A migrant family from Haiti spoke exclusively with NBC10 Boston about their experience in the Boston area. They recently found a host home in Brookline, Massachusetts, and they’ve been searching for jobs.
It’s been an emotional few weeks for Wildande Joseph and her husband. First, they slept on the floor at Boston Logan International Airport and then in children’s hospital, with their 2-year-old daughter who got very sick.
However, things are now looking much brighter as they’ve been welcomed into Lisa Hillenbrand’s Brookline apartment.
She said her daughter is very happy. When she wakes up in the morning, she says, “Hi, Lisa” and everyone starts the day smiling.
“It’s a delight, and it’s really fun having them. What I realized is there’s so much prejudice against refugees mostly because people don’t know them,” said Hillenbrand.
Hillenbrand said she feels like she has her own personal chef as Wildande loves cooking. In fact, her goal is to open a restaurant.
The couple has their work permits and they’ve been taking English classes. They are open to work anywhere to save money for their future. In the meantime, they’re enjoying their time with Hillenbrand, their new friend for life and their daughter’s new grandmother.
“They are hardworking, they want to learn, they want to be successful, and I feel great helping and I get to understand the refugee crisis from the inside,” said Hillenbrand.
Hillenbrand is impressed by the number of people she’s met at the Brookline Town Hall meetings who’ve been stepping up and hosting families. She’s hopeful in the coming days and weeks that more will do the same.
