Cuatro Caminos "four roads", where your child lives, is an area located high on the side of a mountain in the state of Quiché, Guatemala. Life in this area is very difficult and very isolated from the outside world. It is a two hour walk to the nearest market town of Zacualpa. Cuatro Caminos is a farming area where corn and black beans, the staple elements in their diet, are the major crops. The Quiche Mayans who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They normally speak a Mayan dialect called Quiché - however, Spanish is becoming more common. Very little money ever changes hands in this area as they live on a barter system. 

I greet you with much love, and I thank you in advance for reading my information. My full name is Marlon Enrique Benito Solis. I was born on November 6, 2015, so I am 9 years old. My parents’ names are Juan Benito Riz and Fermina Solis Castro. My dad works in a grocery store in Guatemala City, so he comes home every six months and only stays with us for one week. My mom is a housewife, raises domestic animals, and embroiders napkins for selling. I only have one brother, and his name is Juan. We are both registered at the feeding program, and we walk for 25 minutes to arrive at the program. At the moment, my family and I are not attending a church.  

I am in third grade this year, and in my free time, I play soccer. Thankfully, I am in good health. My favorite dish is fried chicken. Cats are beautiful animals for me, and I love the color green. I live with my family in a house that belongs to my dad. The house has two rooms and one kitchen. It is made of adobe with a tin sheet roof and dirt floor. We get water from a well, and thankfully, we have electricity service. We have hens at home. Our frequent needs are groceries and clothes. I end my letter and I hope you find it interesting. May God bless you!  

Sincerely yours 

Marlon Enrique Benito Solis 

Translated by: Loyda de Osorio, AAC Secretary-Antigua