Gabriel (24) and his fiancé, Adayansi Reyes (20), are the happy owners of a new Habitat home in San Juan, Quetzaltenango. Gabriel works as a tuc tuc driver and Adayansi owns a beauty salon. The couple is planning on getting married soon!

“We found out about Habitat programs through my dad, he told me: “son, build your house before you get married, so you can have your own space and no one will bother you; And so we did.” – Gabriel. That is why this young couple, partnered with Habitat Guatemala to build their home and start their own family; to have a space to call their own.

“My biggest wish is to keep our families united; to maintain a relationship with my parents and with Adayansi’s parents, because family is important,” he continues, “I am grateful to my father and father–in-law. They both have helped us a lot. My father gave us the land, and my father-in-law, who is a mason, helped us place the floor and the ceiling,” Gabriel mentions.

When asked how they feel about their new home, Gabriel answers, “To be honest, I feel a little nervous, but exited to start this new journey with my fiancé,” he continues, “We feel joyful. Since the beginning of the process until it was finished and ready to move. We feel very happy!” Adayansi adds, “I feel grateful to have made our dream a reality. Thanks to Habitat for their support,” she continues, “I say to Gabriel that we are going to start from zero, just the two of us, and it makes me happy, to think of planning our family.”

In the future, the family is planning to add a garden in the front yard due to Adayansi’s  love  for plants and flowers, fence around the house and plant a lemon tree as the same as they have in Gabriel’s parents’ home. And of course, in a couple of years, a big family, with children running all around the house! “One of my biggest dreams is to marry Adaynasi and have children with her, because I would love to watch them grow here!”

Regarding the time that the family spent with the volunteers, both Adayansi and Gabriel recall, “It was a good experience, because I had not had the chance to meet people from another country. They were very kind, full of joy and hard workers! Our house was built faster thanks to them.” Adayansi adds, “They are willing to help others without getting anything in return. In just a week, we felt like family among them.”

They conclude their story by sending a message to the volunteers: “Thank you all for your support! I am very grateful to all. May God bless you. We may not get to see you again soon, but we will always remember you.” Gabriel adds, “From the bottom of my heart thank you! As we say in Guatemala, they were ¡Buena onda! (cool people). We look forward to seeing you soon. We now have these memories to cherish and tell our children in the future; that their home was built by people from the Netherlands, Dank u wel.”