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. I hope you are doing well and are healthy. My name is Lucrecia Portuguez Grave. My father´s name is Jorge Portuguez Tino. My mother´s name is Carmelina Grave Grave. Sadly, my father abandoned our family 7 years ago. He does not help us economically nor keep in touch with us. For that reason, my mother is our only supporter. She earns some money by farming the land and working as a day laborer. This time, I would like to ask for your prayers for my mom because she suffers from gastritis. Thankfully she is taking medicine currently.

We live with my maternal grandparents and uncles. The house belongs to my uncle. It has three rooms, and a kitchen made of adobe, tile roof and cemented floor. We get our water from an artisanal well and pay monthly for the electricity service. My mom shares the expenses with the relatives we live with. We have some domestic animals such as chickens. Our greatest necessity as a family is food. We attend the Prince of Peace Church.

Talking about me, I was born on June 3, 2016. I will be 9 years old this year. I am in the 2^nd grade at school. In my free time, I play with my dolls. I love eating black beans. My favorite pet is a chicken, and my favorite color is purple. Thank God, my health is good. I feel privileged to attend the feeding program. I usually go there with my aunts, and we take the bus to be there which takes 5 minutes to arrive. Well, this is all for now. I hope we can keep in touch. Please take care!

Best wishes,

Lucrecia Portuguez Grave

Translated by: Mireya de Sandoval, AAC Secretary / Antigua