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 Almighty be with you. My name is Oliver Elisandro Simaj Morente, and I was born on February 17, 2018. I am in first grade. I enjoy drawing in my spare time. My favorite color is blue, and I love eating roasted chicken. I am 7 years old and I suffer from a hernia in my stomach. Doctors told my parents that I need a surgery, but my mother is afraid of it. So please, pray for mine and my mother’s health. She also suffers from health problems. Her name is Irma Morente Garcia. Unfortunately, she has not gone to the doctor because of a lack of money. She is a housewife and washes clothes for other people once a week to contribute to the household expenses. My father’s name is Hector Simaj Garcia. He is healthy and works as a farmer in our village. About siblings, I have one brother and one sister. We attend a Christian Church called Full Gospel. The house where we live belongs to my father. It is made of tin sheets, and the floor is dirt. It has one room, a separate kitchen, an artisanal well to get water, and a solar panel. We long to improve our house, but we do not have enough resources to do it. Therefore, I beg you to include this in your prayers. We have some domestic animals at home. They are cows, dogs, and cats. The feeding program is about 30 minutes away from where I live. So, we usually take a taxi to get there. It is time to say goodbye, but I appreciate you taking the time to read my information. Have a blessed day!  

Kind regards,  

Oliver Elisandro Simaj Morente 

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala