My Grandmother In Guatemala

My mother has always had major health issues, going in and out of hospitals all the time, but she wouldn't go down without a fight, and luckily, we still have her here with us. Any mother would want the best for her children, so one day my mom dropped everything in Reynosa and decided to move here, to the United States, in order to give us more opportunities and a real chance to succeed. Therefore, my parents have taught me to be the responsible, strong, and hard working person I am today.

It was my senior year in high school when my mom told me that my cousin, Mayra, had given birth to a baby girl. However, child protective services decided that Mayra wasn’t adequate to take care of the child; due to her drug abuse. Child protective services from Mexico were trying to place the baby with close relatives. Sadly, there was only three choices, her grandma, my aunt Gloria, and myself. The choices were few and the family small.

When I woke up that morning I was ready to go to Honduras. We stayed in Anthony’s key . Anthony’s key is a beautiful Island resort. I went with my sister, my dad, my mom, My grandpa, and my grandma. We got to do things such as snorkeling, canoeing, and horseback riding. It was a very fun experience for all of us.

From working several jobs at a time to make sure I had everything I needed, she became the reason why I was raised the way I raised. The lesson that “ I should treat everyone like the most important person in the world because I will never know when I might need them” was engraved in my head was owned by my mother. Sometimes she would tell me that she had holes in her socks and I knew it was due to most of her money going towards my private school tuition in order for me to be able to have the best education I could get. My mother is my background, my identity, interest, and talent. She is truly the one that has set me up for success, regardless of how fatigued or overworked she is. She is the person who truly defines who I am and who I have become to this

Growing up, my mother always encouraged me to be involved in any activity I should interest in, whether that be soccer, softball, theater, or chess club. While my mom did not always have the extra money or time, she never told me I could not pursue a new activity. Through my mother’s actions, I have learned to never settle and to continue to fight and work for better, for myself and others. My mother’s selfless attitude and positive attitude inspire me to have the same attitude with the my future family and the people around me.

In 1964, Guatemala was being run by a military junta, violence was a part of every day life, the economy was in shambles, and jobs were scare (Cuevas, 2011). It was in this setting that a young man, my future father-in-law, took a chance at a better life for he and his family. Enticed by rumors of prosperity in the United States, Alex and his brother Rene saved their money to journey to Chicago, leaving their families behind in a search for hope that was borne of desperation. Alex left his wife Ruth with 20 Guatemalan Quetzal, the equivalent of $20 dollars, and their three children, Vivien, 5, Ingrid, 3, and Marvin, a newborn baby. What experience lay in store for he and his family? How would they fare in an unknown country, without

As I stepped out of the airport, followed by my family, I was unprepared for the snowfall and icy pavement that is so commonplace in January in Michigan. If I had thought enough about it, I would have worn winter boots on the plane and maybe brought my puffy white coat to block the wind. Instead, I stood shivering in brand new, pink ballet-flat shoes, while snowflakes filled my eyelashes.

Just like many immigrant families, my family had to encounter many adversities in the United States. My mother had to live the harsh experience of walking long hours and starve as she battled to cross the border of Mexico and the United States. Nothing, not even the fact that she was 5 months pregnant was going to stop her because her dream of giving me a better life was stronger than any hardship. My father was a legal resident of the United States but during this period of time it was very hard for an immigrant person to aspire for a good job. He was destined to work in the fields for many years. I grew up and went to elementary school and since my father was working out in the fields I was signed up to the Migrant Program. As a small elementary

What was the process of my conversion like? I’ll begin with this year, all the way back to my trip in Guatemala. I struggled to understand what belief was and what being a follower of Christ really was. I was trying to understand the faith with my own intelligence, which constantly failed me. On top of that I was living without morals, saying, doing, and thinking whatever I pleased. This all, plus sickness, made my trip to Guatemala very challenging. As the year went on I still tried to live in Christ on my own will, which isn’t living in Christ at all. I would read his word but only some days instead of every day. What I didn’t realize is that I need his word every day. Because this world is evil and unclear, but his word gives ultimate clarity.

What’s it like being in Guatemala? What’s it like being on a plane? I asked these questions to myself. On June 29, 2012 I had the opportunity to find answers to these questions, however in a way that I wished would have not happened. My reason for going to Guatemala wasn’t to rest and have fun. It was for my grandpa’s funeral, a day that changed me forever. A day where I learned what it really means to be grateful.

It was a Monday in the summer of 2015. I was riding in an old 11 passenger van with 30 other people, on our way back from playing soccer. Most of the people were Guatemalan children screaming at the top of their lungs as the van rocked side to side as we drove up a narrow, winding, mountain road without guide rails. In the summer of 2015, I went to Guatemala for ten days, on a mission trip. My team (18 youth and pastors of East Side Church of God) and I visited four different Indian vilages: Chupol, Paquisis, Sacbichol, and Agua Escondita. We spent two days in each village and slept in each village’s church.

Team 2470 may not be the most organized team: the robot’s main components may go on in the last hours, tape drawers hold everything from pliers to saws, and metric-sized bolts may cause everlasting annoyance in their perennial placement on the robot. Still, this team has the right combination of quirks and science to ignite the fire of inspiration in its students and mentors. Team 2470’s fight to create and keep robotics as a sport for everyone has lasted through the years. They have not weathered the years completely alone, as they have grown a large community of support. Traversing outside of their cozy robotics room, this team has gone out to the community to shine. While this team cannot boast an assembly-line process, they can boast their inspiring influence.

My parents are unable to care for me because they are not in this country they are in Guatemala. They can to provide for me in Guatemala because we are financially unstable. My father is in charge of providing for the family, his occupation is farm work. My mother cannot get a job since in Guatemala there is not a lot of job opportunities and she has to take care of our home. To be able to further my education I would have to have to be financially stable, but we are not able to do that since I am not an only child. I have siblings that need the care and attention as myself. Where I live it is known for the violence that has been going on. There is no respect for one another. The gang violence has increased throughout the years. When recruiting

Guatemala is located in Central America bordered by Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras and Belize. In Guatemala there are about 15 million people. It is broke into 22 departments, instead of states or counties. The majority of the people living in Guatemala live below the national poverty level, making about two dollars a day.

From an early age I learned that our very best is often brought to action when we willingly take on challenges and persevere with grace through trying times. As a widowed, single mother, my mom strove for excellence in every area of her life in order to put food on the table for her children. She studied to be a nurse, quickly rose in to administration, became the first in our family to obtain a Masters in Business Administration (MBA), and earned a seat as a director for an international healthcare organization. Her determination and positive spirit served as a great example and sparked a passionate drive in my life to help others while striving for greatness.