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! My name is Elder Noe Garcia Ordonez and I am glad to greet you through this letter. I want to tell a little bit about my life, so I hope you find this engaging. I was born on September 27, 2014. I am in second grade and my favorite pastimes are playing soccer, drawing, and painting. I love dogs! My favorite color is blue and my favorite dish is Pepian (this is a typical casserole made of tomato sauce, spices, vegetables, pork, chicken, or turkey). The people who I live with are my mother, grandparents, and oldest brother. I do not have any sisters. Sadly, my father does not live with us because he separated from my mother about five years ago. His name is Gustavo Garcia Otzin. He makes a living as a mason and helps us economically. Besides that, he takes my brother and me for walks on weekends and takes us to live with him at the end of the month. My mother’s name is Debora Ordonez Guerra. She makes a living by watering, fertilizing, cutting, and packing roses on a farm. While she works, my brother and I are under the care of a nanny.

My family and I do not attend any church at the moment. We live in a house that is on San Sebastian Farm. I would love to count on your prayers for my grandmother because she tends to get sick easily. She suffers from cramps and lacks potassium and sodium. Besides that, she has no appetite. Therefore, my mom takes her to the hospital frequently. The house has one room and a separate kitchen. The walls and roofs are made of tin sheets and the floors are concrete. We have electricity and running water. My grandfather pays for the running water service, while my mom and one of my aunts pay for the electricity. We would love to have some kitchen furniture, but we do not have the resources to buy it. Therefore, we would love to count on your prayers for us. The feeding program is a 20-minute walk from where I live. I love having delicious lunches there. I say goodbye to you now, but I want you to know that my nanny, Samantha de los Angeles Julajuj, helped me to give all this information to an AAC secretary. See you later!

Kisses and hugs,

Elder Noe Garcia Ordonez

Translated by: Hillary Popol / AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala