Guatemala suffers from widespread povery that is extreme even within Latin America. And it is also from there that immigrants are arriving at La Posada, desperate for a new life.

Immigrants everywhere are usually on the move, like Mabel Laura and her four-year-old child from the Guatemalan border. Mabel Laura’s story is like so many others, a story of someone desperate for a new life. She’s looking for a future for her 4-year-old daughter and her seven-day old U.S. born child after barely surviving the pervasive poverty and rampant violence in Guatemala.

Mabel Laura commented that it was a seven-hour ride through long, winding, mountainous roads to reach the Guatemalan-Mexican border, but with each step, she knew she was closer to her dream. Mabel Laura was 9 months pregnant and traveling with her four year old and knew that another dangerous crossing into Mexico was ahead, but continued the journey; she had faith that God was with her the whole way.

Upon her arrival to the U.S., she immediately went into labor and gave birth to her son. She is overjoyed that her son was born after her journey was complete as opposed to giving birth during the arduous and dangerous journey. She is more than eager to provide her daughter and son the education she wished she had growing up. She happily shared that this country gives opportunities to people to find a good place in this world. “I am just one out of a million.”