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 share about myself through this. My name is Marcela Sofia Tunay Ortiz, and my current age is 9 years old. My birthdate is on August 3, 2016. I am living with my mom, two brothers and one sister. I am a third-grade student. I love rabbits and cats; in fact, my pet is a cat. My favorite color is pink. The meals I enjoy the most are Chow Mein, chicken and fries. I love playing with my dolls, jumping rope and pretending to cook. Jessica Heisel Tunay Ortiz is my mother, and she makes tortillas to sell to supply our needs. Unfortunately, I did not know my father.

I would like you to pray for my health. Let me tell you that I suffer from allergies because of the dramatic weather changes. I have suffered from pneumonia since I was very young, and my lungs are weak. Recently, I got sick and my mother took me to the emergency department at the hospital, and thank God, I received medical care. Due to the antibiotics that I took for the pneumonia when I was very young, I am having dental problems. I also want to ask for your prayers for my mother’s health because she has been suffering from gallbladder; she had a surgery to remove the stones. However, the gallbladder is joined to the intestine and a rib, and the doctors said that it is difficult to remove without harming the organs alongside the gallbladder. So please, pray for our health and that we can receive the medical care appropriate for our cases. We trust in God, and we know that He is with us all the time.

My family and I are attending Saint Peter Church. We live in a rented house and my mom pays Q1500.00, $200.00 every month. There are two rooms with a kitchen. It is a block house with a tin sheet roof and a cement floor. We have running water and electricity services. My mom pays for those and the rent. We are a humble and needy family; our greatest needs are groceries, shoes and dental care. I am so blessed to be enrolled in the feeding program and I get there by walking in 10 minutes. This is all for now. Many and rich blessings over you!

A bunch of hugs,

Marcela Sofia Tunay Ortiz

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