My Story

Zacualpa is a small but busy village in a mountain valley. Both Quiche Mayans and Ladinos (those with mixed European ancestry) inhabit the village. The prevalent language is Spanish. Families in this village live in one or two-room homes usually constructed of either wood or adobe. Although many of the people are farmers, the village contains several small and 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 extremely high, and the children are very needy.

Hello! My name is Cristian Felipe Pablo Ruiz, and I greet you fondly in the name of Jesus. I was born on November 17, 2013. Today, I am a healthy 10-year-old boy. I am in fifth grade and my favorite hobby is playing soccer with my friends. I love eating beef broth and my favorite color is yellow. My favorite domestic animal is the rabbit. The people who I live with are my mom, grandparents, and uncles. My mother is Silvia Alicia Ruiz Yac. She is a single parent and makes a living by embroidering typical blouses and napkins to support our family financially. However, everything is expensive, and due to that, it has been difficult for her to provide me with all that I need. Some of our greatest needs are groceries, corn, and school supplies. As for my biological father, let me tell you that he separated from my mom many years ago because he has another family in the United States. His name is Mario Josue Pablo Lorenzo. Even though he is not in touch with me, he helps me economically.

My mother and I attend the Catholic Church in our village. The house where we live belongs to my grandparents. We help with the household expenses. The house is made of adobe with a tin sheet roof and concrete floor. It has four rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. We have a cat as a pet and raise chickens at home for our consumption. The feeding program is a 15-minute walk from where I live. I am glad to be part of LW-Adopt A Child because it blesses me greatly with food for free. To end this letter, I want you to know that my mom helped me to give all this information to a teacher of the LW evangelism team. Have a fantastic day!

Lots of love,

Cristian Felipe Pablo Ruiz

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary