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 Quiché Indians who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization.  They normally speak an Indian 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.

It is a pleasure to greet you today. I am Fredi Alexander Garcia Ruiz. I am 12 years old and I was born in Zacualpa on March 20, 2014. I am healthy. I am in the 6^th grade at school, and in my free time, I enjoy playing soccer. I like the color black and cats. My favorite food is rice. I only have one sister who attends the feeding program too. We usually walk for 20 minutes to get there. We attend the National Methodist Church.

About my family, well my father´s name is Adan Garcia Calachij. He does not live with us because he abandoned my family two years ago. We do not receive any support from him nor do we have any communication with him. On the other side, my mother is the one who sustains us. Unfortunately, she had to leave us under the care of my grandparents and go to work in Guatemala City. She is currently living there and working in a tortilla shop. She sends money for our support monthly and communicates with us. She comes to visit us every three months.

My grandparents´ names are Camilo Ruiz and Catarina Garcia. They are in good health, thanks to God. My grandfather is a day laborer, and my grandmother raises some animals to sell when it is necessary. We live in a rented house that should be paid monthly about Q400.00 = US$ 53.33 aprox. The house has three rooms and a kitchen made of wood walls, tin sheet roof and dirt floor. There is running water and electricity that my grandfather pays. Our domestic animals are chickens and sheep. Our needs are mainly groceries and corn. Well, this is all for now, I have to say goodbye to you. Thank you for reading it. May God bless you!

Kisses and hugs,

Fredi Alexander Garcia Ruiz

Translated by: Mireya de Sandoval, AAC Secretary / Antigua