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.

Hello! May God bless you! I am Mario Anibal Benito Riz. I am so happy to send you this information so you can get to know me better. I was born on August 3, 2021. I am 3 years old. My health is good currently. I love eating black beans with rice. Blue is my favorite color. I am not at school due to my young age. My favorite animal is the chicken. My hobby is playing with toy cars. It is a blessing to be part of the feeding program. My mother usually takes me there and we walk for 20 minutes to get there. About my family, well my father´s name is Juan Benito Garcia. He does not live with us because he abandoned our family 3 years ago. He does not communicate with us or help us economically. My mother´s name is Magdalena Riz Ruiz. She struggles to support us by weaving typical napkins and clothes. Thank God, she is healthy now. However, it has been hard for her to cover the home expenses because she is a single mother. I have one brother. We attend the Church of Christ.

My mother does not own a house, and for that reason, we live with my maternal grandmother and one aunt. The house has one room and one kitchen. It is made of tin sheet walls and roof and dirt floor. There is an artisanal well where we get running water. There is an electricity service, and we share the payment every month. We have chickens and pigs as domestic animals. As a family, our greatest needs are food, shoes and clothes. Well, thank you so much for loving me. May God bless your family and you always!

Kisses and hugs,

Mario Anibal Benito Riz

Translated by: Mireya de Sandoval, AAC Secretary / Antigua