My Story

Cuatro Caminos "four roads", 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 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 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 Keily Jessica Barrera Ruiz. I am so glad to share my information with you. I am 9 years old. I was born on May 17, 2014, and I am in good health. I like the color purple, my favorite animal is the cat, and I enjoy eating fried chicken. I am in 3^rd grade this year, and I like to play with my three brothers since I do not have sisters. My parents work so hard to cover our needs. Their names are Pablo Barrera Gomez and Estela Ruiz Gomez. My father works as a farmer, he also travels to the coast to pick coffee beans and clean the coffee plantations. He goes there two or three times during the year. My mother raises domestic animals like hens and pigs to sell; besides that, she weaves typical blouses, blankets and canvases to earn extra money.

We live with my maternal grandparents since the house belongs to them, and my uncles also live with us. The house is made of adobe with a tin sheet roof, and dirt floor; it has two rooms and a separate kitchen. We have electricity and my father pays the bill. We have our own spring at home, so we get the water from it through a hose. As a family, we attend Assembly of God Church, and our basic needs are groceries and corn, so please pray for us to have the necessities. I am so happy and grateful to be part of the feeding program. I enjoy going there and I walk 30 minutes to arrive. My mother came to register me and provided all this information. I hope you find my letter interesting, and I will be waiting to hear from you soon.

Many Blessings,

Keily Jessica Barrera Ruiz

Translated by: Luisa Reyes /A-A-C Secretary/ Guatemala