My Story

Chixocol, where your child lives, is a very small village nestled in a mountain valley in the state of Quiché, Guatemala. Life in this state is very difficult and somewhat isolated from the outside world. Most families live in one-room adobe houses with dirt floors and a small attached kitchen. The extremely poor live in houses made of corn stalks. In the past few years, electricity and water have become available to most people in the area - however, indoor plumbing is very rare. Most of the families are farmers or shepherds and live off the fruits of their labors. Public education is available for those who can afford it and consider it of value. Life in Quiché is always a challenge.

I am so excited to share my information through this! My name is Deisy Vanessa Toj Ruiz. I was born on April 9^th of 2021. I am a 4-year-old boy. My father is Julian Toj Luis. He makes a living as a day laborer, and he grows corn. Thankfully, he provides for our home needs. My mother is Gregoria Ruiz De La Cruz. She does the housework, and she raises hens and pigs. I have three brothers and four sisters. My mom suffers from body pain; she visited a doctor and takes medicine. However, she is still feeling bad. So, I would like you to include her in your prayers. Besides that, the rest of my family is doing well. We are attending Methodist Church.

I am still not attending school because of my young age. My hobby is to play with my dolls. I love the color yellow, and I like cats. I love eating eggs and fried chicken. We live in my father´s property and my grandparents, uncles and some cousins also live there. There are two adobe rooms with a tin sheet roof and a cement floor. We get water from a natural spring, and my father pays a fee. We have electricity service and my father pays for it too. At the moment, our priority needs are groceries. I am so happy to be registered in the feeding program, even though it is far away from my home, and it takes me one and a half hours to arrive. I walk 30 minutes to get to the bus station, ten minutes by bus, and finally walk another 10 minutes to arrive at the program. I spend Q10.00 = $1.50 each time. My mother accompanies me. This is all for now. Every blessing to you!

Lots of love,

Deisy Vanessa Toj Ruiz

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