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! I want to start this letter, praying the grace of the Lord be with you and your loved ones. My name is Isaac Jose Enrique Ajanel Calachij, and I was born on March 23, 2018. I am a healthy 7-year-old boy. I am in first grade. My favorite pastime is playing soccer. I love eating chow mein and beef steak. My favorite colors are green and blue. I like all domestic animals, but my favorites are cats. Now, let me tell you about my family. I only have one sister. At the moment, we do not attend any church. My parents are Reyna Elvira Calachij Morente and Feliz Enrique Ajanel Ordonez. The one who supports our family is my mother. She is a single parent and works as a domestic employee. When she goes to work, one of my aunts take care of us. My aunt’s name is Ana Calachij. She and her children live with us. Unfortunately, my father abandoned our family about four years ago. Since then, we have heard nothing about him. Let me tell you that we live in a rented house. My mother and my aunt share 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. To end this letter, I ask you to pray for my family and our well-being. Our priorities are groceries. In advance, thank you so much! 

Kisses and hugs,  

Isaac Jose Enrique Ajanel Calachij 

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala