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.

My full name is Andry Nehemias Gomez De La Cruz, and I feel blessed to share a little about my life with you. I was born on July 25, 2020. I am a healthy 5-year-old boy. Because of my age, I still do not attend school. I stay home and play soccer with my brother. I only have one brother. I love the color blue. My favorite animal is the tiger, and I like eating eggs. I am a lucky boy because I have a healthy and lovely family. We attend a nearby Pentecostal Church. My father’s name is Ronaldo Gomez De La Cruz. He makes a living as a farmer and day laborer. My mother’s name is Maria Juliana De La Cruz Gutierrez. She is a housewife and sells domestic animals to contribute to the expenses. We raise chickens and one goat at home. To earn extra income, my parents work on a coffee plantation. Therefore, my whole family and I travel to the coast from November to January.

We live with my grandmother at her house. Her name is Maria De La Cruz Cux, and she is my relative on my father’s side. The house is made of adobe with a tin sheet roof and a dirt floor. It has two rooms, a separate kitchen, a solar panel, but no running water. Thankfully, one of our neighbors has a spring on her land and shares the water with us for free. Please pray for my family. Some of our greatest needs are food, shoes, and clothes. Let me tell you that I usually join my cousins to attend the feeding program. We usually walk for 20 minutes from where I live to get there. This is all for now, but I appreciate you taking the time to read my letter.

With much love,

Andry Nehemias Gomez De La Cruz

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala