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 Brayer Elias de la Cruz Gomez. My birthdate is February 5, 2018, which makes me 6 years of age now. This year I attend kindergarten at school. My favorite pastime is playing with toy cars, other toy and football. I love doves and my favorite color is red. The tastiest food for me is black beans with rice. I live with my parents, one brother and one sister. Fortunately, I am healthy and so is my family. My father´s name is Ramiro de la Cruz Garcia. He does farm work in our village to provide for our family.  My mother´s name is Micaela Gomez Calachij. She is a housewife, and raises hens, sheep, and pigs. Our pet is a dog.

My family and I attend Church of Christ. We are living with my maternal grandparents in their house, there are also some of my uncles are living there. There are four rooms made of adobe, a tin roof and a cement floor. The kitchen is separate. There are running water and electricity; my parents contribute to pay for those. We are a humble family and the greatest needs at home are groceries, and clothes. I am so happy to attend the feeding program and I walk 10 minutes to arrive there. I hope you like my letter and I would like to hear news from you very soon. Many and abundant blessings over you!

Lots of love,

Brayer Elias de la Cruz Gomez

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