Answering the door is little Rony’s favorite task. When we go to visit his current house in San Lucas Tolimán,  he is nothing short of a beam of energy and elation. He hops from one foot to another and asks repeatedly if we would like to see his little toy truck. Rony’s one and half year-old brother, Carlos, looks on quizzically at his older sibling zooms around the room with a painted wooden truck in hand.

Brenda, Rony and Carlos’s mother, giggles at the sight of the two brothers’ interactions. On this sunny morning, she offers to show us her new house, which was built by Habitat for Humanity Guatemala volunteers, on the outskirts of San Lucas. Together, we board a tuk tuk, or motorcycle taxi, and pass through busy streets that turn into large expanses of farmland that are filled with flowers and trees. A white house emerges from the foliage, signifying hope and a new life.

Rony, Carlos, their older sister, Lilibeth, their mother, Brenda, their father, Rony Sr., and their grandmother, Aida, are set to move into their new house in February, and they could not be more excited about the transition.  When she was asked about her previous living conditions, Brenda discloses that their current house in the narrow quarters of inner San Lucas is far from an ideal place to live.  “For years, we have been renting, which is expensive for us.” Also, the space has not provided shelter. “Water enters through the roof and has destroyed a lot of our possessions, like clothes and food. There isn’t enough room for the six of us.  After six long years of being here, we know that we have to move.”

As they searched other options, Brenda’s brother-in-law suggested Habitat for Humanity. “He said that there were many benefits and that they offer alternatives to families who are interested in building their own house. The monthly payments would be like rent, but instead of paying forever and forever, we would be getting our own house at the end.”

She looks around the property, her face glowing. “My brother-in-law has done so much; he bought us this land because he knew that we needed it.”

Once they put the finishing touches on their house, such as installing electricity and running water, four spacious rooms, and a clean bathroom, will soon be all of theirs. Aida has big dreams and wants to plant flowers in between the trees, add a gate and wall, and, of course, play with her grandchildren. “We can make it our own with confidence,” she says.

More than anything, Brenda says that they are happy. “It’s now a place to call ours. We will continue to work harder than ever to make sure it stays that way, so that we can save and support the family.”

Family can be the antidote for challenging circumstances. This was the case for Johana Sauceda Alva (30) and her fourteen-year-old daughter, Jacquelyn. Before moving to Huehuetenango, mother and daughter lived in a town called Pasaco, located on the southeastern end of Guatemala. However, two years ago, their lives were turned upside down. “My husband left us for the United States,” reveals Johana. “He hasn’t written since.”

Despite the painful memory, Johana reflects that the event as one that changed her life for the better and allowed her to seek out assistance from her family. “My brother helped and supported us by opening up his home to my daughter and me,” Johana discloses. “It’s not healthy to live in a place with bad energy. For that reason, I packed us up and returned home.”

Although grateful for the temporary change, Johana also needed a permanent housing solution that would allow her and Jacquelyn to live peacefully. However, Johana’s salary as a cleaning woman would not cover most rental options, as they were extremely expensive. Buying a new house was also out of the question.

However, through her aunt, Johana discovered Habitat for Humanity Guatemala. “She told me that there was a project for people with limited resources, especially with paying back loans.” Johana smiles. “So I went and found the office, which was just down the street from my daughter’s new school, and it seemed like a good fit. I liked the option of being able to opt out if it didn’t work for me. So I applied. It only took two weeks to process the paperwork.”

Several months and a volunteer team later, Johana and Jacquelyn have a new home to look forward to. Johana feels blessed to have regained stability and looks forward to the new opportunity that Habitat has afforded her. “I can sleep peacefully knowing that the landlord isn’t going to knock down my door looking for money. It isn’t healthy to feel that load on your shoulders.” She gazes at the kitchen with a tranquil expression etched on her face. “This home is happiness.”

Although mother and daughter are still working to install electricity and water in their new home, they are eager to move in within the next few months.  “With the help of God, we were able to move forward.” She says. “We just celebrated living in Huehuetenango for one year, and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the support of my family. And, of course, Habitat.”

 

 

About thirty minutes outside Quetzaltenango, a winding road converts from a congested highway into a quiet sanctuary of houses and farms that perch on hillsides. A small road sign peeks out of the ground, indicating this community is “Aldea Talmax” (pronounced Tal-mash), or Talmax Village. It is here where Mauricio and Elvira have spent the past twenty-four years of their lives, first as children and neighbors. Now married, they are excited to see their three young children grow up in the house that was built four months ago by Habitat for Humanity Guatemala staff and volunteers.

“We wanted more children,” Elvira says, shifting their ten-month-old baby, Cristian, on her back. “And we knew that we needed more space to do it.”

Walking through the house, Mauricio  which are scattered with toys and laundry fresh from the line. “There is more space for our children to be free to play. It’s more comfortable for all of us.” As he explains the changes, his seven-year-old son, Roni, ten-year-old daughter, Erika, and their ten-year old cousin, Joel, giggle, immersed in their own private game.

Space has been a tangible necessity for both Mauricio and Elvira. Before applying for a house with Habitat for Humanity Guatemala, they experienced very different circumstances. Mauricio explains, “We lived with my father, close by in the area. There was a lot of family crammed into one house. I would say about twelve people living in five rooms. There was no privacy, there was no freedom.”

Despite this drawback, Mauricio is happy to have had the experience, as it introduced him to the organization. “My father’s house was a Habitat house from about eighteen to twenty years ago. And we knew that if we applied for a house, it would be of good quality.”

Now, Mauricio, Elvira, and their children can thrive in their new space. “It is beautiful to have a place at last. We seized an unbelievable opportunity that has left us happy and secure enough to grow our family. Habitat has left us with a beautiful house.”