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.

Hello! My full name is Heimayoli Mikeyla Tzoy Simaj and it is such a blessing to greet you through this letter. I was born on December 15, 2016. Thankfully, I am in good health and my favorite pastime is riding my bike. I am in second grade and my favorite color pink. I like dogs and what I love having the most on my meals is spaghetti. I am an only child and I live with my parents. Their names are Domingo Tzoy de la Cruz and Micaela Simaj Grave. My father makes a living by growing and selling coffee beans, while my mother sells clothes, blankets, and other items to support our family. Fortunately, they are doing well. We attend the Catholic Church in our village, which is near where I live. Fortunately, we do not rent the house where we live. It is made of concrete blocks with a tin sheet roof and concrete floor. It has two rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. We only have a dog at home as a pet. The feeding program is about 30 minutes away from where I live. My cousin and I usually walk to get there, but we sometimes take a bus too. It is time to say goodbye, but I hope you enjoyed my information.

With much love,

Heimayoli Mikeyla Tzoy Simaj

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Guatemala