My Story

Tunaja is a small area of the state of Quiché, Guatemala. The inhabitants are Quiché Mayans who trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. The prevalent language is the Mayani dialect - Quiché. 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 difficult.

Hello! I am Jhostyn Antony. I am a healthy 7-year-old boy. My sister Maria Elizabeth provided all this information to the LW teacher to share with you. I come from a big family. My parents, eight brothers and three sisters, from whom, two are register in the feeding program. I was born in October 3, 2016 in Zacualpa, Quiche. This year, I attend kindergarten at school due to my age.

My hobby is playing football. My favorite color is black and I like cows. I enjoy every time I receive fried chicken to eat. Unfortunately, my family is not member of any church yet. I hope my parents take the decision to attend someday. Carlos Chingo Cux is my father. He struggles to support us by farming the land and sometimes working as a day laborer for others. On the other side, my mother´s name is Micaela Benito Gutierrez de Chingo. She works hard at home and takes care of us very well.

We live in our grandmother´s house and do not pay any rent. It is a one-room house made of dirt floor, adobe walls and tin sheet roof. My mother has to cook in the floor in a provisional place that my father built. It just has a tin sheet roof. There is a well at home where we get the water for our consumption. We get the water with plastic buckets. For that reason, we do not pay a water service. About the electricity service, my uncle gives us electricity and shares the payment with my father. Our family is in need of clothes, shoes and groceries. Our domestic animals are cows and chickens. Thank you so much for letting me share with you about my life. I pray God blesses everyone who generously helps children like me through Living Water. Thank you for changing my life. Take care!

Best regards from now on,

Jhostyn Antony Chingo Benito

Translated by: Mireya de Sadoval, AAC Secretary / Antigua