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.

It is a blessing to say hello to you. My full name is Marlon Roberto Garcia Luis, I am 9 years old, and I want to share with you a little about my information. Before starting, let me tell you that my mom helped me to give all this information to a teacher of the LW evangelism team. I was born on October 17, 2014. I am in good health and attend school as a third grader. My favorite color is yellow and I like parrots. My favorite pastime is playing soccer with my friends and I like beef steak. I live with my parents and one brother. I am the oldest child in my family. My father is Mario David Alba Garcia De la Cruz. He works as a dental assistant and supports our family with his income. On the other hand, my mother keeps busy doing the housework and taking care of my brother and me. Her name is Virginia Luis Gutierrez. We are a low-income family and our frequent needs are groceries.

We attend a Christian Church which is near where we live. We live in a rented house and pay Q800=$103.49 monthly. The house belongs to one of my paternal uncles. It is made of concrete blocks, a tile roof, and a granite floor. It has three rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. Besides the rent payment, we must pay the electricity bill monthly and the running water bill annually.  Fortunately, we have space to raise a few chickens at home for our consumption. We live a 15-minute walk from the feeding program. I am so happy to be part of LW-Adopt A Child! I say goodbye to you now, but if you want to hear something else from me, feel free to ask me.

Affectionately,

Marlon Roberto Garcia Luis

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary