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 wonderful day to say hello to you, and I hope our Lord is blessing you! I am so excited to share a little about me through Living Water. My full name is Leyla Magali Romero Navarro. My birthdate is January 25, 2019, and I am 7 years old. I have only one sister. Pablo Andres Romero Hernandez is my father. He makes a living as a window installer. However, he does not live with us because he has another family. He only sometimes helps me with some clothes and nothing else. Candy Estefani Navarro is my mother. My mother chose the wrong path, and we know nothing about her. My sister and I have been living with my grandmother and her partner. Their names are Marta Romero and Leonel Vasquez. Mr. Leonel works as a window installer and as a painter; he is the only who provides our needs. My grandparents are so kind to us and provide for our needs. So please pray for their lives.
For now, we are not attending any church.

I am a first-grade student this year. I spend my spare time coloring, jumping rope and playing with my dolls. I like cats, and my favorite food is pizza. My favorite color is brown. We have a parrot and three dogs. By the grace of God, I am in good health. My grandmother suffers from diabetes and receives medical care in the health center. I will appreciate if you would join us in prayer for her health. We are living in a rented house, and the monthly payment is Q1,000.00, $134.00. We share the house with some uncles. There are two rooms made of blocks with a tin sheet roof and a cement floor. There are running water and electricity services; all the family contributes to pay for them. We are a humble family, and our greatest needs are groceries, clothes and footwear. We walk about 30 minutes to get to the program. I am very happy to know that you have are reading my information. Every kind of blessing over you!

A bunch of hugs,

Leyla Magali Romero Navarro

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