Meet our families – Page 65 – Hábitat para la Humanidad Guatemala

The Pamal Casteñada Family

22 November, 2016/in Meet our families, News /by admin

Herberth (28) and his wife, Carrie (26) have been together for four years; their daughter, Vannnesa, has been with them for exactly three of those four years. Prior to discovering Habitat for Humanity Guatemala, they struggled with privacy, personal space, and family conflict. “We lived in my mother-in-law’s house,” remarks Carrie. “Financially, it was okay. We support house costs and such, like electricity and water bills. But what we were paying for just wasn’t a house. It certain didn’t feel like one.” She shakes her head, laughing at the memory. “There were seven people living in the same room. Here we are, seven people, sharing the same beds, television, refrigerator, and everything else, all squeeze together in one room! There was another tiny room that was the kitchen and the dining room. It was a space, yes, but it wasn’t a home.”

Needless to say, the couple found relief. Through Herberth’s cousin, who also received a Habitat house, Carrie and Herberth were introduced to Habitat’s programming. They were especially happy about the low interest rate that would allow them to construct a home of their own. Impressed with the cousin’s positive experience, they decided to apply for a model that would meet their needs and that would also allow Vannesa to grow and play. Since applying, they haven’t looked back.

“One of the biggest changes that I’m looking forward to is how family interacts,” comments Carrie. “With less people, there’s less drama in the house. Drama causes so many problems. But now, with less people, there isn’t as much gossip going around.”

Although still finishing up electrical and water work, Herberth, Carrie, and Vannesa are eager for a more tranquil routine—and a new start. “We feel so content here. There are so many things to look forward to.”

The Marroquín Rojas Family

22 November, 2016/in Meet our families, News /by admin

Hilda Marroquín Rojas and her family live in a natural paradise located about five minutes from the small town of Sanarate. Propped against a bright blue sky, the landscape is dotted with trees, birds, and a quiet house perched on the edge of a field. Three small children can be found giggling on the house’s back steps. They are Hilda’s eight-year-old son, Jesus Adrian, and her young nieces, Sharon and Mabe. The trio eagerly engages in spontaneous games of tag in the early morning sunlight. Hilda’s mother, Rosa, watches fondly over them as she sweeps the yard free of leaves that have fallen from the trees.

Hilda (38) enjoys the landscape, and her new house, too. Her husband, Eriberto (42), works as a crewman on a ship for nine months every year, and the new house is a source of comfort for her during his absence. Although it still requires some work, she is looking forward to moving in. For now, however, she is content with already what have been enormous changes. “It feels good to have our own house and our own privacy. My youngest son has a lot space to play and grow. The landscape is calming. I love coming here in the afternoons, where I can just enjoy the sun and the trees.”

In addition to add more furniture and finishing the final touches on electrical work, Hilda looks forward to making space for other creatures. “I would love to have a small farm with some chickens, a little dog, or some ducks. And flowers! All of the flowers.” She laughs. “At my in-laws house [where we used to live], there was no space to do that, but in this one, we can.”

For the Canada Team, who began construction on the house in July, Hilda holds several fond memories. “The group was so good with my nieces. We had a birthday party and celebrated with a piñata, food, and fun. It was such a special moment to share with them.”

“I want you to know that everything is going well, and that, bit by bit, we are building up the house.” She says. “You were so kind and wonderful to us, and it was a pleasure to share this experience with you. I never imagined that I would meet such caring and beautiful people who live on the other side of the world. I give you compassion in my heart. May God watch over you.”

The Angelico and Clara Family

12 August, 2016/in Meet our families, News /by admin

On the beautiful slopes of Lake Atitlán, there’s a narrow gravel road that passes through a valley ends in a tiny village called Canton Tzancorral. The path is too small for a bus, and it’s even precarious for some motorcycles. Nearly the only vehicles that pass are little red tuk-tuks that have taken a beating.

One tuk-tuk drops off Angelico and Clara at their new home. They’ve been in town running some errands, buying a thing or two for their new store. Angelico eagerly explains.

“Now that we live here, we’ve put up a little store,” he says. He tells how it’s a strategic location as it’s the first house you see when you enter the town, and it’s located on the only road that goes in and out. Currently, the store is small. It’s got a selection of packaged snacks and some fruits for sale.

