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 Joel Isaias Garay Gutierrez.  I was born on January 5, 2009 and I am ten years old.  I am a healthy child.  I live with my mother and my brother.  My stepfather left to go to the United States.  He is working in a supermarket and he sends my mother money for our expenses.  We rent two rooms.  My brother and I share a room, but we have our own beds.  My mother sleeps in the other room where we also have our kitchen.  We eat in an area outside in the yard.  We have water and electricity.  I am in 4^th grade.  My favorite color is green and my favorite animal is the giraffe.   The food that I like best is pizza.  In my free time, I like to play volleyball and basketball or listen to praise music.  We attend Ebenezer Church.

With much love and many blessings,

Joel Isaias Garay Gutierrez

Translated by: Edwina Lyons/AAC Missionary