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! It is a pleasure to share a little about my life and family with you. My full name is Aldo Emanuel Ajqui Luis. I was born on March 4, 2017. I am 8 years old. Fortunately, I am a healthy boy. I am in second grade. My favorite pastime is playing soccer. I love the color blue. My favorite wild animals are pandas. I love eating fried chicken and cucumber salad. I live with my siblings, mother, and stepfather. I want to open my heart and tell you that my biological father passed away about five years ago. He had diabetes. His name was Jesus Ajqui Grave. My mother’s name is Santos Luis. She is dedicated to doing the housework and taking care of my siblings and me. I have two brothers and two half-sisters.  

My stepfather’s name is Carlos Gutierrez. He traveled to the United States about two years ago. He works hard as a mason to cover our needs and the household expenses. My family and I attend the Catholic Church in our town. We live in a rented house, which costs Q500=$66.67 monthly. One of my cousins lives with us too. The walls and roofs are made of concrete blocks and it has granite floors. It has two rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. We are praying to have our own house someday, so I kindly ask you to join us in prayer. Fortunately, we have enough space at home to raise our chickens. The feeding program is only a five-minute walk from where we live. It makes me happy to enjoy delicious food and make friends there. It is time to say goodbye, but I hope to hear your story soon. Have a wonderful day! 

Cordiality yours,  

Aldo Emanuel Ajqui Luis 

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala