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 excited to introduce myself to you through this letter. I hope this finds you doing well. My name is Kimberly Marilu Yanileth Cruz Clemente, and I was born on November 9, 2011. Thankfully, I am a healthy girl. I am in fifth grade, and my favorite hobby is playing soccer. My favorite dish is Estofado (this is a tasty stew made of tomato sauce, spices, shredded chicken, beef, or pork). I love dogs and my favorite color is blue. I live with my mother and siblings. I have three brothers and three sisters. Sadly, my father abandoned my family and me. He has another family. He is not in touch with us and does not help us economically. His name is Jose Alfredo Cruz Lara. My mother’s name is Raquel Dolores Clemente Soto. She works hard as a domestic employee to support our needs and expenses.

She established a relationship with a man recently. His name is Pablo Ramos. He works as a farmer and helps us economically. He does not live with us but visits my mom on Saturdays. My family and I attend the local Catholic Church in our town. We live in our own house. It has two rooms and a separate kitchen. The walls are made of concrete blocks with tin sheet roof and concrete floors. We have electricity and running water. We have a lovely dog as a pet at home. Some of our greatest needs are a new bed and food. My siblings and I are glad because we have delicious lunches at the feeding program for free. We usually walk 20 minutes from our house to get there. To end this letter, I want you to know that my mom helped me to give all this information to an AAC secretary. I say goodbye to you now, but if you want to know more about my life, feel free to ask me. Have a blessed day!

In the name of Jesus,

Kimberly Marilu Yanileth Cruz Clemente

Translated by: Hillary Popol / AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala