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. 

Hello, my name is Joselyn Liliana Reyes Orozco. I am so happy to write this biography and tell you a little bit about myself. I was born on December 27, 2010. I am fourteen years old now, and I am in eighth grade. I love to read, watch TV, and do crafts in my free time. I love the color light blue. It is so pretty. I enjoy going to the feeding program in Nueva Esperanza with my sister each week. They always give us a delicious meal. We walk for fifteen minutes to get there, which is not very far. My favorite meal to eat is chicken in cream. I live with my mom, her husband, and my two sisters. My mom’s name is Victoria Del Rosario Orozco Garcia. She is a cleaning lady, and she works in an office. My mom’s husband is Carlos Hernandez. He is a food distributor. He lives with us and helps my mom to pay for the lights and water in our house. He supports her financially, but he says that we are not his daughters, so he doesn’t pay for our needs or expenses. My mom has to work very hard in three different jobs to make enough money to support me and my sisters. She pays for our food, school fees, clothes, and anything else that we need. Unfortunately, we don’t get help from my real father either. His name is José Luis Reyes Pirir, and he has not lived with us for a long time. We ask him to help us with money sometimes, but he always refuses. I have two sisters. One of them goes to the program with me. Her name is Jaquelyn Alejandra Reyes Orozco. I am older than her by just a year. Thankfully, I am healthy. I want to tell you about my house. We live in a house that belongs to one of my relatives. There are three rooms. The walls are made of cement block, and the roof is a tin roof. My mom and her husband are the ones that cover the house expenses. We don’t have any pets, but I love cats. That is my favorite animal. As a family our biggest need is groceries. Sometimes it is difficult to cover all the expenses and still afford groceries, but we pray and know that God will provide in His own way. I hope you have enjoyed learning about me today. It means so much to me that you would spend time to read my information. I send you hugs and kisses.

With much love,

Joselyn Liliana Reyes Orozco

Translated by: Olivia Gallardo, Missionary Intern / Antigua