Your Diocese

JOLIET, IL — Christmas spirit filled the streets of Joliet Nov. 23 as the city celebrated its 10th Annual Light Up the Holidays Festival and Parade, sponsored by the University of St. Francis in Joliet. Children heard classic Christmas stories at the Joliet Public Library, shared brunch with Santa at the Renaissance Center and watched the parade along Chicago Street, among other activities.

On that same day and across the Des Plaines River, the Ahonto family prepared for their Christmas in the third floor of a modest Joliet apartment building. The family invited Your Diocese into its three-bedroom apartment to unwrap the family’s Christmas gift this year, which came in the form of an invitation for one family member to participate in the Junior National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C. As they peeled back every layer of the virtual present by sharing their story, it was obvious how desperately they needed a real gift this season.

“This is our Christmas,” said Komi Ahonto as he shook his head and struggled with the concept of finding funding for the trip. He sat in his sparsely decorated living room alongside two of his children and a family friend, who assisted with some translation. A picture of his daughter’s first Communion and another one of his son’s graduation from St. Mary Nativity School were mounted on the wall. Mismatched furniture was barely enough to provide a cozy atmosphere for the family that arrived in America seven years ago. He said, “I do it for my children.”

Togo, a country in West Africa, became too dangerous for Komi’s family in 1993 because of political turmoil. The family spent seven years in a refugee camp in the neighboring country of Benin, before coming to America and receiving resettlement assistance from Catholic Charities. Komi concluded the experience proved “God will care for me.”

His belief in the Lord, pride in his children and optimism about life in his new country led him to put only one item on the family’s Christmas wish list this year—about $2,000 to cover the cost of a priceless experience for his daughter at the JrNYLC. He hopes the kindness of generous people will serve as a secret Santa this year.

Afi, Komi’s 13-year-old daughter, was nominated for the conference set to bring together teens from across the country while offering the opportunity to explore Washington’s museums and monuments. It is a trip that would do more than change the life of the seventh grader, who became a U.S. citizen last year. It would change the entire perspective of her parents and four siblings; they could learn about their new country through her eyes.

William Malinowski, physical education teacher at St. Mary Nativity School in Joliet, nominated Afi and a handful of other students for the experience. During a telephone conversation with the Explorer, he said the nominated students have displayed leadership by mentoring students, supervising their peers and encouraging others. Afi, in particular, has shown Malinowski a great attitude and willingness to learn despite struggling with a new language and absorbing the American culture. He said, “It doesn’t stop her from enjoying her experiences at grade school.”

In their apartment, the Ahonto family unknowingly displayed how typically normal they are despite enduring almost two decades of turmoil. Komi lovingly prodded his daughter to explain herself clearly. Afi’s younger sister, 7-year-old Petaine, shyly hid behind Barb Linek, the girls’ godmother. Meanwhile, Koffi, Afi’s 16-year-old brother, curiously weaved in and out of the room to inconspicuously investigate what was going on.

While the family matriarch was absent from the apartment at the moment, she is hardly missing from the family’s life. Eking out a bare existence is tough for the family, whose parents speak Ewe, French and English. Josephine Afodegnadji, Komi’s wife and the mother of their children, works the day shift as a housekeeper for a casino hotel. Komi, who works the night shift as a custodial staff member at the same casino, looks after the children during the day and is in the midst of earning a general education degree.

Linek, a parishioner of St. Dominic Parish in Bolingbrook, helped to translate the father’s broken English, but also assisted in offering her witness to the family’s situation. Her friendship grew after they met a few years ago when she taught an English as a Second Language class at the apartment complex. Since then, the director of the University of Illinois Extension DuPage County office has mentored the family and provided some assistance in a variety of ways. She goes ice skating, visits Chicago museums and paints ceramics with her godchildren, Afi and Petaine.

Linek’s latest endeavor with the family is setting up a base of communications for the JrNYLC. She brought in a laptop and printer for the family to use while they try to obtain financial support for the trip. Churning out letters of requests to businesses, non-profit agencies and individuals has become a project for the family that must raise the funds before Dec. 14. The tuition’s due date has added additional pressure on the family that struggles to pay for everyday necessities on low wages.

If the family is able to raise the funds for the trip, it also has to accumulate money for items that many people may take for granted, added Linek. Luxuries such as souvenirs and phone cards to call home are not on the list of packing items. And Afi needs to buy clothes. Linek reminded her, “You can’t wear your school uniform all week.”

In reality, the family realizes that raising the funds for the trip is probably just a vision; but every day they continue to seek the American dream. On a recent service trip to Pembroke Township with her classmates, Afi said she was inspired by the poor residents of Hopkins Park. The altar server said, “It’s really sad over there.”