Cinthia  Cardona lives in Chimaltenango with her granddaughter Ashley (5). Prior to building her home she lived in a small room with her daughter. “Everybody needs their own space, I needed it to improve and feel better,” says Cinthia.

Her sister built a house with the help of  Habitat Guatemala, which is how she learned about their projects and decided to build her own house! “I feel happy, I have my own space, I can welcome everybody I want, read the Bible, listen to music…” Lucia expresses. “I am planning on adding a nice floor, and concrete fence around the house.”

“I remember the volunteers who came and worked really hard. They were really funny and they played with Ashley,” she continued.  “May God bless each one of you, in wherever you may find yourself. You are welcome here whenever you want to come back. We made some memories that will never fade away.”

Mónica González is a single mother of three children, eleven-year-old José, nine-year-old Valentina and one-year-old María Elisa. Before partnering with Habitat Guatemala, she lived with her parents, sharing one room with her three children. For a few months, she rented a small apartment,  but  it was too costly and had to move back in with her parents.  When her dad gave her a piece of land, and told her about Habitat Guatemala, Mónica decided it was time for her family to have their own home.

“One wants to be independent, and when your children start growing they need a place to call their own too,” says Mónica.

She explains how she feels about her house: “I am very happy. This home is a great blessing for me. It’s easy to think that as a single mother you can’t have these opportunities. The process was really easy and fast, and now I have my own house to live in and take care of.”

The González family is planning on adding a garden and another room in the future. She also says: “on Sundays we play soccer and fly kites with my kids. I am at ease because I know they are in a safe place where they feel free.”

Mónica has a picture of the group of volunteers in her living room and has very fond memories of them.  “They were friendly and strong, they worked very hard and it was fun too,” she says, sending a message to the group: “Thank you for all your effort and your love, because you help people you do not know without thinking twice.”