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.             

Hello, I am so excited to share my information through this! My name is Debora Samara Hernandez Morente. I was born on May 2^nd of 2021, in Zacualpa, Quiche, Guatemala. I am now 4 years old. My father´s name is Alfredo Hernandez Calachij. He works both as a farmer and day laborer. He also travels to the coast to pick coffee beans from September to November to get more income. My mother´s name is Zoila Morente Chingo. She does the housework and weaves Zacualpa´s typical blouses in the afternoons. We raise hens. I have one brother and two sisters. Fortunately, my loved ones and I are fine.

I am not attending school since I am too young. So, I stay at home and play with my toys. I love the color pink, and the animal I like the most is the cat. The meals I enjoy eating are eggs and noodles. My family and I attend Church of Christ. We are living in my paternal grandparents’ house; they and some uncles are living there also. The house has three rooms made of adobe with tile roof and a cement floor. We use one room and the kitchen is separated. We have running water and electricity services. My father and grandfather take turns to pay for those services. Our greatest needs are groceries, corn and clothes. It is a great blessing for me to be registered in the feeding program; I attend alongside my cousins and we walk for one hour to arrive there. This is all for now, but I would like to hear from you. Many and rich blessings over you!

With all my love,

Debora Samara Hernandez Morente

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