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! I am Ana de la Cruz Chingo. My birthdate is Oct 21, 2013, which makes me 10 years of age now. This year I am repeating second grade at school. I love cows and my favorite color is yellow. The meal I love is fried chicken. I enjoy playing with dolls in my free time. I live happily with my parents and siblings; I have 5 brothers and 4 sisters. Fortunately, my family and I are in good health. My father´s name is Tomas de la Cruz Pastor. He makes a living by farming the land, and he also goes to pick coffee beans in November and December to get extra income. My mother´s name is Dominga Chingo Mendez. She most of the time stays busy with the chores, and she also raises hens and pigs.

We attend the Prince of Peace Church. Fortunately, we own the house in which we live; there are four rooms made of adobe and wooden boards, a tin sheet roof and a floor that is just dirt. The kitchen is in one of those rooms. There is running water but no electricity; we use candles to get light, and my parents pay for the water. We are in need of groceries, a bed and a wardrobe. I must walk 40 minutes to get to the feeding program. This time the Living Water staff collected this information personally for the record, and my mother Dominga Chingo provided it. sending much love. Many and abundant blessings!

Kisses and hugs,

Ana de la Cruz Chingo

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