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 Isaias Alexander Zapeta Aquino. I was born in Zacualpa Quiche on March 15, 2020, and I am already 4 years old. I am still not attending school because of my age. I enjoy playing with toy cars at home. I love sheep and my favorite color is red. The food I love is fried chicken. I live happily with my parents, three brothers and three sisters. Fortunately, my family and I are fine. Recently, my mother had urinary infection but received medical care in the local health center. My father´s name is Miguel Zapeta Jorge. He does farm and day laborer work, and he also goes to pick coffee beans to get extra income. He usually goes to the coast three times a year for three months. My mother´s name is Rosa Aquino Riz de Zapeta. She is a farmer and grows tomatoes and cabbage to sell in the market. Also, she raises hens and goats.

We attend the Prince of Peace Church. We own the house in which we live; there are two rooms made of adobe with a tin roof and a dirt floor. My mother cooks in a small place outside the rooms. We do not have running water or electricity. We get water from a natural spring. One neighbor shares electricity with us, and my parents and our neighbor divided the bill and pay the service every month. We are a very humble family, and our greatest needs are clothes and shoes. Being registered in the feeding program is a great blessing for me although I must have to walk one hour to get there. Thank you for reading my information. May our Lord bless you wherever you go!

Huge hugs,

Isaias Alexander Zapeta Aquino

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