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 peace and grace of the Lord be with you. My full name is Edy David de la Cruz Ajqui, and I am 4 years old. I was born on October 12, 2020. Because of my age, I still do not attend school. I love playing with my toy cars. My favorite color is black, and I like cats. My favorite food is fried chicken. I live with my six siblings and mother. I have two brothers and four sisters. We attend the Catholic Church. My mother’s name is Dominga Ajqui Hernandez. She is a single parent who strives to cover all our needs. Our priorities are clothes and food. She works as a day laborer in our village. When she is at work, my oldest sister takes care of me and my siblings. My biological father is not part of my life because he abandoned us about two years ago. His name is Romeo de la Cruz Gomez.  

We are grateful to the owner of the house where we live because we do not pay rent. We only have to take care of his property. The house is made of adobe with tile and metal sheet roofs, while the floors are dirt and concrete. It has two rooms, a separate kitchen, but no running water or electricity. However, one of our neighbors shares those services with us. My mother helps her pay half of the bills. We have a few chickens at home for our consumption. The feeding program is about 30 minutes from where I live. My siblings and I usually walk to get there. See you later! 

Cordiality yours,  

Edy David de la Cruz Ajqui 

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala