Diego's Story - from hopeless to HOPE

Hope Renewed International has been called to serve in three primary locations in Guatemala.  Two of which are in Guatemala City - near the Dump and in the Ghetto of La Limonada.  The third location is west of Guatemala City in SANTIAGO ATITLAN on the shore of Lake Atitlan.  

Lake Atitlan

The poverty and need are very obvious in the City - but the beauty of the Atitlan area can make it less apparent.  The area is home to beautiful landscapes, coffee farms and tourism.  It is in this area that HRI owns a small piece of land on the shore of Lake Atitlan, where we are building Hope Community for young men who are aging out of the orphan care system.  Orphanages are overcrowded and inadequate to prepare adolescents for the next steps in their lives – becoming independent and active members of their communities.  Hope Community will focus on spiritual and vocational training, preparing the young men for the responsibilities of adulthood such as financial stability, work ethics, leadership within their families and community, while also prioritizing faith formation and discipleship.  As Hope Renewed finalizes the building and educational plans for Hope Community, Dani Quieju, HRI’s agriculturist, lives nearby and works the land.   Dani is a Godly man who strives to care for HRI’s growing coffee farm, where the young men of Hope Community (learn more here) will have the opportunity to work and grow.  He looks forward to the day when he will have the opportunity to see growth not only in the plants he oversees, but in the young men he will mentor and train.  

In February, God brought him an opportunity to show His love NOW. 

Hope Renewed Board Vice President, Rob Douglas, received an urgent message from Dani asking for prayer for a young man named Diego.  Dani had gone into the forest above the land and come upon the young man, just 14 years old, who was despondent and at the point of taking his own life.   As Dani listened, Diego shared his story...

Diego shared that he is in charge of providing for the needs of his grandmother and himself, doing so only by gathering wood from the forest to sell across the lake in Santiago. He has lived with his grandmother since his parents were senselessly murdered one Sunday morning leaving church when he was just 7 years old.  Diego said that while having no choice but to shoulder the role of provider, he was still determined to get an education (Guatemala provides free education for all children for just 6 years - after which if a student is to go further than the 5th grade, there are potentially prohibitive costs involved - for more information read our blog post on education).  However, largely due to effects of the pandemic, Diego said he no longer had the resources to pay for his education or take care of his grandmother and had become hopeless.  This 14 year old boy, forced to be an adult, had come to a desperate moment.  YET God never left him, bringing Dani to that exact spot in the woods at precisely the right time to speak love, compassion and HOPE into Diego’s darkest moment!

Dani shared with Rob, “I was shocked to see him trying to kill himself…but God is great and I could help convince him not to take his own life.”  Dani, as overseer of HRI land, had a few odd jobs to offer Diego right away - but knew that God had brought this boy to Hope Renewed for a reason - so he reached out to Rob.  Dani shared Diego’s story and faithfully requested prayer for another miracle, saying:   

“I ask all my brothers out there, especially you, my bosses, to give a lot of honor to that poor boy, because through prayer, miracles exist. God is Love, 🙏🙏🙏”

Diego

Rob immediately reached out to the rest of the Board of Directors - sharing Diego’s story and Dani’s request for prayer.  At the time, Rob was with his mom, Sally Douglas, celebrating her birthday.  As Rob shared the details of the story, Sally instantly declared that she knew exactly what she wanted for her birthday - to sponsor Diego’s education through HRI’s scholarship program! 

Another miracle begins!    

Hope Renewed Staff, Obed and Ruth, travelled from Hope Renewed Offices in Guatemala City that very week to meet Diego and determine the best way to support his education.  (Learn more about HRI’s scholarship program)

Rob helped his mom sponsor Diego through HRI’s website.  This woman so far away from rural Guatemala was moved by God to make a difference in one boy's life.  Who knows what the ripple effect of her one action will be?  What lives and communities will be changed because of her decision to give HOPE to a boy she will probably never meet in person? 

Sally Douglas

Diego is now back in school

Sally’s generosity has provided his uniforms, supplies, and registration for this year at “Colegio Mixto de Educación Básica Canton Tzanchaj”  - nicknamed Padre Ablast.  Diego is in the 3rd grade (equivalent to 9th grade in the US - 3 years past the compulsory education requirements in Guatemala) and continues to work to support himself and his grandmother - but now with a renewed hope for the future!

Diego gave us permission to share his story with you - so we ask you to pray for this young man, his future, his family, his community and his country.  Each person in this world is seen and known by God - loved and cherished.  Please help us continue to touch the ones God brings to Hope Renewed International by supporting HRI today.

Diego and his Grandma