Hope in Guatemala City Slums

His world is so different from mine. True, I grew up "poor," too -- in American terms. But poverty here, in Guatemala City's Zone 18 slums, is another thing entirely. Since Guatemala's civil war ended in 1996 (fighting was in mostly rural areas), the urban slums have swelled. Of 7.5 million in greater Guatemala City, nearly half live in abject poverty. Listen to what that means: The average family here consists of 6 children, one mother in a 10x10' shack, living on less than $2 per day. Father figures almost do not exist here (only occasional boyfriends, with sexual abuse against children commonplace). Angel is 17 years old. Boys his age are typically near the end of their life expectancy -- on average dying by age 24 due to gang violence, drugs or disease. This slum has one of the highest violent crime rates in the world. While I was here, a mother and her 11-year-old daughter were murdered on our street as part of a boy's gang initiation. Angel witnessed his own father's murder as well. There is hope! Through @engadiministries , the amazing non-profit we are partnered with here, we have built a larger, stronger house for Angel and his family (8 children total). Angel "earned" his way into our Derek program, helping to build a soccer stadium and our community Transformation Center right in the middle of Zone 18. With Engadi's support, he is now in school studying at a fourth grade level. He wants to be a lawyer. It's not beyond him. We have already seen these boys' potential, as some have graduated high school, going on as professionals and coming back to improve this community! Early every morning, before school, Angel joins the 24 other Derek Program boys in the Transformation Center to study the Bible and grow spiritually. Please pray with us for his continued motivation and perseverance, and for our wisdom as we select which three boys from the Derek program to bring into our new Benaiah Home first. (More news about this exciting ministry soon!)