My Story

Tunajá is a very primitive area of the state of Quiché, Guatemala.  The inhabitants are Quiché Indians who trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization.  The prevalent language is the Indian dialect - Quiché.  The people are either farmers or shepherds and live off the fruits of their labors.  Very little money ever changes hands as they use a barter system.  Public education is available - however, most families cannot afford it.  Electricity and running water are not available in most of the area.  Life in Tunajá is extremely difficult.

Hello, I am so happy to greet you on this beautiful day. My name is Edgar Wilson Rodriguez Ruiz. I feel very excited to tell you about me. I am 6 years old. I was born on October 16, 2019, in San Andres Sajcabaja. I enjoy good health. My hobby is playing soccer. I attend kindergarten at school this year. My favorite color is light blue, and I like cows. I love eating fried chicken. I have 2 brothers and one sister. I usually walk for 10 minutes to go to the feeding program.

My biological father is Santos Rodriguez Simaj. Unfortunately, he is separated from my mother. He is in The United States and works with cows. He sends me a child support of Q300.00 = US$40 monthly, but unfortunately, it is not enough to cover my expenses. My mother´s name is Elubia Francisca Ruiz Luis. She takes care of us and the house. She currently has another partner. His name is Marcos Hernandez Simaj, and he has been living with us for around 1 year. He is a farmer and he contributes economically to our family. Thankfully, my family is healthy now. Moreover, my mother is expecting a baby. She is 9 months pregnancy. At the moment, we do not attend any church as a family, but I hope we can do that soon.

My mother rents the house where we live. She pays Q500.00 = US $66.66 monthly. The house belongs to my paternal uncle. We do not share the house. It has three rooms and one kitchen. It is made of cemented floor, adobe and tin sheet roof. There is running water and electricity. We just pay for the electricity monthly. I have a cat. Our greatest need as a family is food, especially corn. Alright, this is all I can share with you at the moment. I look forward to writing to you again soon. I send my best wishes to you and your family.

Blessings and hugs,

Edgar Wilson Rodriguez Ruiz

Translated by: Mireya de Sandoval, AAC Secretary / Antigua