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 Amanda Naomi Morales Mendoza. It is a pleasure to introduce myself to you today. I was born on November 16^th, 2020. I am four years old now, and I go to preschool. I love playing kitchen, playing dolls, and coloring. I thank God that I am in good health. I live with my mom, sister, and grandmother in our humble home. We rent from our neighbor for 900 quetzales per month. That’s about $120. There are many rooms in the house, but we have one room for us to share and a little kitchen where we can cook. The walls are made of cinder block, and the floor is cement, and there is a small terrace on the roof. My mother and grandmother are the ones who take care of me and my sister. Sadly, my father left us and has a new family. He helps us sometimes, but it is very little. His name is Juan Francisco Morales Lopez, and he works as a messenger. My mom’s name is Anna Lorena Mendoza Garcia. She is an event worker. She works very hard so she can pay the rent, lights, and water, and other necessary expenses for our wellbeing.  As a family, our greatest need is groceries and food. I have one sister named Silvia Paola. She is also in the feeding program. We love going together each week. We walk to get to the program, and it takes us about ten minutes. Some other facts about me are that I love the color pink, my favorite animal is a dog, and my favorite food is rice and red beans with meat.  I have loved being able to tell you about myself, and I thank you so much for taking the time to read about me. I hope you will keep me in mind, and I also pray blessings over you. Have a wonderful day! 

With much love,  

Amanda Naomi Morales Mendoza 

 Translated by: Olivia Gallardo, Missionary Intern / Antigua