My Story

Zacualpa is a small but busy village in a mountain valley. The village is inhabited by both Quiche Mayans and Ladinos (those with mixed European ancestry). The prevalent language is Spanish. Families in this village live in one or two room homes generally constructed of either wood or adobe. Although many of the people are farmers, the village contains several small specialized stores, a body repair shop for buses, mechanics, plumbers and many other small-town tradesmen. It also has a large open-air market which serves much of the area. Even with all of this, the poverty level is very high and the children are very needy.

Hello! My full name is Keily Sarai Ruiz Riz and I am so excited to share my story with you through this letter. I was born on March 16, 2022. Due to my young age, I still do not attend school. I love eating fried chicken and my favorite color is pink. My favorite pastime is playing with dolls and I like chickens. I live with my parents and four sisters. I have no brothers. Thankfully, we are all in good health. We are members of the Catholic Church. My father’s name is Alfredo Ruiz Gomez and he works hard as a farmer and day laborer.

My mother is a very busy housewife and does her best to help my father to cover our family needs. Most of them are groceries and clothes. Her name is Juana Riz Hernandez, and she sells chickens that she raises. Moreover, she makes hammocks to sell. We live in our own two-room house with a separate kitchen and electricity. It is made of adobe with tin sheet roof and concrete floors. We get water from a nearby river by using a hose. The feeding program is about a 45-minute walk from where I live. I am so happy because my mother enrolled me there to enjoy delicious meals alongside my older sisters. It is time to say goodbye, but I appreciate you took the time to read my information. See you later!

With much love,

Keily Sarai Ruiz Riz

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Guatemala