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.

I am very happy to share my information through this. My full name is Hikari Caeli Mejicanos Reyes. I was born on December 1^st, 2019, in Guatemala City. I am now 6 years old, and thanks to God, I am healthy. I am a kindergarten student this year. I like watching TV, coloring and playing with my dolls in my spare time. My favorite color is pink. The animal I like the most is the rabbit. I love eating noodles with sauce. I live with my mom and two sisters. By the grace of God, they are doing well. I am very happy to be part of the feeding program, and I walk 15 minutes to get there.

My father´s name was Jonathan Victor Manuel Mejicanos del Cid. However, he passed away 5 years ago. My mother´s name is Jeimy Lisseth Reyes Giron. She works in a call center in the customer service area. Since my father is not with us, my mom has been struggling to provide food, school and a place to live. Even though it is hard for her, she is doing her best. I would like you to pray for my mother so that she always has a job and can supply our needs. We are members of a Christian Church. We live in a rented house, and the monthly payment is Q1,800.00, $ 240.00. Thankfully, the water and electricity services are included in the rent. There are two block rooms with a cement roof, and we have a cement floor. The kitchen is separate. There are different stores where we can buy what we need. As a family, our greatest needs are groceries and shoes. Feel free to ask for more information about me. Many and abundant blessings over you!

A bunch of hugs,

Hikari Caeli Mejicanos Reyes

Translated by: Violeta Hernandez, A-A-C Secretary-Antigua