My Story

Chuchuca, where your child lives, is an area located high on the side of a mountain in the state of Quiché, 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 Quiché Mayans who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They normally speak a Mayan dialect called Quiché - however, Spanish is becoming more common. Very little money ever changes hands in this area as they live on a barter system.

Hello! My name is Dominga de la Cruz Lorenzo. My birthdate is May 5, 2018, which makes me 5 years of age now. I am still not attending school yet, so I spend my time playing with my dolls. I love cats and my favorite color is pink. Fried chicken is my favorite meal. I thank God because my family and I are in good health.  I have one sister and five stepsisters; some of them have grown and have jobs. My father is Jacinto de la Cruz Ruiz. He works as both a farmer and a day laborer to supply the family´s needs. My mother is Juana Lorenzo Ramos. She is a housewife and raises hens to sell to contribute to the home expenses.

We are a Catholic family. Thankfully, we own the house in which we live; there are two rooms and the kitchen is separated. The house is made of adobe walls with a roof made of tin sheets and a cement floor. There are running water and electricity services; the water payment is once a year, and the electricity is every month. Our priorities needs are foodstuff and clothes. The feeding program is near my home, and I just walk 2 minutes to arrive. My mother Juana Lorenzo provided my personal information to the Living Water staff for my registration in the program. I say goodbye to you for now. May God bless you always!

Hugs and much love,

Dominga de la Cruz Lorenzo

Translated by: Violeta Hernandez / A-A-C Secretary-Antigua Guatemala