My Story

Dueñas, where your child lives, is a small farming village located at the foot of one of Guatemala's active volcanoes, Fuego (Fire). The fertile ground around the village allows for the cultivation of roses and coffee, two of Guatemala's largest exports. Most of the families in this area live in one or two room wooden or adobe houses with tin roofs. Electricity is available to those who can afford it. Running water is available - however, most homes do not have indoor plumbing. Public education is available for those who can afford it and consider education of value. Life in Dueñas is quiet and sometimes difficult.

Hello! I am Daniel Emilio Sebastian Lopez. I was born on February 22nd, 2017, and I am 6 years old. I am still not attending school. I love the color black, my favorite animal is the tiger, and I love eating chicken soup. I live with my parents and siblings. My father´s name is Emilio Emanuel Sebastian Miguel, and he is 44 years old. He works by growing and taking care of flowers in a plant nursery to support the family's needs. My mother´s name is Vitalina Lopez Loarca, and she is 38 years old. She stays busy with the housework and watching over my siblings and me; she also raises chicks. My family and I are healthy.

My family and I attend Foursquare Church in our village. We live in a rented house, and the monthly payment is Q600.00 = $80.00. My father pays for electricity and running water services. The house has four rooms, but we use three of them; those are made of block, tin sheet roof and cement floor. There is no kitchen, and my mother cooks in the corridor. The house belongs to Santigo Sebastian, my father´s brother, and we share the house with my grandparents, Manuel Sebastian and Juana Miguel. My siblings and I attend the feeding program from Living Water, and we walk for 20 minutes. For now, my priorities are shoes for school and workouts. This time the Living Water staff collected this information personally for the record, and my mother, Vitalina Lopez, provided it. Well, I hope to hear from you very soon. May God bless you!

Kind regards,

Daniel Emilio Sebastian Lopez

Translated by: Violeta Hernandez / A-A-C Secretary-Antigua Guatemala