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.

I feel so blessed for having the opportunity to write you this letter, to share with you some information about my life. Thankfully, I am in good health. My name is Candelaria Bryceida Grave Calachij; I was born on May 6^th, 2017. I am 7 years old, and I am a 2^nd grader at school. What I like to do for fun is to play with dolls in my free time. I like pink, my favorite animal is the dog, and fried chicken is what I like to eat the most. I have four brothers and one sister, and three of them are also part of the feeding program. W live 20 minutes away from it, and we walk all together to be there. 

Thankfully, my parents are hardworking people, and they struggle to support our needs. My father works and lives in the United States; he earns a living by cleaning in a restaurant. Fortunately he keeps in touch with us and help us economically. My mother works at home, takes care of us, does the chores, and she also sometimes sells her hens and turkeys to improve our income. I want to take advantage of this letter to ask you for prayers for my parents since my father suffers from high blood pressure and my mother has an eye infection; my father is taking natural medicine, and my mother also has treatment, but please keep them in your prayers so they can be better. Now, our needs are groceries and shoes, but we have the certainty that God will hear our prayers and will give us what we need; as a family we are members of Prince of Peace Church. We live in our own house; it is made of adobe walls, tin sheet roof, and dirt floor. We have two rooms, a kitchen, and electricity that we pay for every month with the money my father sends. We have water, and we carry it from a water spring. Let me tell you that my mother provided this information. I hope you like my letter, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Many blessings,

Candelaria Bryceida Grave Calachij

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