PA1956

Pasojoc 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.  Pasojoc 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, my name is Jorge Amilcar Tzoy de la Cruz. I was born on January 29, 2007 and I am twelve years old. I am a basically healthy boy. I am attending school and I am in the sixth grade. In my free time, I like to play with marbles and balls. My favorite color is green and my favorite animal is the dog. The food that I love to eat the most is grilled beef. My favorite fruit is the pineapple. I have five brothers and six sisters. Five of my siblings are registered in the feeding program. We walk about one hour to get to the feeding program. My father’s name is Mateo Tzoy and he is a day laborer. My mother’s name is Margarita de la Cruz and she is a housewife.  We also have a small grocery store. We live in our own house made of adobe with a tin sheet roof, concrete floor and electricity. We do not have running water, so we carry it from a natural water source to our home. My family attends a Catholic church.

With much love and many blessings,

Jorge Amilcar Tzoy de la Cruz

Translated by: Lidia Vasquez / AAC Guatemala