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.

I greet you fondly in the name of Jesus, hoping you are doing well. My name is Oliver Gabriel Chan Chacaj and I want to tell you about my life. I was born on February 19, 2020. Fortunately, I am a healthy 5-year-old boy. I am in pre-kinder and my favorite color is green. After school, I like doing homework. My favorite animals are cats. About food, let me tell you that I love having fried chicken. I live with my parents and siblings. Thankfully, everybody is doing well. We are members of a Christian Church called Pentecostal United. My father’s name is Jose Chan Ordonez. He works as a farmer and day laborer. My mother’s name is Rosa Chacaj de la Cruz. She is dedicated to taking care of my siblings and me. I have two brothers and two sisters. 

My mother also sells pieces of fruit in small bags to earn a little income and help my father cover the expenses and buy food, which is one of our priorities. In addition, she raises chickens at home. She occasionally sells them to earn extra money. We live in our own house. It is made of adobe with a tin sheet roof and a dirt floor. It has two rooms and a separate kitchen which is made of wood. We have electricity and running water because my grandmother shares those services with us. My parents help her to pay half of the bills for the services. We live about 10 minutes from the feeding program. We usually get there on foot. I leave you now, but I hope to hear from you soon.

Huge hugs,

Oliver Gabriel Chan Chacaj

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary/Antigua Guatemala