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! It is such a blessing to greet you by means of this informative letter. My full name is Elma Marbely Bautista Riz. In this opportunity, I will tell you about my life. I was born on July 7, 2022. I am still too young to attend school, so I stay home and play with my toys. What I like doing the most is pretending to cook with plastic food. My favorite colors are blue and red. I like cats and I love eating fried chicken. I live with my parents and siblings. I have five brothers and three sisters. My father’s name is German Bautista Zapeth and he makes a living as a day laborer and farmer. He also travels to the coast and works by cutting coffee beans for two or three months once a year. On the other hand, my mother keeps busy doing the chores. Her name is Felipa Riz Riz and she also sells chickens that she raises herself to contribute to the expenses.

I kindly ask you to pray for her health since she suffers from allergies on her face. She has gone to the public clinic and has gotten medicine, but she has not felt better. She has not looked for another doctor because of a lack of financial resources. Besides medical assistance for my mother, we need groceries, clothes, and shoes. We live in our own two-room house with a separate kitchen, but there is no electricity or running water. We use candles or “ocote” (a burning wood used to make fire) at night. We can get water from a nearby spring which belongs to our relatives. Our house is made of adobe with tin sheet roof and dirt floor. The feeding program is about one hour and ten minutes from where I live. I usually walk to get there and my mother accompanies me. It is time to say goodbye, but I hope you enjoyed reading this information.

With much love,

Elma Marbely Bautista Riz

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Guatemala