My Story

Cuatro Caminos "four roads", 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 a two-hour walk to the nearest market town of Zacualpa. Cuatro Caminos 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 so glad to greet you by this means and tell you more about me. My name is Erica Griselda Garcia Chach. I was born on December 11, 2016, so I will turn 7 years old soon. I am not attending school yet due to my age. I enjoy playing with dolls. I am in good health. My favorite animal is the cow, I like the color yellow, and what I enjoy eating the most is fried chicken. About my parents, I want you to know that my biological father is Concepcion Higinio Garcia de la Cruz, but unfortunately, he abandoned my mother and me many years ago since he has another family; he does not help us economically. My mother’s name is Gregoria Chach Gomez, and she is a housewife and takes care of me. My mother has a relationship with Jun Carlos Ajqui Morente. He is my stepfather, and he covers our needs by working at the coast. He comes home every 45 days to visit us, and they have been together for almost 6 years.

The house where we live belongs to my stepfather; his parents and sister also live there. The house is made of adobe with a tin sheet roof and dirt floor.  It has three rooms and a separate kitchen; we have electricity, and my stepfather or his parents pay for this service. We do not have running water, so we carry it from the river every day for our use. This is our main need; it is why we are praying for God to provide us the resources to have our own water. At home, we have some sheep. We are members of Prince of Peace Church.  It is a blessing for me to be part of the feeding program, and I walk 20 minutes to arrive there. My mother came to register me, and she provided all this information.  I say goodbye to you with much love. I hope to hear from you, and I wish you many blessings in everything you do.

Sincerely Yours,

Erica Griselda Garcia Chach

Translated by: Luisa Reyes /A-A-C Secretary/ Guatemala