My Story

Chixocol, where your child lives, is a very small village nestled in a mountain valley in the state of Quiche, Guatemala. Life in this state is very difficult and somewhat isolated from the outside world. Most families live in one-room adobe houses with dirt floors and a small attached kitchen. The extremely poor live in houses made of corn stalks. In the past few years electricity and water have become available to most people in the area - however, indoor plumbing is very rare. Most of the families are farmers or shepherds and live off the fruits of their labors. Public education is available for those who can afford it and consider it of value. Life in Quiche is always a challenge.

My name is Angel Josue Noriega de la Cruz and I hope you are doing well. Before telling you about my life, I thank you very much for reading my information. I was born on December 6, 2016. Fortunately, I am a healthy 8-year-old boy. I am in second grade and my favorite color is blue. I like playing with my toy cars in my free time. My favorite animal is the lion. About food, let me tell you that I love hamburgers. Now, let me tell you about my family. My father’s name is Edwin Magno Noriega Estrada. He is doing well. He makes a living as a bus driver and helps us economically every week. He does not live with us because he is separated from my mom. On the other hand, my mom works as a day laborer in our village. My mom usually brings my siblings and me to her work to take care of us. I have two sisters but no brothers. My mother’s name is Catarina de la Cruz Mendez. She uses her days off to do the household chores. I beg you to pray for her because she has suffered from pain in her right leg. She is not under treatment because of a lack of money. 

We are a Christian family and attend a church in our village. Fortunately, we live in our own house. It is made of adobe with a tile roof and a granite floor. It has two rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. My father pays the bills for those services. We raise a few chickens at home for our consumption. My parents do their best to provide for all our family needs, but it is challenging. Our priorities are groceries. I feel blessed to be part of the feeding program. We usually walk for 30 minutes from our house to get there. This is all for now, but I hope to hear from you soon. May God bless you!

Sincerely yours,

Angel Josue Noriega de la Cruz

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary/Antigua Guatemala