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 Elizabeth de la Cruz Chingo. I was born in Zacualpa Quiche on July 23, 2016, and I am already 8 years old. This year I am repeating 1^st grade. I like dolls and play with them in my free time. My favorite color is pink. The food I like the most is noodles. The animals I like are hens. I am living with my parents and siblings. My father is Tomas de la Cruz Pastor. He is a farmer and he also goes to pick coffee beans from November to February to get more income. My mother is Dominga Chingo Mendez. She does the housework and weaves typical items to sell and help herself economically. Additionally, she raises hens and pigs. Thank God, my family and are in good health.

We attend the Prince of Peace Church. My father owns the house in which we live; there are three rooms made of adobe, a tin roof and a dirt floor. The kitchen is separate. There is running water but no electricity; we use candles to get light, and my parents make a yearly payment for the water. Since we are a big family, our main needs are groceries. I must walk 30 minutes to get to the feeding program, and I am very thankful for being registered in the program. This is all for now, but feel free to ask more about me. May God bless you!

Bunch of hugs,

Elizabeth de la Cruz Chingo

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