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 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.

Good morning, everybody! It is such a blessing to share my story with you through this letter. I am Darla Anaberta Barrera de la Cruz and I was born on January 31, 2018. I am a healthy girl and I love eating fried chicken. I am doing my best as a second-grade student. Please pray for me so I have success at school. My favorite color is pink. I like chickens, and I have a lot of fun playing with dolls. I live with my parents and siblings. I have one brother and three sisters. Thankfully, they are in good health and we all together attend Church of Christ. My father’s name is Camilo Barrera Simaj and he makes a living as a day laborer in our village. He also travels to the coast every six months and works in a coffee farm for three months to earn an extra income.

My mother’s name is Rogelia de la Cruz Coj and she is a housewife. She sometimes washes clothes for other people to support our family. Please pray for my family, especially for my father because he does not have a stable job. Furthermore, everything is expensive, especially groceries and l corn which is very important in our diet. We live in our own-three room house with a separate kitchen. It is made of adobe with tin sheet roof and concrete floors. We have solar panels at home and get water from a nearby spring by using plastic vessels. The feeding program is about a 40-minute walk from my house. I am so happy because I am part of the program and I can get there alongside my older sisters who are already enrolled. This is all for now, but I hope to hear from you soon.

Kisses and hugs,

Darla Anaberta Barrera de la Cruz

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Guatemala