My Story

Chuchuca, where your child lives, is an area located high on the side of a mountain in the state of Quiche, 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 Quiche Mayans who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They normally speak a Mayan dialect called Quiche - however, Spanish is becoming more common. Very little money ever changes hands in this area as they live on a barter system.

My name is Juan Kelvil Batz Coj, and I am excited to share a little about my life with you. I was born on September 10, 2018. I am 6 years old and I love playing soccer. I am in first grade. My favorite color is yellow and my favorite food is fried chicken. I like domestic animals, but my favorite one is the cow. I live with my grandparents and older siblings. I have one brother and two sisters. Sadly, our mother passed away when I was born. Her name was Emilia Coj Barrera. Since then, my grandmother has taken care of my siblings and me. She is my relative on my mother’s side. Her name is Santos Barrera Morente. She makes a living as a midwife and weaves typical clothes to cover our needs. Please pray for us. We are a low-income family, and most of our needs are clothes, food, and school supplies. In addition, my grandfather needs medical attention. He suffers from diabetes, and his health issues have gotten worse over the last years. He has not been able to walk for about five years. About my biological father, let me tell you that he abandoned my siblings and me many years ago. We have heard he has another family. His name is Juan Batz Ruiz.

My family and I live in my grandmother’s house. One of my grandmother's daughters-in-law and her children also live with us. The house is made of adobe with a tin sheet roof and a dirt floor. It has a big room, a separate kitchen, and running water. We have no electricity at home, but one of our neighbors shares it with us. My grandmother and aunt help her to pay it monthly. We have enough space at home, so we raise a few pigs and cows. We also have a cat and a dog at home as pets. My family and I trust in Jesus. We enjoy hearing about Him at the Catholic Church. I am so happy because I can attend the feeding program alongside my siblings. It is about 30 minutes away from our house, so we usually walk to get there. It is time to say goodbye, but I want you to know that my grandmother helped me share all this information with a staff member of LW. Until next time!

Cordiality yours,

Juan Kelvil Batz Coj

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala