My Story

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 Mayans who can trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They normally speak a Mayan 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.

My name is Santos Eliseo Garcia Garcia, and I am four years old. I was born on April 17, 2018. I am not enrolled school because I am still young. I enjoy playing football. My favorite color is blue, and I love dogs. I like eating fried chicken. I live happily with my parents, grandparents and siblings. We do not share expenses with them. I have two brothers and one sister. My father strives to support our family working as a farmer, and he also travels to the Coast during the coffee harvest. My mother is a housewife, and she raises domestic animals. Thank God, we are in good health. Our family does not attend any church. We live in my grandmother´s house. There are two adobe rooms and a separate kitchen, tile roof and dirt floor. We do not have running water nor electricity. We get the water from a creek, and we use candles for lighting. We have many chickens at home. Our basic needs are groceries, corn and clothes. My mother brings me to the Feeding program, and we walk one hour from our home.

Many hugs with much love,

Santos Eliseo Garcia Garcia

Translated by: Lucia Gravez, AAC Secretary Antigua