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 fondly greet you, praying the grace of the Almighty be with you. My name is Felix Hernandez Rodriguez, and I was born on October 25, 2015. I am 10 years old and my favorite pastime is playing soccer. I attend school as a first grader again. My favorite color is white. I love eating fried chicken, and my favorite animals are dogs. Taking advantage of this opportunity, I ask you to pray for my family. Sadly, my father is not part of my life. His name is Felix Hernandez Simaj. He separated from my mother recently. About five years ago, my mom suffered from nerve disorders. However, she is a brave woman who does her best for our family. Her name is Basilia Rodriguez Hernandez. She works in a tortilleria business and washes clothes for other people, but she does not earn very much. Her goal is to move forward with my siblings and me, but it has been challenging to cover our education expenses and food. In addition, our kitchen is in bad condition.

We rent a house for Q300=$40 monthly. It is made of tin sheets and dirt floors. It only has one room, so we made an improvised kitchen. There is no running water, but our neighbors are kind and provide us with that service for free. We also do not have electricity at home, so we use candles at night. Despite troubles, we trust in God. We attend a Christian Church called Divine Light Assembly. The feeding program is about 20 minutes from where we live. So, my older brother and I walk to get there. I have five brothers and two sisters. I will leave you now, but I want you to know that my mom helped me share all this information with a staff member of LW. See you later!

Sincerely yours,

Felix Hernandez Rodriguez

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala