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.

Many greetings to you! This is Lester Oliver de la Cruz Gomez, and I am pleased to share a little about my life with you. I was born on January 10, 2020. I am 5 years old. I am enrolled in pre-kindergarten. My favorite pastime is playing soccer. I like the color blue. My favorite food is chow mein. Fortunately, my whole family and I are healthy. I have one brother and one sister. We attend a Christian Church alongside our parents. My father’s name is Ramiro de la Cruz Garcia. He works as a farmer and a woodcutter, while my mom takes care of my siblings and me. Her name is Micaela Gomez Calachij. We raise goats, cows, and pigs at home. My favorite animals are cows. The house where we live belongs to my grandfather on my father’s side. Some of my aunts also live there. The house is made of adobe with a tin sheet roof and a concrete floor. It has four rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. We live about fifteen minutes from the feeding program, so one of my aunts usually takes me there on foot. To conclude, I want you to know that my aunt, Maria Gomez, and a staff member of LW helped me write this letter. See you later!

Huge hugs,

Lester Oliver de la Cruz Gomez

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala