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. This child lives 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, it is so nice to greet you and share my information with you. I am so excited to tell you about myself. I am Mercedes Nayariht Juarez Aguilar. My birthday is May 7th, 2019. I am 6 years old now, and I go to school in kindergarten. Next year I will start first grade, my first year of primary school. I have one brother who is older than me. His name is Dylan Andre. He also goes to the feeding program with me. We are very grateful for this opportunity to be in Living Water Adopt-A-Child. I love playing with dolls, playing jump rope, and coloring. My favorite color is orange. I also love dogs. They are my favorite animal, but we do not have any dogs at home. We do not have any pets. My favorite food is chicken soup. Sometimes we eat it in the program, and it is so good. I thank God that my family and I are in good health, but I hope you will keep us in mind and pray for us. We are a needy family. My dad abandoned us when I was a baby. He does not send us any money or help. We do not even have contact with him, so we do not know anything about him. His name is Manuel Alberto Juarez Aguilar. My mom is Belica Marielba Aguilar. She is a housemaid. She works hard to make money so she can cover our expenses and also help with the house expenses.

Thankfully, my grandma lets us live with her in her house. My grandma’s name is Veronica Aguilar. We live there with my aunt and cousin as well. We have one room that we share and a separated kitchen. The walls are made of cinderblock, the roof is tin metal, and the floor is made of concrete. We also have running water and lights, thanks to the grace of God. It is hard sometimes for my mom to make enough money to cover all our needs. Our biggest needs right now would be groceries, school fees, and shoes. Luckily, we get a delicious meal each week at the program, and if we ever need medica assistance, we can see the doctor at the program for free. We walk to the program each week, and it takes about 20 minutes to get there. I am going to say goodbye now, but I want to thank you for taking the time to read my information. I hope God touches your heart to sponsor me. May He bless you wherever you are. I send much love and a big hug!

With much love,

Mercedes Nayariht Juarez Aguilar

Translated by: Olivia Gallardo, Missionary Intern