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 full name is Valery Aida Gomez Gutierrez and I am pleased to share my information with someone special like you. Fortunately, I am a healthy girl. I was born on December 31, 2020. I am four years old now. I do not attend school because I am younger, so I stay home with my mother. My favorite pastime is playing with my dolls. I love rabbits and my favorite color is pink. I like having black beans and hard boiled eggs for my meals. Now, let me tell you that I have a beautiful family and everybody is doing well. We are members of a Christian Church called Assembly of God. My father is Jose Luis Gomez Pantzay and he makes typical blouses from Quiche. While he strives to bring the daily bread to our home, my mother takes care of my sisters and me. My mother’s name is Telma Gutierrez Chingo. I only have two sisters.

My family and I live with my grandparents and one of my uncles. They are my relatives on my mother’s side. The house belongs to my grandfather. It is made of concrete blocks with a tin sheet roof and a concrete floor. It has four rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and an artisanal well. Fortunately, we have enough space to raise a few domestic animals. We have some chickens, pigs, a dog, and a cat. I am so happy because I am already enrolled at the feeding program. My family and I get there in a tuk-tuk or a motorcycle. The journey takes us 20 minutes from our house. Before saying goodbye, I ask you to pray for my family. Some of our priorities are clothes and food. Thank you so much for your time! I hope to hear from you soon.

With much love,

Valery Aida Gomez Gutierrez

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala