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 laborers. 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.

It is a blessing to greet you on this beautiful day. My name is Rafael Abraham Aguilar Coj, and I hope you are doing fine in your country. Let me tell you that I am a healthy boy. I was born on May 15, 2018. I will turn 7 years old this year. I am attending 1^st grade at school. My favorite color is red. I like cats. My favorite dish is fried chicken. My hobby is playing with toy cars. I only have one sister. My grandmother takes me to the feeding program, and we usually walk for 30 minutes to get there.

I live happily with my parents. Lucas Enrique Aguilar Cux is my father. Marta Alicia Coj is my mother. Both work at the coast gathering macadamia nuts. Meanwhile, we stay under the care of my paternal grandmother. After they come back home, my father works as a day laborer while my mother does the hard work at home and takes care of us. Thankfully, my family is in good health. Our greatest necessity as a family is food.

Fortunately, we live in our own humble one room house. It has a separate kitchen. It is made of adobe, tin sheet roof and dirt floor. There is no running water just electricity. We carry the water from my grandparents´ house. We share the electricity payment with our grandparents. We do not have any domestic animals. Our greatest necessity is food. We attend a Christian Church. Well, this is a short introduction about me and my family. Thank you for your attention. May God bless you richly!

Best regards,

Rafael Abraham Aguilar Coj

Translated by: Mireya de Sandoval, AAC Secretary / Antigua