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! I am Eduardo Leonardo Garcia Hernandez and it is such a blessing to greet you through this letter. In this opportunity, I will be sharing a little bit about my life with you. I was born on March 9, 2016. Thankfully, I am a healthy boy and I am in second grade. My favorite pastime is playing soccer and I like eating chicken broth. My favorite color is red and my favorite animals are turkeys. I live with my mother and sisters. I have three sisters, but no brothers. We are members of Church of Christ. My mother’s name is Dominga Hernandez Calachij and she is the main supporter of our family. She makes typical clothes and works as a farmer.

I do not have my father with me because he traveled to the United States some years ago. His name is Cristobal Garcia Lopez, but he no longer communicates 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. The feeding program is about one hour and a half from where I live. I usually get there alongside one of my sisters, who is already enrolled there. I will leave you now, but I hope you enjoyed reading this information.

Huge hugs,

Eduardo Leonardo Garcia Hernandez

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Guatemala