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 Kemberlin Rosmery Benito Toj. It is a pleasure to greet you. I hope you are well, and I wish you many blessings in everything you do. Today, I want to share some information about my family and me, so you can get to know us better. Thankfully, I am in good health. I am 6 years old, and I am not attending school yet this year. I spend my time at home. I love playing with my dolls and soccer; my favorite meal is fried chicken. I like pink and the animals I like the most are hens. I have a big family. I have five brothers and three sisters, and three of them are still part of the feeding program. My big sister goes with us because we walk one hour to arrive. We are so grateful to God for being part of the ministry and for all the blessings we receive. 

Now, about my parents, let me tell you that my father earns a living by working both as a farmer and as a day laborer. He suffers from high blood pressure. He has not been assessed by a doctor lately, but he is taking natural medicine and has felt a little relief; please, keep him in your prayers so he can get better. My mother is in good health> She is a housewife, but she contributes with our home expenses by embroidering bags for selling. Besides that, she raises hens, and we also have pigs at home. Some of our needs are groceries and clothes; we pray to God for provision, and we trust He will bless us. We attend Prince of Peace church. Fortunately, we live in our own house that is made of adobe, tile and tin sheet roof, and dirt floor; we have two rooms and a kitchen. We do not have running water, so we carry it from a stream that is about 10 meters away from our home, and we bring it with jars; we have a solar panel to have electricity at home. It is time to say goodbye to you, but I want you to know that my mother provided this information. Thank you for reading my letter. May God bless you and have a nice day.

In Jesus Name

Kemberlin Rosmery Benito Toj

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