My Story

Zacualpa is a small but busy village in a mountain valley. The village is inhabited by both Quiche Mayans and Ladinos (those with mixed European ancestry). The prevalent language is Spanish. Families in this village live in one or two room homes generally constructed of either wood or adobe. Although many of the people are farmers, the village contains several small specialized stores, a body repair shop for buses, mechanics, plumbers and many other small-town tradesmen. It also has a large open-air market which serves much of the area. Even with all of this, the poverty level is very high and the children are very needy.

Hello, good morning! My full name is Samuel Calachij Ajqui and I am excited to share with you a little bit about my life. I was born on October 30, 2021. I am 4 years old and I still do not attend school. My favorite color is red. I like cats, and what I love having for my meals are sausages. My favorite pastime is playing soccer with my older brother. About my health, I want you to know that I have had problems with my skin such as hives since I was born. I also had problems with my lungs about one year ago, but I am doing well now. I live with my mother and three brothers. I have no sisters. I do not have my father with me because he separated from my mother about one year ago. However, he provides us with financial support and visits us. His name is Camilo Calachij Morente and he makes a living as a farmer. My mother is a housewife and works hard to support my brothers and me. Her name is Juana Ajqui Gutierrez and she weaves typical clothes. She also sells chickens that she raises to earn an extra income.

I kindly ask you to pray for her since she suffers from gastritis and pain in one of her legs. At the moment, she has not gone to the doctor due to a lack of money. The house where we live belongs to my mother, which is a blessing. It is a small house with one room and a separate kitchen made of tin sheets and the floor is dirt. Some of our needs are groceries, new tine sheets and wooden beams to fix our house, and we also need electricity and running water. By the grace of the Lord, one of our neighbors shares the electricity with us. My mother helps him to pay for half of the bill. Moreover, there is a nearby river where we can get water by using a hose. We have a dog and a cat as pets at home. About our spiritual life, I want you to know that we attend the Pentecostal God’s Church. It is time to say goodbye, but I want you to know that I am so happy for being part of the feeding program. I usually walk for one hour from where I live to enjoy my meals. See you later!

Huge hugs,

Samuel Calachij Ajqui

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Guatemala