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. Some children live 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, everybody! I am so happy to greet you through this letter. This is Elizabeth Guadalupe Godinez Caal and I will share a little about my life with you. I was born on March 22, 2021. Luckily, I am in good health. I am 5 years old and I am in pre-kinder. Some of my interests are playing with dolls, painting, and watching TV. My favorite color is pink. I like rabbits, and what I love eating the most is eggs with beans. I live with my parents and I only have one sister. Thankfully, they are in good health. My parents work hard to support our family. My father makes a living as a janitor and his name is Ludwing Armando Godinez Godinez. He mostly works the night shifts, so we usually spend time with him every two days.

My mother works as a security guard and her name is Elsa Yolanda Caal Xi. Please pray for my family and me since we need shoes, a new stove, and a closet. We live in a rented house, and my parents pay Q900=$118.03 monthly. There three families more living at the house, so my family and I only use one room. The house is made of concrete block with tin sheet roof and concrete floor. Thankfully, we have electricity and running water. I am so happy to tell you that the feeding program is about 15 minutes from where I live. My older sister and I usually walk to get there. It is time to say goodbye, but I send you huge hugs.

With much love,

Elizabeth Guadalupe Godinez Caal

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary/ Guatemala