My Story

Hello! I hope you are having a blessed day alongside your lovely family. Praise the Lord my family and I attend Prince of Peace Church; we go twice per week. We trust our salvation in Jesus, and my mother has accepted Him in her heart. Please pray for my parents’ health; my mother suffers from diabetes, and my father suffers from gastric ulcer. Both of my parents have visited the doctor and are under medical care. My mother is Reyna Luis Morente, and she is 40 years old. She is a weaver and sells the typical items she weaves, and she also sews clothes; all this is to contribute to the income. My father is Francisco Riz Jimon, and he is 40 years old. he does farm work to supply the family´s needs. At home, we raise hens and harvest corn for our consumption; sometimes, my mother sells some hens.

I am Juan Miguel Angel Riz Luis. I want to tell you that recently, my father legally recognized me; he was in the United States when I was born, and I had only my mother´s last name. So, now my full name is Juan Miguel Angel Riz Luis, no longer Luis Morente's last name. This year I was in 1^st grade; I like to receive classes at school because I comprehend the lessons when my teacher is explaining. I appreciate the effort that my parents make to buy what I need for school; it is hard for them because they do not have much income. My native language is K'iche´ Mayan dialect. I can speak a little Spanish, but I would like to improve it so that I can communicate better with other people. When I am bit older, I would like to travel to USA. My favorite drink is Coca-Cola. I like to play soccer in my free time; it is the sport I like the most. Let me tell you that my family and I like to celebrate New Year; we enjoy eating “tamales” (a typical dish). At home, we do not celebrate our birthdays due to a lack of resources, but someday I would like to have a “piñata” (a kind of puppet filled with candies) to break with my siblings; it must be so much fun. I take this opportunity to give thanks for the love and support I receive from you through Living Water; I am so blessed to be part of the program. The food and medical care are a great blessing for me. For now, we are in need of corn to make our tortillas. I leave you for now. I pray God blesses you abundantly!

Lots of love,

Juan Miguel Angel Riz Luis

Translated by: Violeta Hernandez / A-A-C Secretary-Antigua Guatemala