My Story

Zacualpa is a small but busy village in a mountain valley. Both Quiche Mayans and Ladinos (those with mixed European ancestry) inhabit the village. The prevalent language is Spanish. Families in this village live in one or two-room homes usually constructed of either wood or adobe. Although many of the people are farmers, the village contains several small and 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 extremely high, and the children are very needy.

Hello! My full name is Elian Azael Garcia Natareno, and I am glad to share a little about my life with you. I was born on December 28, 2018, so I am 5 years old. I am in pre-kinder, and I am doing well. Before continuing with my story, I want you to know that my mother helped me to give all this information to a teacher of the LW evangelism team. My favorite color is sky-blue and my favorite food is fried chicken. I like domestic animals, but my favorite one is the horse. What I enjoy doing the most in my free time is playing soccer with my friends. Now, let me tell you a little about my family. My mother is Madelin Guisel Garcia Natareno. She is a single parent who works hard in a pizzeria to support our family economically. Our frequent needs are groceries. Unfortunately, I know nothing about my biological father. He did not recognize me legally, so I only have my mother's last name. I have one sister, but no brothers. We do not attend any church at the moment. 

My family and I live with my grandmother and one of my aunts. We help with the household expenses. The house belongs to my grandmother. It is made of adobe, a tile roof, and a concrete floor. It has two rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. As for pets, let me tell you that we have cats and pets at home. The feeding program is 10 minutes from my house. I am glad to be part of the project because I can have delicious food for free. My aunt takes me there by tuk-tuk. I say goodbye to you now, but I thank you so much for taking the time to read this letter. 

Affectionately,

Elian Azael Garcia Natareno

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary