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 Wendy Teresa Garcia de la Cruz. My birthdate is July 12^th, 2016, which makes me 7 years of age now. I attend 1^st grade at school this year. I love cats, and my favorite color is purple. The meal I love to eat is eggs with tomato sauce. I enjoy playing with my dolls in my free time. I live happily with my parents and one brother; by the grace of God, we are in good health. My father´s name is Jose Garcia Luis. He works as both a farmer and a day laborer to supply our family´s needs. My mother´s name is Felipa de la Cruz Gutierrez. She sells “granizadas” (shaved or crushed ice combined with syrups, fruit, condensed milk, lemon juice, salt, tamarind and honey) outside the school. Moreover, she raises hens to sell and contribute to the income.

We are members of the Church of Christ. We own the house in which we live; we live with my paternal grandparents and uncles. There are two rooms made of adobe walls with a roof made of tin sheets and a floor that is just dirt. We have a big kitchen that we share with our relatives. We have electricity and running water. One of our neighbors shares the electricity with us and my father pays it every month. My family has three primary needs: groceries, corn, and clothes. I walk about 15 minutes to get to the feeding program. My mother provided my personal information to the Living Water staff for my registration. So long. Many and abundant blessings to you!

Hugs and kisses,

Wendy Teresa Garcia de la Cruz

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