But Angelico and Clara know that something, even a little something, is better than nothing. Angelico’s full-time job is working in the fields. No, it’s not ideal, nor is it his first choice, but nothing else is available. Angelico has already finished his basic education, graduating from 12th grade and enabling him to work at a formal business or institution. Coming from the countryside, that’s quite an accomplishment in itself. But Angelico can’t take advantage of it because as he says “the economy is bad” and there are no jobs for him to apply for. So Angelico has no choice but to head back to the fields, making 50 quetzales ($6.65) per day as a laborer. Based on his income, he barely qualifies for a Habitat home, but he chose a smaller house model to reduce his monthly payment.

Angelico’s nieces run to greet him as goes inside his home. He and Clara are glad to be on their own, especially with their 4-year-old Carina Pamela and another that’s due on the 13th of August. They are currently living in the home next door, that of Clara’s parents. There’s nothing easy about moving your life when you make less than $7 per day. So the family is making the move slowly.

Either way, Angelico says the new place is a blessing. “God opened the doors for us,” he says. “The house is a great achievement for us. Here, nobody tells us what to do, and we don’t feel the shame of living in somebody else’s house.”

“Thanks for taking the time to visit us,” says Angelico of the volunteers who came to lend a hand. “We are a humble family. Thanks for remembering us and coming to construct our house. Just like you’ve helped me, may you go and help other families who need help as well.”

Angelico and Clara are taking small steps toward independence and family security. They are planning to plaster the exterior walls so that they last longer, but that step will come in time. The house will keep them safe, dry, and satisfied all the while.

A view of their little store

Their future bedroom

The Marcos and Claudia Family

2 August, 2016/in Meet our families, News /by admin

“Three years ago we got married,” says Marcos. “We had been living with my parents-in-law…I didn’t like that very much.”

Marcos, his wife Claudia, and their two-year-old son Marcos David had been living with Claudia’s family for years and they were tired of it. They had no space, and there was no dignity in their housing situation. They didn’t feel like an honorable and independent family.

“It was hard to adapt with them,” says Marcos. Aside from the whole living with the in-laws thing, the family was growing, and their son was requiring more and more space.

So they built their house with Habitat Guatemala, because we provide an awesome opportunity (almost-no-interest loan) for low-income families. During the home’s construction, there were some visitors who came to lend a hand to the family. “Thanks for working together with us,” says Marcos to the volunteers. “It was a lot of help that week. Come visit again!”

The new place, according to Marcos, is a big difference. “It makes our living situation simpler,” he says. He notes how much more space they have and how good it feels to have their own place.

The house is currently being used as a temporary work space before they all move in. They have to keep the income flowing! Marcos is a potter by trade, and he makes a bunch of awesome little artesanías, or artisan objects, that he sells in the Capital at a market. He doesn’t make any fortunes from his work, but he makes enough to get by.

For Marcos and Claudia, the home means a new place for their family, a place where they can have a sense of dignity and independence.

The Narcisa Ixpatá Family

1 August, 2016/in Meet our families, News /by admin

Narcisa’s home was far from adequate. She was living in a home made of adobe, a very accessible material in Baja Verapaz. Adobe in itself isn’t necessarily something to complain about. It’s sturdy, it insulates relatively well, and it’s quite inexpensive. The major downside is that when the adobe gets old, it starts to soak up water. Homes often don’t have gutters to redirect the water, so water falls right down the side of the dried mud walls and it gets soaked up. This makes homes especially vulnerable for when earthquakes or strong tremors happen.

Narcisa was living in that kind of house. And apart from that, she says the place often flooded. They would have to take everything out of the house to avoid it getting ruined. Or to dry out.

Her new place isn’t like that.

She partnered with Habitat Guatemala to get her new home, where “it doesn’t get us wet. It doesn’t even drip when it rains!” Narcisa is really happy with her new place. “We are content here,” she says, “living safely.”

Her new place is made from cement blocks in the Habitat-approved earthquake-resistant style. During its construction, a group of volunteers from the University of Cincinnati helped out. Narcisa sends them a big greeting. “Thanks to everyone who was helping out, to the masons as well, and thanks for helping Guatemalan families,” she says.

Narcisa’s life has changed. She has fewer worries now. Rain no longer presents such a problem as it used to. And when there are tremors, Narcisa stays inside, without worrying if her house will collapse on top of her. “Thank God that Habitat gave us this opportunity,” she says.

Her children are also very grateful for the opportunity. Aura, her 25-year-old daughter, often practices for beauty school in the new place. The house represents space, opportunity, and safety for the family that is growing older and bigger.

The María Elene López Family

29 July, 2016/in Meet our families, News /by admin

On the side of a hill, next to a peaceful river where the children like to splash each other, there’s a brand new house that a deserving family calls home.

