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.

Hello, my name is Marta Keilin Gricelda Grave Mateo. I was born on July 1, 2019, and I am 4 years old. I am a healthy girl. I am not enrolled at school this year due to my young age. My favorite color is pink. I love cats. My favorite foods are roast meat, black beans, and eggs. I have only one brother. I walk for one hour to attend the Program along with my aunt. I like to play with dolls and hide and seek with my brother. As a family, we are attending the Charismatic Group that belongs to the Catholic Church. I am under the care of my parents. My father’s name is Joaquin Grave Rodriguez. He works as a farmer and day laborer.  Moreover, he goes to the coast to cut sugar cane for 2 months, and he picks coffee beans for 1 month in order to support us financially.  My mother’s name is Juana Mateo Blanco, and she is a housewife and takes care of us. In addition, she raises hens and pigs at home.  We live in our grandparent`s house, and we share the house with my uncles and grandparents. It has two rooms and one separated kitchen. Our house is made of adobe, tin sheet roof, and dirt floors.  We have running water, but no electricity. We use candles at night. As a humble family, our needs are corn and groceries. Thankfully, my grandparents share the home expenses with my parents every week. This is my personal information, and I hope you find it interesting. I want to let you know that my grandmother Marta Rodriguez gave this information to the LW evangelism team.  God bless you and take care of you!

Huge hugs,

Marta Keilin Gricelda Grave Mateo

Translated by:  Gladys Chavez / A-A-C Secretary-Antigua