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.

Hello! My full name is Helen Sucely Noriega de la Cruz and I am a healthy 4-year-old girl. My birthdate is December 22, 2020. Because of my age, I still do not attend school. My favorite food is grilled meat. I like the color pink and my favorite animal is the cat. I like doing many things in my free time, but my favorite activity is playing with my dolls. Now, I want to tell you about my family. My mother’s name is Catarina de la Cruz Mendez. She works as a day laborer in our village and brings my siblings and me to her work to take care of us. I have two sisters but no brothers. She takes advantage of her days off to do the household chores. I beg you to pray for her because she has suffered from pain in her right leg. She is not under treatment because of a lack of money. My father’s name is Edwin Magno Noriega Estrada. He is doing well and makes a living as a bus driver. He does not live with us because he is separated from my mom, but he helps us economically every week.

My family and I are Christians, so we attend a nearby church in our village. Fortunately, we live in our own house. It is made of adobe with a tile roof and a granite floor. It has two rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. My father pays the bills for those services. We raise a few chickens at home for our consumption. My parents do their best to provide for all our family needs, but it is challenging. Our priorities are groceries. I feel blessed to be part of the feeding program. We usually walk for 30 minutes from our house to get there. To end this letter, I send you many kisses and hugs. See you later!

With much love,

Helen Sucely Noriega de la Cruz

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary/Antigua Guatemala