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.

It is a great blessing for me to say hello to you and share a little about me! My full name is Mariana Desaily Cruz Monterroso Panjoj. I was born on September 5, 2012, and I am now 13 years old. Lester Aroldo Monterroso Pacay is my father, and he makes a living as a carpenter. He works in a company. Maria Eugenia Panjoj Soyos is my mother. She watches over my siblings, my grandfather who is an elderly man and me. She sells candies to get some money. It is a great blessing to see my parents support each other to take our family ahead. I am very happy to say that my family and I are in good health. I have one brother and one sister. Our pet is a cat. 

Now, I will share a few things about myself. I am in 7th grade. The food I love the most is chicken in cream. I enjoy playing board games and drawing. I love rabbits. My favorites colors are white and black. We live in my grandfather’s house, but it is a only borrowed. We live near a park and a field named “Maracana”. There are three rooms made of blocks and tin sheets with a tin sheet roof and a cement floor. There is a kitchen. There are running water and electricity services. My parents save some money to pay for the bills every month. Our greatest needs are clothes and shoes. My family and I are members of the King of the Centuries Church. I am very happy to be enrolled in the feeding program; I walk 10 minutes to arrive. Thank you so much for your beautiful heart for the people in Guatemala like me. May God bless you abundantly!

Lots of love,

Mariana Desaily Cruz Monterroso Panjoj

Translated by: Violeta Hernandez / A-A-C Secretary-Antigua Guatemala