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 labor. 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 Francisco Adrian Perez Rodriguez, and I am pleased to greet you through this letter. I am four years old. I was born on August 26, 2021. I am a healthy boy. Because of my young age, I do not attend school. My favorite pastime is playing with my toy cars and soccer with my friends. I love having scrambled eggs and beans for my meals. My favorite animals are cats. I like the color blue. I have a beautiful and healthy family. My mother is Silvia Leticia Perez Rodriguez. She is a great housewife who dedicates her time to my sister and me. At the moment, I have only one sister. My stepfather is Juan Carlos Ajqui Hernandez. He works as a farmer and a day laborer to support our needs and expenses. Our priorities are clothes and food.

As for my biological father, let me tell you that he abandoned my mother when he knew she was pregnant with me. Therefore, I only have the last name of my mother. My mother owns the house where we live. It is made of adobe with a metal roof and a dirt floor. It has one room, a separate kitchen, but no running water or electricity. Thankfully, my maternal grandparents share those services with us. We use containers to carry the water and an extension cord for electricity. My stepfather and grandfather take paying for the bills. We have chickens and turkeys at home for our consumption. The feeding program is close to my house. My young aunt and I usually walk for two minutes to get there. My family and I are glad because we can also attend Liberty Church. Thank you so much for reading my information!

Cordiality yours,

Francisco Adrian Perez Rodriguez

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala