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 Juan Edwin Coj Garcia. My birthdate is Nov 21, 2018, which makes me 6 years of age now. I was born in Zacualpa Quiche. This year I am not attending school yet. My hobby is to play football and my favorite color is blue. The food I love the most is creole hen broth. I like animals, especially the hens. I live happily with my mother and three sisters. Thankfully, my family and I are in good health. My mother´s name is Petronila Garcia Barrera. She works hard to supply the home needs and she dedicates her time to weave typical blouses to sell. Additionally, she raises hens, turkeys and pigs. My father´s name is Juan Coj Garcia. He does not live with us because he separated from my mother, but he sends us financial support every two months; we do not know what kind of work he does.

We attend the Assembly of God Church. The house in which we live belongs to my maternal grandma; there are two rooms and a kitchen. A part of the house is made of adobe and the other has blocks. The roof is part tile and the other part is tin, and all the floor is cement. There is running water and electricity; the water is only one payment a year and the electricity my family pays it every month. I must walk one hour to get to the feeding program; I like to attend alongside my sisters. What we need the most at home are groceries. This is all for now. May our Lord continue blessing your life!

Kisses and hugs,

Juan Edwin Coj Garcia

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