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 crops. 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 Leonardo Mendez Ruiz. I was born on July 5, 2012, and I am 11 years old. This year I am repeating 3^rd grade at school. The animal I like the most is the turkey, and my favorite color is red. Grilled meat is my favorite meal. I enjoy playing spinning tops in my free time. Thank God, I am in good health and so is my family. I have one sister and two brothers. My biological father did not legally recognize me. I have the last name of Mr. Roberto Mendez Garcia; he just helps my mother to register me, but he does not support me. My mother is Ana Ruiz Ruiz. She does the housework, but sometimes, she goes to work as a day laborer to supply our needs. She also raises hens and turkeys.

For now, we do not attend any church. We do not have our own house, and fortunately, my paternal grandparents give us a space to live in their house. Some of my uncles are also living there. There are two rooms made of adobe walls with a roof made of tile and a floor that is just dirt. We have no running water or electricity services. So, we bring water from a nearby river with the help of “tinaja” (plastic jars containers), and we have solar panels to get light. We need groceries and clothes. I like to attend the feeding program and I walk 10 minutes to arrive. My mother Ana 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!

With much love

Leonardo Mendez Ruiz

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