Subject: James Mendoza CRBA Application.

At first, I was selfish, content, not thinking of what will happen to my son if something should
rehappen to me. But now as a mother, I cannot ignore the possibility of what “if.”

When my son, newborn at birth, was given to me by his mother (unknown to me), who claimed
she would not be able to give the child a better future and it would be difficult for her to move on,
she would like for me to have the child. Not having a child, I accepted the responsibility.
Although I was married then, I was not aware of my husband’s infertility until I informed him of my
son.

As a stranger, I was not aware of their policy regarding what need to be done when you have a
child, until a friend of mine told me that the child had to be registered at birth. Another friend told
me that if I don’t register James as my son, it would be considered as stealing or child trafficking. I
asked her to assist me in doing so and gave her all my information. At that time, I was 56 years
of age. I have raised my son all by myself since birth.

Now, as I watched my son grow, my fear stood in front of me thinking “what if.”

As a mother, my instinct is to protect my son and to give him a better future; just as my parents
did for me. I, therefore, prepared all his paperwork thinking “if anything ever happens to me, my
brother, who resides in Florida, will be able to take care of him.

As time passes by, the CRBA application sits in our cabinet. But when the Corona Virus came on
March 15, 2020 and the death toll was rising every day, I did not hesitate. Then on February 8,
2021, I submitted my son’s CRBA application.

It might be wrong to consider myself as his mother, but deep down in my heart I truly feel I am his
mother. When he was given to me by his own mother, I received him with both arms and agreed
to take the responsibility as a “mother.”

I pray for your consideration and thank you for your time.