My Story

Cuatro Caminos "four roads", where your child lives, is an area located high on the side of a mountain in the state of Quiche, 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 Quiche - 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 Gerson Manuel Gutierrez Morales, and I want to introduce myself. I was born on September 17, 2018, and I am 6 years old now. I am in good health, and I am not attending school yet due to my age. I like playing toy cars and soccer in my free time, and I love cats. My favorite color is blue, and I enjoy eating Chow Mein. I have 3 brothers and 1 sister, and two of them are registered at the feeding program too. I have to walk for about 45 minutes to arrive at the program. I come from a humble family, and our frequent needs are groceries and clothes. We attend the Catholic Church.

My father’s name is Edgar Yovani Gutierrez Jimon, and he works as a mason helper and day laborer. My mother’s name is Tomasa Morales Tian, and she is a housewife. My parents are both in good health. We live in our own house, and it has one room and a kitchen. It is made of tin sheets with a dirt floor. We have electricity service but no running water. My paternal grandmother, Leticia, lives next to us, and she provides us with the water; we use a hose to bring it home. We have one dog as a pet. I tell you that my mom helped me with this letter, and I hope you find it interesting.

With much love

Gerson Manuel Gutierrez Morales

Translated by: Loyda de Osorio, AAC Secretary-Antigua