My Story

Tunaja is a very primitive area of the state of Quiche, Guatemala. The inhabitants are Quiche Indians who trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. The prevalent language is the Indian dialect - Quiche. The people are either farmers or shepherds and live off the fruits of their labors. Very little money ever changes hands as they use a barter system. Public education is available - however, most families cannot afford it. Electricity and running water are not available in most of the area. Life in Tunaja is extremely difficult.

Hello! I hope your life is filled with many rich blessings from God. My name Camilo Osorio Portuguez.  I am 8 years old, and I was born on October 22, 2013. I live in a town called Tunaja. My father’s name is Francisco Osorio Cuin, and my mother’s name is Petronila Portuguez Gomez. I have 1 brother and 2 sisters. I attend school as a first grader. I have face-to-face classes once a week on Tuesdays for 3 hours. The rest of the week I use my books to learn. I am doing well with my classes. In my free time, I like to play ball and hide-and-seek. My favorite color is green, my favorite animal is a chicken, and my favorite dish is grilled meat. My mother gave the evangelism team my information over the phone because of COVID-19; they are avoiding as much physical contact as possible to keep everyone safe. We live in a rented house that belongs to an uncle. He charges us Q100 (about 14 USD) a month. The house is made of adobe, the roof has shingles, and the floor is made of concrete. There are 2 rooms and a separate kitchen. We have running water and electricity. Our bathroom is connected to a cesspit. My mother works very hard because one year ago my father abandoned the family. We do not know anything about him now since he has cut communication with us. My mother washes people clothes and has a small tortilla business. As for my health, thank God, I am healthy and so is my family. I am a member of the Church of Christ. I attend service on Tuesdays. My family and I are incredibly grateful to Living Water and the school for providing groceries for my family. It has really helped us survive. I am grateful for God’s faithfulness and love in my life.

With lots of love,

Camilo Osorio Portuguez

Translated by: Kalyan Marroquin / Missionary Intern