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 crops. The Quiché Mayans who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They normally speak a Mayan 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.

Hello! My name is Juan Domingo Gomez Simaj. I was born on July 3, 2012, and I am 11 years old now. I am in 2^nd grade this year. The color I like the most is yellow, and my favorite animal is the dove. I like to color in my free time. Fried chicken is the meal I love the most. Fortunately, my family and I are in good health; I have five sisters and two brothers. My father’s name is Santos Gomez Garcia. He does his best to supply our need; he works as a farmer in our village. My mother’s name is Hilda Simaj Grave. Most of the time she does the housework and watches over my siblings and me. She also raises hens and pigs.

We attend the Church of Christ. We do not have our own house, and fortunately, my paternal grandfather has loaned us his house. There are two rooms made of adobe walls with a roof made of tin sheets and a floor that is just dirt. We have electricity but no running water, so we bring water from a nearby river. One of my uncles shares electricity with us, and my parents pay for it every month according to the bill amount. At the moment, our priority need is groceries. I must walk one hour to get to the feeding program, but I love to go. My mother Hilda Simaj provided my personal information to the Living Water staff for my registration in the program. I leave you for now. Every blessing to you

Lots of love,

Juan Domingo Gomez Simaj

Translated by: Violeta Hernandez / A-A-C Secretary-Antigua Guatemala