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 Sabino Us Quixan, and it is a pleasure to share my story with you. First, I want you to know that my mother and a staff member of LW helped me write this letter. I was born on June 12, 2018. I am a healthy 7-year-old boy. I attend school as a first grader. My favorite pastime is playing soccer. I love eating beans with rice. My favorite color is blue. I like domestic animals, but my favorite one is the dog. Now, let me tell you about my loved ones. I have three sisters, but no brothers. My father’s name is Elias Us Hernandez. He traveled to the United States about four years ago. He is a mason and helps us economically every three weeks. My mother’s name is Ana Quixan Luis. She works in our village as a day laborer to contribute to the expenses. She also grows corn and raises chickens for our consumption. Due to her work, she suffers from muscle pains, but she is already under treatment. We are Christians and attend a nearby church.

The house where we live belongs to my mother. It is made of concrete blocks, tin sheet roof, and concrete floors. It has two rooms, a separate kitchen, but no electricity or running water either. Thankfully, one of our relatives allows my mother to carry water in a plastic vessel from her house. She does not charge us for it. In addition, my grandmother shares the electricity with us. She is my relative on my father’s side. My mother helps her with the expenses. Please pray for my family and our well-being. Some of our priorities are clothes and food, especially corn. The feeding program is a little far from our house. Therefore, my mother and I take a microbus to get there. The trip lasts about five minutes. I will leave you now, but I hope to hear your story soon. Have a wonderful day!

Kind regards,

Sabino Us Quixan

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala