My Story

Cuatro Caminos "four roads", 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 a two-hour walk to the nearest market town of Zacualpa. Cuatro Caminos 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 Florinda Gomez Toj. I am in good health condition. I am 10 years old, and I was born on April 11, 2013. My favorite color is purple. I like hens and the meal I enjoy eating is fried chicken. I want to explain something about my grade; last year (2022) I was in 3^rd grade, but the principal of my school saw that it is still difficult for me to read and write, so she took the decision of returning me to first grade. That is why I am repeating 1^st grade this year in order to improve my reading and writing skills. In my free time, I play soccer. I live with my parents, my six brothers and two sisters. My father struggles to cover our needs by working both as a farmer and day laborer; his name is Francisco Gomez Benito. My mother’s name is Martha Toj Benito, and she is a housewife, does the chores and takes care of us.

We live in our own one-room house which is very humble since its walls are made of different kinds of sticks and branches, with a tin sheet roof and dirt floor. We have a separate kitchen and running water. We do not have electricity, so we use candles and flashlights. My father pays the water service annually. Even though we are not attending any church yet, we need you to pray for us so God can help us to improve our house since it is not very safe since the materials it is made of are not of good quality. We are in need of groceries, and we raise some sheep and hens at home. I feel so blessed to be part of the feeding program. I walk 5 minutes to be there, and I want you to know that my mother came to give all my personal information for my enrollment. I say goodbye to you for now. I wish you many blessings, and I hope to hear from you soon.

In Jesus Name,

Florinda Gomez Toj

Translated by: Luisa Reyes /A-A-C Secretary/ Guatemala