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.

My full name is Juana Abigail Liseth Calel Tiniguar and I am so happy to share a little about my life with you. I was born on November 26, 2016. I am 8 years old now. Fortunately, I am in good health and attend school as a second grader. My favorite hobby is playing with Lego toys. I like the color pink, my favorite animal is the cat, and I love having Guatemalan-Chinese rice for my meals. I want you to know that my family is healthy. My mother is Martha Tiniguar Toj. She is a nurse and works in a public health center. My father is Elias Calel Us. He makes a living as a merchant. He has helped us economically every month since he separated from my mom about 9 years ago. I only have one brother.

We attend a Christian Church called Prince of Peace. We live with my grandparents and other relatives on my mother’s side. The house belongs to my grandparents. It is made of concrete blocks with a concrete roof and a ceramic floor. It has eight rooms and a separate kitchen. My family and I only can use one room. Fortunately, there is electricity and running water at home. The electricity is paid monthly while the running water is paid annually. I ask you to pray for my family and our needs. Our priorities are groceries. The feeding program is near my home, so I only walk five minutes to get there. I send you many kisses and hugs, hoping to hear from you soon.

In the name of Jesus,

Juana Abigail Liseth Calel Tiniguar

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala