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! My name is Ingrid Nayeli Pedro Gonzalez, and in this opportunity, I will tell you about my life and family. I was born on July 30, 2016. I am 8 years old and fortunately, I am in good health. I am in first grade and everything goes well at school. My favorite color is sky blue, I like cats, and my favorite food is salad. I like playing with my siblings and friends in my free time. The game that I enjoy the most is “arranca cebollas” (the onion pulling is a traditional Guatemalan game that involves many guys. One child in front is holding a light post fiercely and the other children are in line pulling until one of them loses strength and all falls). Thankfully, I have a lovely family. I have two brothers and one sister. My father is My father is Jairo Otoniel Pedro Pedro. He works hard in Chimaltenango City to support our needs and expenses. He makes a living as a daily collection manager. My mom also works hard to help at home with her income. Her name is Ingris Carolina Gonzalez Yoc. She makes a living by selling second-hand clothes in our town. 

Let me tell you that my paternal grandmother takes care of my siblings and me while my parents go to work. Luckily, she lives next to our house. The house where we live is rented which costs Q900=$116.32 monthly. Besides the rent payment, we pay the electricity and running water bills. The house is a ten-minute walk from the feeding program. The house's roofs and walls are made of tin sheets with concrete floors. It has two rooms and a separate kitchen. Fortunately, we can have a cat at home as a pet. As for our spiritual life, let me tell you that my family and I are members of a Christian Church. To end this letter, I beg you to pray for my family and our needs. Some of our greatest needs are food, clothes, and shoes. I will leave you now, but I appreciate you reading my letter. May the Lord reward you richly for your kindness and prayers!

Sincerely yours,

Ingrid Nayeli Pedro Gonzalez

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala