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 Luis Angel Simaj Tzoy. I am in good health together with my family. I am 11 years old, and I was born on October 10, 2012. I am in 4^th grade this year. I enjoy playing soccer in my free time. I like the color red, the animal I like the most is the cat, and my favorite meal is grilled meat. I live with my parents, my four brothers and three sisters. My father’s name is Alvaro Simaj Garcia. He struggles to cover our basic needs, and he eventually works as a farmer or as a mason’s helper. He hit his head some time ago and since that happened, he sometimes gets dizzy. When it happens, he does not feel able to work.  My mother’s name is Bertina Tzoy de la Cruz, and she is a housewife and looks after us. We are members of the Catholic Church.

The house where we live does not belong to us. One of our neighbors gives us permission to live here for free. The house is made of concrete blocks with a tile roof and cement floor; it has three rooms and a separate kitchen. We have running water and electricity; my parents pay for these services. We also have some domestic animals like hens. Since we do not have our own house, we ask you to pray for God to help us and provide us with the resources to have a house someday. One of my sisters and I are registered at the feeding program, and we walk 30 minutes to be there. I want you to know that my father provided all this information for my enrollment process. I say goodbye to you for now. I will be waiting to hear from you soon, and may God bless you.

Sincerely Yours,

Luis Angel Simaj Tzoy

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