My Story

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

Special regards from beautiful Guatemala! I am Jimena Estefania Benito Vicente and I will tell you a little bit about my life. I was born on July 21, 2017. I am a healthy girl and I am in third grade. I love painting in my free time and my favorite color is pink. I like dogs and what I love having for my meals are eggs with sausages. I live with my parents and I have only one brother. Thankfully, they are doing well. My father’s name is Honatan Danilo Benito and he is the main supporter of our family. He makes a living by manipulating heavy machinery.

On the other hand, my mother is a housewife and keeps busy taking care of my brother and me. Her name is Aura Geraldina Vicente Calachij. We are members of a Christian Church called Emanuel and it is near where we live. We live in a rented house and my father pays Q750=$98.37 monthly. It is made of bricks and ceramic floors. It has two rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. We pray to find another house that is a little bit more spacious. Therefore, I kindly ask you to join us in prayer. The feeding program is only about a five-minute walk from where I live. My mother usually accompanies my brother and me. It is time to say goodbye, but I hope to hear from you soon.

Kind regards,

Jimena Estefania Benito Vicente

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Guatemala