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.

It is a big blessing to say hello to all of you through this letter. My name is Alex Armando Morente Panjoj, and I am four years old. I was born on August 31, 2020. I am too young to attend school. So, I stay home and play with my toy cars. My favorite color is red. I like ducks. My favorite food is pizza. Fortunately, I am a healthy boy and have a lovely family. I have one brother and two sisters. I am the youngest child in my family. My mother’s name is Juana Isabel Panjoj Gutierrez. She is a housewife and dedicates her time to taking care of my siblings and me.

The one who supports our family is my stepfather. His name is Pedro De La Cruz. He works hard in a hardware store. My whole family and I attend the Catholic Church. I want to open my heart and tell you that, unfortunately, my siblings and I do not have communication or financial support from our biological father since he left for the United States. His name is Francisco Morente Yat. The only thing we know about him is that he has another family.

My family and I live in a small house, which is made of adobe with a metal roof and concrete floors. Our house has one room, a separate kitchen, but no electricity or running water. Fortunately, we can get water from a nearby well, which belongs to my maternal grandparents. They also share the electricity with us. My stepfather contributes to pay for the bill. I am so happy because my siblings and I are enrolled in the feeding program. We enjoy having our meals there. We usually walk for five minutes from our house to get there. I will leave you now, but I appreciate you reading my information. Take care of yourself!

From the bottom of my heart,

Alex Armando Morente Panjoj

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala