The airplane roared as it disappeared into the clouds.

A young boy stood outside, eyes fixed on the sky, wondering where the plane was going.

Tito grew up in a hardworking family in Durán, Ecuador, an industrial city just outside Guayaquil and its international airport. He would watch thousands of planes soar overhead. He never knew where they were going. To Tito, they all seemed to be carrying people to a better place.

“Someday, I will be on one of those,” he would think to himself.

Years later, that dream became a reality. He and his wife, Marta, boarded the plane to America, beginning the journey that would lead them to become proud United States citizens.

Today, because of people like you and Catholic Charities New Hampshire’s Immigration Legal Services team, they proudly call America home.

The Ice Cream Date That Changed Everything

Tito was 16 when he first saw Marta at church. She was 14.

One look was all it took.

“I knew right then that she was the one,” he shared.

He walked over and asked if she’d like to get ice cream.

After the date, he asked if she’d be his girlfriend. She said no.

He walked to her house whenever he could, calling her name from the street so she would wave from her window. Her father wasn’t thrilled. Her brother even threw a stick at him once.

“I was not discouraged, though,” Tito laughed. “I was in love.”

His persistence paid off. A year after meeting, they got married, living in an apartment his father rented to them on the second floor of his house.

Soon after, they had their first child, Cesar.

Building a Life the Hard Way

For Tito, three things matter most: God, family and hard work.

He took whatever jobs he could find. He operated bulldozers, drove trucks, worked in factories and spent years driving public buses. Some days began before sunrise and didn’t end until after 1 AM

Tito was simply trying to provide for Marta and their growing family. But even then, life was never easy.

The local economy was poor. Money was always tight. Food was expensive. Healthcare was difficult to access. When one of the children became sick, the family couldn’t count on getting the care they needed. Tito would often ask workers at local stores for essentials for his family, promising he would pay them back.

Safety was another constant worry, especially for Marta, who would often lie awake at night waiting for Tito to come home.

One night, while driving a truck loaded with supplies, someone tried to rob him. He escaped unharmed.

“In Ecuador, theft is very common,” Tito shared. “People will kill over a pair of shoes.”

Years earlier, America had already captured Tito’s imagination.

As a teenager, he often watched American travelers pass through the local train station. He admired the way they dressed and carried themselves. On hot days, he offered them juice, even though he didn’t speak English. One traveler thanked him with an American dollar. Tito didn’t understand its value then, but he never forgot it.

Whenever life became especially difficult, he found himself looking back toward the sky, wondering what life might be like there.

A Door Opens

Years later, their daughter Lourdes built a new life in the United States. She and her husband became citizens, started a family and settled down.

Marta would often visit on a visa to help Lourdes with her daughter. She would come home telling Tito all about America. Then she asked him if he wanted to go.

“As I always tell my grandchildren, if you ask God for a dream, he will make it happen,” he shared. “And that’s what happened here.”

Lourdes petitioned for her parents to receive green cards. Catholic Charities helped Marta and Tito through the process.

In August of 2009, Tito stepped onto the airplane.

As it lifted into the sky, he couldn’t help but think about the little boy who had spent years watching planes disappear into the clouds.

His dream was no longer somewhere above him. He was living it.

A New Life

The couple settled in Nashua. Tito started working as a cleaner in a mall.

While they were grateful to be here, starting over in a new country was difficult. Neither spoke English. Tito recalls crying because he couldn’t understand what his co-workers were saying. Simple errands felt overwhelming. Once, he became lost while running an errand and had to be found by family members using a cell phone.

Still, they kept moving forward – like they always had.

Creating a Path to Citizenship

Becoming permanent residents was only part of the journey. Tito and Marta wanted to become citizens. They wanted to fully belong to the country that had given their family safety, opportunity and hope.

But the process felt overwhelming. Finding legal help in Spanish was difficult. The costs were more than they could afford. Then the COVID-19 pandemic created even more delays.

That’s when they found Catholic Charities New Hampshire and its Immigration Legal Services program.

“They welcomed us with kindness from the very beginning,” Tito said.

Working with Claudia Lopez de Cram, a fully accredited Department of Justice legal representative, the couple finally had someone who patiently explained every step and answered every question. Lopez de Cram helped the couple with their applications for naturalization and provided study materials and other preparation for their citizenship exam.

“They simply needed someone to guide them,” Lopez de Cram said. “They supported each other through the entire process.”

Both passed their citizenship exams on the first try.

“I couldn’t believe it,” shared Tito. “I walked outside, looked into the sky and thanked God.”

“Their story is one of hope, love and resilience,” said Lopez de Cram. “They were grateful for the opportunity to be here.”

The Day Everything Changed

On March 26, 2024, Tito and Marta stood together holding small American flags. Moments later, they raised their right hands and took the Oath of Allegiance, as tears of joy streamed down their faces.

After decades of hard work, sacrifice and waiting, they officially became United States citizens.

“It was the most beautiful day of my life,” said Tito.

For a moment, he looked back toward the sky once again. Only this time, he wasn’t dreaming about what might be. He was thanking God for what had become reality.

A New Chapter

For Tito and Marta, America represents freedom and opportunity. It also means peace, something they rarely had growing up.

“I can now go outside without worrying about being robbed,” Tito said. “You leave home without being afraid.”

Even in his 70s, Tito still goes to work each day at a local plastics manufacturer.

The couple now spends as much time as possible with their children, 19 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. They share laughs, and Tito instills lessons about life and work. They all love Marta’s cooking, including their favorite seafood and caldo de bolas dishes.

One grandchild graduated from UMass Lowell and became an engineer. Another is a professional designer. One is a nurse. Another wants to be a doctor.

Their son Cesar recently received his green card through assistance from Catholic Charities NH. Now, they are no longer separated from their son after 16 years apart.

Today, when Tito and Marta look around the family table, they see something they prayed for many years ago: Their family together.

Looking Ahead

Tito and Marta have been married for 59 years. Tito still smiles when he talks about his bride.

“She is the best mother and grandmother,” Tito shares. “She’s always there for all of us. And her food is amazing!”

Marta smiles back.

“Thanks to Tito and God, we are here.”

Tito now has another dream in sight. He hopes to own a home, just as his father once gave him a place to begin his own family so many years ago. He wants to provide that same security for his wife, children and grandchildren.

A Heartfelt Thanks to Donors

Stories like Tito and Marta’s don’t happen overnight. They are built over years of perseverance, faith and compassionate guidance.

Because of your support, Tito and Marta never had to navigate one of the most important moments of their lives alone. They had someone to patiently explain a complicated process, help prepare their citizenship applications, answer every question and encourage them until the day they proudly took the Oath of Allegiance.

Today, that same compassionate guidance is helping other individuals and families who are eligible to pursue legal immigration benefits but cannot afford legal assistance or don’t know how to navigate the process. Every step forward helps build safer, more stable futures for themselves and their families.

“You made my dream of becoming a US citizen possible,” Tito shares.

The Sky is the Limit

After another long day of work, Tito still finds himself looking into the sky.

It’s a much different sky from the one he stared at as a little boy outside the airport in Ecuador.

Back then, he wondered where those airplanes were going. He doesn’t wonder anymore.

“I knew in my heart this day would come. Thanks to God and amazing people like you, it did. I know I will leave this world happy.”