My Story

Cuatro Caminos "four roads", where your child lives, is an area located high on the side of a mountain in the state of Quiché, Guatemala. Life in this area is very difficult and very isolated from the outside world. It is a two-hour walk to the nearest market town of Zacualpa. Cuatro Caminos is a farming area where corn and black beans, the staple elements in their diet, are the major crops. The Quiché Mayans who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They normally speak a Mayan dialect called Quiché - however, Spanish is becoming more common. Very little money ever changes hands in this area as they live on a barter system.

Hello! It is a pleasure for me to share with you something about my family and me. My name is Reina Britany Benito Portuguez. I am 9 years old, and I was born on September 29, 2014. Fortunately, I am in good health condition, and I am not attending school this year. What I do at home is play with dolls and toy dishes with my sister. I have 6 brothers and three sisters in total. My favorite meal is fried chicken. I like the color purple and the animal I like the most is the cat. My father’s name is Santiago Benito Chingo, and he earns a living by working both as a farmer and as a day laborer; he also improves our income by traveling to the coast to pick coffee beans for two months. My mother’s name is Hilaria Portuguez, and she is a housewife and takes care of us. Moreover, my big brothers sometimes contribute to our weekly expenses. As a family we are members of Assembly of God Church.

Thankfully, we live in our own house which is made of adobe walls with tin sheet roof and dirt floor; it has two rooms and a separate kitchen. We have running water and electricity; my parents pay these bills. We have hens and turkeys. Some of our basic needs are groceries and corn. I feel so blessed to be part of the feeding program. I walk 15 minutes to be there, and I want you to know that my mother provided all this information for my enrollment process. I say goodbye to you with much love and affection; I will be waiting to hear from you soon.

Cordially Yours,

Reina Britany Benito Portuguez

Translated by: Luisa Reyes /A-A-C Secretary/ Guatemala