My Story

Chuchuca, where your child lives, is an area located high on the side of a mountain in the state of Quiché, Guatemala. Life in this area is very difficult and very isolated from the outside world. It is more than a two-hour walk to the nearest market town of Zacualpa. Chuchuca is a farming area where corn and black beans, the staple elements in their diet, are the major crops. The Quiché Indians who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They normally speak an Indian dialect called Quiché - however, Spanish is becoming more common. Very little money ever changes hands in this area as they live on a barter system.

Hello! This is Jose Elias Garcia Riz. I was born in Zacualpa Quiche on November 4, 2014, and I am 10 years old. This year I am not studying because of some family situations. My hobby is playing football and toy cars. I love cats and my favorite color is red. The tastiest food for me is beans with rice. I live with my parents; I have 2 brothers and three sisters. My father´s name is Pedro Garcia Coj. He works as a farmer and as a day laborer. He goes to the coast to cut cane and coffee beans too. Sometimes, we all travel to work beside my father. My mother is Antonia Riz Barrera. She is a housewife and weaves typical clothes too. We attend the Catholic Church. My mother is the owner of the house in which we live; It has two rooms and a separated kitchen. It is made of adobe and wooden board walls, tin sheet and tile roof and dirt floor. We have the blessing to have running water and electricity at home. My parents pay these services. They do their best, but it is difficult to cover all our needs. Some of them are groceries, clothes and shoes. Three of my siblings attend the feeding program too, and we enjoy walking to get there. We walk 30 minutes to get there. This is all for now. May God bless you abundantly!

Bunch of hugs,

Jose Elias Garcia Riz

 Translated by: Magnolia De Torres / A-A-C Secretary-Antigua Guatemala