My Story

Chuchuca, where your child lives, is an area located high on the side of a mountain in the state of Quiché, Guatemala. Life in this area is very difficult and very isolated from the outside world. It is more than a two hour walk to the nearest market town of Zacualpa.  Chuchuca is a farming area where corn and black beans, the staple elements in their diet, are the major corps. The Quiché Indians who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They normally speak an Indian dialect called Quiché - however, Spanish is becoming more common. Very little money ever changes hands in this area as they live on a barter system.

Good morning! It is a pleasure for me to introduce myself in this opportunity. My full name is Edy Wilson Calachij Gomez. I was born on December 13^th of 2019, in Zacualpa, Quiche, Guatemala. I am 5 years old and fortunately, I am in good health. Unfortunately, I was not legally recognized by my father since he abandoned my mother. I have only my mother´s last name. My mother´s name is Sebastiana Calachij Gomez. She makes a living by raising hens, turkeys and pigs to sell to get income. I have one brother and two sisters. My siblings’ father left home a few months ago due to marital problems, and now, he is giving economic support to them. Thanks to God, my mother and siblings are doing well.

Due to my young age, I am not attending school. I spend my time by playing with my toy cars and football. I like the color blue. The animal I like the most is the hen. My favorite meal is noodles with beans. We attend the Catholic Church. Fortunately, my mother owns the house in which we live. There is only one room made of wooden boards, with a tin sheet roof and a dirt floor. The kitchen is separated. We have electricity service and my mother pays it every month. We get water from an artisanal well. At the moment our greatest needs are groceries. I am so grateful to be registered in the feeding program and I have to walk one hour to arrive; my mom accompanies me. I hope you find my letter interesting and I would like to hear from you soon. May our Lord bless you!

Warm hugs,

Edy Wilson Calachij Gomez

Translated by: Violeta Hernandez / A-A-C Secretary-Antigua Guatemala