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.

Hello! It is such a blessing to greet you through this letter. I am Alex Pastor Chingo and I want to share with you a little bit about my life. I was born on February 6, 2021. I do not attend school because of my age, but I will do it next year, if God is willing. My favorite color is yellow and I like dogs. Some of my interests are playing with toy cars and soccer. What I like eating the most is chicken soup with noodles. I live with my mother, grandmother, and some uncles. Thankfully, we are in good health and attend a Christian Church called Prince of Peace. Sadly, I do not have my biological father with me because he abandoned my mother when he found out that she was pregnant with me. My mother’s name is Santos Pastor Chingo and she makes a living by weaving typical clothes. She does her best to support our family, but it has been difficult since she does not earn much. Most of our needs are groceries and corn.

The house where we live belongs to my grandmother. It is made of wood, tin sheets, and dirt floor. The house only has one room and an improvised kitchen built in the yard. There is no running water or electricity at home. Hence, we use candles at night and collect water from a spring by using buckets. The spring is about 25 minutes from where we live. Fortunately, we have enough space at home to raise chickens for our consumption. To end this letter, let me tell you that I am so happy to be part of the feeding program. I usually walk for 30 minutes from where I live to get there. My grandmother usually accompanies me.

Special regards,

Alex Pastor Chingo

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Guatemala