My Story

Chuchuca, 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 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 corps. 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.

Now, I want to tell you something about me. My name is Marleni Ajqui Mechen and I was born on February 2^nd, 2017 in Zacualpa. I am a healthy girl and I live together with my family in Chuchuca. I have two brothers and one sister. I am not attending school yet, so I spend my free time playing toy dishes. My favorite color is green, and I like turkeys. I love to eat chicken soup. My father´s name is Francisco Ajqui Mendez, and he works as a day laborer two or three days a week. He also travels to the coast for 6 months to cut sugar cane and earn more money. My mother´s name is Cristina Mechen Gomez, and she is a housewife. She also improves the incomes by raising domestic animals for selling such as chickens and turkeys. Moreover, she sometimes weaves typical items to contribute more. We live in my paternal grandparents´ house. It is made of adobe with a tin sheet roof and dirt floor. There are two rooms, a separate kitchen made of wood with a tin sheet roof, and a bathroom. We have running water and solar light. My family and I attend the Catholic Church every Monday. I like to attend the feeding program, and my aunt accompanies me since we have to walk for about an hour. Unfortunately, I am not doing that at this time since it is closedd due to the pandemic. Well, I have to say goodbye, so please take care!

God bless you,

Marleni Ajqui Mechén

Translated by: Mireya Barahona de Sandoval, AAC Secretary / Antigua