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 Quiche, 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 Quiche - 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? My name is Juan Carlos Benito Riz, and I am writing this letter to tell you about my family and me. I was born on March 13, 2015, so I am 10 years old. I am in good health, and I am attending 3^rd grade. I like playing soccer in my free time. My favorite color is blue, and I love rabbits. I really enjoy eating fried chicken. My family and I are attending Christian Life Church. My father’s name is Santos Benito Simaj, and he works as a farmer and day laborer to cover our needs; he grows some corn for our consumption. My mother’s name is Santos Riz Mendoza, and she is a housewife; she raises hens and pigs for selling. Thank God, my parents are both in good health.

We live in our own house, and we share it with my brother and his family. The house has two rooms and a kitchen, and it is made of adobe with a tin sheet roof and dirt floor. We have electricity service, and we use a hose to bring water from a river. We have hens and pigs at home. We are a humble family, and our frequent needs are groceries and corn. I have three brothers and three sisters, and one of them is registered at the feeding program too. We attend the program together, and we have to walk for 15 minutes to arrive there. I tell you that my mom helped me to give my information to LW Evangelism team, and I hope to hear from you soon.  

Many blessings

Juan Carlos Benito Riz

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