My Story

Zacualpa is a small but busy village in a mountain valley. The village is inhabited by both Quiché Indians 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.

Greetings! I hope your life is full of many rich blessings. My name is Luis Francisco Garcia Castro. I live in a town called Zacualpa. I am 11 years old, and I was born on November 24, 2010. My father’s name is Lacarias Garcia Garcia, and my mother’s name is Veronica Castro Castro. I have 2 brothers and no sisters. I am currently attending school as a 4^th grader. In my free time, I study and help around the house. My favorite color is black, I do not have a favorite animal, and my favorite food is fried chicken. My father gave the evangelism team my information over the phone because of COVID-19; they are avoiding as much physical contact as possible to keep everyone safe. My father works with his father as a truck driver to transport construction materials. My mother takes care of the house and of us. Our house is owned by my parents. It is located about a 10-minute walk from the feeding program. It is made of adobe walls, tin sheet roof, and concrete floors. It has 2 rooms, a separate kitchen, and a bathroom connected to a cesspit. We have electricity, but no running water. My grandfather allows us to borrow his water through a hose since he lives really close to us. We use this water to wash clothes, shower, and sometimes we drink it. Other times we buy jugs of water for consumption purposes. Our needs are food and clothes. As for my health, thank God, I am healthy. We do not attend a church yet. I am thankful for the love and mercy God has poured into my life.

Hugs and kisses,

Luis Francisco Garcia Castro

Translated by: Kalyan Marroquin / Missionary Intern