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 crops. The Quiché 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! My name is Sandra Micaela Zapeta Aquino. I was born on April 18, 2018, and I am 5 years old. this year I am in Pre-kindergarten this year. I like the color yellow, and my favorite animal is the hen. Chicken broth is my favorite meal. I enjoy playing with my toys at home. Thank God, I am in good health. I have two sisters and four brothers. My father is Miguel Zapeta Jorge. He struggles to supply the family´s needs, He is a farmer and he usually goes to work on the coast picking coffee beans. My mother is Rosa Aquino Riz. She is a housewife and raises hens, sheep and cows.

My family and I attend Pentecostal Prince of Peace Church. My mother is the owner of the house in which we live. It is an adobe house with tin sheets roof and a floor that is just dirt. We have one room and the kitchen is separated. We have water but no electricity. One neighbor shares electricity with us, and my parents help to pay according to the bill. For now, we need groceries. It takes me one hour to get to the feeding program. This time the Living Water staff collected this information personally for the record, and my mother Rosa Aquino provided it. Take care of yourself. Every blessing to you

Best wishes,

Sandra Micaela Zapeta Aquino

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