OPERATION NOEL: Single mother goes back to school

“At times it’s hard, but not really. You get used to it. You adapt.”

Eileen Avila looks at her children as she describes life as a single mother of three. The mother credits her family for being able to get by in life, especially her parents. “They are wonderful parents. I have a great family,” said Eileen.

Eileen and children Jennifer, 11, Fabian, 9, and Tanya , 4, live in a small mobile home with the family dog in the outskirts of El Paso. Eileen admits it’s not much, but her display of gratitude is inspiring.

“We have a roof over our heads, and food to eat, thank you to God.” Her dream is to one day build her own home, and uses that as motivation to get ahead in life.

She is worried about the upcoming winter. Eileen said the cold winds can be rough as they blow through the small home.

The mother is two tests away from getting her GED, which she hopes will be a stepping stone to a career in the legal field. Jennifer believes her mother can do it. “I really believe she can make her things that she wants to do,” said Jennifer. “I really believe in her cause she’s a really hard worker.”

Eileen is taking classes to learn English as well. She said she wants to be an example to her children that if she can do it, they can also.

Jennifer admits she thinks of her mother during school. “Like when I’m reading a book, I really think of her the most,” said Jennifer.

When asked about her relationship with Eileen, Jennifer began to cry. She said she knows the sacrifices Eileen has made for them, and she loves that her mother cares for them regardless. “It’s really happy ….having a mom like that.”

During Eileen’s GED classes, the teacher writes a quote on the board before the lesson. Eileen said he then asks everyone in the class to explain what the quote means to them. Eileen said, “It’s amazing how one quote means different things to everyone.”

She liked the idea so much, she now does the same thing at home to inspire her children. “Sometimes she writes like things on the board. That little one that we have right there? She writes a lot of stuff,” said Jennifer.

This day, Eileen chose a quote from Frida Kahlo. Translated from Spanish, it reads, “Feet, what do I need them for if I have wings to fly.”

Eileen admits the children probably won’t think much of the quotes right now. But she said, maybe when she’s long gone, the three children will remember and smile as they think of her.

ANNUAL TELETHON

ABC-7’S Annual Operation Noel Telethon will be next Thursday. A donation of $13.50 will help pay for one jacket.

You can donate by clicking here.

For more than 70 years, Operation Noel has looked out for some of our area’s neediest children.

The charity has evolved over the years, but its primary mission today is to provide new winter coats to more than 20,000 children in the region whose families cannot afford to buy the coats for them. This is possible through community donations both individual and corporate. One hundred percent of the donations go toward paying the bill for the new coats, which is approximately $270,000.00, or approximately $13.50 per coat.

For many area children, Operation Noel is their only hope of getting a new winter coat. Over the years, we have heard of Operation Noel coats being passed on to younger children in the family.

The children who receive the coats are identified by area social workers, educators and school counselors.