24-year-old María Elene decided to contact Habitat for Humanity Guatemala after years of sharing a room with her 4-year-old son David and her 6-year-old daughter Emelin Danisa. They were living in María Elene’s mother’s house, where they were “too together,” according to María Elene.

She says she didn’t have any major problems in her mom’s house, but she “wanted to give a better future to my kids,” she says.

In her new place, there’s three rooms in a row, and they are well-kept and free from clutter. The young mother of two is still in the process of decorating and furnishing, but she has already turned the house into her home. Her bedroom is quite comfortable and well-kept, and she has bought another bed to give everyone their own room in the near future.

“It feels good,” she says. “We have more space here.”

She also wanted to share her appreciation for the volunteers that came to give her a hand. “I appreciate the support you offered us. I just wanted to let you know that you are always in our hearts, and thank you for the help.”

She also wanted pass along that her nephew, the hard-working Luis, is doing well and asks about the volunteers from time to time.

As she goes forward with fixing up the house, she plans on coating the interior and exterior walls with plaster and painting them. But for now, she’s quite happy with the comfortable new place on the hillside that she calls home.

The Wagner and María José Family

29 July, 2016/in Meet our families, News /by admin

Where there was once an empty lot, there now stands a home.

Wagner and María José were renting a home in Guastatoya for a long time. They were paying 600 Quetzales, or 80 Dollars, every month. They were getting no return from their payment, because it was going to straight to the homeowner.

And apart from that, they had a child. Two and a half year old Anthony was growing up, which made the prospect of home ownership even more attractive. When you have a child that regularly breaks things that don’t belong to you, costs add up quick!

When partnering with Habitat Guatemala to get their place built, the family was asked if a volunteer team could help with the construction of the house. “Thanks for your support,” says Maria Jose. “And for your time, being here with us. Blessings to you!”

Maria Jose digs for her keys. “Check it out,” she says. “Wagner installed this door. And these windows!” Wagner’s got a job selling metal products as well as windows, so it was with great pride that he could install the windows and doors on his own house.

Wagner’s craftsmanship

Maria Jose, Wagner, and little Antony are planning to move in as soon as they get the place fixed up to their liking. They are planning to put in a tile floor and breakfast counter. The house will also be furnished before they move in, but the family is taking small steps, doing what they can within their means.

The family currently pays 600 Quetzales per month, the same as what they used to pay. But the difference is huge. Now, the family has added space, an area to plant their own trees, and a sense of ownership and reward for their labor. Maria Jose wears a big smile as she talks about her house and the experience with the volunteers. She sends all of her greetings and blessings on her behalf as well as Wagner’s.

They have planted other plants around the house as well as those baby trees!

The Ruben and Juana Family

28 July, 2016/in Meet our families, News /by admin

Ruben opens the door of his new home. “Come on in,” he says happily. His wife, Juana, is inside with her mother. The family has few possessions to clutter the house, so there is plenty of space to sit and talk.

The family has built their house just above San Antonio Palopó, where there are very few jobs available. Ruben is fortunate to have a job selling medicine at a nearby pharmacy.

Ruben and his family are especially grateful for his job and the opportunity, because they didn’t always live in such a comfortable place.

“Before, we were renting. We lived with more family members,” says Ruben. He explains how renting is different. “Sometimes the landlord raises the price without warning. And when we were renting, the landlord would come banging on our door at 5 or 6 in the morning, when we were sleeping.”

There was a lack of independence, respect, and privacy in their old house. And aside from the barriers to a dignified home, the family was simply losing money. Making payments on a home is a type of investment, and the family’s rent money was going straight up the ladder to the owner of the home. Things had to change.

Ruben submitted his paperwork to Habitat Guatemala, and was authorized an affordable loan to be paid back over 8-10 years. During the construction, a group from Plymouth Church came to lend a hand.

“Thanks to everyone who came,” says Ruben. “To the institution [Habitat] and everyone for taking the time to take my words into account. May you all continue on. Thanks very much for supporting us.”

For Ruben, the difference of having a new house is huge. He’s got a big living room/kitchen, two bedrooms, and an indoor bathroom. And he’s got a lot of good to say about it! “The difference is that we are more comfortable, more independent, more healthy here. And we are happier because of it! We can go out and buy things and put them in our house, and we feel content. It’s really comfortable inside the house!”

Ruben and Juana are content with their new place. They are also providing Juana’s mother her kids with a bedroom. They are planning to keep fixing things up as the funds come in, but in the mean time they are proud to be able to pay for something that is their own.