PT0036                                     

Pasojoc III, where your child lives, is located in an extremely remote area of the mountains in Quiche, Guatemala.  Life in this area is very difficult and very isolated from the outside world.  It is a 3-hour walk to the nearest market town.  The people who inhabit the area are Quiche Indians who can trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization.  They normally speak an Indian dialect called Quiche, however, Spanish is becoming more common.  The climate is basically warm, but it can get very cold at night.  Houses in this area are typically constructed of adobe with tin sheet or tile roofs and dirt floors.  Pasojoc III is an area rich with natural resources.  It is a farming area where the inhabitants grow staples such as corn, beans and other types of vegetables.  Many families also raise domestic animals such as sheep, goats, cows and chickens.  Many of the families travel to the coast for several months each year to find work cutting cane or coffee.  Sadly, many of the children do not go to school because of lack of economic resources and because of the sheer distance they would have to walk to reach school.  As a result, the majority of the people are unable to read or write.  Many of the teenagers leave home at an early age to search for employment in other areas in Guatemala.

Hello, my name is Paulina Esperanza Grave Rodriguez.  I was born on July 21, 2009 and I am ten years old.  I am a basically healthy child.  I have five brothers and three of them also attend the feeding program.  We have to walk about 1 ½ hours to get to the feeding program.  Sadly, my father has already passed away.  His name was Victor.  My mother’s name is Marta.  We own our own home.  It is made of adobe with a tile roof and a dirt floor. The house has one room with a separate kitchen.  We have water but not electricity.  We use candles for lighting.  All of my family travels to the coast to work during the coffee harvest for two or three months at the end of the year.  We also have some hens that we raise and sell when we have some needs.  Sometimes, two of my brothers look for work in order to help my mother with the expenses.  I am in 2^nd grade.  My favorite color is green and my favorite animals are ducks and dogs.  The foods that I like best are strawberries and fried chicken.  In my free time, I like to play tag and soccer.  I also like to draw and to color.  My family attends a Charismatic church.

With much love and many blessings,

     Paulina Esperanza Grave Rodriguez     

Translated by: Edwina Lyons/AAC Missionary