My Story

Chixocol, where your child lives, is a very small village nestled in a mountain valley in the state of Quiché, 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 has 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 Quiché is always a challenge.

I greet you in this beautiful day and I trust our Lord is taking care of you! My full name is Sara Victoria Acabal Tzunux. My birthdate is June 19, 2017, and I was born in Joyabaj, Quiche. I live with my mom, two brothers and no sisters. About school, I am in 3^rd grade and I am not repeating my grade. I love drawing. I have two favorite colors, black and purple. The animal I like the most is the cat. About food, well, I love eating all types of food. My mother´s name is Victoria Tzunux Jimon, and she embroiders blouses to sell. She also raises hens and pigs. She is the only one who provides for our family; she works making tortillas and washing clothes with our neighbors to get income. My father´s name is Aurelio Acabal Tojin; however, he abandoned us about 5 years ago. We know nothing about him. We believe in God and are attending the Jesus the Good Shepherd Church.

Thanks to God, we live on our own property and my maternal grandmother lives with us. There are two adobe rooms with a tile roof and a dirt floor. We do not have a kitchen. There is running water and electricity services; my mother pays for those services. The water is paid twice a year, Q100 = $14.00 each time, and the electricity is paid monthly. As a family, our greatest needs are groceries and corn. I am so grateful to be enrolled in the feeding program; I live 30 minutes away and I get there by tuk-tuk. I want to thank you so much for reading about me today. I pray our Lord blesses you!

Warm hugs,

Sara Victoria Acabal Tzunux

Translated by: Violeta Hernandez / A-A-C Secretary-Antigua Guatemala