My Story

Zacualpa is a small but busy village in a mountain valley. The village is inhabited by both Quiche Mayans and Ladinos (those with mixed European ancestry). The prevalent language is Spanish. Families in this village live in one or two room homes generally constructed of either wood or adobe. Although many of the people are farmers, the village contains several small specialized stores, a body repair shop for buses, mechanics, plumbers and many other small town tradesmen. It also has a large open air market which serves much of the area. Even with all of this, the poverty level is very high and the children are very needy.

Hello! My name is Victor Josue Ezequiel Morente Mendez and it is a pleasure to share my information with you through this letter. I was born on December 25, 2017. I am 7 years old and I attend school as a first grader. I like playing soccer and my favorite color is blue. I love having sausages for my meals, and the tiger is my favorite animal. I have two brothers and two sisters. We live with my mom and grandparents. My mother’s name is Hilaria Silvia Mendez Morente. She is a domestic employee and sells second-hand clothes to cover the necessities of our family. Our priorities are food and clothes. My father is Victoriano Morente Grave. He separated from my mom about a month ago, but he helps us with a little money every week. He makes a living as a motorcycle taxi driver.

I attend the Prince of Peace Christian Church alongside my family. We are grateful to my grandfather, Benito Mendez, because he allows us to raise some chickens at his house. While my mom works, one of my aunts takes care of my siblings and me. We live in a house made of adobe, tin sheet roof, and concrete floors. It has four rooms, a separated kitchen, electricity, and a well. I live a twenty-minute walk from the feeding program. I feel blessed to be part of LW-Adopt a Child. This is all for now, but I hope to share more about my life soon. Have a nice day!

Huge hugs,

Victor Josue Ezequiel Morente Mendez

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala