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! It is a pleasure for me to greet you affectionately, and I pray to God you are keeping well. My name is Oscar de la Cruz Portuguez, and I am so excited to tell you more about my family and me. I have Down’s Syndrome, I was born on August 20, 2016, and I am   8 years old. I do not study due to my condition; I have problems walking fast. My mother takes me to the Health Center to be assessed frequently to make sure that everything is okay. My favorite color is blue, I love cats, the food I like eating the most is noodles. The thing that I like to do for fun is playing with toy cars. I enjoy attending the feeding program with my sister Silvia, who is also registered in the feeding program. My mother comes with us, and we walk for about one hour and 20 minutes to get there to eat delicious food.

I want you to know that I do not know anything about my biological father, since he abandoned us many years ago; he does not help us economically nor does he have communication with us. He did not legally recognize me; it is why I have my mother’s last name. Fortunately, my mother is in good health. Her name is Emilia de la Cruz Portuguez; she works very hard as a day laborer with our neighbors to cover our basic needs. Besides that, she also works at home taking care of us and raising domestic animals like hens and sheep which she shells to improve our income. At home, there are turkeys too. We live in my maternal grandmother’s house; she lives with us, and it consists of two rooms and a kitchen made of adobe with a tile roof and dirt floor. We do not have running water and electricity; so, we get water from a well, and we buy candles for light. As a family, we need groceries clothes and shoes, but we trust that God will hear our prayers; we are a Christian family, and we attend Prince of Peace Pentecostal Church. Thank you for reading my letter, I hope you like it.

Many Blessings,

Oscar de la Cruz Portuguez

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