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 Ader Frankli Simaj Ramos, and I fondly greet you. I was born on April 1, 2019. I am in first grade, and my favorite animals are cats. I like doing homework in my free time, but I enjoy playing soccer the most. I like the color red and my favorite food is fried chicken. Fortunately, I am a healthy boy. I live with my parents, brother, and some relatives on my father’s side. They are grandparents, some uncles and their own families. My father’s name is Anibal Simaj Riz. He makes a living as a farmer and day laborer. To get extra income, he travels to the coast once a year and works on a coffee farm for three months.

My mother’s name is Dominga Ramos Gomez. She is a very busy housewife, who raises chickens and sheep for our consumption. Fortunately, my whole family and I are doing well. We trust in God and attend a Church called Life Christian. We live in a two-room house with a separated kitchen, which belongs to my grandparents. It is made of adobe with a metal tin sheet and dirt floor. We have electricity and get water from a nearby river. We are a humble family and most of our needs are clothes and food. I am so happy and grateful to the Lord and LW for the meals that I can receive at a nearby school, here in Pasojoc I. I live about a 15-minute walk from that school. See you later!

Huge hugs,

Ader Frankli Simaj Ramos

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