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. Life in Zone 5 is very difficult. This child lives on top of an old rubbish dump in Zone 5 of Guatemala City. It is an extremely dangerous area where criminals, prostitutes and drug addicts live. 

Hello, my name is Juan Carlos Vasquez. I am pleased to greet you today and share some information about me. I am 13 years old now. I just turned thirteen this year. My birthday is August 2^nd, 2012. Thankfully, I am in good health, and I am doing well in school. I am in fifth grade now. I live with my aunt, Yessenia Lili Vasquez, and her family, my uncle and cousins. She is like a mom to me. She took me in almost two years ago now, because my dad never claimed me, and my mom gave me up. She did not want to have to take care of me or spend the money to cover my expenses. I do not know who my dad is, but my mom’s name is Claudia Isabel Vasquez Flores. She works as a housemaid, but she does not help me at all financially. My aunt is who I call mom. She treats me like one of her own children and loves me like my mom never did. She works selling hardware, and she pays for everything I need.

We live in a nice house with three rooms and a kitchen. It is made of cinderblock and concrete floors. We also have a little terrace as a roof. My aunt and uncle rent the house for Q2,500.00 each month ($326). We have running water and lights, because my aunt pays for those services. Our biggest needs are groceries, and we would like to have a new bed, a wardrobe, and shoes. We are so grateful for how God has provided every need, and we have been blessed beyond measure. We all go to church together at Lamb of God Church. When I am not in school, I like to play soccer outside and play board games and card games. I also like reading books. My favorite animal is the giraffe, and I love the color blue. I love going to the feeding program each week. We always walk together with my cousins. It takes about 20 minutes to get there, but it is worth it because we always have a delicious meal. My favorite food to eat is creamy chicken. It is so good. I also like that I can see the doctor at the feeding program whenever I need to. It is a blessing to be a part of the program. I hope you enjoyed reading my information today. I send you many big hugs and blessings in Jesus’ name. 

With much love, 

Juan Carlos Vasquez

Translated by: Olivia Gallardo, Missionary Intern