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Rebirth in Faith:
The Strength of a New Beginning

By Danna

Since I was little, I grew up surrounded by the love and wisdom of my grandparents. They were the pillars of my life, guiding me with the values that the Bible taught me from an early age: unconditional love, patience, generosity, and above all, faith. My grandparents didn’t just care for me; they taught me that life has a divine purpose and that every action should reflect that love for others. I clearly remember how, through their stories and teachings, I understood that love has no boundaries and that difficulties should not be barriers to doing good. Even as a child, they showed me what it meant to have compassion, and how, in every moment of our lives, we can choose to be a light for others. Life changed me profoundly when I lost my grandparents. It was a tough blow, a painful loss that left a big hole in my heart. In that moment, I felt like the world was falling apart. But it was in the midst of that pain that I began to understand something important: their legacy, their teachings, didn’t die with them. They were meant to live through me. I couldn’t let their love and wisdom disappear. Soon after, life led me to a new country. Fear and uncertainty accompanied me from the very first day. Coming to an unknown place, without my grandparents’ hugs, without their words of encouragement, made me feel more alone than ever. The barriers of language, culture, and distance seemed enormous, but something inside me kept reminding me of the lessons they had taught me. The faith my grandparents instilled in me didn’t abandon me, and it helped me rise every time I felt I couldn’t go on. Little by little, I began to see opportunity amid adversity. I not only had to adapt to this new world, but I could also do so while helping others. I remembered what they always told me: "When you feel lost, helping others is the best way to find your own path." And so I did. I started getting involved in my new community, helping other immigrants, offering my support to those going through what I had experienced. Today, I know my story isn’t just mine. It’s the story of everyone who, despite adversity, dares to change and make a difference in the world. Every time I help someone, I feel that my grandparents are with me, guiding me and giving me the strength to keep going. What they taught me didn’t just change my life; it allowed me to share that change with others. Looking back, I realize that the death of my grandparents and the change of country weren’t just moments of loss. They were, in fact, the moments that allowed me to be reborn, strengthened by the faith, love, and hope they gave me.

Renacer en la Fe:
La Fuerza de un Nuevo Comienzo

Por Danna

"Lend a Hand"

Song by Christopher Gold

You can also find all the Faces of Literacy – Voices from Our Community songs on Flipside, Appleton Public Library’s local music streaming platform.

 

Go to flipside.apl.org and search “Faces of Literacy”
to stream this song on your computer or mobile device.

Desde pequeña, crecí rodeada del amor y sabiduría de mis abuelos. Ellos fueron los pilares de mi vida, guiándome con los valores que la Biblia me enseñaba desde niña: el amor incondicional, la paciencia, la generosidad, y sobre todo, la fe. Mis abuelos no solo me cuidaron; me enseñaron que la vida tiene un propósito divino, y que cada acción debía reflejar ese amor por el prójimo. Recuerdo con claridad cómo, a través de sus historias y enseñanzas, entendí que el amor no tiene fronteras y que las dificultades no deben ser barreras para hacer el bien. Aún siendo una niña, ellos me mostraron lo que significaba tener compasión, y cómo en cada momento de nuestra vida podemos elegir ser la luz para los demás. La vida me cambió profundamente cuando perdí a mis abuelos. Fue un golpe difícil, una pérdida dolorosa que me dejó un vacío grande en el corazón. En ese momento, sentí como si el mundo se desmoronara. Pero fue en medio de ese dolor que empecé a entender algo importante: su legado, sus enseñanzas, no morían con ellos. Debían vivir a través de mí. No podía dejar que su amor y sabiduría se extinguieran. Poco después, la vida me llevó a un nuevo país. El miedo y la incertidumbre me acompañaron desde el primer día. Llegar a un lugar desconocido, sin los abrazos de mis abuelos, sin sus palabras de aliento, me hizo sentir más sola que nunca. Las barreras del idioma, la cultura y la distancia parecían tan enormes, pero algo dentro de mí seguía recordándome las enseñanzas que me habían dejado. La fe que mis abuelos me inculcaron no me abandonó, y me ayudó a levantarme cada vez que sentía que no podía más. Poco a poco, comencé a ver la oportunidad en medio de la adversidad. No solo debía adaptarme a este nuevo mundo, sino que podía hacerlo mientras ayudaba a los demás. Recordé lo que siempre me decían: "Cuando uno se siente perdido, ayudar a otros es la mejor forma de encontrar su camino". Y así lo hice. Comencé a involucrarme en mi nueva comunidad, ayudando a otros inmigrantes, ofreciendo mi apoyo a quienes pasaban por lo que yo había vivido. Hoy en día, sé que mi historia no es solo mía. Es la historia de cada persona que, a pesar de las adversidades, se atreve a cambiar y hacer una diferencia en el mundo. Cada vez que ayudo a alguien, siento que mis abuelos están conmigo, guiándome y dándome la fuerza para seguir adelante. Lo que ellos me enseñaron no solo cambió mi vida; me permitió compartir ese cambio con los demás. Al mirar atrás, me doy cuenta de que la muerte de mis abuelos y el cambio de país no fueron solo momentos de pérdida. Fueron, en realidad, los momentos que me permitieron renacer, fortalecida por la fe, el amor y la esperanza que ellos me dieron.

Song Artist Statement – Lend a Hand

Roger Ebert said movies are “a machine that generates empathy” and I think the same can be said for all art, including music. Meeting Danna and hearing her story was incredibly inspiring and a great reminder that empathy is more important now than ever. I’m grateful for the opportunity to hear her story and humbled by the opportunity to help share it.

About the song artist – Christopher Gold

Christopher Gold is a Kentucky-born songwriter living in Wisconsin. Together with his band The New Old Things he has written and recorded folk songs, country songs, rock & roll songs, and everything in between citing a love for songwriters like Townes Van Zandt, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, John Prine, and anybody else whose work begins with paper and pen. He travels primarily as a solo act, carrying on the folk tradition of performances that blend music, storytelling, and humor.

About the Project

Faces of Literacy – Voices from Our Community celebrates the cultural fabric that makes up the Fox Valley. Through a musical, storytelling-based journey, viewers can experience directly from those whose lives have been transformed by volunteer-powered literacy services at Fox Valley Literacy.  

 

The 2025 Voices from Our Community project is comprised of original songs written by familiar Mile of Music artists inspired by the moving stories of courage and determination written by individuals living and working in our community. It’s a powerful reminder of how the skills and confidence gained through literacy can open doors to greater opportunities, a more fulfilling life, and a stronger community.

We Thank Our Project Sponsors and Partners!

About Fox Valley Literacy

Did you know that one in seven Wisconsin adults struggles with low literacy? Literacy is the key to personal and community growth. When people’s literacy improves, their opportunities expand, and communities become stronger.

Fox Valley Literacy provides free adult education in English, General Ed, Civics & Citizenship, and Individual Projects. We rely on volunteers and donors to make these programs possible, and we’re a proud member of Wisconsin Literacy, serving the Fox Valley region.
 

Our services are FREE to all adult learners who seek help! We rely on the support of VOLUNTEERS and DONORS and are 100% privately funded and receive no government help. LOCAL COMMUNITY DONORS are critical to the students we serve.

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Fox Valley Literacy provides classes and tutoring for adult learners in the areas of: English, General Ed, Civics & Citizenship, HMong Family Literacy & Individual Projects. Free to all students, we rely on the support of volunteers and donors to bring accessible education to our community.

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