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, good morning! My full name is Evelin Lucero Luis Gutierrez and I am pleased to share a little bit about my life with you. I was born on June 22, 2022. Fortunately, I am in good health and my favorite pastime is pretending to cook with plastic food. Because of my young age, I still do not attend school. I love having rice or noodles for my meals. My favorite color is pink and I like chicks. I attend a Pentecostal Church called Prince of Peace alongside my family. Luckily, they are all in good health. My father’s name is Camilo Luis De La Cruz and he makes a living as a day laborer and farmer. My mother’s name is Santos Gutierrez Garcia, and she is a housewife. She also sells chickens and sheep that she raises herself to support our family. We are a low-income family and most of our needs are groceries and clothes.

My family and I live in a small house, which only has one room and a separate kitchen. It is made of wood, tin sheets, and dirt floor. Fortunately, there is a nearby spring from where we get water by using a hose. It is about five minutes from where we live. We also use candles at night since we do not have electricity. I am so happy to attend the feeding program alongside my siblings. I have one brother and five sisters, and four of them are enrolled at the program. We usually walk for about one hour and a half to get there. My mother usually accompanies us because that is a long distance. It is time to say goodbye, but if you want to hear something else about me, feel free to ask me. Until next time!

With many blessings,

Evelin Lucero Luis Gutierrez

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Guatemala