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Date Build: Monday 31st, March - Tuesday 01st, April 2025
FAMILY INFORMATION
MOTHER: Zuleyma
Age: 29 years old
Job: factory worker
Salary weekly: $125 US
FATHER: Kleiberth
Age: 31 years old
Job: mechanic
Salary weekly: $150 US
CHILDREN:
Mateo - 2 years old
LETTER FROM THE FAMILY:
Dear Homes of Hope team, My name is Zuleyma Benítez Hernández. My husband is Kleiberth Julián Cervantes, and our son is Mateo Julián Benítez. For a long time, I thought I would never be able to have children, but God placed wonderful people in my path, and two years ago, He blessed us with our little Mateo. My husband and I will forever be grateful to our Heavenly Father and promised to one day give our son a home. Six years ago, we moved to Tijuana from a small town near Acapulco, Guerrero. My husband and I met in 2014, dated for four years, and decided to marry in 2018. We have now been married for six years. I grew up in a humble home. My mother was a single parent with four children, and because of our financial situation, I had to start working at a young age to help support our family, which prevented me from finishing my studies. However, my mother always taught me the importance of faith in God and gratitude, even when all we had to eat were tortillas. That is why, when we moved to Tijuana in search of a better future, I brought my mother with me. I will always be grateful to her for everything she did to raise my siblings and me. My husband has only one brother, and his mother lives in southern Mexico. Unfortunately, his father passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since arriving in Tijuana, we have lived in rented spaces. At first, we rented a small room, but when our baby was born, we had to find another place because the room was damp and cold, causing Mateo to fall seriously ill. He had to be hospitalized due to a virus he contracted, but thanks to God, he recovered. After his birth, I had to stop working to breastfeed him as recommended by the doctors to help strengthen his health. This meant that my husband had to cover all expenses on his own, forcing us to move to a more affordable rental. However, we later discovered that the house was infested with bedbugs. Despite regular fumigation, the infestation remains a health hazard, especially for our baby. We wanted to move again but could not find an affordable alternative. A year ago, we decided to start paying for a piece of land. To help with expenses, I returned to work since my husband’s income alone was not enough. Thankfully, my beloved mother is still with us, and she takes care of our baby while we work. We also support her, as she can no longer work. This month marks one year since we started paying for our land, but due to high costs, we have not been able to build yet. Currently, we are buying wood little by little to build a small room, as staying in our current home is not a long-term option. On Christmas Day, while giving thanks to God for His blessings, I saw a post about your organization on my phone. I felt it was a divine sign and decided to give it a try. When I read that you would reach out to me, I was overwhelmed with emotion and cried, trusting that God had a purpose. When I received your call, my coworkers hugged me and cried with me, knowing the struggles my family and I have endured. We are deeply grateful to God for this opportunity to have a home of our own and provide our child with a safe and dignified place to grow. We will forever be thankful to God and to you for bringing joy to so many families. I hope that one day I can give back and join your mission, helping build homes for those in need. May God bless your wonderful work.