My Story

Chixocol, where your child lives, is a very small village nestled in a mountain valley in the state of Quiche, Guatemala. Life in this state is very difficult and somewhat isolated from the outside world. Most families live in one-room adobe houses with dirt floors and a small attached kitchen. The extremely poor live in houses made of corn stalks. In the past few years electricity and water have become available to most people in the area - however, indoor plumbing is very rare. Most of the families are farmers or shepherds and live off the fruits of their labors. Public education is available for those who can afford it and consider it of value. Life in Quiche is always a challenge.

Kind regards! This is Genaro Francisco Adriel De La Cruz Riz and I want to share my information with you. I was born on November 24, 2016. I am 8 years old now and attend school as a second grader. My favorite pastime is playing on the swing. I like the color red and my favorite animal is the lion. About my favorite food, let me tell you that I like having chicken and beef tacos, but my favorite dish is “caldo de gallina criolla” (chicken soup made with a hen grown in the yard) for my meals. Now, I want to tell you about my family. I have one brother and one sister. My father’s name is Ruben Israel De La Cruz Jimon. He makes a living by carrying people from one place to another on his motorcycle. He does his best to provide us with all we need, but it is sometimes difficult. The most demanding of our needs is clothes. My mother’s name is Jessica Marina Riz Chingo de la Cruz. She is a housewife and dedicates part of her time to taking care of my grandmother’s cows. She also raises domestic animals at home. We have chickens, cats, and one dog as a pet. 

By the grace of the Lord, my parents and sister are doing well. Please pray for me. I have suffered from strabismus in my left eye since I had an accident a few years ago. It happened while I was playing. My parents were taking me to the doctor to improve my vision, but when the pandemic started, we could not attend the appointments. I also would you to include my younger brother Edwar in your prayers. He suffered from bronchitis when he was a baby. Since then, his lungs are not strong enough to resist infections, so he gets sick frequently. My family and I attend a Christian Church called Rock of Salvation. We live in our own house. It is made of concrete blocks with a tin sheet roof and a concrete floor. It has two rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. We pay for the electricity every month and the water every year. The feeding program is about 10 minutes from my house. My father usually takes me there on his motorcycle. I feel blessed to be part of LW. It is time to say goodbye, but I hope to hear from you soon.

Huge hugs,

Genaro Francisco Adriel De La Cruz Riz

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary/Antigua Guatemala