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 Indians who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They normally speak an Indian 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 Pedro Mendez Chingo. My birthdate is March 6, 2016, which makes me 6 years of age now. This year I am repeating first grade at school. I enjoy playing football and spinning tops in my free time. I love dogs and my favorite color is red. The food I love is steak. I live happily with my parents and two brothers. By the grace of God, we all are healthy. My father´s name is Pedro Mendez Garcia. He works hard to provide for our family; he usually goes to work on the coast for two months and does any type of work. Then, he stays at home for a month and then, he returns to the coast. My mother´s name is Micaela Chingo Gomez. She stays busy with the chores, and she also raises hens and pigs. She also grows tomatoes, husk tomatoes and beans to sell to get income.

We attend the Church of Christ. My mother is the owner of the house in which we live; there is only one room, we sleep and cook inside. It is entirely made of tin, walls and roof and a dirt floor. We do not have running water or electricity; we use candles to get light and get water from a nearby river. What we need most at home is to build another room, a kitchen and get electricity. We pray to our Lord to provide us with the resources to be able to do so. I am very happy to be registered at the feeding program and I must walk 30 minutes to get there. Well, that is a little about my life. Many and abundant blessings are on you!

Lots of love,

Pedro Mendez Chingo

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