Zone 5, where your child lives, is located in a slum area of Guatemala City.  An extremely poor area, our program is squeezed in among the shanty dwellings built over an old city dump. Many houses in this area are without toilets or running water and are assembled with scrap wood, sheet metal, and cardboard. Zone 5 is considered one of the most dangerous areas of Guatemala City. It is controlled by gangs and drug pushers.  Robberies and murders are common in this area.  Public education is available - however, many cannot afford it.  Life in Zone 5 is very difficult. This child lives on top of an old rubbish dump in Zone 5 of Guatemala City.

Hello, my name is Shirly Edelain Tinti Vasquez.  I was born on April 16, 2008 and I am eleven years old.  I am a healthy child.  I have three sisters and one of them also attends the feeding program.  My father’s name is Mario and my mother’s name is Ligia.  They both work and my siblings and I stay with our aunt, Gaby, while they are working.  We rent the house in which we live.  It has three rooms and a separate kitchen.  The house is cement block with a tin roof and a granite floor.  We have water and electricity.  I have my own bed. I am in 5^th grade.  My favorite color is black and my favorite animal is the penguin.  The food that I like best is chicken.  In my free time, I like to dance, to box and to play soccer. My family attends a Christian church called “The Family of God”.

With much love and many blessings,

Shirly Edelain Tinti Vasquez

Translated by: Edwina Lyons/AAC Missionary