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

I hope this letter finds you happy and healthy, along with your loved ones. I am so glad to have the opportunity to be part of the feeding program. This is Dayli Yahaira Barrera Garcia. This year, I attend pre-kindergarten. My favorite hobby is painting. I love the color purple. The horse is the animal that I like the most. I enjoy when my mother cooks black beans and sausages. I am a healthy girl. I am grateful to have a hardworking mother. She is the only one who supports our family. Her name is Alicia Paulina Barrera Garcia. She earns a living working as a domestic employee. She and my grandma are in good health. I do not have the last name of my father because he is not responsible for me. I do not know anything about him. My grandmother takes care of me while my mother goes to work. I attend a Christian church called “Asamblea de Dios”.

We live in my maternal grandmother´s house. There are five rooms made of adobe, tile roof, concrete floor and a separate kitchen. It has running water and electricity. My mother and grandmother pay for these services. Grandma raises hens and a cow. Our greatest needs are groceries. It takes me about 10 minutes by bus from home to get to the feeding program. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. See you soon!

Many greetings,

Dayli Yahaira Barrera Garcia

Translated by: Antigua Secretary-Lucia Gravez