Charmed
Life
Gretheline
Genciana Ramos-Bolandrina
Courage
"A voice is only heard if spoken
and a story is only read if written."
Sometime in May of this year, at work, early
on my 7 AM-3 PM shift as a medication nurse at the sub-acute unit of a Milford
facility, I was busily popping pills off their blister packs. I was on the
long hall, where practically every other healthcare worker is rushing about.
I’ve got pills to pop, the phlebotomist’s got blood to draw and
most of the Nursing assistants are giving morning care, busy getting people
out of bed. In between call light beeps, the phone, the noisy clatter of
breakfast tray trucks, I hear this lovely voice, a calming soothing melody
to some Celine Dion song. Never mind the words to the song for I can’t
seem to recall it, what struck me was the act itself. Micheline Slattery
was giving the most “tender loving care” imaginable. On a floor
where everyone is hurried and worse, to some extent, where some caregivers
because of language barrier rarely spoke and gave care silently, here is
Micheline singing, soothing and giving care.
A nurse sometimes is only as good as the
assistants she works with. I found Micheline to be very efficient and cheerful,
a wonderful positive influence. Though her bubbly demeanor, elegant style
and fluent English didn’t make her a quick choice among her peers, we
developed a friendship. There was something about her that drew me in. Initially,
I attributed it to “Charm”, but now that I know more about her,
I’ve clearly recognized what sets her apart. “Courage”. It’s
in the way she breathes in, unhurriedly, the way she exhales, just as calmly.
It’s in the way she talks, never assuming, always respectful. The way
she carries herself, like she’s walking in the park, like she has an
invisible halo giving her an extra pep in her step. It’s in the way
she looks into your eyes and listens intently to what you have to say.
I came to America as a Registered Nurse, in
1989, not really all by myself. There were 11 other Filipino nurses with
me. But my parents, siblings and all my relatives stayed behind. I was 22
years old and the move across the globe was the biggest decision I have ever
made. It was truly life changing. My grandmother wrote about how brave it
was of me, how courageous. She hasn’t met Micheline yet. Here is part
of Micheline’s story, the beginnings, stuff in the middle and the happily
ever after that she is striving to live.
Micheline, born to a prominent political family
in Jacmel, Haiti, was orphaned at age five and was sent to live with her
aunt and uncle in a town nearby. Among rural families in Haiti, it is common
to have relatives work as servant. A child slave — thus Micheline became
a restavec, as commonly known there. Micheline was expected to clean the
house, wash and fold the laundry and walk for miles to collect water. Failure
to complete her chores means she was whipped and beaten by her relatives;
this she endured for nine years. She still bears a scar on her left cheek
from the time her cousin struck her across the face with a butcher knife.
"I used to think that I was bad, that this was the life that God chose for
me," she says. At fourteen, Micheline was trafficked to Connecticut, still
to serve as her cousin’s slave — performing domestic chores and
taking care of her three children. Her cousin did permit her to attend school
— but never anywhere else. At home, she was still a slave; she never
received compensation for her work and, when Micheline took a part-time job,
her cousin confiscated her wages. It took several years before Micheline
was finally able to leave and resettle in Massachusetts.
 Micheline began speaking
out just recently. At a Justice for All Event, she was the featured Anti-Slavery
Speaker, "Micheline Slattery; 21st Century Slavery: Living Proof". Slavery
still exists, today, at this very moment, and in our very own backyard the
write-ups begin. Micheline has testified before the Massachusetts State Assembly,
spoken at the International Women’s Day reception in Massachusetts alongside
Dr. Swanee Hunt, former US Ambassador to Austria, and been featured by New
England Cable News, the Boston Metro, the New York Times, Marie Claire and
The Hartford Courant. Isabel Garcia, a documentary filmmaker from Brookline,
MA commented “Micheline shatters every preconception one has of a slavery
victim.” And I say, she is a definition of “Courage”, in any
country, in any culture. As a speaker, I read reviews that Micheline has
a remarkable ability to connect with her listeners; people hang on her every
word. I have yet to hear her speak of her ordeal. I’m looking forward
to being a part of her audience. As a healthcare worker, she’s perfected
the art of listening. I salute this courageous and selfless woman. A book
about her life is coming out soon; I’m hoping this article helps in
spreading the word. “It's not something I will ever feel free and
comfortable talking about, but I do it because I think it will make a
difference,” Micheline says. “I want people to understand that
it’s happening. If they need to see a face, see mine.” Pictures
do not even do justice. Hers is a face to remember, the beautiful face of
a survivor, the caring face of a healthcare worker, the face of a friend
and a face of courage.
Feel free to e-mail me reactions, comments
and or suggestions for ideas to ponder. Contact me at
Gretheline@aol.com or through Carousel
Productions. |
