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.

I am so blessed to greet you through this letter. My full name is Michael Marvin Luis Grave and I am a healthy 10-year-old boy. I was born on May 29, 2014. I am in fourth grade and my favorite hobby is playing soccer with my friends. I like dogs and my favorite color is blue. I like having chicken for my meals, especially if it is fried. I live with my parents and sister. I only have one sister. Fortunately, everybody is doing well. My father is Jorge Luis Portuguez. He works as a farmer and day laborer. My mother is Cristina Grave Luis. She is a housewife and sells clothes in the market five days weekly. My father usually helps her to accommodate her business. Her days off are Wednesdays and Saturdays. My parents do their best to provide my sister and me with all we need at home, but it is sometimes difficult. Our priorities are groceries and school supplies.

My family and I do not attend any church at the moment, so please pray for us. Thankfully, we live in our own house. It is made of adobe bricks with a tin sheet roof and a concrete floor. It has two rooms and a separate kitchen. There is no electricity and running water at home, but one of our closest neighbors shares the services with us, so my parents pay half of the bills. We raise a few chickens and pigs at home. I live about 15 minutes from the feeding program, so I have to take a tuk-tuk to get there. The school is near the feeding program, so it is easier for me to get there after the school journey. It is time to say goodbye, but I thank you so much for reading my information. Until next time!

Sincerely yours,

Michael Marvin Luis Grave

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala