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 Indians who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They normally speak an Indian 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! I am Edwin Enrique Gutierrez Garcia. I was born on January 17, 2014, and I am already 10 years old. This year I attend 4^th grade at school. I love dogs, and my favorite color is red. The foods I enjoy the most are soup and chicken. I enjoy playing with a ball. Fortunately, I am in good health and so is my family. My father´s name is Manuel Gutierrez Hernandez. He lives and works in the United States in a restaurant and he sends me financial support but does not send much money. My mother´s name is Ana Garcia Garcia. Unfortunately, she got separated from my father and she does not communicate with me anymore. When my parents went to the United States, they left me under care of my grandparents. My grandpa is Santos Garcia De La Cruz. He grows cabbage, potatoes and black beans for selling to get income. My grandma is Catarina García Riz. She is a housewife and raises hens, turkeys and pigs to get income. My aunt Catarina Garcia is also taking care of me.

We attend the Catholic Church. The house in which we live belongs to one of my uncles; living there are my grandparents, uncles and some of my cousins. There are only two rooms made of adobe; the roof has a tin roof, and the other is a tile roof, and there is a cement floor. My family cooks inside one of the rooms. There is running water and electricity; my uncles pay for those services. The essential needs for my family are groceries and corn. I walk 8 minutes to get to the feeding program; I am very happy to be registered in the program. I say goodbye to you for now and I hope to hear from you very soon. May God bless you wherever you go!

Huge hugs,

Edwin Enrique Gutierrez Garcia

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