Victor Duenas Gonzalez

Ms. Storer
English 3 Honors American Literature
April 2, 2020
A New Life
One day either in 2005 or 2006 I was left in an orphanage at the age of three in La Paz,
Baja California Sur, Mexico, by my grandmother. My sister Karla she was also left there about
one or two years later. The name of the orphanage was “Casa Cuna, Casa Hogar.” The motive
behind our parent’s abandonment is unknown.
My sister was adopted at the age of three on 2008. Her parents prior to adopting her knew
that she had a brother, but they were unable to adopt him because his adoption papers were not
ready. Thus, they could only adopt her. Her parents spoke of this to some close family
members—the married couple Isabel Duenas and Jay Duenas—who took interest in the brother
as a possible son because they had no children. Isabel and Jay already had attempted to adopt in
the United Stated, but they were not convinced that the foster care system was the best choice for
them. As a result, they looked at orphanages in Mexico.
The mother of the adopted 3-year old girl is the sister of Isabel. Isabel and Jay saw the
success, though not without its difficulties, of the adoption of the gilr and imagined a similar
scenario. Therefore, they chose me, the brother, as a possible option. However, they were not
sure if to adopt me or not.
One night my sister was praying with her mom, and she prayed for her brother. She
prayed for her brother to be well. She remembered me. To her, I was a memory that she could
not forget. A person like her is an authentic example of what is means to love. Her mother
looked at her with awe for remembering her sibling. What else would a mother do? The girl was
only three years old. The little girl set herself to a mission—to find her brother. She found hope:
she directly told Isabel and Jay that she wanted them to adopt her brother. From their hearts, they
wanted to say yes to the girl, but something stopped them: giving false hope and disappointing a
child. The child did not deserve that. What my sister did not know is that Jay and Isabel had
already thought of adopting me, however, the decision had to come with meticulous thinking, for
the decision would be life changing. They were not sure if they were willing to accept such
compromise.
The choice weighed them down. One weight came from the idea that as a couple they
would be childless if they did not adopt. Another weight came from the commitment that it
would take. Still another weight came from the economic responsibilities that it would take. One
more weight came from the change that might come. A last weight came from being unable to
fulfill the girl’s want of having her brother close to her. Isabel wanted a child. She wanted to be a
mother. The decision would be made after a trip to La Paz.
 Jay, Isabel, and Maximiliano (a niece of them) took a trip to La Paz. They came to visit
me. I was a rebellious eight-year-old kid sitting in a chair in the office of “Casa Cuna, Casa
Hogar” not knowing why I was there. I then saw a woman come in to the office. She had a bag
of candy. I was to go with her, that is what I was told. I took hold of the candy, of course. Then, I
took hold of her hand. We instantly connected.
Isabel Duenas is a tall, strong woman. Her stance is upright never slouching. Her
personality is strong: she never lets anyone disrespect her or anyone she loves. When she puts
her mind to something nothing can stop her. She puts all her faith in God and finds all her
strength in Him. Isabel decided to adopt me, and nothing was going to stop her. When I took her
hand, she knew that no obstacle would keep me from being her son.

Explanations
1. Emotional Truth
a. People met with a big decision are sometimes rendered with uncertainty. They say maybe
because that is what is what they see as most appropriate in order to not create any false
hope. The decision is life-changing and that is why they take their time. However, deep
down in their hearts they know what the right choice is. They just cannot accept
immediately due to its magnitude. My parents knew in their hearts that I was to be their
son; they just needed more time.
2. Story Arc
a. Exposition: My grandmother taking me to the orphanage and my sister being taken there
some time later. The orphanage was located on La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
b. Inciting Incident: Karla is adopted, and they are unable to adopt me.
c. Rising Action: Jay and Isabel had already looked to adopt a child here in the United
States, but they were not convinced by the system. Karla’s parents tell them about me.
d. Crisis/Climax: Jay and Isabel are unsure if to adopt me. They are pressured even more
when Karla asks them if they can adopt me. They want a child, but they aren’t sure what
to do.
e. Falling Action: Jay and Isabel fly to the La Paz to meet me. I take hold of Isabel’s hand.
f. Resolution: By holding Isabel’s hand, they decide to adopt me because they connected
with me.