Chixocol is a very small village nestled in a mountain valley in the state of Quiché, Guatemala.  Life in this state is very difficult and somewhat isolated from the outside world.  Most families live in one-room adobe houses with dirt floors and a small attached kitchen.  The extremely poor live in houses made of corn stalks.  In the past few years electricity and water has become available to most people in the area - however, indoor plumbing is very rare.  Most of the families are farmers or shepherds and live off the fruits of their labors.  Public education is available for those who can afford it and consider it of value.  Life in Quiché is always a challenge.

Hello, my name is Manuela Emiliana Gutierrez Panjoj.  I was born on May 15, 2015.  I am a healthy child, and I walk about 15-20 minutes to get to the feeding program.  I have two brothers and two sisters who also attend the program.  My father’s name is Francisco and he works as a mason’s assistant.  My mother’s name is Josefa and she is a weaver.  We own the house in which we live.  It is made of cement block with a tin roof and a ceramic tile floor.  We get our water from a well, and we use candles for lighting.  Sometimes we travel to the coast to work during the coffee harvest.  We have some hens and pigs that we sell when they are grown to earn money for our expenses.  I am not in school yet, so I spend my day playing with my dolls.  My favorite color is pink and my favorite animal is the dog.  The foods that I like best are noodles, greens, bananas and papayas.  My family attends an Evangelical church.

With much love and many blessings,

Manuela Emiliana Gutierrez Panjoj

Translated by: Edwina Lyons/ AAC Missionary