It wasn’t easy to leave home, but Christian had no choice. Honduras in 2014 was no place for a 16-year-old boy.

The murder rate in Honduras remained the highest in the world in. Gang violence went unchecked. A corrupt government, abusive police force, and politicized military — remnants of a government coup just six years earlier — led to massive protests across the country.

Christian wanted out. With his life under threat, and no hope for his future, he escaped to America with his father and siblings.

Arriving first in Shelbyville, he found his way to Catholic Charities and our Immigration Legal Services (ILS) team in 2015. There began a more than decade-long journey towards becoming a permanent resident of the United States.

During this 10-year journey, Christian married, started a business, and together with his wife Nayeli, are raising two little boys. His wife and children are U.S. citizens, so Christian knew he had to get his visa status resolved if they were to live as a family without fear of being separated.

Working through ILS, Christian applied for an Immigrant Visa with the U.S. State Department that would grant him permanent residence in the United States. But to start the process, he first had to leave his family behind and return to Honduras — a country he hadn’t been to in over 10 years — and apply for re-entry into the U.S.

So, for the second time in his life, Christian took the brave and uncertain step of leaving his country to secure a better future for himself and his family.

It was a big risk, but one he had to take. Would he be allowed to return? Would he see his family again? What would become of the business he worked so hard to build?

After spending weeks in Honduras, his application was approved to re-enter the U.S. This year, he was granted the right to live and work here on a permanent basis. It was a day of celebration for Christian and his family! They shared the news with our ILS team right away!

When Christian returned to Honduras, he didn’t know if he would ever see his wife or two boys again. But it was something he had to do to keep his family together for the long-term. He went back so that he could move forward with his desire to live the American dream.

Catholic Charities’ Immigration Legal Services department helps keep families like Christian’s together by offering low-cost immigration legal services to people in need.