Help The Amaya Family Come Home

I’ve never been great at asking for help; neither has my husband. We have always tried our hardest to accomplish our goals, slowly, on our own. Now because of the current political situation in Honduras and the ever growing danger of protest, riots, military imposed curfews, violence and so much uncertainty we are finally ready to ask for help. 

Luis and I met almost four years ago when I came with Kutztown University’s chapter of Students Helping Honduras as a volunteer. I came to help build public schools for children in need and Luis was also working for the nonprofit at the time. I came to Honduras thinking I would help build a school, learn more about myself, make some new friends and go back home feeling like I made a tiny difference. I never expected to fall in love. Not with the people, the beautiful children, the country and certainly not with Luis. But I did and after a year of long distance dating and coming back to Honduras every couple of months I decided to take the plunge and move to Honduras after graduation. 

I became an English teacher at a bilingual school.  I instantly fell deeper in love. Teaching and my students filled me with unexplainable joy. My students and Luis became my life and I was the happiest I had ever been. We rescued a puppy, Oliver, who ended up finding a kitty, Leah, thrown out in the trash. Our little family grew. We became part of an amazing church filled with the most wonderful people and our faith and love really grew into something beautiful. We really started putting down roots. I began to think of Honduras as my home. We didn’t think we would consider going to the states for a very long time. 

Sadly, things have drastically changed and become more dangerous. I don’t see our family growing here anymore. Luis and I decided to begin the process of making him a US resident but it is very expensive and with the little we earn in lempiras (Honduran currency) it would be practically impossible for us to make the money to finish the residency process, buy airplane tickets, move all of our belongs, and come back home. 

This is why we are finally ready to ask for help. I know everyone has their own responsibilities and bills to pay but any small contribution would really make such a huge difference in our goal to come back home. 

Thank you all so much! For reading this and for helping. You have no idea how much your contribution would  mean to us, we are eternally grateful for everyone’s generosity and help. 

The Amaya family


*Edited to add to clarity at the request of GoFundMe*
I am Vanessa Cortes  (Luis Amaya is my husband) -- this campaign is run for us, by us to get back to the United States. Anything donated will be going towards finishing the spousal residency process for Luis, transporting our rescues, purchasing flights to New Jersey, and moving the few belongings we can take with us. We already have a residency sponsor and know where we will be staying in New Jersey (campaign zip code 07044) once we raise enough to leave our current home in Honduras. Any and all donations collected through this campaign are set up to go directly to my own account and be withdrawn by me and my husband as we move through the process.