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! My full name is Maria Nataly Dayana Tiniguar Lopez, and I am pleased to tell you that I am a healthy four-year-old girl. I was born on June 11, 2021. I still do not attend school. My favorite pastimes are playing with my dolls and pretending to cook. I love eating fried chicken. My favorite color is pink. I like sheep. Now, let me tell you about my family. Sadly, my mother passed away seven months ago when she gave birth to my baby sister by a C-section. She suffered from high blood pressure. Her name was Maria Lopez Rodriguez. Today, I live with my father, baby sister, and stepmother. My father is Diego Tiniguar Panjoj. He is a farmer and covers all our needs and expenses with his income. Our priorities are groceries and clothes.

Although my father is doing well, he sometimes suffers from a lot of pain in his left arm after heavy work. This is because he hurt that arm when he had an accident many years ago. My stepmother’s name is Catarina Tevalan Suy. She is a housewife and takes care of my baby sister and me. Please pray for her health. She suffers from ovarian cysts. Besides dedicating her time to our family, she raises chickens for our consumption or occasional sales. 

My family and I live in a small house, which belongs to my father. It is made of adobe walls with a metal roof and a concrete floor. It has one room, a makeshift kitchen made of metal sheets and wood, and running water. Thanks to one of our neighbors, there is electricity at home. My father pays him for that service. I want you to know that I am so happy to be part of the feeding program. I usually go there on foot alongside my cousins. The feeding program is about 20 minutes away from where I live. About my spiritual life, let me tell you that my family and I attend a Christian Church called Sovereign King. I will leave you now, but I hope you found my information engaging. Have a blessed day!

In Jesus’ name,

Maria Nataly Dayana Tiniguar Lopez

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala