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 corps. 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.

I am pleased to share a little about my life with you. My name is Maynor Geovany Chingo Mendez. I am 9 years old, and I want you to know that my mother helped me share all this information with a staff member of LW. I was born on June 30, 2016. Thankfully, I am a healthy boy. I am doing my best at school. I am repeating first grade. I have a lot of fun playing soccer with my friends at school. My favorite color is red. I love sheep, and my favorite food is rice and beans. I attend a Christian Church called Prince of Peace alongside my family. I live with my mother and sisters. They are just two. My mother’s name is Rufina Chingo Mendez. She is a single parent and is dedicated to raising and selling chickens to cover our needs. She also works as a domestic employee occasionally.

About my biological father, let me tell you that sadly, he abandoned my mom when he found out she was pregnant with me. My family and I are grateful to my grandparents because they allow us to live in one room of their house and provide us with water. We have a tiny space in the room to prepare our meals. The house is made of wood with a tile roof and a dirt floor. There is no electricity in our room, so we use candles at night. Let me tell you that I am so happy because I can enjoy delicious food at the feeding program. It is about an hour and a half from where I live. My school is nearby, so I take advantage to go there after classes. This is all for now, but I kindly ask you to pray for my family. Most of our needs are food and clothes. See you later!

Sincerely yours,

Maynor Geovany Chingo Mendez

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala