A Chance For My Life Back!

• Charlie Cavanagh, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2014

Dear Mr.Abbott,
My name is Lucia Benitez and I am 13 years old. Yes, I am quite young and I need to have love and support from my family that are currently away from me living in Australia but my older brother is in a mental hospitality centre not far from where I am. My mum has a heart condition and acts up all the time, my dad only has one leg because he lost it while trying to escape Argentina, my younger sister recently lost her twin and is hanging on by a thread and my older brother is starting to question why he was even put on Earth, was it to be scared and torched?!
My family are currently living in a shelter along streets in Alice Springs and sent a letter to telling me where they exactly are. They have no money. My mother believes we have a better chance of living if we are all together and in Australia, rather than Argentina, because there is no war currently and it’s a free country. I was trained as a young nurse at the age of 9 and my mum needs that medical attention she can’t afford at the moment. Australia is bigger and has more resources then on Menace, where I am currently. Please Mr.Abbott I would do just about anything to see my family again. I am too sick and haven’t seen them since we escaped Argentina 2 months ago. I can’t bear to not be with them. I now know how much my family means to me.
I wish to be united with them in Australia so please let me be with my family, I believe I have the right to freedom and as a refugee and I would like to spend my next years of my life living with my family.
My fled to Australia because a beautiful country and once again, no war. It’s not too big or too small and it has enough resources even just found lying on the ground for us to living for a bit. I know you may think living in a detention centre is better than on the street, well my Aunt Romina lives in South Australia and we want to go live with her and we are trying contact her somehow but my family want to make sure we are all together because we mean the world to each other.
My parents told me everything’s going to be ok and I am still waiting for that to happen. My mum could die at any moment now.
All I want is to be accepted into Australia and my Aunt Romina is taking the citizenship test next week. That is all I am asking, to be happy again. I just want to live my life to the fullest I can, even if I have almost nothing left. I know you want to stop people coming into Australia but as soon as we get back on our feet we can leave. I am slowly dying inside and going pale in the face. I won’t live much longer if I don’t get the help I desire. Mr.Abbott, do you know how it feels to be me? I had to leave everything behind or choose to die and I can only have one of these things back, my family. My family delivers love, friendship, happiness and joy to me which are big aspects of life. My family needs me and I need them so can you consider it. You’re my only hope.
God bless,
Lucia Benitez