My Story

Jocotenango, where your child lives, is in the state of Sacatepequez, Guatemala and is a suburb of Antigua. It is an urban environment and is inhabited by both Quiche Mayans and Ladinos (those with mixed European ancestry). Most of the children attend school, but financial hardship affects many families and forces most of the children to leave after the sixth grade. Only one out of ten children finish high school. Children in this area face temptations from gangs and drugs.

Hello, my name is Genesis Nazareth Ixcayau Barrera. I hope you are well and very blessed. I am pleased to be able to greet you and tell you about myself today. I was born on July 27, 2016. I am 9 years old, and I am in first grade. After school and on the weekends, I love playing with my dolls and toys. I have one sister that I love to play with. I thank God that I am in good health. I live with my mom and sister in a house that we rent. We pay Q700 for rent each month. That is about 91 U.S. dollars. My mom’s name is Olivia Ixcayau Barrera. She works as an in-home assistant. She is the one who provides for us financially. My father was never with us. He never claimed me when I was born, and I do not know anything about him. We are member a Christian Church called Sanctuary.

Our house is very humble. It is made of cinderblock with a ceramic floor, and we have a little terrace on the roof. We do not have any pets, but my favorite animal is a dog, and I would love to have one of my own someday. Our biggest needs as a family would include groceries, and prayers for my mother, who is dealing with some intestinal issues. She has not been to the doctor, because she is not sure who she should call. But she continues to work very hard to sustain us. Our house is about thirty minutes away from the feeding program by foot, which is usually how I go each week. I love going to the program. My favorite meal is spaghetti. Sometimes they serve us spaghetti in the program, and it is my favorite day. Also, I love the color purple. I would love to say so much more, but I must say goodbye now. I hope you have enjoyed reading my information. Thank you so much for taking the time to learn about me! I pray that God will bless you wherever you and in whatever you are doing. 

With much love,

Genesis Nazareth Ixcayau Barrera

Translated by: Olivia Gallardo, Missionary Intern / Antigua