My Story

JT2478

Jocotenango, where your child lives, is in the state of Sacatepéquez, Guatemala and is a suburb of Antigua. It is an urban environment and is inhabited by both Quiché Indians and Ladinos (those with mixed European ancestry). Most of the children attend school, but financial hardship affects many families and forces most of the children to leave after the sixth grade. Only two out of ten children finishes high school. Children in this area face temptations from gangs and drugs.

Hello, my name is Kennett Natanael Vasquez Machan. I was born on June 12, 2008 and I am ten years old. I am in good health and I attend the Jocotenango feeding program.  My father’s name is Natanael Garcia, but unfortunately, he did not legally recognize me. He abandoned my mother when she was pregnant. I have never met him, and I have no communication with him. My mother has three more sons, but they have a different father. My mother’s name is Lilian Rosmery Vasquez Machan. She works as a helper in a kitchen of a restaurant called “Sabores de mi tierra” (flavors of my land) located in Pastores (the town in which I live).  She works from Monday to Sunday. She is the only one who contributes to our household expenses. We own our home which has one room and a separate kitchen. The house is made of plasterboard with a tin sheet roof and a concrete floor. We have water, but we do not have electricity. We use candles for light. We have 1 cat and 1 chicken. I have three brothers, and it takes us about 15 minutes by bus to get us to the feeding program. I am in 3^rd grade this year. In my free time, I like to ride a bicycle. My favorite color is red, and my favorite animal is the cat. The food that I like to eat the most is fried chicken. My family attends a Church.

With much love and many blessings,

Kennett Natanael Vasquez Machan

Translated by Edwina Lyons/Living Water Missionary