Maria (not her real name), 56, guatemalan. Fled her country 18 months ago with her husband and younger daughter after losing 3 or her 5 children as well as suffering harassment at the hands of organized crime groups. While she awaits the result of her application for asylum in the United States she works as a cook in the organization that sheltered her for a year in northern Mexico. This job enables her to rent an apartment with her family an eases the burden of the wait. Her purpose is to cross legally into California and be reunited with her sister, already setttled there. Due to the risk of persecution, this subject has the right to keep her identity anonimous.