My Story

Chuchuca, where your child lives, is an area located high on the side of a mountain in the state of Quiche, 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 Quiche Mayans who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They normally speak a Mayan dialect called Quiche - however, Spanish is becoming more common. Very little money ever changes hands in this area as they live on a barter system.

Hello! My full name is Lesbia Yohana Garcia Mendez, and I want to share a little about my life with you. I was born on July 5, 2019. Today, I am a healthy 6-year-old girl. I attend school as a pre-kindergartener. I love painting in my free time. My favorite color is purple, and I love having noodles in my meals. I like all domestic animals, but my favorites are the cats. Let me tell you that at the moment, I am the only child in my family. My father’s name is Moises Garcia Garcia. He makes a living as a day laborer and farmer to cover our needs. While he works in the field, my mom is dedicated to doing the chores and taking care of me. Her name is Florinda Mendez Ixcoy.

Please pray for my family. One of our greatest needs is food, especially corn. We attend a Christian Church called Prince of Peace. I want you to know that we live with my grandparents on my mother’s side at their house. One of my aunts also lives with us. Their house is made of bricks with a concrete roof and granite floors. It has four rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. Fortunately, we can raise domestic animals at their house such as pigs, goats, chickens, and cows. I am pleased to tell you that one of my friends and I get together to go to the feeding center. It takes us about 15 minutes from where I live. It is time to say goodbye, but I hope you found all my information engaging. My mom helped me share it with a staff member of LW. See you later!

With much love,

Lesbia Yohana Garcia Mendez

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala