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! I am Jose David Del Cid Marroquin, and I hope you are fine. I want to tell you a little about my family and me. I was born on August 31, 2011, so I am 14 years old. I am a healthy boy, and I am attending 8^th grade this year; in my free time, I like drawing. I love eating noodles with meat, and my favorite color is blue. I like lions. I have one brother and two sisters. My father’s name is Jose Eliseo Del Cid Corado, and he works as a traffic police officer. My mother’s name is Ana Guadalupe Marroquin Aguilar, and she stays at home doing the chores and taking care of my siblings and me. In this occasion, she helped me with this letter.

We live in a house that belongs to my grandfather, Florentin. The house is made of concrete block with a tin sheet roof and concrete floor, and it has three rooms and a kitchen. We have running water and electricity services, and we pay these bills every month. We do not have pets at home. My home is located 30 minutes away from the feeding program, and I walk to arrive there. I am very happy and grateful to have the opportunity to be part of the program. My family and I are attending New Life in Christ Church. I would like to ask for your prayers for my family and our needs. I say goodbye to you for now, and I hope you find my letter interesting.

In Jesus’ name

Jose David Del Cid Marroquin

Translated by: Loyda de Osorio, AAC Secretary/Antigua Guatemala