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 full name is Ashly Adela Calachij Garcia, and I am so happy to greet you through this means. How are you doing? In this opportunity, I want to share a little about my life with you. I was born on March 8, 2016. By the grace of the Lord, I am in good health. I am 10 years old and attend the fourth grade. I like playing with my dolls in my free time. My favorite color is pink. I like domestic animals, but I prefer cats. Fried chicken is the best so that is why it is my favorite meal. I am glad and grateful to LW for blessing me with delicious food that I can enjoy at school here in Pasojoc one. I usually walk for fifteen minutes to get there. The people that I live with are my mother, brother, and grandparents. My father’s name is Vicente Calachij. Unfortunately, he is not part of my life because he abandoned our family about five years ago.

My mother’s name is Veronica Garcia Chivalan. She is a single parent who works hard by weaving typical clothes to provide the essentials to our family. Groceries like corn and school supplies are some of our needs. At the end of the year, she goes to Zacualpa and works in a tortilleria business to earn extra money while we stay home under the care of our grandparents during school break. I have one brother, but no sisters. Fortunately, everybody is doing well. We are members of Christian Life Church. We live in a two-room house with a kitchen, which belongs to my grandparents. It is made of adobe, tile roof, and concrete floor. We have electricity and get water from a stream by using a hose. We have some chickens at home for our consumption. This is all for now, but I send you my best wishes. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Lots of love

Ashly Adela Calachij Garcia

Translated by: Hillary Popol, A-A-C Secretary/Antigua