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 Natalia Esmeralda Hernandez Lopez and I am excited to let you know a little about my life. I was born on April 16, 2013. I am 11 years old and fortunately, I am in good health. I attend school as a sixth grader. My favorite pastime is playing soccer with my friends. I love spaghetti and my favorite color is purple. Cats are nice and adorable, so I like them very much. I am the oldest child in my family. I have one brother, but no sisters. We attend the Prince of Peace Church alongside our parents. My father is Hector Hernandez Coj. He works as a farmer and day laborer in our village. My mother is Julia Esperanza Lopez Gonzalez. She is a housewife and raises hens at home for our consumption. Besides hens, we have one dog and a few cats as pets.

We live with my grandparents and other relatives at my aunt’s house. The house is made of concrete blocks with a concrete roof and a ceramic floor. It has four rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. I beg you to pray for my whole family and our needs. Our priorities are corn and groceries. I am glad to be part of LW-Adopt a Child. The feeding program is just 10 minutes from my home, so I get there on foot. I will leave you now, but I hope to hear from you. It would be amazing to receive a letter from you soon.

Affectionately,

Natalia Esmeralda Hernandez Lopez

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala