My Story

Pasojoc is an area located high on the side of a mountain in the state of Quiché, 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 crops. The Quiché Indians who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They normally speak an Indian dialect called Quiché - however, Spanish is becoming more common. Very little money ever changes hands in this area as they live on a barter system.

Good morning, it is my pleasure to introduce myself in this opportunity! My name is Anderson Elisandro Mendez Luis. I was born on March 30^th of 2022, in Zacualpa, Quiche, Guatemala. I am a 3-year-old boy. I am living with my parents, one brother and one sister. My father´s name is Hector Mendez Garcia. He works as a day laborer, and moreover, he works as a bus driver assistant on Thursdays and Sundays. My mother´s name is Maria Luis Mendez. She is a housewife and raises cows, sheep, hens and pigs; sometimes, she sells them. She also works as a day laborer. Our pet is a cat. I am so grateful to God because my family and I are in good health.

Due to my young age, I am not attending school yet. So, I stay at home and I like to play football and with my toy cars. I love the color blue, and my favorite animal is the cow. The meal I love the most is fried chicken. We are members of the Prince of Peace Pentecostal Church. We are living in my paternal grandparents’ house; they also live there, and we share the house with my uncles and cousins. Fortunately, we do not pay for rent. It is an adobe house with two rooms and a separate kitchen. The roof is made of tiles with a cement floor. We have running water and electricity, and my parents and grandparents contribute to pay for those services. As a family, our greatest needs are groceries, clothes and footwear. It is a great blessing for me to be registered in the feeding program and receive the benefits; my mother accompanies me and we walk 30 minutes to arrive. For now, that is all, but feel free to ask anything else you want to know about me. Many and rich blessings!

Special greetings,

Anderson Elisandro Mendez Luis

Translated by: Violeta Hernandez / A-A-C Secretary-Antigua Guatemala