My Story

Hello! I send you many greetings and I hope you are in good health. I want to tell you a little about me. My name is Vilma Leticia Garcia De La Cruz, and I am a happy and healthy 13-year-old girl. I am in sixth grade this year. I have face-to-face classes every weekday and I turn in my assignments directly to my teacher. During COVID-19, I struggled to complete my assignments because I did not understand the material. I do not have access to the internet. In my free time, I help with the house chores. I have not been able to attend the feeding program as often as before because I have started school, but when I can go, I enjoy the delicious meals and spending time with my friends.

Both of my parents live with me. My father works as a farmer and travels to the coast with us during the right season to pick coffee to support us economically. My mother raises hens and later sells them to help us economically. She is also a hardworking housewife and takes care of us at home. I have 5 siblings: 3 brothers and 2 sisters. I am joyful to say that the majority of us are healthy, but I would also like to mention that my father lost his right eye 4 years ago. He had it surgically removed because of an accident he had when he was picking coffee at the coast. He is now in need of dark glasses for when he is working outside in the sun, but we do not have enough resources to afford them. We spend time together by having conversations, and when we can, we share a snack together. During Christmastime, we sometimes make tamales and enjoy them when we have the resources to do so. Also, we attend a church called New Jerusalem, which takes us 30 minutes to walk to. When the church closed due to COVID-19, we were sad because we missed congregating with the other members. However, we prayed and gave thanks to God when it reopened and returned to normality. I live in a village called Pasojoc, and it takes me 1 hour to walk to the feeding center. My humble house has walls made of adobe, the roof is made of tiles, and the floor is made of dirt. There is one room and a separate kitchen. We have neither running water and electricity at home. We obtain water by connecting a hose to a river nearby. To see at night, we use homemade gasoline lamps. The house belongs to my family. Unfortunately, the condition of the house is unstable because the roof tiles are broken and cracked and the wooden support beams are rotten. Our family’s finances were affected by COVID-19 because we could not go out and buy necessary products, but God has always been faithful to us and we have continued forward. Our greatest needs are groceries and corn. I end my letter wishing you the best.

The Living Waters Evangelism Team is speaking to families in Quiche by phone call. They spoke to my father to receive information pertaining to me.

Many blessings,

Vilma Leticia Garcia De La Cruz

Translated by: Kalyan Marroquin / AAC Missionary Intern