My Story

Dueñas, 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 Dueñas is quiet and sometimes difficult.

Hello! I am Pablo David Castellanos Santizo. I was born on October 18, 2013, and I am currently 10 years old. This year I attend 3^rd grade. I like to play spinning tops with my friends. I love the color yellow, and my favorite animal is the cat.  The meals I love are stew and black beans. My father´s name is Gilberto Armando Castellanos Sierra. He makes a living by driving a micro-bus; he does his best for our family. My mother´s name is Gladis Yohana Santizo Gonzalez. She is a housewife and takes care of my brother and me. We attend Catholic Church.        

About my health, let me tell you that I was born overweight and had a hernia in my belly button, and I had surgery to remove it when I was two years old.  Now, I have foot fungus, “mezquinos” (a kind of rash on the skin), and I have nosebleeds when it is hot or cold weather. About my parents, please pray for them. My mother suffers from articulations and bones pain, and she started with this when I was born. She is still not under medical care. My father suffers from stomachaches because he has a hiatal hernia, colon problems and insomnia. Fortunately, he takes medicine for his illnesses. So please, pray for my parents and my health also. We live on our own property; The house is made of tin sheets, both walls and roof, with a cement floor. We have two rooms and my mother cooks in one of them. There is electricity and running water; my father pays for those services. I am fortunate to have my parents who support and provide for me. For now, the main need is clothes for me because I am growing up so fast, and my parents do not always have the resources to supply this need. My brother and I walk about 20 minutes to arrive at the feeding program. This time the Living Water staff collected this information personally for the record, and my mother Gladis Santizo provided it. So long. Many and abundant blessings!

Warm hugs,

Pablo David Castellanos Santizo

Translated by: Violeta Hernandez / A-A-C Secretary-Antigua Guatemala