Nueva Vida Guatemala

09/06/2026

Would you pray with us for Santa María this week?

Heavy rains have caused landslides and fallen trees across the region, including along the main road connecting Santa María to neighboring communities. While access remains partially open, conditions are vulnerable and can change quickly during the rainy season.

Many of our staff travel from surrounding communities each day, and many of our families travel outside of Santa María for work. Out of an abundance of caution, we made the decision to cancel classes yesterday and today to help keep everyone safe.

We would also appreciate prayers for health and protection as Santa María continues to face a measles outbreak. We recently had to cancel kindergarten classes due to active cases and continue to monitor the situation closely. Santa María is currently the most affected municipality in our region.

These challenges are not unusual during this season, but they are reminders of the realities many families navigate each day.

Thank you for keeping our students, families, staff, and community in your prayers. 💛

📷 Photos shared by Canal 14 & Nueva Era Noticias.

26/05/2026

This October, a small group will spend a week at Nueva Vida in Guatemala, building a home alongside one of our families, celebrating the final week of school with students and staff, and stepping into the daily life of the community in Santa María de Jesús. 🇬🇹

It will be hands-on, relational, faith-rooted, and deeply meaningful. A week of work, laughter, learning, shared meals, conversations, dusty shoes, and real connection.

We recently hosted an info night for the trip and wanted to share the recording here for anyone who may have missed it or is curious to learn more.

🎥 Info Night Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWufWgNy3bw

📝 Participant Application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfhdY-0mgYcXWONrmZVYpidvxnx1BGLa-XzXFsJO6vhRS4FDg/viewform

We’d love to connect if you have questions or would like to talk more about the trip.

We recently hosted a short info night for our upcoming Nueva Vida G...

22/05/2026

The circus came to Nueva Vida 🎪❤️

Today, we celebrated Día de la Familia in Guatemala with costumes, performances, music, laughter, and so many proud smiles.

Watching our students step into the spotlight, cheer one another on, and celebrate alongside their families brought so much joy. (And honestly, aren’t the costumes and decorations our staff made incredible!?)

We’re so grateful for moments like these. ✨

19/05/2026

In Guatemala, nearly 1 in 2 children under five experiences chronic malnutrition.

In Indigenous communities like Santa María de Jesús, the rates are even higher, especially for families already navigating poverty, exclusion, and disability.

A child who is undernourished may struggle to concentrate in school. They may become sick more often. Therapy progress can slow. Development can be delayed.

And in places where disability is still often misunderstood, children can quietly fall further and further behind.

Each day, our onsite cook, Doña Letty, prepares and serves 76 meals for students alongside the school day.

Because children cannot learn well when they are hungry.

Because steady meals matter for growing bodies and minds.

And because caring for children should include the whole child.

For many students at Nueva Vida, a school day also means something steady to eat, people who know their name, and a place where they are welcomed fully.

12/05/2026

This month in The Schoolyard, Ms. Juanita’s first grade class walked through Santa María de Jesús as tourists in their own town.

They photographed market stalls, churches, toy stands, volcano views, and streets they pass every day.

One of Ms. Juanita’s favorite parts was hearing students laugh and say that even though these places were familiar, they were seeing new things.

We created The Schoolyard for the people who want to walk closely alongside Nueva Vida month after month. The people who want to know our staff and students by name, glimpse everyday life in Guatemala, and stay connected not only to the work itself, but to the community at the heart of it.

If that sounds like you, we’d love to welcome you into The Schoolyard.

📍 Find more information here: https://nuevavidaguatemala.org/join-the-schoolyard

10/05/2026

Today we celebrate the moms, grandmothers, aunts, and so many others who care for the children in our community. 💛

On Friday, our students spent the day making cards, flowers, and small gifts for the moms and mother figures in their lives, excited to bring them home at the end of the day.

Feliz Día de la Madre from Nueva Vida 🌸

07/05/2026

We’re hosting a short virtual info night tonight at 7:30 PM CST for our trip to visit Nueva Vida in Guatemala this October.

If you’ve been thinking about it or are just curious what a week like this would actually look like, you’re so welcome to join.

It’ll be simple and conversational, about 30 minutes with space for questions.

Join here:
https://meet.google.com/yqe-fhdf-kix

05/05/2026

JOIN US IN GUATEMALA THIS FALL 🇬🇹

We’re so excited to invite you to Guatemala with Nueva Vida this October 25 to November 1.

The week will include time at Nueva Vida, helping with a VBS and end-of-year celebration, building a home alongside a Nueva Vida family, spending time in the community of Santa María de Jesús, and participating in cultural activities.

It’s going to be a full and beautiful week. An opportunity to meet our staff and students and spend time in the life of the community.

A chance to step into what God is already doing here and to be part of it in a real way.

We’re hosting two short info nights if you want to hear more and get a feel for whether it might be a fit:

This Thursday, May 7 at 7:30pm CST
Tuesday, May 19 at 7:30pm CST

If you’ve been thinking about it, this is a really easy place to hear more and get your questions answered.

💻 SIGN UP FOR AN INFO NIGHT HERE: https://forms.gle/QQmK8uqAzpF9RJDF9

If you can’t make it, you can still fill out the form and we’ll follow up with you.

👉 Participant Application Form: https://forms.gle/UtwuWpkq19DvNUwH7

30/04/2026

In Guatemala, only about 50% of students make it through lower secondary school.

For children with disabilities, the barriers start much earlier.

Children with disabilities are far less likely to attend and complete school, and many never have the opportunity at all.

In Santa María de Jesús, disability is still often seen as something to hide.

Families are told their child will not learn. That school is not for them.

And for many children, that becomes true. Not because they cannot learn, but because they are never given the chance.

Nueva Vida exists to change that reality.

Right now, 76 students are receiving a primary education, and 12 more are joining us in therapy.

We believe each of these children is created in the image of God, with something to learn and something to offer. Here, they are being given the chance to live into that.

28/04/2026

It might not look like much at first.

Erick and Victoria have been working together this week in occupational therapy, building strength, coordination, and focus in ways that don’t always show at first glance.

Even something as simple as plasticine can play a part in that.

We’ll be sharing more of Erick’s progress, and other glimpses from this month, in our April newsletter landing in inboxes this Thursday.

➡️ You can join our mailing list and stay connected here: https://tinyurl.com/Nueva-Vida-Newsletter