My Story

Zacualpa is a small but busy village in a mountain valley. The village is inhabited by both Quiché 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! My name is Estefany Vanesa Perez Garcia and it is privileged to tell you a little bit about my life. I was born on February 3, 2019, and I attend preschool. My favorite hobby is playing with my dolls. By God’s grace, I am a healthy girl. I love eating fried chicken, my favorite color is blue, and I love dogs. I live with my mother, father, and siblings. I have one sister and one brother. My father’s name is Samuel Perez Quinilla. He works as a farmer in our community and sometimes as a mason to support our necessities. My mother is a hardworking housewife who sometimes works as a day laborer to help with her income at home. Her name is Antonia Garcia Luis.

My family and I attend a Methodist Church in Zacualpa town. We live in a house that belongs to my mom. The house has one room and a separate kitchen. The walls are made of bricks with a tin sheet roof and concrete floors. We have electricity and running water. My dad is the one who pays for those services. We raise some chickens and pigs at home. My parents do their best for my siblings and me, but most of the time, they do not have enough resources to cover all we need. Some of our greatest needs are clothes and food. The feeding program is 20 minutes from where I live. My mother takes my siblings and me on a moto taxi to get there. I say goodbye to you for now, but I want you to know that my mom helped me to give all this information to a teacher of LW. See you later!

Kisses and hugs,

Estefany Vanesa Perez Garcia

Translated by: Hillary Popol / AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala