My Story

Cuatro Caminos "four roads", 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 a two hour walk to the nearest market town of Zacualpa. Cuatro Caminos is a farming area where corn and black beans, the staple elements in their diet, are the major crops. The Quiche Mayans who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They normally speak a Mayan 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! How are you? I am writing this letter to tell you about me. I am Maily Lucero Ruiz Chingo, and I am 3 years old. I was born on November 23, 2020. I am in good health, and I am not attending school yet due to my age. My personal tastes are noodles, the color pink, and the sheep. I love playing with my dolls in my free time. I only have one sister. My family and I are attending Light and Life Assembly of God Church. My father’s name is Pablo Ruiz Gomez, and he works as a cameraman in a local radio station where they do live streams. My mother’s name is Juana Elizabeth Chingo de la Cruz, and she is a housewife. My parents are in good health.

We live in my maternal grandmother’s house, and her children also live there. The house has four rooms and one kitchen, and we only use one of the rooms. The house is made of concrete block with a concrete roof and floor. We have electricity service, and my dad and grandpa, who is in the United States, pay this bill. We use a hose to bring water from a spring to our home. We have domestic animals like sheep at home. I walk for 10 minutes to arrive at the feeding program. I would like to ask for your prayers for us since we are always in need of groceries. In this occasion, my maternal aunt, Rufina, helped me to give my personal information to an Evangelism teacher. I thank you for taking the time to read my letter. May God bless you!  

With much love

Maily Lucero Ruiz Chingo

Translated by: Loyda de Osorio, AAC Secretary-Antigua Guatemala