My Story

Tunajá is a very primitive area of the state of Quiché, Guatemala.  The inhabitants are Quiché Indians who trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization.  The prevalent language is the Indian dialect - Quiché.  The people are either farmers or shepherds and live off the fruits of their labors.  Very little money ever changes hands as they use a barter system. Public education is available - however, most families cannot afford it.  Electricity and running water are not available in most of the area.  Life in Tunajá is extremely difficult.

Hello! It is wonderful to greet you today and for the first time. I am excited to tell you about me so you can know me better. My name is Elvia Riz Ruiz, and I am 4 years old. I was born on May 20, 2020. I do not attend school because I am too young. I spend my time at home, I enjoy playing with my dolls. My favorite color is yellow, and my favorite animal is the cat. I love eating fried chicken. Thank God, I am in good health. I like attending the feeding program and my mother usually takes me by bus. It takes us 20 minutes to arrive.

My Father´s name is Vicente Riz Ruiz and my mother´s name is Claudia Ruiz Castro. They both struggle to sustain our family. My father farms the land while my mother sells yucca in the local plaza to help economically. Moreover, she takes care of us and the house. I have two brothers. We attend the Church of Christ. Thank God, we live in our own house that belongs to my mother. It is made of tin sheet walls and roof and dirt floor. There is one room and a kitchen. We have running water and electricity that my grandfather shares with us. For that reason, my parents pay for the electricity every other month with my grandfather. There are also some domestic animals like pigs and chickens. Thankfully, my parents and siblings are enjoying good health. Our greatest necessity as a family is tin sheets to fix our house. Well, I thank you for your attention, but before I say goodbye to you, I want you to know that my mother provided this information to the LW team to share with you. May God bless you for taking the time to read about me! I send you my love, kisses and hugs.

Many blessings,

Elvira Riz Ruiz

Translated by: Mireya de Sandoval, AAC Secretary / Antigua