Zacualpa is a small but busy village in a mountain valley. The village is inhabited by both Quiche Mayans and Ladinos (those with mixed European ancestry). The prevalent language is Spanish. Families in this village live in one or two-room homes generally constructed of either wood or adobe. Although many of the people are farmers, the village contains several small specialized stores, a body repair shop for buses, mechanics, plumbers, and many other small-town tradesmen. It also has a large open air market which serves much of the area. Even with all of this, the poverty level is very high, and the children are very needy. 

Hello! How are you doing? My full name is Eithan Gael Grave Calachij, and I am excited to share my story with you. I was born on December 22, 2019. I am 6 years old. I do not attend school because of a lack of financial resources. Therefore, I stay home and play with my toy cars. My favorite color is blue. I love eating sausages, and my favorite animals are cats. I have a lovely one at home as a pet. I kindly ask you to pray for my health. After my birth, I was diagnosed with an infection in my blood. Thankfully, I am under medical treatment. I am an only child. My mother is a single parent. Her name is Ana Leticia Calachij Morente. She works hard as a domestic employee to cover our needs. Our priorities are groceries. She occasionally takes me with her to work.  

As for my biological father, let me tell you that he abandoned our family about four years ago. He traveled to the United States and established a relationship with another woman. His name is Francis Leonel Grave Estrada. My mother and I live with one of my aunts in a rented house. She helps my mother with the rent and household expenses. We pay Q1400=$187 for rent monthly. The building is made of bricks with a concrete roof and a concrete floor. It has four rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. The feeding program is near, so I only walk for five minutes to get there. Have a wonderful day! 

With love,  

Eithan Gael Grave Calachij 

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala