My Story

Cuatro Caminos "four roads", where your child lives, is an area located on the high side of a mountain in the state of Quiche, Guatemala. Life in this area is so difficult and isolated from the outside world. It is a two-hour walk to the nearest market town of Zacualpa. Cuatro Caminos is a farming area where corn and black beans, the staple elements in their diet, are the major crops. The Quiche Mayans who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They generally 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 Erika Ruiz Gomez, and I am glad to tell you about my information. I was born on October 18, 2014, in Zacualpa, Quiche. I am in the second grade, and my favorite animals are cats. I like playing with my dolls during my free time. I love the color blue, and my favorite dish is fried chicken. I am so lucky because I have my parents with me and eight lovely siblings: three brothers and five sisters. My father is Pedro Ruiz Chingo. He is a day laborer and travels to the coast to cut sugar cane to support our family economically. On the other hand, my mother keeps busy doing the chores and raising hens, pigs, and geese. Her name is Petrona Gomez Benito. She sometimes sells hens to help my father with the expenses. All of us are doing well, thank God. However, my family sometimes has difficulties covering my school necessities, so I would like to count on your prayers. God has been merciful with us all time because, despite difficulties, we have been able to move forward with his help. We are attending the Prince of Peace Church as a family. We live in our own house. It has one room, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water; my father takes charge of paying for the services. The house is made of adobe walls, tin sheet roof, and dirt floors. The feeding program is a 30-minute walk from my house. I usually attend the program with my siblings; we enjoy being there. I leave you now, but if you want to know something else about my life, feel free to ask me.

From the bottom of my heart,

Erika Ruiz Gomez

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary/Antigua