My Story

Zacualpa is a small but busy village in a mountain valley. The village is inhabited by both Quiché Mayans and Ladinos (those with mixed European ancestry). The prevalent language is Spanish. Families in this village live in one or two room homes generally constructed of either wood or adobe. Although many of the people are farmers, the village contains several small, specialized stores, a body repair shop for buses, mechanics, plumbers and many other small-town tradesmen. It also has a large open-air market which serves much of the area. Even with all of this, the poverty level is very high, and the children are very needy.

Hello! My name is Manuel Enrique Perez Tino and I am so glad to tell you my story through this letter. I was born on September 12, 2012. Thankfully, I am in good health, and so is my family. My favorite color is red, and I love dogs. I am in fourth grade and after classes, I like to use my free time by helping my mother with the chores. There are many delicious dishes, but my favorite is fried chicken. The people who I live with are my biological parents and my sisters. I have two sisters but no brothers. My father’s name is Mateo Perez Morales. He makes a living as a day laborer in our community. My mother’s name is Mirna Consuelo Tino Riz. She keeps busy doing the chores and watching over my siblings and me. We attend a Christian Church called Full Gospel.

We live with my paternal grandmother in her house. My grandma’s name is Macaria Panjoj. Some of her children and their own families live there too. Her home has three rooms and a separate kitchen. The walls are made of bricks with a tin sheet roof and dirt floors. We have electricity and running water. My father is the one who covers those services. We have some chickens, dogs, and one cat at home. My family is large and needy. Some of our greatest needs are food and clothes. The feeding program is a little far from where we live. My siblings and I travel by bus for 30 minutes to get there. To end this letter, I want you to know that my mother helped me to give all my information to a teacher of LW to share a little bit about my life with you. I say goodbye to you now, but I hope to hear from you soon. May God bless you!

Cordiality yours,

Manuel Enrique Perez Tino

Translated by: Hillary Popol / AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala