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 corps. 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 very happy to share my information through this. My full name is Elias Luis de la Cruz. I was born on January 27, 2020, in Zacualpa, Quiche, Guatemala. I am now 5 years old, and thanks to God, I am in good health. I am not attending school because I am still too young. I love to play football. I love the color green, and the animal I like the most is the dinosaur. I love eating fried chicken. I live with my mother, two brothers and two sisters. Thankfully, my whole family is doing well. My father has been living and working in the United States on a poultry farm; he traveled abroad six years ago. Thankfully, he sends us monthly support. His name is Salvador Luis Ruiz. My mother is a housewife and raises hens, sheep and pigs. Her name is Dominga de la Cruz Coj de Luis.

We are members of the Catholic Church. Fortunately, we live in our own property. There are three rooms with a separate kitchen. It is a humble house made of adobe with a tin sheet roof and a cement floor. We have running water and electricity. The water is a yearly payment, and the electricity is a monthly payment; my father pays for them. As a family, our greatest needs are groceries. I am so blessed to be part of the feeding program. I attend alongside my older siblings, and we walk for twenty minutes to arrive. Thank you for stopping and taking the time to read about me. I would like to hear news from you very soon. I pray to God to bless you wherever you go! 

Hugs with all my love,

Elias Luis de la Cruz

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