My Story

Cuatro Caminos "four roads", 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 a two hour walk to the nearest market town of Zacualpa. Cuatro Caminos 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 Quiché - however, Spanish is becoming more common. Very little money ever changes hands in this area as they live on a barter system.

Hello! This is Elias Edy Marvin Calachij Barrera, and I want to share with you a little about my family and me. I am in good health, and I am 6 years old; I was born on February 13, 2018. I am in kindergarten this year. I help with the home cleaning and play soccer in my free time. My favorite dish is fried chicken. I like rabbits, and I love red. I have one brother who is registered at the feeding program too. I was not legally recognized by my biological father, and I do not have news from him. My mother’s name was Anita Calachij Barrero, and sadly, she passed away at the beginning of this year due to fever and cramps; she was treated at a hospital but she did not recover and died at home. My brother and I are now under the care and responsibility of our maternal grandmother, Santos Barrera Ruiz who is 60 years old. She works as a day laborer and raises domestic animals for selling. She is a widow since my grandpa passed away about 11 years ago.

We live in a house that belongs to my grandma, and it has two rooms and one kitchen. Our house is made of adobe with a tin sheet roof and dirt floor. We have electricity service, and my father pays the bill every month. We have electricity service but no running water, so we use a hose to bring water from a river to home. My family and I are attending Assembly of God Church. I would like to ask for your prayers for us so that we always have groceries, clothes and shoes. I tell you that I walk for 20 minutes to arrive at the feeding program. My aunt, Maria, helped me to give my information to the Evangelism team, and I hope you find my letter interesting. May God bless you!

With much love

Elias Edy Marvin Calachij Barrera

Translated by: Loyda de Osorio, AAC Secretary-Antigua Guatemala