My Story

Chixocol, where your child lives, is a very small village nestled in a mountain valley in the state of Quiché, 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 has 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 Quiché is always a challenge.

It is a beautiful day to say hello to you and I trust in God you are doing well! My name is Otoniel Acabal Tzunux. I was born on May 28, 2019, in Joyabaj, Quiche, Guatemala. I am a 6-year-old boy. I live with my mom, one brother and one sister. Let me tell you, I am not attending school. Even though I am a healthy boy, I suffer from global developmental delay. I was diagnosed with this condition at the public hospital in Joyabaj in December 2025, and my mom took me to a neurologist in Chimaltenango town, looking for another medical opinion. In fact, the diagnosis was the same. My mother took me to a school called “Rayitos de Esperanza” (Rays of Hope) in Joyabaj. However, I no longer attend because it is expensive and far away from my home. Unfortunately, my mom does not have the resources to pay for a special school. I love eating eggs. My mom and siblings are doing well.

My father´s name is Aurelio Acabal Tojin; however, he abandoned us about 5 years ago. We know nothing about him. My mother´s name is Victoria Tzunux Jimon, and she embroiders blouses to sell. She also raises hens and pigs. She is the only one who provides for our family; she works making tortillas and washing clothes with our neighbors to get income. We believe in God and are attending the Jesus the Good Shepherd Church.

Thanks to God, we live on our own property and my maternal grandmother lives with us. There are two adobe rooms with a tile roof and a dirt floor. We do not have a kitchen. There is running water and electricity services; my mother pays for those services. The water is paid twice a year, Q100 = $14.00 each time, and the electricity is paid monthly. As a family, our greatest needs are groceries and corn. I am so grateful to be enrolled in the feeding program; I live 30 minutes away and I get there by tuk-tuk. Thank you so much for your beautiful heart for the people in Guatemala like me. May God bless you!

Lots of love,

Otoniel Acabal Tzunux

Translated by: Violeta Hernandez / A-A-C Secretary-Antigua Guatemala