My Story

Zacualpa is a small but busy village in a mountain valley. The village is inhabited by both Quiche Mayans and Ladinos (those with mixed European ancestry). The prevalent language is Spanish. Families in this village live in one or two room homes generally constructed of either wood or adobe. Although many of the people are farmers, the village contains several small specialized stores, a body repair shop for buses, mechanics, plumbers and many other small-town tradesmen. It also has a large open-air market which serves much of the area. Even with all of this, the poverty level is very high and the children are very needy.

I fondly greet you in the name of Jesus, hoping you are doing well. I am Carlos Miguel Rodriguez Gonzalez, and I am excited to share with you a little about my life. I was born on October 28, 2013. I am a healthy 12-year-old boy, and I attend sixth grade at school. Among my hobbies, playing soccer is what I enjoy the most. I like the color black. My favorite animals are dogs, and I love having roasted meat for my meals. I live with my mother and siblings. I have one brother and two sisters. Sadly, I do not have my father with me because he passed away in 2024 due to kidney problems. His name was Carlos Rodriguez Ruiz.

I am so grateful to the Lord because my mother is a strong woman, who strives to support our family. Her name is Emma Gonzalez Luis and she is a domestic employee. There is nobody else who can take care of us while she works, so after school, we go to her work and wait for her until she finishes her duties. Unfortunately, she has not felt as well since she suffers from gastritis. She is not under treatment because of a lack of financial resources. We are a humble family and besides medicine for my mother, we need groceries and clothes. So please, pray for us.

About our spiritual life, let me tell you that we attend a nearby Christian church. My family and I live in our own house. The walls and roof are made of concrete block and the floor is ceramic. It has four rooms, but no separated kitchen. Fortunately, we have electricity and running water services. There is enough space at home for a few domestic animals, so we raise chickens. We live near the feeding program because my siblings and I just walk for about 20 minutes to get there. Thank you so much for reading my information!

Kisses and hugs,

Carlos Miguel Rodriguez Gonzalez

Translated by: Hillary Popol, A-A-C Secretary / Guatemala