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.

Hello! It is a big blessing to share a little about my life with you. I hope you find this letter engaging. My full name is Oscar Daniel Ajqui Garcia, and I was born on October 25, 2019. I am 5 years old and I love playing soccer. I am not enrolled at school, but I hope to do it next year. My favorite color is black. I enjoy having beans and rice for my meals. My favorite animals are goats. Fortunately, my family and I are healthy. I have only one brother, but no sisters. We attend the Catholic Church. My father’s name is Joel Elias Ajqui Benito. He makes a living as a farmer and day laborer. He also travels to the coast twice a year and works on a coffee farm for two months to earn extra income. My mother’s name is Florinda Garcia Calachij. She grows and sells tomatoes at the market in Zacualpa to contribute to the expenses at home. She also raises and sells chickens.

The house where we live belongs to my grandmother. She is my relative on my mother’s side. It is made of adobe with a tile roof and a dirt floor. It has only one room, so we made an improvised kitchen with tin sheets and wood. We get water from a nearby river. There is no electricity at home, so we use candles. Please pray for us. We are a low-income family, and most of our needs are food, clothes, and shoes. We live about 20 minutes from the feeding program, so we walk to get there. Thank you so much for reading my information! I want you to know that my mother and a staff member helped me write this letter. Until next time!

With much love,

Oscar Daniel Ajqui Garcia

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala