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 Jeffersson Damian Alvarez Arenales.  I was born on November 21, 2014 and I am four years old.  I am a basically healthy child.  I have two brothers and two sisters who also attend the feeding program. Sadly, my mother passed away in an accident about a year ago.  My father’s name is Jorge and he works as a trash collector.  We rent a small house.  It has two rooms and in one of the rooms, we have two beds.  I sleep in the bed with my other brothers and my father and sisters sleep in the other bed.  We have a small stove and dining room in the other room.  We have electricity but not water. They sell us water twice a week.  I am not in school yet, so I spend my time playing with my tazos, balls and toy cars or playing hide-and-seek.  My favorite color is blue and my favorite animal is the cat.  The food that I like best is chicken.  Currently, my family does not attend church.

With much love and many blessings,

Jefferson Damian Alvarez Arenales

Translated by: Edwina Lyons/AAC Missionary