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 Indians who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They normally speak an Indian 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! I am Bayron Rony Luis Benito. My birthdate is March 10, 2020, which makes me 4 years of age now. I am not at school this year because of my age. I enjoy playing with toy cars and football at home. I love dogs and my favorite color is blue. The meal I love is fried chicken. I live happily with my parents; I have four sisters. My family and I are in good health. My father´s name is Juan Luis de la Cruz. He works as a day laborer and grows corn. My mother´s name is Hermelinda Benito Portuguez. She stays busy with the chores, and she also raises hens to sell and contributes to the income.

We attend the Prince of Peace Church. Thank God, we live on our property, my father is the owner. There are two rooms made of adobe, a tile roof and a floor that is just dirt. We sleep in one room and use the other room as a kitchen. We have no running water or electricity; we use candles to get light, and we get water from a stream. I am so happy to be registered in the feeding program, I walk one hour to get there. At the moment, our greatest needs are groceries and clothes. Well, this is all for me. I hope you find my letter interesting. I pray to our Lord to bless you!

With much love,

Bayron Rony Luis Benito

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