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.

It is my pleasure to greet you and introduce myself! My name is Deyson Ronaldino Chingo Garcia. I was born on March 11^th 2014, in Zacualpa, Quiche, Guatemala. I am an 11-year-old boy. My father is Taviano Chingo Gomez. He makes a living tending his grocery store and he is responsible for our needs. My mother is Odilia Garcia de la Cruz. Unfortunately, she abandoned us about a year ago and we know nothing about her because she does not communicate with us. We raise hens and a cow. I have two brothers and one sister; my father takes care of us. Fortunately, we all are in good health.

I am a fifth-grade student this year. My hobby is to play football. I love the color green, and the animal I like the most is the sheep. I love eating black beans with sausages. We are attending Catholic Church. My father is the owner of the house in which we live in; there are four rooms with a separated kitchen. The house is made of blocks, a cement roof and a ceramic floor. We have running water and electricity services. The electricity payment is monthly, and the water is yearly. At the moment, our greatest needs are groceries. I am so happy to be registered in the feeding program. I attend alongside my sister and we walk 25 minutes. I say goodbye to you for now and I hope to hear from you soon. May God bless you!

Warm hugs,

Deyson Ronaldino Chingo Garcia

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