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 Marcos Marcos Pedro, and I am fondly writing this letter to you. Before telling you my story, I want you to know that my mom helped me with this letter. Fortunately, I am a healthy 12-year-old boy. I was born on March 22, 2012. I am in fourth grade and I am doing well at school. My favorite color is blue and I love eating black beans and spaghetti. After classes, I like spending time with my friends and siblings. The pastime that I enjoy the most is playing soccer. I have one brother and three sisters. We live with our mother, paternal grandparents, and two uncles. My mom is Manuela Pedro Cristobal. She works as a farmer in our town to support our family economically. Unfortunately, my father abandoned us a few years ago. We have heard that he works as a farmer to survive. His name is Sebastian Marcos Ramirez.

My mom and I are grateful to my grandfather because he loves us and helps us to move forward. His name is Marcos Francisco, and he makes a living as a farmer. My whole family and I live in a rented house. We pay Q700=$90.52 for the rent payment and electricity and running water services. It has two rooms and a separate kitchen. The walls and roofs are made of tin sheets, and dirt floors. Fortunately, we have enough space to have domestic animals at home. We raise six chickens for our consumption. Please pray for the provision and prosperity of my family. One of our main needs is food. As for our spiritual life, let me tell you that we attend the Catholic Church in our town. To end this letter, I want you to know that the feeding program is a five-minute walk from where I live. My siblings and I are glad to be part of the project because it blesses us with delicious food. I will leave you now, but I hope you have a blessed day. See you later!

From the bottom of my heart,

Marcos Marcos Pedro

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala