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 Roselia Ajqui Mechen. My birthdate is February 2, 2017, which makes me 6 years of age now. This year I am in first grade. The animal I like the most is the turkey, and my favorite color is yellow. I love eating meat and eggs. My hobby is playing with my dolls. I live happily with my parents, one sister and two brothers; we all are fine. My mother´s name is Cristina Mechen Gomez. She is a housewife, but she weaves typical items to sell and contribute with the home expenses. My father´s name is Francisco Ajqui Mendez. He is a farmer and works in our village, however, he recently left to work in a grocery store in Guatemala City; he is responsible for supplying the home needs. We raise hens and a cow.

We attend the Catholic Church. Since we do not have our own house, my paternal grandparents have given us a space in their house to live. Two of my uncles also live there. It is an adobe house with a tin sheet roof and a floor that is just dirt; there are three rooms, and the kitchen is separate. We have running water but no electricity service; however, we have a solar panel to get light at home. As a family, our most basic needs are food, clothing, and footwear. I live 45 minutes away from the feeding program. This time the Living Water staff collected this information personally for the record, and my mother Cristina Mechen provided it. I leave you for now. May God bless you greatly!

Hugs with much love,

Roselia Ajqui Mechen

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