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 corps. 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.

It is a pleasure to greet you and write about myself. My full name is Gael Elias Alberto Gomez Ruiz. I was born on October 18, 2017, in Zacualpa, Quiche, Guatemala. I turned 8 years old this year. I am a first-grade student. I love running and playing football. I love the color white, and I like dogs. The food I enjoy so much is scrambled eggs. I live with my mom, two brothers and one sister; they are fine. Unfortunately, my dad is not in my life since he did not want to be responsible for us. My mom is the one who struggles to provide for our family; she weaves shawls and raises hens to sell. Her name is Balvina Gomez Ruiz.

We are members of the Assembly of God Church. Thank God, my mom owns the house in which we live. There are two rooms and we use one as a kitchen. It is a humble house made of adobe with a tin sheet roof, and a dirt floor. We do not have running water or electricity. Fortunately, my paternal grandparents are our neighbors and they share those services with us. My mom contributes to pay the bills. As a family, our essential needs are groceries and corn. I want you to pray for my mom´s health; she is having vision problems, and due to a lack of resources, she has not visited a doctor yet. It is a great blessing for me to be enrolled in the feeding program; I walk 30 minutes to arrive and my mom accompanies me. Thank you for stopping and taking the time to read about me. I appreciate you taking time to read my letter. Many and abundant blessings!

Kisses and hugs,

Gael Elias Alberto Gomez Ruiz

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