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.

Hello! My full name is Rosalia Magdalena Tiniguar Saquic and I am excited to tell you a little about my life. I was born on June 3, 2019. Fortunately, I am a healthy 5-year-old girl. I am in kindergarten and I love playing with my dolls. My favorite animal is the cat and I like the color yellow. As for food, let me tell you that I love having soup. I only live with my parents. I am an only child. My father’s name is Francisco Tiniguar Gonzalez. He works as a mason’s helper. My mother also works hard by embroidering typical blouses to sell. Her name is Jessica Marisela Saquic Mendez. She occasionally sells hens raised at home to help my father with the expenses. Besides hens, she raises pigs.

Fortunately, everybody is doing well. We attend the Catholic Church. I kindly ask you to pray for my family so we may have our own house someday. At the moment, we are living on a land that belongs to my grandfather. He allowed my father to build a modest house there.  It is made of adobe with a tin sheet roof and a concrete floor. It has one room and a separate kitchen. We have electricity because my grandfather shares the service with us. About water, let me tell you that we buy it once a week. My father usually pays Q60=$7.79 for the water. We live about 45 minutes from the feeding program. We usually get there on foot, but we occasionally get there by tuk-tuk. The trip is expensive because my parents usually pay Q50=$6.49 for the trip. I send you my best wishes, hoping to hear from you. May God bless you!

Kind regards,

Rosalia Magdalena Tiniguar Saquic

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary/Antigua Guatemala