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! My name is Pedro Elias Castro Us and it is a privilege for me to share my story with you through this letter. I was born on December 20, 2015. I am a healthy boy, and my favorite dish is black beans with rice and cheese. I am in first grade, and I have fun playing with my toy cars and soccer ball. My favorite color is green, and I love rabbits. I live with my biological parents and my two sisters. Their names are Ana Elizabeth and Petrona Araceli. The one who covers all the housing expenses and needs is my father. His name is Gabriel Castro Lopez. He makes a living as a farmer for other people, and he earns about Q550=$70.14 every fifteen days. My mother is a hardworking housewife and does her best to watch over my sisters and me. Her name is Carmen Us y Us. Fortunately, my family is in good health.

We attend a Pentecostal Church called Jesus Comes Soon. We live in a rented house. My father pays Q400=$51.01 per month. There is only one room and a separate kitchen in the house. The walls and roof are made of tin sheets with dirt floors. We have electricity and running water. Some of our needs are shoes, clothes, and food. I usually walk for 30 minutes from my house to get to the feeding program. To end this letter, I want you to know that my mom helped me to give all this information to an AAC secretary. Thank you so much for reading this letter! I will leave you now, but I hope to hear from you someday.

Sincerely yours,

Pedro Elias Castro Us

Translated by: Hillary Popol /AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala