Meet Abby

A Little About Myself

I was born on December 14, 1954 in Edinburg, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley. I was born a healthy baby girl and at three months of age, I was diagnosed with Polio on my left leg. My dear beautiful mother, Flor Estella Alafa, always blamed herself for my ailment. As I grew up as a young girl, woman and mother, I would explain and assure her that it was not her fault! My handsome father, Ramon Alafa, one day told me I didn't have to wear shiny black shoes like the other little girls. He assured me that I was beautiful just as I was. You see, I had to wear a metal brace up to my hip and boots up to my ankle. I grew up always trying to be prettier, smarter and working harder to prove to myself that I was as normal as everyone else.

My left leg is shorter than my right and I walk with a limp. I was looked at as different and even labeled in many ways for having polio. My parents were always there for me! My dad worked as a migrant worker and when in the valley, he worked picking grapefruit/oranges from sunrise to sunset.  He always provided for our needs and we had the most beautiful yard. I always felt like I lived in paradise because of the beautiful garden my father kept for us. My mother, also worked as a migrant. She protected me always, she would walk to the bus station several times a week to take me to physical therapy at the Easter Seals clinic. She would carry me in her arms with that heavy brace on my left leg. She would save her money to always buy me a coke and a bag of chips or peanuts. She has always been my beautiful Reina (Queen) and my father is and will always be my HERO! We lost our father to cancer in 1974.

Our dear beautiful mother has always been there for me. Since I was a young girl, I always knew God loved me and that made me a strong visionary because I knew He was with me! As I grew up to a young lady, I was stubborn and determined that I was going to make it in life. In 1972, Dr Kenneth Riedland operated on my left leg, I believed he performed an external fixation. This surgery would make it possible for me to wear regular shoes for the first time and do away with my brace and boots. Dr Riedland was concerned about my self-esteem as I was entering my freshmen year in high school. I believe that Dr Riedland was God sent, he Page 2 of 4

cared about me and the impact of how this could change my life and he was right, it DID! In 1975 before my wedding, he perform yet another and the final surgery on my left ankle. The surgery was to fuse my ankle and it worked. He said he would remove the cast in time before my wedding. Guess what? I needed to keep the cast longer than excepted. So I got married in a cast. But in the long term, Dr Riedland's caring heart did change my life. I graduated from Edinburg High School in 1975 and married Gustavo Vela ten days later. We had a beautiful wedding. I was 20 and he was 22. Gus had already been in the United States Air Force for almost four years. We were both in love and what a moment in life. One that I will hold very dear in my heart. The truth about me wanting to get married to Gustavo was because he had an assignment to Taiwan--and I was not about to let him go off by himself. After our wedding, we left for Merced, California where he was stationed at Castle Air Force Base. We were there for five months before he was send off to Taiwan. We arrived in Taipei, Taiwan the day before Thanksgiving.

I had a chemical abortion in 1974 and I kept it a secret from everyone. I was ashamed and dishonored myself and my honorable parents.  In my heart I believed that is why I had a miscarriage in June 1976. I didn't realize until years later what deep wounds were in still my heart from that abortion and miscarriage. I was broken deep inside. I could not take any oral birth contraceptives, because of severe side affects. We wanted to go to college, so I told my husband, "let's have our family first." And of course, he was only too happy to comply. By May 1976, I was pregnant again and in February 23, 1977, Ruth Ann Vela was born at the Naval Hospital in Taipei. She was and still is a beautiful daughter any parent could hope for. On September 27, 1978, Veronica Jeannette Vela was born. She too is the most beautiful daughter, just like her sister. Like her sister, Veronica was also made in Taiwan, but was delivered in Edinburg, Texas between military stops. On September 26, 1979, Gustavo A. Vela, Jr. made his appearance in Plattsburgh, New York. He is the most handsome son anyone could ask for. All of our children are educated and presently working in the medical profession. Needless to say, we are extremely proud of them. Our children loves us both, even with all the mistakes we as parents have made. We see our children's love and we see God in them! These three are gifts from Page 3 of 4

Heaven to my husband and me. After our son was born, a year later my husband and I started attending Clinton Community College in Plattsburgh, New York. Ruth Ann was three, Veronica was two and Gus Jr. was a year old, when getting a college education came next on the Vela's agenda. In 1981, a year after starting college, we were on the move again. During my husband's fourteen years Air Force career, we were moving on an average of every two years. My husband got an assignment to Offtutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska. I started working toward a nursing degree by attending the College of St Mary's. My husband was given the opportunity through Boot Strap to attend two different colleges at the same, Bellevue College and Southern Illinois University working toward his bachelor's degree in Health Care Administration. On May 1983, we both graduated with our respective degrees just in time, because yes you guessed it, my husband got orders for a transfer to Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany. This last assignment kept us in Germany until July 1986, when my husband decided to get out of the Air Force. My husband received his "Honorable Discharge" on July 4, 1986.

While in Germany, both my husband and I accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. I was forgiven for all my failures by Jesus Christ. God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit now live in our hearts. They continue to love and guide us. Only Jesus Christ can heal our broken hearts, lives and families! We were very fortunate to meet a wonderful God fearing couple named Ken and Judy Thompson. Since we had three small children and they had a teenage son (Stuart), Ken and Judy came to our home to teach us about the bible and what it is to be a Christian. For the next fifteen months, almost every Saturday, they came to feed us the Word of God. For that they will be forever in our hearts and thoughts. It was because of their sacrifice that we are where we stand today. Ken and Judy thank you so very much for being there for us. We are sure that you will be rewarded for giving up so very much of your time to teach two hungry young people about our Lord Jesus Christ. And to you Stuart, you gave up your parents every Saturday for fifteen months. Yes, you might have seen it as a bit of freedom, but I am sure that there were times that you would have preferred to have had them with you. Ken and Judy continue to be our Spiritual Advisors. They still council us and are always praying for us! Thank You and God Bless you. We love you guys!! Page 4 of 4

We have been here for twenty-three years and God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit have never left us alone. They continue to take care of us and keep this family together! On November 8, 2004 our Father God once again showed His LOVE by sending to our Veronica, her very own daughter. God BLESSED our family with the most beautiful granddaughter ever born. Kaitlyn Jeanette Vela-Karr is not only beautiful but she is very smart. She is the love of our lives. We are very proud of our Veronica because she is a most excellent mother, who showers her daughter with love every morning, noon and night. Both my husband and I are very proud of our three children and of our granddaughter. Gustavo and I are very BLESS to have such wonderful children, who have stuck with us even though we have made so many mistakes. The reason Gustavo and I are still married is because of God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. There have been many times that we would have rather call it quits, but God would not permit it. Couples find it easier to divorce and to fight for their marriage. Gustavo and I give all the glory to our Lord for keeping us together. We are proud to announce that we have already celebrated our 34th wedding anniversary. God is good and we praise Hime for all His Blessings! Our family gives all the Glory to God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit for being with us ALWAYS!! This is my family: my honorable parents: the late Ramon Alafa and Flor Estella Gonazalez-Alafa, my brothers and sisters: Guadalupe Alonzo Alafa, Jose Raquel Gonzalez, Filberto Alafa, Homero Alafa, Maria Alafa-Villa, Ramon Alafa Jr., Adalia Alafa-Del Bosque, Sandra Alafa-Rivera and Amador Alafa.