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.

Many blessings for you! My full name is Joel Abdiel Aguilar De Leon and I am glad to share my information with you. I was born on October 27, 2018. Fortunately, I am a healthy 6-year-old boy. I still do not attend school, but I hope to do it next year. I stay home with my mother. My favorite pastime is playing soccer with my siblings. I have one brother and one sister. I like the color red and my favorite food is blended black beans with rice. Dogs are cute and fluffy, so I like them very much. The one who supports our family is my father. His name is Joel Abrahan Aguilar Sicajan. He works in a motorcycle workshop seven days a week. On the other hand, my mom keeps busy with the household chores and takes care of my siblings and me. Her name is Norma Floricelda De Leon Chingo.

As for our spiritual life, let me tell you that we attend a Christian Church called Full Gospel. We live in a rented house, so we pay Q900=$116.75 monthly. The house is made of bricks with a tin sheet roof and a concrete floor. It has two rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. We pay for the electricity monthly. I beg you to pray for my family and our needs. Our priorities are groceries. The feeding program is ten minutes from my house. So, I usually get there on foot alongside my siblings and mom. I will leave you now, but I hope to hear from you soon. Take care of yourself!

Sincerely yours,

Joel Abdiel Aguilar De Leon

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala