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 in 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 Mayans who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They normally speak a Mayan 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! My name is Keyla Roselda Mulul Mechen. I am 4 years old since I was born on February 25, 2019. Thankfully, I am in good health condition. I am not attending school this year due to my age. I spend most of my time playing with dolls; my favorite meal is hen broth, I like the color green, and the animal I like is the hen. I live with my parents and siblings, I have four brothers and one sister, four of them and I are registered at the feeding program; we enjoy eating the delicious food we receive here, and we walk 30 minutes to be there.

My father’s name is Ricardo Mulul de Leon, and he earns a living by working as a day laborer. Besides that, when it is the sugar cane harvest season, he travels to the coast to improve our income. My mother’s name is Magdalena Mechen Gomez, and she is a housewife, takes care of us, and she earns some money by raising hens and goats to sell. As a family we are members of Hispanic American Church. Thankfully, we live in our own house which is made of adobe walls with a tin sheet roof and dirt floor. It has two rooms and a separate kitchen; we do not have running water or electricity, so we get the water from a river with a hose, and we use candles and flashlights at night. We are in need of groceries, but we trust that God will help us to go ahead. I want you to know that my mother came to register me, and she gave all this information. I say goodbye to you with much love and affection. I wish you many blessings and I hope to hear from you soon.

In Jesus Name

Keyla Roselda Mulul Mechen

Translated by: Luisa Reyes /A-A-C Secretary/ Guatemala