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.

My full name is Debora Abigail Juarez Cutzal, and I am glad to share my story with you. I was born on October 3, 2014. I am 11 years old. Fortunately, I am a healthy girl and attend school as a fourth grader. I enjoy painting, reading fairy tales, and jumping rope. My favorite color is purple. I love eating fried chicken and spaghetti. My favorite animals are cats and dogs. Now, let me tell you about my family. My father’s name is Jose Armando Juarez Puac. He makes a living as a messenger. Unfortunately, my biological mother is not part of my life. Her name is Noraida Elizabeth Cutzal Garcia. It was difficult to assimilate that she had abandoned me. However, my father met another woman, with whom I get along well. She is loving and helps me with homework. My father and she established a relationship about one year ago. Her name is Marilin Gabriela Arriaza. She is a housewife and takes care of her children and me. I only have two brothers.

We are a Catholic family and attend a nearby church called Mary Helper of Christians. The house where my family and I live belongs to my father. It is made of concrete blocks with a metal sheet roof and a concrete floor. It has two rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. My father covers all the household expenses. I am glad to be part of the feeding program. It is about 20 minutes away from where I live, so I walk to get there. This is all for now, but I ask you to pray for my family and our needs. Our priorities are shoes and groceries. In advance, thank you so much!

Affectionately,

Debora Abigail Juarez Cutzal

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala