This is what it’s like to cross the US border from Mexico

Ever wonder what it’s like to cross from Mexico to the United States without authorization? Fusion chronicles the story of 25-year-old “Lourdes,” who documented her multiple attempts to cross the border and join her girlfriend in the States.

Lourdes posted to Facebook many times during her months-long ordeal, which included six unsuccessful attempts. Her posts chronicle the dangers of the journey — one activist told her she could expect gang rape, at the very least, if she tried to go alone — and also its loneliness. In this video, she talks about being led astray by a man who was supposed to guide her, and ends with a heartfelt message to her girlfriend:

Fusion reports that Lourdes finally made it through, after spending much of 2014 trying. Whatever your feelings on unauthorized immigration, you have to at least feel relieved that a young woman who was in a perilous situation is now safe. Fusion also tells the story of 13-year-old David, who also posted to Facebook while trying to exit Honduras; his updates stopped abruptly more than a year ago.

Lourdes asked Fusion to post this statement alongside her video:

“It’s not a crime to try and get ahead. It’s not a crime to work to give your children something better. I don’t know why people don’t understand our poverty, our sadness. We deserve respect, we deserve a chance to work, and to live well, and to study.”

You can read more about her journey here.