Indira’s Story

“Indira came to the United States after winning a diversity visa lottery, which gave her a rare opportunity to immigrate to America. Indira’s husband was still waiting to obtain his visa to join her in the United States. You can only imagine the range of emotions she felt when she later discovered that she was not only pregnant but was expecting twins.”

Indira, a Step by Step client mom, is originally from Biratnagar, Nepal. She came to the United States after winning a diversity visa lottery, which gave her a rare opportunity to immigrate to America.

She considered the United States a “dreamland,” where she hoped to have access to a better education, career, and life. Since her arrival, she has struggled with underemployment. Though she earned a Master’s degree in English during her time in Nepal, she has struggled to find good work, only able to secure low paying jobs.

Earlier this year, Indira had the opportunity to visit her husband in Nepal, who is still waiting to obtain his visa to join her in the United States. You can only imagine the range of emotions she felt when she later discovered that she was not only pregnant but was expecting twins!

Indira had already been struggling to maintain a safe and stable home for herself. She now faced a high risk pregnancy and the challenge of planning and preparing to provide for a family, with her husband thousands of miles away. Her resources were extremely limited. While she was pregnant, she was sharing a small one bedroom apartment with four other adults and a baby, and was sleeping on the floor.

When Indira was referred to Step By Step’s program, she was so excited to receive much needed guidance and support.

Indira’s case manager began meeting with her in her home, offering her encouragement, advice, and education about what to expect during her pregnancy and how to prepare and plan for motherhood.

Step By Step provided her with baby supplies and referrals to other resources in the community for additional help. With the help of Step by Step, she was also able to move into her own apartment and receive donated furniture through the Northwest Furniture Bank. She was also matched up with two Step By Step volunteers from the Mom2Mom program, who could offer her additional relational support and encouragement. And, her case manager wrote a letter to the Nepal consulate on her behalf, requesting a visitor visa for her aunt to come help once the twins were born.

In early August, Indira gave birth to a very healthy little girl (6lbs 4 oz) and boy (7 lbs 10 oz). However, there were complications during her labor and, following an emergency caesarian section, things quickly took a turn for the worse. The babies were doing fine, but Indira’s condition was deteriorating.

She was losing blood rapidly, in spite of numerous blood transfusions. The doctors were fearing the worst, and Indira was fighting for her life.

A Step By Step volunteer from the Mom2Mom program had given Indira a ride to the hospital and chosen to stay with her during the delivery. She not only waited with her all night long at the hospital, but she also ended up helping communicate with the doctors, as well as with Indira’s very worried husband in Nepal.

After a long and scary ordeal, the doctors announced that everything was okay and that both babies and Indira were doing well. Finally, Indira’s Mom2Mom mentor was able to drive mom and babies home safely.

Indira certainly has her hands full, but she is so thankful for all of the help Step By Step has given her. Her aunt’s visitor visa was approved, and she arrived not long after the twins were born. Her help has been wonderful for Indira and has also made it possible for her to return to work.

Indira is thankful for all of the support she received through Step by Step. Her twins, now four months old, are healthy and thriving. Indira is a devoted and loving mother. Like so many of our Step by Step client moms, she shows tremendous courage and perseverance facing the many challenges of being a new mom with limited resources.

Indira recently received her United States citizenship, witnessed by her two Mom2Mom volunteers. She hopes her husband will be able to join her and the babies in the Spring. It would be a happy beginning to an already long journey, and a dream come true!