Date Build: February 25th - 26th, 2022
FAMILY INFORMATION:
Father: Jose Manuel
Age: 30 years old
Profession: bricklayer assistant
Salary Weekly: $90 USD
Mother: Ana
Age: 28 years old
Profession: helper
Salary Weekly: $ 60 USD
CHILDREN
Name: Heriberto - Age: 13 years old.
Name: Mariana - Age: 13 years old.
Name: Kimberly - Age: 8 years old.
Name: Brillit - Age: 5 years old.
TIME IN TIJUANA: 28 years
Letter from the family:
Dear beloved Homes of Hope, my name is Ana Karen Guiterrez Martinez and I’m going to tell you a little bit about my story and the reasons why I need a home, as well about the dream of having my own house.
At the age of 14, there was a man who took advantage of my innocence, leaving me pregnant with my first child, who I named Mariana. Identifying as a single mom at this point, since the dad did not want to accept this responsibility, it was incredibly difficult. I was only a girl myself, but my child quickly became my greatest blessing, as well as my biggest worry. She was diagnosed with Asthma, which he inherited. There were very sad moments, especially as I watched her get worse. When she turned 2 ½ years old, we received the sad news that her father had passed away. We went through very hard years trying to give the best we could to my daughter. A while later, I met my second partner with whom I had two more beautiful girls, named Kimberly and Brillit. Everything was going well in our relationship until we had an economic crisis and some complications with my next pregnancy, causing my partner to make the decision to pursue work in the United States, in search of the American dream. Which quickly became a nightmare for me when he completely disappeared from our lives, again leaving me as a single mom, now with the responsibility to care for three daughters. I moved back to my mother’s house, at this time Mariana got even worse, and they detected Cataracts in her eyes. I didn’t have money to pay for her surgery, and had to ask around for financial support. At the same time, Kimberly became infected in her urinary tract, which caused her a lot of pain and hot flashes. After many tests, they were not able to prescribe an effective anti-bacterial medicine to kill the infection.
After much searching for a way to provide for my daughter, I was able to get Mariana’s operation on one eye. I was also finally able to find a solution for Kimberly’s tract infection too.
Rooted from so many problems, and being forced to face them on my own with my three daughters, without even realizing it, I fell into the world of drugs. To the point that I almost lost my life because of them. It was a very difficult process, terrible, and dark. But in those moments, I would ask God for strength and He helped me escape that horrible world. I felt that in that moment of prayer He took me by the hand and pulled me out, and today I see God did a miracle with me. Shortly after, even my thoughts became more positive. I was able to get a job, get on a good path, began moving forward with my daughters, I even met someone! He was a man who was a single father, a hard-worker, and together we have made a beautiful family. We have been fighting for our home, growing our family, and have worked as hard as possible to complete the first step in this process which is paying our lot. Sadly, our wages don’t allow us to build our own home with livable conditions for my 4 children. I know there are people with even worse conditions than us, and there’s not a day that goes by that I don't ask that those people would also have the opportunity to fulfill their dreams, but at this moment I also wish with my whole heart to have my own house too. I long for a home full of love, happiness, smiles, for my humble family.
I give thanks for the lives of every single person working with Homes of Hope, and for the opportunity you are giving me to qualify for a home.
Goodbye, with lots of love,
Gutierrez family
