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.

I fondly greet you through this letter hoping you are doing fine along with your loved ones. This is Debora Scarleth Brillith Perez Monteagudo. I was born on July 31, 2017. I will turn 8 years old. I attend school in the 1^st grade. In my free time, I enjoy playing soccer, painting, watching TV and playing memory games. I like the color pink and my favorite animal is the cat. Delicious dishes for me are chicken broth and spaghetti with tomato sauce. I would like to ask for your prayers because I suffer from allergies due to weather changes.  I would like to tell you little about my family. My father is Antidio Geremias Perez Gomez, and he earns a living working painting houses. My mother is Iris Susana Monteagudo del Cid, and she works as a waitress but she has not lived with us since I was two years old. Once in a while, she helps me with my expenses. While my father goes to work, I stay under the care of my grandmother Natividad Gomez. I have a brother but he lives with my mother. My family attends a Prince of Peace Church.

We live in my grandmother’s house. We share it with some relatives. There are three rooms made of block and tin sheet walls, tin sheet roof and concrete floor. We have running water and electricity and my father pays for these services. I have a dog as a pet. Our greatest needs are clothes, shoes, groceries and a bed. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter and I hope you are fine when you receive it.

Hugs and kisses,

Debora Scarleth Brillith Perez Monteagudo

Translated by: Lucia Gravez/AAC Secretary