My Story

Chixocol, where your child lives, is a very small village nestled in a mountain valley in the state of Quiche, Guatemala. Life in this state is very difficult and somewhat isolated from the outside world. Most families live in one-room adobe houses with dirt floors and a small attached kitchen. The extremely poor live in houses made of corn stalks. In the past few years electricity and water have become available to most people in the area - however, indoor plumbing is very rare. Most of the families are farmers or shepherds and live off the fruits of their labors. Public education is available for those who can afford it and consider it of value.  Life in Quiche is always a challenge.

 Hello! This is Daniel Neemias Jimon Mendez, and I am writing this letter to tell you a little about my life. I was born on April 19, 2016, so I am 8 years old. I am repeating my first grade at school. I enjoy playing with toy cars in my free time. My favorite color is blue, and I like dinosaurs. About meals, let me tell you I love roasted chicken. In this opportunity, I want to introduce my family. I live with my mother and my stepfather. Sadly, my biological father passed away five years ago from diabetes. My mother´s name is Rosa Mendez de la Cruz. She is a housewife. My stepfather is Antonio Chingo Gutierrez. He works in a plant nursery and supports us economically. I have one brother and three sisters. Thank God, we are in good health. We are members of Life Cristian Church. We live in my stepfather´s house. It has three rooms and a separate kitchen. The house is made of block walls, tin sheet roof and concrete floor. We have running water and electricity. My stepfather pays for these services. He pays for the electricity every month and the water every year. We have some hens and pigs. We walk 10 minutes to get to the feeding program. I end my letter hoping you find it interesting. 

May God bless you!

Daniel Neemias Jimon Mendez

Translated by: Magnolia De Torres / A-A-C Secretary-Antigua Guatemala