My Story

Cuatro Caminos "four roads", where your child lives, is an area located high on the side of a mountain in the state of Quiché, Guatemala.  Life is this area is very difficult and very isolated from the outside world.  It is a two hour walk to the nearest market town of Zacualpa.  Cuatro Caminos is a farming area where corn and black beans, the staple elements in their diet, are the major crops.  The Quiché Indians who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization.  They normally speak an Indian dialect called Quiché - however, Spanish is becoming more common.  Very little money ever changes hands in this area as they live on a barter system.

Hello! I am Zoila Paulina Morente Morente and I was born on September 13, 2011. I am ten years old. I attend the Cuatro Caminos feeding program. I am a healthy girl. I live with my parents and with my siblings. I have seven brothers and three sisters. I am in the 2^nd grade at school and am receiving classes every Monday. I enjoy feeding the chickens and doing my homework. My favorite color is sky-blue and my favorite animal is the rabbit. My mother prepares fried chicken, and I love to eat it. My father´s name is Irene Morente Garcia, and he is working as a day laborer with our neighbors. He also weaves typical blankets and typical rugs for selling in Zacualpa town. My mother´s name is Maria Morente Mendez. and she is a weaver too. My house is made of adobe, tin sheet roof and dirt floor. We have six rooms including the kitchen. We have running water and electricity. My siblings and I walk about forty-five minutes to attend the feeding program. We attend Prince of Peace Church and we receive the services every Friday.

With much love,

Zoila Paulina Morente Morente

Translated by: Esther Hernández, AAC Secretary/Antigua