Homes for Homeless Families in Guatemala

This is the story of Mrs. Adriana who is 70 years old, as she thinks since she has been wandering in the streets for a long time and does not have any documents or memory of her real age.  She is a lonely person, doesn’t have a husband, any sons or daughters or a family that cares for her.  While she was wandering she never had the chance of clean up or even worst she didn’t take care of herself.  She had psychiatric problems, sometimes she insulted the people who talked to her.

Every night she came to our Santa Madre Homeless Shelter, where she was warmly welcomed with food, clothes and a dignify place to stay over the night. While she was staying there she never acted violent or insulted the other women or staff but she was all the time away from people.

In one opportunity, she mentioned that she did have children but they abandoned her and that she had a bad life while she was living with her husband.  She said that they left her taking away everything she had.  She never mentioned how it happened but she did mention that her life was hard since little and decided to not fight for her life.  As time was passing by, her mental problems were increasing, sometimes she cursed people or she attacked herself.

When Asociación Nuestros Ahijados realized of her mental problems immediately gave her the psychological aid giving her the treatment to prevent the self harm she was doing and to help with to prevent anger toward others.  In coordination with the Mental Health Hospital in Guatemala the project referred her to them, where she was immediately admitted.  The project’s psychologist is always visiting her and giving the follow up to support her and to provide the medication for her treatment.

In the past years, the Santa Madre Homeless Shelter has received thousands of people from all over the country and Central America, and we are always caring for each of them, more in cases like this with Mrs. Adriana.  While she was staying with us, as all the other people, she received a special and dignified treatment to make them feel special and valued.