My Story

Dueñas, where your child lives, is a small farming village located at the foot of one of Guatemala's active volcanoes, Fuego (Fire). The fertile ground around the village allows for the cultivation of roses and coffee, two of Guatemala's largest exports. Most of the families in this area live in one or two room wooden or adobe houses with tin roofs. Electricity is available to those who can afford it. Running water is available - however, most homes do not have indoor plumbing. Public education is available for those who can afford it and consider education of value. Life in Dueñas is quiet and sometimes difficult.

Hello! My full name is Miguel Angel Mardoqueo Matias Reyes, and I am glad to share my story with you. Before starting, let me tell you that a teacher of the LW evangelism team helped my mom and me to write this letter. I am a healthy 5-year-old boy. I was born on November 29, 2018. I still do not attend school, but I hope to do it next year. I have fun playing soccer with my three brothers. I do not have any sisters at the moment. My favorite color is blue, I like eating pizza, and my favorite animals are crocodiles. My father is Mardoqueo Matias Poron. He makes a living by transporting people or heavy packages from one place to another in his car. He supports our family with his income while he finds a stable job. My mom is Brenda Liceth Reyes Pelen. She dedicates her full time to cleaning our house and caring for our family. We are members of the Catholic Church and know that God is our Heavenly Father. Please pray for us so the Lord keeps us healthy and safe. In advance, thank you so much!

We live in a rented house. My father must pay Q1,800=$232.76 of rent monthly. The property has three rooms, electricity, and running water. Besides the rent payment, we must cover those services monthly. We use two rooms as bedrooms made of concrete block walls with thin sheet roofs and concrete floors. The kitchen is completely made of tin sheets and concrete floors. As for pets, let me tell you that we have one dog and one cat at home. I tell you that I am excited to be part of the feeding program. My mom or father takes me to the feeding program on a motorcycle; it usually takes us fifteen minutes from our house. I will leave you now, but I hope to hear from you soon.

Special regards,

Miguel Angel Mardoqueo Matias Reyes

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala