“Every child should have the opportunity to fill their arms with books.” – Natalie de Leon

We are Julio, Natalie, Mia and Camila de Leon, and we are supporters of Child Aid’s book delivery program. Our family just returned from a visit to Guatemala where we met Child Aid literacy trainers and CEO Dr. Nancy Press and saw, firsthand, how meaningful Child Aid’s literacy work is to children in Guatemalan communities like the one where Julio grew up. 

Our family has a special tie to this beautiful nation because Julio grew up in Quetzaltenango (Xela). He moved to the United States in 2015 to pursue higher education, and Julio is now a second year medical student at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Our family was finally able to visit Guatemala this summer, and this trip is the first time Julio has been back to Guatemala in seven years. It was the first visit for the rest of us  – Natalie, Mia, and Camila.

“I loved being able to show my family where I grew up.” – Julio de Leon

Julio was so excited to finally return to Guatemala after an extended absence. He was surprised to see how much it had grown! Julio loved catching up with family and friends, eating good food, and the nostalgia of visiting his childhood home. “I loved being able to show my family where I grew up. After being gone so long I realized how much I had forgotten, such as how folks here always say “buenos días” even to strangers passing on the street. I want to hold this culture and these customs close, and I am very glad I was able to come back, even for a short trip.”

As we were planning our trip we knew that, along with reuniting with family and some amazing sightseeing – The legend of Tecum Uman, Lake Atitlan, and Catedral de Santiago in Antigua, were highlights! – we really wanted to do something to give back.

Watching our daughters Mia and Camila grow up helps us fully appreciate what a privilege high quality public education will be in their lives in the United States. We feel children everywhere should have these same opportunities. 

During our trip, our family met Child Aid CEO Nancy Press, National Director Graciela Landa Pichiya and several staff members in Child Aid’s San Cristobal office in Totonicapan.

We were impressed. 

Julio was especially touched by the story of two young girls in a Child Aid school who were thrilled to pick out armfuls of books from the school’s new collection.

“Hearing how Child Aid is making this same experience possible for children in Guatemala brought tears to my eyes.” – Julio de Leon

“As I heard about these children’s experience, I couldn’t help but think of my own daughter Mia who loves making frequent trips to our local public library. My daughter is able to walk through rooms with hundreds upon hundreds of books. She pours over new pages and fills her arms with books to take home. Hearing how Child Aid is making this same experience possible for children in Guatemala brought tears to my eyes. Every child should have the opportunity to fill their arms with books.”

With our help, and the support of good people like you, Child Aid makes that happen in hundreds of elementary schools across Guatemala. Child Aid’s efforts to create long lasting sustainable change in existing public schools in Guatemala are inspirational. And we know from this organization’s food delivery efforts during the pandemic that Child Aid has a clear understanding of what children in Guatemala genuinely need right now. 

We are inspired by the work Child Aid is doing for Guatemalan children,  and we are  grateful for the opportunity to help. Won’t you join us? 

We truly believe every child should have a good education.

With Love,

The de Leon Family