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<p>Yvette, a 10 year old girl, was able to hug her abuelita Maria for the first time, this after a door on the U.S.-Mexico border wall opened for a few minutes to commemorate World Children’s Day this past Saturday, November 19.<br>
The reunion was part of Opening the Door of Hope, a community event called organized by Border Angels, a San Diego based nonprofit dedicated to help immigrants.<br>
Like Yvette and her abuelita, other five families were able to hug and touch after years without seeing each other. Each family reunion took only three minutes.<br>
“I can’t describe the emotion of being here,” said Edith Hernandez, Yvette’s mother, who was reunited with her mother after 12 years of not seeing each other. “I was able to see my mother and my aunt. I told them that I love them and miss them.”<br>
Hernandez took her daughter Yvette and David, her 2 year old son.<br>
Because the Border Patrol only allowed for two people to take part per family, only Edith and Yvette were able to interact with their loved ones on the Mexican side of the border.<br>
The Border Patrol coordinated the event, and their agents opened the metal door on the border fence. The families involved were pre-approved by the federal agency to be part of the event.<br>
“My children only knew their abuelita through Facebook, they never hugged her before. My daughter was able to hug her abuelita today. My children want to go to Mexico to be with her; they didn’t know we were coming to meet her at a fence,” Hernandez said. “I was excited and happy to be here, but at the same time I was sad because I had to let go of my mom. Our goodbye was very sad, the last thing I said to her was that I was going to see her again soon.”<br>
Like Yvette and her abuelita, there are millions of families divided by the U.S.-Mexico border. This event held at Friendship Park, located between Imperial Beach and Playas de Tijuana wants to unite some of these families.<br>
In 2013, the door located at Friendship Park opened for the first time. The door opened for a fourth time, on Saturday, November 19.<br>
“This is the most families we have ever had in one event. There were a total of six families. The first time the door opened, only one family was reunited,” said Enrique Morones, Border Angels founder and director.<br>
“We want to hold this event again in 2017, not only in San Diego, but throughout the U.S.-Mexico border region,” Morones added.</p>