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 Quiche 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 Ignacia Vilma Ruiz Garcia, and I hope my letter finds you well. I want to tell you about my life. I was born on March 6, 2013, so I am now 11 years old. I am in good health, and I am in 5^th grade this year. In my free time, I do my homework and help with the household chores. My favorite color is pink, and I love the rooster. I really enjoy eating scrambled eggs. I live in a house that belongs to my mom, and it has two rooms and a separated kitchen. The house is made of adobe with a tin sheet roof and dirt floor, and we have running water and electricity services; my mother pays these bills.

I have seven brothers, and one of them is part of the feeding program too; he is Francisco. We walk for 10 minutes to arrive at the program. We are only supported financially by my mother since my father abandoned us six years ago (around 2018). My father’s name is Camilo Ruiz Garcia, and we do not have news from him. My mother’s name is Petrona Garcia Toj, and she is in good health. She works as a maid and raises hens and pigs for selling. Fortunately, my oldest brothers work and help a little with the income. We believe in God, and we attend the Catholic Church. We have a dog and a cat as pets. We are a humble family, and we are frequently in need of clothes and groceries. Please keep us in your prayers. I say goodbye to you for now.

With much love

Ignacia Vilma Ruiz Garcia

Translated by: Loyda de Osorio, AAC Secretary-Antigua Guatemala