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 Cambri Veralis Coj Bartolo. My birthdate is October 1, 2010, which makes me 13 years of age now. I attend 5^th grade this year. I like the color red and my favorite animal is the lion. The meal I love is fried chicken. I help my mother with some chores in my free time, or we go out someplace with my family. I have one brother and two sisters; by the grace of God, we all are in good health. My father´s name is Juan Coj Garcia, and he is 32 years old. He works as both a farmer and a day laborer to supply the family´s needs. Furthermore, he goes to work on the coast to pick coffee beans during the harvesting. My mother´s name is Gregoria Bartolo Gomez, and she is 33 years old. She does the housework, raises hens and weaves typical blouses and belts to sell and help herself economically.

For now, we do not attend church; this time Living Water staff encouraged us to attend a church and seek God. Thank God, we own the house in which we live even if it is not big. There is one room made of adobe walls with a roof made of tin sheets and a floor that is just dirt. There is no electricity or running water services. We get water from a stream with the help of a hose, and my grandfather shares electricity with us; he pays the bill. For my family, the top priorities are groceries and corn. I walk 45 minutes to get to the feeding program. This time the Living Water staff collected this information personally for the record, and my mother Gregoria Bartolo provided it. I say goodbye to you for now. May God bless you!

Best wishes,

Cambri Veralis Coj Bartolo

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