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.

It is a pleasure for me to greet you by this means, I hope you and your family are well, and today I want to let you know more about me. My full name is Julio Cesar Junior Garcia Simaj. Thankfully I am in good health. I was born on June 22^nd, 2016, and I am 8 years old. I am a 3^rd grader, and I enjoy riding bicycles in my spare time. My favorite color is purple, I like sheep, and what I enjoy eating the most is fried chicken. I have one brother and four sisters, two of them are also part of the feeding program, and we are grateful to God for everything we receive there. We live two hours away from the feeding program. We walk to be there, and my mother goes with us to look after us.  

My father earns a living by working as a day laborer but also as a mason’s helper. Some years ago, he started suffering from his nerves, and at that time he was hospitalized for about six months because he was weak. Now, he still has problems with his nerves, but it is affecting him less now, and he takes natural medicine to take care of himself.  My mother is in good health. She is a housewife, but she also has hens for selling and makes typical bags to sell and improve our income. We live with my paternal grandparents and uncles; the house is made of adobe, tin sheet roof and dirt floor. It has four rooms and a kitchen. We carry water from a river, and we have electricity, so we share the payment of this service. As a family, we attend Christian Life Church. This information was provided by my mother, and I hope you find this letter interesting. I wish you many blessings in everything you do, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Kisses and Hugs,

Julio Cesar Junior Garcia Simaj

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