When Mark left his small fishing village in Leyte, he carried with him a battered backpack, a passport, and the hopes of an entire family. At 32, he had been offered a job as a pipe fitter in Saudi Arabia, a role he had worked toward for years. Back home, he was known for his steady hands and sharp eyes, the kind of man who could make two pieces of steel align perfectly without a millimeter off.
The job offer didn’t come easy. He had spent months applying through agencies, enduring countless interviews and skills tests. Welding sparks had burned tiny scars into his forearms during training, but he wore them proudly proof of his craft. When the acceptance letter arrived, Mark’s mother wept, both from joy and the ache of knowing her eldest son would be oceans away.
In Saudi Arabia, Mark was assigned to a massive oil refinery project. The first few days were overwhelming the desert heat was like a furnace, the site noisy with machinery, and the mix of languages made communication a challenge. Still, he reminded himself of why he came: to give his younger siblings an education, to repair their weather-beaten home, and to save for a small business his wife dreamed of starting.
Pipe fitting was precise work. Mark’s days began before sunrise, measuring and aligning pipes, reading blueprints, cutting steel with precision, and ensuring every joint could withstand pressure. Every fitting was like a puzzle one wrong angle and the entire system could fail. The responsibility was heavy, but he took pride in knowing his work was essential.
The camaraderie among the workers helped him adjust. Filipinos, Indians, Pakistanis, and locals worked side by side. Break times were spent swapping stories under the shade, sipping tea, and laughing at shared struggles. Mark learned a few Arabic phrases and taught his coworkers Tagalog words, strengthening their bond.
But life wasn’t all smooth. There were days when exhaustion clung to his bones, when homesickness hit him hardest at night. Video calls with his wife and two young children became his lifeline. He would listen to his son talk about school, his daughter show her drawings, and his wife update him on their small garden. Those moments fueled him to keep going.
After two years, Mark had sent enough money to renovate their home and enroll his siblings in college. But perhaps the proudest moment came when he returned for his first vacation. As he stepped off the plane, his children ran toward him, their smiles brighter than any paycheck. His wife hugged him tightly, whispering, We made it.
Mark knew his journey wasn’t over. The refinery still had years of work ahead, and he planned to finish his contract. But now, every weld he made, every pipe he fitted, carried a deeper meaning it wasn’t just about connecting steel. It was about connecting dreams, holding his family’s future together, one line at a time.
