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! How are you doing? My full name is Gerson Eriban Garcia Luis, and I was born on May 26, 2016. Today, I am a healthy 8-year-old boy. I am in second grade and enjoy playing soccer with my friends and brother. I have one brother, but no sisters. My favorite domestic animal is the cat. I like pizza, and my favorite color is blue. I am so happy to be part of the feeding program because of the tasty food, and thanks to good-hearted people like you, my brother and I can enjoy it for free. It is a 15-minute walk from where I live. 

Now, let me tell you a little about my family. My mother is Virginia Luis Gutierrez. She dedicates her full time to my brother and me. My father is Mario David Alba Garcia De la Cruz, and he makes a living as a dental assistant to cover all the needs and expenses at home. Most of our needs are groceries. We live in a rented house and pay Q800=$103.49 monthly. It is made of concrete blocks, a tile roof, and a granite floor. It has three rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. Besides the rent payment, we must pay the electricity bill monthly and the running water bill annually.  Fortunately, we have space to raise a few chickens at home for our consumption. As for our spiritual life, let me tell you that we are members of a Christian Church. To end this letter, let me tell you that my mother helped me to give all this information to a teacher of the LW evangelism team.

Special regards,

Gerson Eriban Garcia Luis

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary