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.

I am so excited to greet you by this letter and I hope you are receiving many blessings from our God. My name is Ana Carolina Ruiz Calachij, and I am a happy and healthy 7-year-old girl. I am in first grade this year. In my free time, I like to play with my kitchen toys. My favorite color is pink, my favorite animal is a hen, and my favorite food is fried chicken.

Both of my biological parents live with me. My father works as a day laborer and farmer to support us economically. My mother is a hardworking housewife and raises domestic animals to later sell them to help us economically. I have seven siblings: 3 brothers and 4 sisters. I am joyful to say that we are all healthy, and God has taken good care of us. Also, we attend a Christian church. I live in a village called Chuchuca, and it takes me 20 minutes to walk to the feeding center. My humble house has walls made of adobe, the roof is made of tin sheets, and the floor is made of cement. There are two rooms and a separate kitchen. We have running water and electricity at home. My father pays for the utilities. The house belongs to my family. Our greatest needs are groceries and corn. I send you a strong hug from the bottom of my heart. May God bless you always!

The Living Waters Evangelism Team is speaking to families in Quiche by phone call. They spoke to my mother to receive information pertaining to me.

Hugs and blessings,

Ana Carolina Ruiz Calachij

Translated by: Kalyan Marroquin / AAC Missionary Intern