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.

I am happy to say hello to you on this beautiful day. I am Mary Sofia Ruiz Gomez, and I feel very excited to share with you about my life and family. My father´s name is Israel Ruiz Gutierrez, and he is a mason. My mother´s name is Estela Angelica Gomez Aqui, and she is a housewife. I have one brother and two sisters. Fortunately, all are in good health. We attend the Full Gospel Church.

About me, well, I was born in Zacualpa Quiche on August 8, 2022. I am 4 years old. I am not enrolled at school yet because of my age. I enjoy spending time playing with teddies. My favorite color is red, and my favorite animals are chicks. I am healthy thanks to God. I love eating fried chicken. I feel blessed to be part of the feeding program. My mother usually takes me there, and we walk for around 45 minutes to get there.

About my home, well thank God, my parents own one, so we do not have to rent. The humble house has three rooms. We do not have a separate kitchen, so my mother cooks outside the rooms in the corridor. The house is made of block, tin sheet roof and ceramic floor. We do not have running water. For that reason, my parents get the water from a nearby river through a hose. We have electricity that my parents pay for every month. We have some chickens and one pig as domestic animals. Some of our greatest needs are clothes, shoes and groceries. Alright, this is all I can share for now. I hope to have the opportunity to write to you again. Thank you for your attention and love. I send my best wishes to you.

Kisses and hugs,

Mary Sofia Ruiz Gomez

Translated by: Mireya de Sandoval, AAC Secretary / Antigua