My Story

Chuchuca, 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 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 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! My full name is Wendy Ploriesa Rodriguez Barrera and I want to share a little about my life with you. I was born on April 8, 2019. My favorite pastime is pretending to cook with plastic food. I like cats. My favorite color is pink, and what I love eating the most is fried chicken. About my health, I cannot hear well and I have speech problems. My parents have not taken me to the doctor because of a lack of financial resources. Due to my condition, I am in kindergarten. The main supporter of my family is my father. His name is Agustin Rodriguez Garcia and he works as a day laborer three times a week. My mother is a housewife, but she dedicates some minutes of her time to selling chickens that she raises herself to contribute to the expenses. Her name is Irma Angelica Estela Barrera Simaj. Fortunately, they are in good health. I am an only child and attend a Christian Church alongside my parents.

We live with my maternal grandparents. The house is made of wood with tin sheet roof and dirt floor. It has two rooms and improvised kitchen in the hallway, but there is no electricity or running water. Therefore, we use candles at night and my aunt shares the running water with us. We live about one hour from the feeding program. My mother and I usually walk to get there. I want to use this opportunity to ask you to pray for my grandparents since they suffer from health problems. Unfortunately, they have not received medical attention for a lack of financial resources. My father is not doing well either, since he fell down and hurt his left shoulder while he was cutting firewood. Moreover, some of our needs are groceries. It is time to say goodbye, but I hope to hear from you soon.

Special regards,

Wendy Ploriesa Rodriguez Barrera

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Guatemala