My Story

Dueñas, where your child lives, is a small farming village located at the foot of one of Guatemala's active volcanoes, Fuego (Fire). The fertile ground around the village allows for the cultivation of roses and coffee, two of Guatemala's largest exports. Most of the families in this area live in one or two room wooden or adobe houses with tin roofs. Electricity is available to those who can afford it. Running water is available - however, most homes do not have indoor plumbing. Public education is available for those who can afford it and consider education of value. Life in Dueñas is quiet and sometimes difficult.

I am delighted to say hello to you through this letter. My name is Genesis Nahomi Osorio de Leon and before introducing myself to you, I want you to know that my mom helped me to give all this information to an AAC secretary. I was born on August 14, 2012. I am a healthy girl, and I am in third grade. Before going to school, I help my grandma to do the household chores in the morning. My favorite color is pink, I love eating chicken broth, and my favorite pets are dogs. The people who I live with are my grandmother and her partner. My grandmother’s name is Maria Margarita Barrera. She is under medical treatment because she is a diabetic woman. She established a relationship with Mr. Jose Ignacio Cojolon Barrera, who works in a hardware store to support my grandmother and me. They are in charge of taking care of the house we live in. It has two rooms and a separate kitchen. The walls are made of concrete blocks, the roof is tin sheet, and the floors are dirt. We have electricity and running water. We have two dogs and some chickens at home.

I moved out to live with them about two years ago. I used to live with my mom and siblings, but I stayed at home alone because my mom works and my siblings receive classes in the morning. My mother’s name is Maria Jose De Leon Barrera. She works hard as a nanny and cleans houses for other people. I have one sister and one brother. They just moved out to live with us recently. They lived in a rented house, but my mom could not continue paying for it. Sadly, my biological father abandoned our family some months ago. His name is Mario Raul Osorio. We know nothing about him. My family and I need clothes and a new bed. Therefore, I would like to count on your prayers for us so the Almighty helps us. The feeding program is a blessing for my family and me. My sisters and I usually walk 10 minutes from where we live to get there. To end this letter, I want you to know that my mom helped me to give all this information to an AAC secretary. I say goodbye to you now, but I hope to hear from you soon. May God bless you! 

From the bottom of my heart,

Genesis Nahomi Osorio de Leon

Translated by: Hillary Popol / AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala