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 Mayans who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They normally speak a Mayan 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! My name is Josue Abraham Coj Ruiz. I was born on July 19, 2015, and I am 8 years old. This year I attend first grade at school. My favorite color is blue and the animal I like the most is the sheep. Strained beans are my favorite meal. My hobby is playing football. Thank God, my family and I are in good health. I have two sisters. My father´s name is Manuel Coj Morente. Sadly, he abandoned us, and we do not know anything about him. My mother´s name is Santos Ruiz Gutierrez. Since my father left us, my mother has been struggling to supply our needs. She works as a day laborer in our village and raises hens and sheep to sell and get income.

We are a Catholic family. We are living in my maternal grandmother´s house because we do not have our own house. There are three adobe rooms with a roof made of tile and a floor that is just dirt. We use two rooms, and the kitchen is separate. We have running water but no electricity. We use candles at night, and my mother makes the water payment once per year. We are a needy family and the greatest needs for us are groceries and clothes. I walk 20 minutes to get to the feeding program. My mother Santos Ruiz provided my personal information to the Living Water staff for my registration in the program. I say goodbye to you for now. May God bless you wherever you go!

Special regards,

Josue Abraham Coj Ruiz

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