Cuatro Caminos "four roads", 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 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 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 name is Eulalio Alexander Chach Luis, and I want to tell you a little about me; my paternal grandmother helped me with this letter. I am 6 years old, and I was born on February 14, 2020. I am not attending school yet due to my age. I stay at home, and I like playing with my toy cars. Thank God, I am in good health, and I attend Prince of Peace Pentecostal Church with my family. I love the color blue, and my favorite animal is the sheep. I enjoy eating friend chicken; it is my favorite dish. I walk for 30 minutes to arrive at the feeding program, and my accompanies me.  

I tell you that I only live with my father because my parents separated one year ago. My dad’s name is Anselmo Chach Gomez, and he works as a farmer to cover our needs; he also goes to work as a day laborer at the coast to earn some extra money. My mother’s name is Isabel Luis Gomez, and she is living in another department. I only communicate with her by phone. I only have one brother, and he is living with our mother. Maria Gomez is my paternal grandmother, and she is in charge of taking care of me. She is 48 years old, and she is a housewife; thankfully, she is in good health. 

We live in our own house, and it is made of adobe with a tin sheet roof and dirt floor. It has two rooms and a kitchen. Thankfully, we have running water and electricity services. We are a humble family, and our frequent needs are corn and groceries. Well, this is all for now, and I hope you find my letter interesting.  

Many blessings  

Eulalio Alexander Chach Luis 

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