My Story

Tunaja is a very primitive area of the state of Quiche, Guatemala. The inhabitants are Quiche Mayans who trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. The prevalent language is the Mayan dialect - Quiche. The people are either farmers or shepherds and live off the fruits of their labors. 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 Tunaja is extremely difficult.

Hello! My name is Iromaldi Paola Gomez Chingo, and it is a pleasure to share my information with you. My mother and a staff member of LW helped me write this letter. I am a healthy 5-year-old girl. I was born on October 17, 2019. I attend school as a pre-kinder. My favorite pastime is playing with dolls. I love having fried chicken for my meals. My favorite color is red. I like all domestic animals, but my favorites are rabbits. I live with my parents and some relatives on my mother’s side. I am an only child. My father is dedicated to farming the land for our neighbors. His name is Oscar Gomez Morente. On the other hand, my mother keeps busy weaving typical clothes and napkins. Her name is Juana Chingo Morente. We attend the Catholic Church. We live at my grandparents’ house. It is made of adobe with a tin sheet roof and a concrete floor. It has two rooms, a separate kitchen, running water, and electricity. Everybody contributes to covering the household expenses. My family are in need of food and clothes. I kindly ask you to join us in prayer, too. Some of our other needs are food and clothes. We live about 20 minutes from the feeding program, so we walk to get there. It is time to say goodbye, but I hope to hear from you soon. 

Kisses and hugs,

Iromaldi Paola Gomez Chingo

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala