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 beautiful day to say hello and share a little bit about myself! My full name is Juana Marisol de la Cruz de la Cruz. My birth date is July 7, 2021, and I am a 4-year-old girl. Due to my young age, I am not attending school yet. So, I enjoy playing with my dolls at home. I love the color green, and the animal I love the most is the cow. My favorite meal is rice with eggs. My father works as a day laborer, and recently, he was growing corn for our neighbors. His name is Lucas de la Cruz Garcia. My mother does the household chores and raises hens and pigs. Her name is Laura de la Cruz Gomez. I have one brother and three sisters. Fortunately, my mom, siblings and I are in good health. As for my father, he had an accident while he was cutting the branches of a tree, and suddenly, he fell. He hurt his right hand, and due to a lack of resources, he has not yet visited a doctor. 

We are a Christian family and attend the Church of Christ. Fortunately, we live in our own house and some of my cousins are living there too. It is a humble house made of wooden boards with a tin sheet roof and a dirt floor. We do not have running water or electricity. My grandma shares water with us, and we use buckets to bring it home. To get light, we use candles. For now, our essential needs are groceries and pigs. It is a great blessing for me to be enrolled in the feeding program and receive my meals and medical care. I attend alongside my older siblings, and we walk 10 minutes to arrive. It makes me happy to know somebody may be thinking about me. Every kind of blessing over you!

Kisses and hugs,

Juana Marisol de la Cruz de la Cruz

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