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 Sheily Yasmin Gonzalez Cabrera, and I hope you are doing well. In this opportunity, I will tell you a little about myself. Before continuing, I want you to know that my mother helped me to give all this information to a teacher of the LW evangelism team. I was born on November 10, 2017, so I am 6 years old. I suffer from asthmatic bronchitis, but I am stable. I like cats. My favorite color is pink, and I love eating egg drop soup. I enjoy playing with my siblings. What I love the most is jumping on the trampoline. I live with my mother, Dalila Esperanza Cabrera Vargas, and siblings. I have one brother and two sisters. Fortunately, we are all doing well. My father, Nestor Enrique Gonzalez Villagran, is working hard in the United States to provide our family with all the necessities to survive. Most of our needs are groceries. My father suffers from asthma, but he is stable. He phones us almost daily. His jobs are unstable, so he works in whatever he can. He told us that working with trees makes him allergic, so I beg you to pray for him. 

My family and I are members of a Christian Church called Philadelphia. We live in a rented house and pay Q1000=$129.33 monthly. It is made of concrete blocks, a tin sheet roof, and concrete and granite floors. It has three rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. Besides the rent payment, we pay the bills for the services. As for pets, let me tell you that we have lovely dogs at home. The feeding program is a 30-minute walk from my home. I usually get there with my siblings. I will leave you now, but I look forward to hearing from you soon. Have a wonderful day!

In the name of Jesus,

Sheily Yasmin Gonzalez Cabrera

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary