My Story

Cuatro Caminos "four roads", where your child lives, 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 a two hour walk to the nearest market town of Zacualpa. Cuatro Caminos is a farming area where corn and black beans, the staple elements in their diet, are the major crops. 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 Elber Leonel Simaj Jimon, and I want to tell you a little about my life. I am in good health, and I am 8 years old; I was born on June 9, 2017. Carmen Simaj Morente is my father’s name, and he works as a farmer and day laborer with our neighbors. Maria Jimon Morente is my mother’s name, and she is a housewife. She raises hens and grows herbs for selling. Thank God, my parents are both in good health. I have 5 brothers and 3 sisters, and two of them are registered at the feeding program too; they accompany me to the program. 

I am repeating 1^st grade this year. In my free time, I play soccer and go out to gather firewood with my mom. My favorite color is black, and I like hens. I really enjoy eating beef broth. At the moment, we are not attending a church due to some personal problems. We live in our own house, and it has one room and a kitchen. It is made of adobe with a tin sheet and tile roof and dirt floor. We have electricity at home, and we get water from a stream; we use a hose to bring it home. We have hens and chicks at home. We are a humble family, and our frequent needs are groceries. I am happy to be part of the feeding program, and I walk for 10 minutes to arrive there. My mom helped me with this letter. Well, this is all for now.

With much love

Elber Leonel Simaj Jimon

Translated by: Loyda de Osorio, AAC Secretary-Antigua