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 great pleasure for me to greet you through this letter, and to share with you more about my family and me. My name is Hilda Gricelda de la Cruz Chivalan; thankfully, I am in good health, I am 10 years old, and I am attending 4^th grade this year. I love doing my homework after school and helping my mother with the chores; my favorite color is pink, the animal I like the most is a sheep, and I enjoy eating chicken with any type of sauce. I feel so blessed to be part of the feeding program. My brother and I walk one hour and a half to get there and our mother comes with us to take care of us. 

Fortunately, my parents are in good health and my father works very hard to cover our needs; he earns a living by working as a day laborer every day. My mother is a housewife and looks after us. As a family, we attend Prince of Peace Church. We live in our own one-room house, with a separate kitchen. It consists of adobe walls, tin sheet roof, and dirt floor. We have a solar panel to have electricity, and we get the water from a water spring through a hose. At home, we have animals like a pig, sheep, hens, a dog, and a cat. Some of our needs are clothes and groceries, so we pray to God, and we have the certainty that He will help us to have what we need. Before saying goodbye, I want you to know that my mother gave me all this information. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. May God bless you!

In Jesus Name,

Hilda Gricelda de la Cruz Chivalan

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