NAME:  Oscar Arnoldo Mejía
AGE: 36 years old

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

I was born in Santa Rosa De Lima, Santa Rosa department in 1,971.  My father died about five days before I born, for that reason my mother, my older brother and I separated of my father’s family and start to live in a town close to Guatemala City where my mom found a job to take care of us.  I am the second of my two brothers and a sister.  In that time my older brother started to live with my grandparents and the reason was because the salary that my mom was earning wasn’t enough.  Two years later my sister was born and four more years later my second brother was born too, they were from different father who never helped my mother with nothing.  Some years later, my mother decided to live with a stepfather that I never liked, for that reason I escaped from home.  I went to live with my grandparents.  They took care of me for some year but they couldn’t continue to support me because for their economic situation too.  My grandmother found an orphanage in Ciudad Vieja which is close to Antigua Guatemala.  In that orphanage I had the necessary things to educate me.  They helped much for about nine years until I graduated of high school.  After that I started to live alone.  I started to work in a private school earning Q.300.00 a month, which was my first salary.  I tried to continue studying at the only state college in Guatemala for two years but I couldn’t continue because my economic situation wasn’t enough to support myself.  Then I changed of work to try to earn more but without much successful.  Since that time I had about five different jobs.  In the last one, which is an NGO, I was working for approximately eight years.  In that job I learned very good things to help the poor people of my country.  In December of 2004 I started to work for From Houses To Homes, since that time until today (May of 2007) I have been working for this project.

I married in 1998 with Lorena, who is a wonderful woman and a very nice person.  We have three children, two sons and daughter.  I am very proud of my wife and my children.

WHY I LIKE TO HELP THE POOR PEOPLE OF MY COUNTRY

I enjoy working for my people because I know how their situation is.  I lived with a similar style of life that they have and I can understand how they feel living in very poor conditions.  Besides, it feels good to know that there are other people from different countries who want to see little by little some change in our country through their support.  I think this is something that worth it to do for all those who still hope to receives something to change their lives.

NAME:  Henio Wilfredo Pérez Garrido
AGE: 29 years old

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

I was born in Villa Canales, which is part of Guatemala City, in 1,977.  I belong to a very poor family.  I am the sixth of my brothers and sisters.  Now I live in San Felipe de Jesús, which is part of Antigua Guatemala.  As of today I live in the same site with my wife, my parents, some of my brother and sisters and other relatives.

WHY I LIKE TO HELP THE POOR PEOPLE OF MY COUNTRY

First, I work at FHTH because Joe Collins is giving me the opportunity to be part of his work team.  I like to work for the people like my family, who are poor too but for the benefit of the communities.  I also, enjoy seeing the happiness of the people when we finish a house, especially when they know that we also are Guatemalans.


NAME:  Juan José López
AGE: 24 years old

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

I was born in Masagua, Escuintla department in 1,983.  Guatemala is a very poor country but it’s people always smiling.  I have family, father, mother and four brothers.  My parents are separated since 20 years ago.  I was and still very poor.  I suffered too much.  I started to work when I was fifteen years old and I like to work very much.  Now I have a wife and two very little but beautiful daughters.  We live in San Felipe de Jesús which is close to Antigua.

WHY I LIKE TO HELP THE POOR PEOPLE OF MY COUNTRY

God helps much if we help others.  I am poor too and I know everything about suffer.  We have to help us each other and because I have a family, I need to think in the future of my daughters and in the future of the others.  God bless Joe because he is helping the poor people.

NAME:  Fernando Martin García Yucuté
AGE: 17 years old

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

I was born in Guatemala City in 1,989.  I live in San Felipe which is close to Antigua Guatemala.  I live together with all my family.  I am the older.  I am studying daily in the nights.  I like to live with my family.  My mother’s name is María Pedrina and I am very happy to have a family.

WHY I LIKE TO HELP THE POOR PEOPLE OF MY COUNTRY

I am doing this kind of work because I like to help the poor people and to all those that need help to have a better place to live.


NAME:  Saul Leonardo Linares
AGE: 22 years old

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

I was born in La Antigua Guatemala, My sister and I were living in an orphanage for many years since I was 6 years old, my mother died in that time.  Four years later my uncle and his wife took us to live in Guatemala City with some other relatives.  When I was 14 years old, my sister and I came back to Antigua Guatemala to live with my uncle and his wife.  For approximately two years, I had some help from another NGO to continue studying.  Now I live with my uncle and other relatives in the 1st. street No.4.  I never met my father and now my sister lives with another family.  Last year I graduated as an Accountant.

WHY I LIKE TO HELP THE POOR PEOPLE OF MY COUNTRY

I do this kind of work because I am really motivated to do it, besides that I have a job to help myself.  In this way no one will say that I am not doing nothing for my people.

NAME: Abel Santos

NAME: Edgar Piche

NAME: Erni Colón

NAME: Héctor López

NAME: Isaías Xoc