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.

My full name is Ana Lucia Hernandez Calachij and I am so happy to greet you through this letter. In this opportunity, I will tell you a little about my life. I was born on June 8, 2013. I am in third grade and I help my mother to weave typical clothes in my free time. My favorite color is pink. I like chicks, and I love having fried chickens for my meals. About my health, I tell you that I have suffered from stomachaches, but my mother will take me to the LW clinics soon. She could not do it before due to a lack of financial resources. My mother’s name is Dominga Hernandez Calachij and she makes typical clothes to support our family. She also works as a farmer to earn a little bit of money. I only have my mother’s last name because my father did not recognize me legally. He traveled to the United States some years ago, but he stopped communicating with us. We do not receive his financial support either.

My family and I live in our own two-room house with a separate kitchen. It is made of adobe with a tin sheet roof and dirt floor. There is no running water or electricity at home. My grandmother shares these services with us, and my mother helps her to cover the expenses. I am so happy to be part of the feeding program because I enjoy delicious meals alongside one of my siblings, who is already enrolled there. I have one brother and two sisters. We usually walk for one hour and a half from where we live to get to the feeding program. It is time to say goodbye, but I want you to know that my whole family and I are members of Church of Christ. See you later!

Sincerely yours,

Ana Lucia Hernandez Calachij

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Guatemala