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. 

Hello! My name is Maria Benito Morente, and I want to tell you a little about me. I was born on March 9, 2020, so I am 5 years old now. I am not attending school yet due to my age. I am in good health. I stay at home playing with my dolls and my siblings. I have one brother and two sisters, and two of them are registered at the feeding program too. I walk for 10 minutes with them to arrive at the program. My favorite dish is fried chicken. I like sheep, and I love the color purple. My family and I do not attend a church. Our income is low, so our frequent needs are groceries and clothes.  

My parents’ names are Mario Benito Riz and Ana Estela Morente Calachij. My father works as a day laborer, and he goes to cut sugar cane at the coast for six months. My mother works hard at home and takes care of us. Thankfully, they are both in good health. The house where we live belongs to my dad, and we share it with my paternal grandparents. The house has one room and a kitchen, and these are made of wood with a tin sheet roof and dirt floor. We use a hose to bring water from a river to our home. We have electricity service, and we share this bill payment with my grandpa. We have hens, a dog and a cat as domestic animals. Well, this is all for now. I hope you find my letter interesting.  

Many blessings  

Maria Benito Morente 

Translated by: Loyda de Osorio, AAC Secretary-Antigua