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 full name is Zaqueo Dionicio Ruiz Morente, and I am glad to share my information with you. I was born on March 14, 2022. I am too young to attend school, so I stay home with my mother. I am three years old. My favorite pastime is playing with toy cars. I love the color yellow, and my favorite animals are dogs. About food, I want you to know that I love eating fried chicken. Now, let me tell you about my family. My mother’s name is Maria Morente Simaj. She keeps busy doing the chores and taking care of my siblings and me. I have two brothers and one sister. Besides that, my mother raises chickens for our consumption. My father’s name is Mario Ruiz Tzoy. He is a farmer and a day laborer. We attend a Christian Church called Prince of Peace.

The house where we live belongs to my father. It is made of adobe with a tile room and a concrete floor. It has only one room, so my father made an improvised kitchen behind the room. Fortunately, it has electricity and running water. We have dogs at home as pets. Please pray for my family and our well-being. One of our greatest needs is food, especially corn. The feeding program is near my house. My siblings and I usually walk for five minutes to get there. It is time to say goodbye, but I want you to know that my mother and a staff member of LW helped me write this letter.

Huge hugs,

Zaqueo Dionicio Ruiz Morente

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala