My Story

Hello, it is a great blessing to greet you and tell you a little bit about my life. My name is Irma Yolanda Gonzalez Godinez. I am 52 years old. I was born on April 30, 1973. I was born in San Miguel Dueñas. I am a single mother, and I live with my son Andy. My ex-husband abandoned us one year ago, and now, he lives with another woman. We had two sons, and one of them is already married. About my health, sadly I received the new that I have cancer in my cheeks and nose. It was very difficult to assimilate this process, but I know God has a purpose in my life. I pray to God and I trust that He can do a miracle in me. I ask for your prayers for me please, because now I cannot work, and I do not have any economic resources to pay for my medical examinations, surgery or food. Sometimes, people give me 10.00Q=$1.31 or 20.00Q = $2.61, and with this money, I pay for my tickets to travel. I have a treatment in a place called INCAN (Cancer Institute) in the capital. Also, because of the pain I feel in my throat and nose, I cannot eat. I give thanks to God because my niece Mayra and her mother. who is my sister Alicia, help me with my care. Both are single mothers too. My niece Mayra works as a maid, and my sister makes tortillas to sell.

I live in my parents’ house, and sadly, they are sick too. There are two rooms. I do not have a separate kitchen; I have a stove in the corridor. The house is made of tin sheet roof, tin sheet walls and concrete and dirt floor. We have running water and electricity; my sister and my niece pay for these services. We are a family with many needs, and some of them are medical attention and groceries. I walk around 15 minutes to get to the feeding program. From the bottom of my heart, I say thank you for taking your time to read my letter.

With love and blessings,

Irma Yolanda Gonzalez Godinez

Translated by: Magnolia Gómez/ AAC Guatemala