The First Step of a Thousand Miles

 First Episode

This is the story of my life, in which I have seen realities up close. I will try to narrate my story in simple language so that the reader can understand my emotions and feelings.

We were eight siblings—five sisters and three brothers. I was the sixth in line, with two elder sisters and one elder brother, and two younger sisters. Our family lived in Karachi, Pakistan, and belonged to a middle-class background, standing on the edge of poverty. My father ran a small shop that barely managed to sustain our household.

My eldest brother, after completing college, took up a job and commanded respect from all of us. We always ensured he had no complaints regarding our studies. As time passed, I transitioned from school to college and developed an interest in sports alongside my studies. I excelled at cricket, football, and hockey within our local area.

Due to our limited resources, my other brother, who was older than me, was searching for a job. One day, we heard about a man who arranged opportunities for people to work in Japan. My brother met with him and was quite excited, but fortunately, he landed a job at a shipyard in our city, putting an end to the Japan plan.

This marked the beginning of my story.

When my brother's plan was canceled, a thought struck me—why shouldn’t I go to Japan? It was an emotional decision, but I had a strong drive that I could do it. I discussed it with my parents. My mother outright refused, saying how could a boy who had never traveled alone outside the city undertake such a long journey? However, after much persuasion and prayers, my mother finally agreed, and my father also gave his consent.

Everything was set, and finally, the day arrived for the journey to begin.

It was a freezing night on December 29, 1989. My flight was scheduled for 5 a.m., and I had to leave for the airport at 1 a.m. Our home was in narrow, winding streets, where cars couldn’t enter. To get to the main road, we considered having my mother accompany me, but she couldn’t walk far. So it was decided she would come only to the main road to see me off.

At the main road, my mother hugged me tightly. Her eyes were filled with tears, and I couldn’t hold back my own emotions either. She kept crying, praying for me, and placed her hand on my head. Her face was a beautiful mix of sadness and love. Her tears left an indelible mark on my heart. She kept saying, "Son, take care of yourself. We will all miss you."

At that moment, her love and prayers strengthened my heart. I knew this journey would be tough, but the tears in my mother’s eyes and her words gave me the courage to face it.

As I sat in the car, I saw my sisters and brothers also filled with sadness. Their eyes seemed to bid farewell to every step I took. We set off for the airport.

Upon reaching the airport, Salim (a pseudonym), the person with whom I was supposed to travel, also arrived. While waiting in line for the boarding pass, we discovered that Salim didn’t have any foreign currency, which prevented him from getting a boarding pass. I offered to help him, but the issue couldn’t be resolved.

At that moment, confusion took hold of me. Should I return home or continue the journey? Salim advised me to meet a person named Akbar (a pseudonym) in Bangkok, who would guide me further.

This journey was filled with challenges even before it began, but I didn’t give up. I decided that since I had already set out, I would do everything possible to reach my destination.

This was the part of the story where my real struggle began.

What happened next?
Did I reach my destination? How did I face all those challenges? Were my mother’s prayers with me?
Wait for the next episode to find out the answers to these questions.