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 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! This is Felipe Mardoqueo Garcia Garcia and I am grateful to LW-Adopt A Child for having the opportunity to share my information with you through this letter. I was born on February 20, 2022. I am a healthy boy and I stay home since I still do not attend school. My favorite pastime is riding my bike. Ducks are nice animals, so they are my favorite. I like the color blue and what I love the most is eating fried chicken. I live with my mother and seven brothers. I have no sisters. My mother’s name is Pabla Garcia Ajqui. She makes a living by growing and selling edible herbs at the market or door to door to support our family since she is a single parent. My biological father only gave me his last name, but he never lived with me or supported me. His name is Ernesto Garcia Simaj.

My family and I live in a rented house, which costs Q600=$78.71 monthly. My oldest brother already works and helps my mother to cover the payment. However, the roof is not in good condition. It is made of tin sheets with adobe walls and concrete floors. It has two rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. We raise chickens for our consumption. We also have some dogs as pets. The feeding program is about 30 minutes from my house. My mother accompanies me and we usually take a bus to get there fast. I will leave you for now, but I want you to know that we attend Liberty Church. Until next time!

Kind regards,

Felipe Mardoqueo Garcia Garcia

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Guatemala