always asks about him, there in Kansas City.

There, at his 32 years old, recently emerged Faustino's plight, as he began to feel ill. Then doctors discovered leukemia. As he was an illegal immigrant in the U.S. without health care, someone advised him to come to Canada as a refugee. Then, he came to Montreal six months ago, seeking to receive treatment, medication and comfort.

Last September he began studying the first level of French at the Center Yves-Thériault, of  the Commission Scolaire de Montréal. Here, their hopes were revived when picnicking cheerful and full of vitality of all immigrants, especially Latin Americans who come to shape their future.

HIS TRAGEDY STARTS

But a few weeks ago Faustino it's felt very sick His stomach swelled. He went to the doctor and after completion of some studies was diagnosed with advanced cancer in the liver. A malignant tumor growing in devastating form.

He stopped going to school on Tuesday 10 November and then Marco Tulio Rivera, a naturalized Venezuelan Colombian partner, went to fetch him to his home because Faustino lives here alone and has nobody. Previously both had made some friendship.

Marco Tulio investigated his home address and next Saturday, November 14th, went to look him at 2580 Saksaulle street, near Metro Cremazie. Marco Tulio found Faustino in a truly deplorable state. With great pain in the stomach, almost greenish skin with severe depression. He had kept to himself and suffered medical reports without telling anyone.

The next day, Sunday 15, recalls Marco Tulio, the Faustino’s neighbors took him to   emergency to Jewish General Hospital, rue Sainte-Catherine Chamin corner of Côte-de-Neiges, where until now he is prostrate, in the room 720. His doctor has given up and told that nothing can be done, only expect the fatal outcome.

Faustino deteriorates more each day, says Marco Tulio, who visits him daily. Doctors seek to stabilize it so that he can travel to Mexico, to join his mother, Doña Francisca Fernandez, who lives apart from his father, Faustino Bustos.

Like everyone else, he clings to life and initially wanted to return to America to seek a cure, but doctors have told him that his disease is well advanced and there is no hope.

GREAT SOLIDARITY AND GENEROSITY HUGE

The solidarity between immigrant students from Yves-Thériault Center where he studied surfaced past week. Led by Mr. Donald, his classroom teacher 103, where the chair of Faustino was empty, a collection was made to seek resources for him to return to their land. The generosity and solidarity of students, especially Latin Americans stunned teachers and campus director, Rita Georgy-Fala, as last Thursday, only in collecting the afternoon shift, gathered $ 2,700, which are deposited in school direction.

It seeks to give this guy, the financial support to return to Mexico in order to he lives with dignity and without problems the time that remain him living, next to his mother, Doña Francisca, who also dies each day of trouble, in his hometown, Tres Valles, Veracruz.

Faustino expect the doctor can stabilize his body and the order so he can leaves the hospital and can travel to Veracruz, maybe this same week. If his health prevents him from returning to Mexico, already looking for ways that your mother can come to Montreal to be with him in his bed of illness.

The General Consulate of Mexico in Monteral is also helping this young immigrant, after Marco Tulio told them the case. Pilar Sequeiros, Consul in charge of Legal Affairs, is looking the way the Consulate pays the costs and transport aircraft from Montreal to  Veracruz, Mexico and the ambulance to his native Tres Valles, until he arrives at his mother's arms.

There, in Tres Valles: where the snow is not white nor dense, but is an ice cream of rich flavors and bright colors...

There, where the crystal-clear Papaloapan river and the warm brown earth of their ancestors are waiting for Faustino.

After that, what God says…