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 labor. Public education is available for those who can afford it and consider it of value. Life in Quiche is always a challenge.

Many huge hugs from Chixocol village! This is Jairo Jacob Ajqui Perez, and I am so happy to share a little about my life with you. I was born on November 12, 2021. I am a healthy three-year-old boy. I am too young to attend school, so I play with my toy cars. I enjoy that so much! My favorite color is red. I am a big fan of dinosaurs. My favorite food is black beans and eggs. I live with my parents and brother. My heart is overflowing with happiness because my mother is pregnant. She is doing well and keeps busy taking care of my brother and me. At the moment, I only have one brother. My mother’s name is Vilma Maribel Perez Rodriguez. Besides dedicating time to our family, she raises chickens and sells them to contribute to the expenses.

My father’s name is Rigoberto Ajqui Morente. He works in a hardware store as a truck driver’s assistant. My family and I live in our own house, although it legally belongs to my mother. The house is made of concrete blocks with a metal sheet roof and a concrete floor. It only has one room and a makeshift kitchen made of wood and metal sheets. There is no running water or electricity at home. However, one of our relatives shares these services with us, and my father pays him. We are a Christian family and attend Liberty Church. I am glad because I can also have delicious meals through LW at the feeding program. It is very close to my house because I only walk for three minutes alongside my mother to get there. I will leave you now, but I appreciate you taking the time to read my letter. Have a wonderful day!

Sincerely yours,

Jairo Jacob Ajqui Perez

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala