PT0046                                                    

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 Oscar Arturo Jimon Grave.  I was born on May 18, 2008 and I am eleven years old.  I am basically a healthy child.  I have two brothers and four sisters.  Three of my siblings also attend the feeding program and we walk about 10 minutes to get to the program. Sadly, my father abandoned us some time ago.  My mother has another partner now.  He is the one who works to supports my family.  He works as a farmer and he also travels to the coast to work for two months during the coffee harvest.  My mother’s name is Dominga and she is a housewife.  My parents grow corn and beans for our own consumption.  We own the house in which we live.  It has two rooms and a separate kitchen. The house is adobe with a tile roof and a dirt floor.  We do not have electricity or water.  We get our water from a well with a hose.  We have sheep, pigs, chickens, doves and dogs.  My favorite color is orange and my favorite animal is the dove.  The foods that I like best are mangoes and fried chicken. I am repeating 3^rd grade, and when I am not in school, I spend my time playing with my marbles and ball.  My family attends Prince of Peace Church.

With much love and many blessings,

Oscar Arturo Gonzalez Grave

Translated by: Edwina Lyons/AAC Missionary