My Story

Tunajá is a very primitive area of the state of Quiché, Guatemala.  The inhabitants are Quiché Indians who trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization.  The prevalent language is the Indian dialect - Quiché.  The people are either farmers or shepherds and live off the fruits of their labors.  Very little money ever changes hands as they use a barter system.  Public education is available - however, most families cannot afford it.  Electricity and running water are not available in most of the area.  Life in Tunajá is extremely difficult.

Hello! I am Gerson Alexander, and I greet you with much love from Guatemala. I am so happy to introduce myself to you. I am a healthy 9-year-old boy. I was born on April 28, 2017, in Joyabaj Quiche. I am currently in the 3rd grade at school. My favorite color is blue. I like cats. I enjoy eating spaghetti. In my free time, I like playing soccer.

About my family, let me tell you that my father is Santos Medez Luis. He earns a living by driving a Tuc-Tuc all week. My mother is Hortencia de la Cruz Jimon. She is a housewife but improves the income by raising pigs and chickens for selling. Besides that, she is also a weaver. Thank God, they are both in good health. I have one brother and one sister. My father brings us to the program because we have to take a bus for 10 minutes to get there. Sadly, we are not attending church yet.

We live in a humble house made of tin sheet roof, ceramic floor and adobe walls. It belongs to my parents fortunately. There are four rooms and one kitchen. Besides that, there is the electricity service that my father pays every month. We get our water from an artisanal well. Our domestic animals are cows, pigs and chickens. We have many needs, but the main one is food. Thank you so much for your attention. I hope to have the opportunity to greet you another time. May God bless you and your family!

With love,

Gerson Alexander Mendez de la Cruz

Translated by: Mireya de Sandoval, AAC Secretary / Antigua