My Story

Nueva Esperanza, which means New Hope, is located in a slum area of Guatemala City, Guatemala. An extremely poor area, our program is squeezed in among the shanty dwellings built over an old city dump. Many houses in this area are without toilets or running water and are assembled with scrap wood, sheet metal, and cardboard. Zone 5, where Nueva Esperanza is located, is considered one of the most dangerous areas of Guatemala City. It is controlled by gangs and drug pushers. Robberies and murders are common in this area. Public education is available - however, many cannot afford it.  

Hello, my name is Athalia Vanessa Garcia Hernández. I was born on August 9, 2016. I am 8 years old now. I am so happy to be able to tell you a little bit about myself today. I thank God that I am in good health, as well as my family. I have two brothers, and we live with my mom and stepdad. My brother’s names are Bejamin Sabdiel Garcia Hernández and Ian Josué Hernández Urías. I am the middle child. My mom’s name is Yaquelin Vanesa Hernández Urías. She does not work. My biological father’s name is Byron Estuardo Garcia Osorio. Unfortunately, he abandoned us about eight years ago. He went to the United States, but we don’t really know what he is doing. He sends us money sometimes, but it is very little. However, now we live with my stepdad, Elery Guiovani Romero Rodriguez. He has been with us for five years. He sells car repair parts, and he is our primary provider. We all live in a house together that we rent. My stepdad pays the rent and the utilities. It costs 700 quetzales per month, or about 93 dollars. We have one room that we all share with a small kitchen and bathroom. The walls are made of cinder block, the roof is tin, and the floor is concrete. One thing that we would love to have as a family is a new bed. We pray that God will provide in His ways. I want to tell you a little more about myself now. I am in 2^nd grade now. I love playing jump rope and soccer. I also love drawing and coloring. My favorite color is purple, and my favorite animal is a dog. Sadly, we don’t have any pets. I love going to the feeding program at Nueva Esperanza each week. I am so happy to be able to go with my brothers and eat a delicious meal. We have to walk for about thirty minutes to get to the program. My favorite food to eat is red beans and meat. Where we live, there is a little ravine and a very narrow road. When we want to play with the other kids, we go to a field called Maracana. It is so much fun. Well, that is all for now. I hope you have enjoyed learning a little bit about me and I thank you for taking the time to read my information. You have such a beautiful heart to want to bless the people of Guatemala. I pray blessings over you even though I don’t know you. I send you a big hug.  

Many blessings,  

Athalia Vanessa Garcia Hernández 

 Translated by: Olivia Gallardo, Missionary Intern / Antigua