My Story

Pasojoc is an area located high on the side of a mountain in the state of Quiche, 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 Quiche Mayans who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They normally speak a Mayan dialect called Quiche - 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 Herber Josue Jesus Calel Bartolo, and it is a pleasure for me to tell you more about my family and me, so you can get to know me better. I am in good health. I was born on October 1^st, 2019. I am 5 years old, and I am attending pre-kinder at school this year. I like to play ball in my spare time; besides that, I like the color red, my favorite animal is the hen, and I enjoy eating sausages with sauce. It is a blessing for my brother Janderson and for me to be part of the feeding program. We also have another brother, but he is not enrolled. We go with our mother since it takes us 40 minutes to get here on foot. Thankfully, we are members of Prince of Peace Church.

Unfortunately, about 8 months ago, my father abandoned us because he has another family, and he went to live with them. He works as a day laborer, but he only helps us occasionally. It is why my mother struggles to cover our needs. My mother works in a tortillas business every Sunday with one of her aunts. Fortunately, my grandfather is helping us a little with our expenses by working as a day laborer. Our needs are corn, groceries and clothes; we pray to God for them, and we have the certainty that He will provide what we need. We live in my maternal grandparents’ house; it is made of adobe with a tin sheet roof, and a dirt floor. It has two rooms and a kitchen. We get the water from a water spring, and one of my mother’s uncles shares his electricity with us, and my grandfather pays him every month. My aunt, grandparents and my family live in the same house; we also have a sheep, a cat and hens. We attend Prince of Peace Church. Before saying goodbye, let me tell you that my mother provided this information when she registered me at the feeding program. May God bless you, and I hope to hear from you soon. 

Kisses and Hugs,

Herber Josue Jesus Calel Bartolo

Translated by: Luisa Reyes de Solis, A-A-C Secretary/Antigua