My Story

Chixocol, where your child lives, is a very small village nestled in a mountain valley in the state of Quiche, Guatemala. Life in this state is very difficult and somewhat isolated from the outside world. Most families live in one-room adobe houses with dirt floors and a small attached kitchen. The extremely poor live in houses made of corn stalks. In the past few years electricity and water have become available to most people in the area - however, indoor plumbing is very rare. Most of the families are farmers or shepherds and live off the fruits of their labors. Public education is available for those who can afford it and consider it of value. Life in Quiche is always a challenge.

My full name is Keila Estefany De la Cruz De la Cruz and I am delighted to tell you a little about my life. I am a healthy 4-year-old girl. I was born on December 23, 2020. Because of my age, I still do not attend school. My favorite pastime is playing with my kitchen toys. I like the color pink, my favorite animal is the cat, and I love having hamburger patties for my meals. I live with my parents and siblings. I have two brothers and one sister. My father’s name is Efrain De la Cruz Morente. He works as a day laborer in our village to support our family. He is also part of a musicians’ group in our church. We are members of a Christian Church called Rock of Salvation. My mother’s name is Teresa De la Cruz Morente. She is a housewife and raises hens for our consumption.

Thankfully, we live in our own house. It is made of concrete blocks with a tin sheet roof, and a concrete floor. It has two rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. Fortunately, my whole family is doing well. Our needs are many, but the most demanding is groceries. So please, pray for us. I am glad to be part of LW. The feeding program is about 10 minutes from my house. My siblings and I usually get there by tuk-tuk. I will leave you now, but I send you many huge hugs. Until next time!

From the bottom of my heart,

Keila Estefany De la Cruz De la Cruz

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary/Antigua Guatemala