I came here as a child refugee from Cambodia. I don’t have a country to call my own technically, although I’ve grown up here in Canada as a permanent resident. I fell in to the wrong crowd and ended up losing my PR status. I didn’t know where to turn and I didn’t have any hope that my life would ever change. I had met a wonderful woman and we’d started a life together but I still didn’t belong anywhere or have any legal status. My uncle and I came to see Jennifer as a last ditch effort to see if anything could be done for me. I found someone who was honest with me about the long road ahead of us and that nothing was guaranteed but she still had some options that she thought might work.
I had found an honest lawyer close to my home so we decided to hire her to see if I could find a way to regain my PR status in Canada. It was hard to talk about my former life and mistakes. I had now met a wonderful partner who loved me and we were starting a family together. I wanted to leave my past behind me and so it was hard to talk about it with my lawyer; however, they were very professional and I trusted that they were on my side. They told me the truth and sometimes that’s hard to hear but today, now that they rescued me, I can honestly tell them that they saved my life, that’s how I feel. I’d be an idiot to make those mistakes again.
I’ve learned that it’s better to be honest and poor than dishonest with money. They gave me hope and their plan succeeded. It doesn’t matter how much money it cost, I was thinking that there was no chance and now I’m able to be a real partner and father to those who love me. I can earn a living and hold my head high. I can be proud of the man I’ve become and I’m grateful to Jennifer and her team for allowing me to have a second chance to prove myself. Thank you for believing in me.
This time, I’m looking forward to becoming a Canadian citizen and having a real home to belong to. – Ky