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 Belinda Garcia Simaj, and I am so excited to share with you some news about my family and me through this letter. About my health, I am well. I turned 11 years old on March 1st, and I am in 4th grade at school. My favorite color is purple, I like rabbits, and what I like to eat the most is fried chicken. What I do in my free time is to play tag to have fun. I have one brother and three sisters. Two of them are registered at the feeding program, and we walk two hours to be there; my mother goes with us to take care of us. We feel so lucky to be part of it because everything we receive there is a huge blessing.

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.

In Jesus Name,

Belinda Garcia Simaj

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