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! My full name is Jonatan Moises Toj Ruiz, and it is a pleasure to share a little about my life with you. Fortunately, I am a healthy boy. I was born on August 20, 2021. I still do not attend school because of my age. I stay home and play with my toy cars. I also enjoy painting. My favorite color is orange. I love having pancakes for breakfast, and my favorite animals are doggies. My family and I attend a Christian Church called the Assembly of God. I am glad because nobody is sick. My father’s name is Moises Toj Gomez. He is a farmer and tends his own business. He sells shoes, and my mother helps him. Her name is Lesbia Maria Ruiz de la Cruz. As for siblings, I only have one sister. We live in our own house. It is made of concrete blocks with concrete roofs and ceramic floors. It has three rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. We live close to the feeding program. My sister and I only walk for five minutes to get there. Thank you so much for reading my letter! I look forward to hearing from you soon.  

Cordiality yours,  

Jonatan Moises Toj Ruiz 

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala