By Amalia Gonzalez–

She picks up the phone every three days to call her three children. She dials the one hour calling card to dial the 800 number in the back. She dials her destination number and waits anticipating to listen to her children’s voice. She jumps excited as she hears the voice of one of her parents. With so little time on the card, this mother talks to each kid for 10 ten minutes each.

With so little time, What can she say to her children? If it all were about time, life would be a lot easier for mothers such as this one. Amelia Barrios crossed the U.S. Mexican border in 2004, leaving behind her three children with her parents, Mr. Barrios, 57 and Mrs. Barrios, 56.

“My husband abandoned us and left to Washington,” said Amelia.  “I was making money by selling clothes, and still we had little money; so, I had no choice but to come to the U.S.”

Every day we constantly hear about immigration. You typically hear the story of an immigrant family crossing the border in search of the American Dream. You may also read the story of a teenage boy crossing to work for his parents. However we barely hear about single mothers crossing alone. Unfortunately there are many women who migrate but are invisible as there is not enough data on these women.

“Women are half of international migrants out of 95 million,” according to an article and study done by The United Nations Population Fund (UNPFA) in 2006. “ In past decades there have been an increase in women, married and unmarried, who migrate alone or in company of other women or fellow migrants outside of family circle.”

Before she came to the United States, Amelia lived in San Miguel de las Palmas in Guerrero, Mexico, with her three children, two boys (today ages 15, and 14), and her daughter(8).

Among the reason to why women make such decisions to migrate include family obligations, unemployment, low wages, poverty, limited social and economic opportunities and the desire to expand their horizons, according to the UNPFA.

Amelia came with the hopes of finding a job and sending money for her children and a goal to build a home in Mexico to come back to with her family. After four years, Amelia works two full time jobs and lives in a rented out room with an unknown family.

“At first it was hard finding a job, but thankfully I found one job at a restaurant and been working there since. I found another job because I wasn’t making enough for bills here and then I had to send money to my children and for my house I was trying to build,” said Barrios.

Amelia works from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at one job.  She then comes home, eats, changes and heads to her other job from 5:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

“She is a very hardworking woman; she is very active in what she does and is very responsible,” says Pedro Aguilar, a fellow co-worker of Amelia.

Unfortunately, Amelia comes home tired from working, to a small room, to nobody. Since her arrival she has rented out rooms with families, today she has lived in four homes. She has but a few family members that she barely communicates with.

“It’s sad because she is alone and works all day. I used to see her cry and felt bad because I couldn’t do much for her,” says Maria Garcia, a former landlord.  “I admire her for being mother and father at the same time without actually being there.”

Even though Amelia is undocumented and knows little English, she manages to work hard and send money to her children as often as she can. She is alone, but she is her own motivation to not give up. Single mothers like Amelia often have no choice but have to find some way to keep motivated.

Shannon Curth graduated from Roosevelt University in 2007, with a double major in Psychology and Spanish.

“Unfortunately Amelia’s situation is common among migrant mothers,” said Curth. “The children may feel resentment one day towards their mother, especially since they are so young, but eventually they will understand.

It’s also hard on the mother because she is alone. This can lead to depression or anxiety. Everyone involved eventually will learn to adjust.”

Amelia calls her family in Mexico every third day and sends about $500 every two weeks for food and other necessities. Meanwhile,she continues to work and has some friends she can go to for help.

“I try all my best to keep her happy in any way I can. I know I can’t bring her her children but It’s also the little things that count. I give her rides to work, and to other places she needs. The important thing is that not only am I her coworker but her friend, in and out of work,” said Aguilar.

Being separated from your own children for so long is hard for mother’s like Amelia. Mother’s like Amelia only have one goal in life and that is to make their children happy, for them to be safe and get educated. Even though people say that money isn’t everything it is essential to survive. Is being separated from your children so long worth it? Does money replace the actual feeling of being there?

“I miss my kids deeply; I feel lonely sometimes,” said Barrios.  “It’s hard not to after working so hard but I never lose my focus on them.

When they talk to me they always tell me they want me to go back. I often feel like dropping everything and just leaving. The only reason I don’t worry too much is because I know they are in great hands with my parents.”

A small brick home with four rooms stands in San Miguel already made. The house is empty with no curtains or furniture. Amelia continues to work for a new goal. Amelia still undecided on her arrival back home, hopes to now save enough money to go back to Mexico with her children to their new home and open up a business and not leave empty handed.

Amelia ends with tears in her eyes filled with loneliness and hope at the same time.

“I know that all this struggling and hard work will all one day be worth it,” said Barrios.  “I dream for that day that I see them again and hug them so tight, and this time to never let go again.”

Amalia Gonzalez is a student at Columbia College Chicago.