“How could a nation not rise up when it puts God first, and when it puts in the hard work and effort…?”
—Nayib Bukele, President of El Salvador
Hi, friends!
I hope you enjoyed the first part of my interview with Verenice. She is a woman I met just a month ago, and now consider a dear friend and an ally in this freedom journey. She and her husband are incredibly brave people, and Tom and I feel honoured to call them our friends.
Sit back and relax.
Here’s the rest of our interview…
Me: How have you felt about things happening in Canada in the last few years, versus before that?
“The path that Canada started to follow in the last few years seems to be a very dark one. It is of great concern to us to see a country which was once a great society following such a horrible path…
A path where the Charter of Rights and Freedoms is no longer respected and the constitution is constantly being violated.
A society where the moral and spiritual values that once made it a great society are no longer upheld. Instead, they are being destroyed.
A society where the pursuit of happiness and prosperity is further and further away from its citizens, especially those who belong to the poor and hard-working class.
A society where the middle-class is being destroyed, and the gap between the rich and the poor is becoming deeper every day.
A society where children are being robbed of their innocence, and parents can no longer decide what is best for them.
A society where the emotionally, mentally, and physically sick are being offered death as a solution to their condition as opposed to medical and psychological assistance.
A society with a government that no longer looks after the interests of its citizens. Instead, it has become an authoritarian regime—as our friend from Cuba who had lived through a horrific communist regime attested to. Years ago, he had already said to us, “If there’s one country ripe for communism, it’s Canada.” He recently sold everything and moved down to Florida, because he saw how bad things were becoming in Canada.
What’s happening to our country is the degradation and destruction of everything that once made Canada a great society, a great nation. 😔
It's very sad to see our beloved Canada following that horrible path. It is truly a nightmare.
And to know that many fellow-Canadians are facing unemployment, lack of education, health problems such as depression, and having such a difficult time to be able to put food on their tables—just to name a few of the many socio-economic problems—is painful.
—Verenice
Me: What is the hardest part about moving back to your homeland?
“Our homeland!
A land we never stopped loving, despite time and distance.
It's not easy to move back when your heart will remain in Canada.
El Salvador saw us being born. Our infancy, childhood, and teen years were here, but the rest of our lives belongs to our other home, Canada.
It's hard to move back when you have lived two-thirds of your lifetime embracing other values and a different lifestyle.
But the hardest part, without any doubt, is to leave our home—places we love, our friends, and our loved ones—behind. Not being able to take all of them with us!
—Verenice
Me: What is the best part about coming back to El Salvador long-term?
“The hope of a better future!
The possibility of having a stable life where future generations can live in peace, and can feel free and safe.
The hope that friends, loved ones, and other fellow-Canadians will follow our example, so they can also dream of a brighter future for themselves and their children
The hope of being part of the great transformation El Salvador is going through.
And the hope of being able to give back to the people of El Salvador, my fellow-Salvadorans, for they are welcoming us back, and are freely and willingly sharing with others that which they are now able to enjoy, thanks to the right decisions of our dear president Nayib Bukele: Peace, Security, Freedom, and the forthcoming prosperity.
Still I wish I didn't have to leave Canada 😢💔”
—Verenice
I’m so thankful that Verenice was willing to share her perspectives and their story. She is heartbroken to leave Canada, but she and her husband are passionate about living more freely. The things happening in Canada, and in so many other developed lands, are incredibly hard to watch. Many people have told us we should stay and stand for our freedoms, but unfortunately there aren’t enough people willing to take that stand. And the powers against us are stronger than many want to acknowledge. So, we have to find a safe haven where there is more freedom—freedom of speech, freedom to teach our children in the way we deem best, and freedom to live without discrimination or fear. It’s not an easy path—leaving all that’s familiar—but it’s a path many of us are choosing in order to protect our families and our futures.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Feel free to leave a comment—I appreciate your feedback 💛
Being born and raised in Canada it saddens me what is happening to the country I love! I once was a proud Canadian and never thought of leaving my country, however, this past three years has shown me that sadly, Canada is no longer the same country. If I could, I would leave and setup new roots elsewhere. Thank you Emily and family for sharing your adventures. God bless.
I first visited Canada as a 9-year-old fourth grader. I came back and wrote a paper that ended saying, "though I am an American, my heart will always be in Canada." My excellent man teacher was a military vet. from the Korean War and a seminary student. He didn't like my conclusion and talked to me at length about it. Probably no surprise that my heart was being prepared to marry a Canadian (who I met in the US while skiing) and had our sons there, later returning to live many years in northern BC, Canada as you know. I've seen the changes and am sad. I do know many praying Canadians (and Americans wno pray for the govts. of both countries) and believe the pendulum will swing back again, hopefully fairly soon.