My Story

Duenas, where your child lives, is a small farming village located at the foot of one of Guatemala's active volcanoes, Fuego (Fire). The fertile ground around the village allows for the cultivation of roses and coffee, two of Guatemala's largest exports. Most of the families in this area live in one or two room wooden or adobe houses with tin roofs. Electricity is available to those who can afford it. Running water is available - however, most homes do not have indoor plumbing. Public education is available for those who can afford it and consider education of value. Life in Duenas is quiet and sometimes difficult.

Hello! I greet you fondly, hoping you are having a fantastic day. My name is Andrea Guadalupe Fuentes Velasquez, and this is my story. Before doing it, I want you to know that my mom helped me to give all this information to an AAC secretary. I was born on December 5, 2015. I am in first grade and my favorite color is pink. I have fun playing with my dolls and soccer with my siblings. I like animals, especially ducks. I have a rabbit and a cat at home as pets. My favorite dish is fried chicken. I live with my biological parents. I have two siblings and their names are Allison Rumina and Andersson Froylan. My father’s name is Esvin Guadalupe Fuentes Pelen. He makes a living as a farmer. Unfortunately, he spends most of his income on alcohol. Therefore, I would like to count on your prayers for him. My mother’s name is Andrea Magnolia Velasquez Siquinajay. She does her best for my siblings and me. She washes clothes for other people and earns Q25=$3.19 for doing that work. As for health, let me tell you that my family and I are doing well. 

We attend the Catholic Church. We live with my maternal grandmother at her home. One of my aunts lives there with her child too. The house has two rooms, but we only use one of those. It has a separate kitchen, so we share it with our loved ones. The walls and roof are made of tin sheets with dirt floors. We have electricity and running water at home, thanks to our neighbors. My mom and dad pay for those services. Some of our greatest needs are shoes, clothes, and groceries. My siblings and I usually walk for 15 minutes from where we live to get to the feeding program. This is all for now about my life, but I want to thank you for taking the time to read this letter. May God bless you!

Kind regards

Andrea Guadalupe Fuentes Velasquez

Translated by: Hillary Popol /AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala