Erwin dreamed of being able to provide for his family, and he thought the best way to do this was in a far away country. When he was promised a high position abroad by a family member, Erwin pursued the opportunity until he was abandoned and found out it had been a lie. Edwin was crushed by the false promises and shared, “I really cried because the changes that I really needed to uplift myself were not given.” He has held many careers throughout his lifetime from completing a seafaring course to being an ambulance driver, welder, and construction worker. His goal has always been to provide for his family and help his children finish their studies and pursue their dreams of being a lawyer, teacher, and mariner.
But even with his hard skills and positive motivation, Erwin was met with difficulty after difficulty in finding a stable job. When promised work abroad continued to fall through, Erwin reflected “It’s like I lost interest in going abroad. It’s like I hesitated. What I really wanted was to strive hard for us eight siblings, especially because I was the only one who went to college. . . Maybe it’s really not for me to work in another country.” The internal struggle of finding work and supporting family is common in this rural area of the Philippines. He trusted that doors to work abroad were not being opened for a reason, and directed his efforts close to home.
That was when his father tragically had a heart attack and Erwin had to rush him to the emergency room. Suddenly he began to understand the necessity of being close to family. This was a traumatic experience and through it, he realized how important it was to live close to family. As Erwin looked for work closer to home, he found a construction role at Dignity. Rather than finding false promises and a lack of work, Erwin was met with a supportive community and opportunities for growth. He soon moved into management of the metal work and found something changing within him– he now had a desire to build relationships and grow his interpersonal skills. While times remain challenging, Erwin has a deep sense of contentment and hope as he invests in his community and family.
