My Story

I am Byron Eliseo Xiquin Riz. I am glad to greet you through this. I hope you are fine. I am twelve years old. This year I am in fourth grade and am taking face-to-face classes from Monday to Friday. My schedule takes place from 7.30 am through 10.00 am. Thankfully, I have done well in my studies so far. In the afternoon, I do my schoolwork, and I also help doing what is needed at home. The time the feeding program was closed due to the pandemic, I really missed delicious food. It is a blessing for my family! I am very happy because the program is open again. For me to get there, it takes hour and a quarter by walking. My father is in the United States but we do not have any communication with him. He does not help us financially either. My mom stays home rasing domestic animals. She sells some chickens when needed. I had a stepfather for a few years, but he recently left home. My siblings and I like accompany my mom whenever she goes to the town. She gets something to eat and we all enjoy this time together. On Christmas my family and I made tamales to share with the rest of the family, so we all enjoy eating delicious dinner on this special day.

Currently, we are attending Prince of Peace Church, located forty-five minutes away from home. The time the church was closed due to the pandemic, my family stayed at the temple praying and fasting God for this situation to change. We live at my grandparents’ house. There are two rooms and separate kitchen. The house is made of mud-brick, dirt floor and tin sheet roof which is in poor condition, so it needs to be changed. It does not have electricity, so we use candles and lanterns to light up at night. We do not have running water, so we get water from a creek by using a hose. Nowadays, no money is enough to get food supplies, for all the products of daily consumption rose in price. And corn and food supplies is a greatest need for us. That’s why, I thank to the feeding program for the grocery bags we received due to the pandemic. It was all a great help and met some food expenses. Thank God, we are all doing well for now. Finally, I want you to know, my mom gave this information to an Evangelism team member to share with you my last news. I hope to hear from you soon. I say good bye to you for now.

Lots of blessings,

Byron Eliseo Xiquin Riz

Translated by: Febe Ruiz / AAC Secretary-Antigua