My Story

Pasojoc III, where your child lives, is located in an extremely remote area of the mountains in Quiche, Guatemala.  Life in this area is very difficult and very isolated from the outside world. It is a 3-hour walk to the nearest market town.  The people who inhabit the area are Quiche Mayans who can trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization.  They normally speak a Mayan dialect called Quiche, however, Spanish is becoming more common.  The climate is basically warm, but it can get very cold at night.  Houses in this area are typically constructed of adobe with tin sheet or tile roofs and dirt floors.  Pasojoc III is an area rich with natural resources.  It is a farming area where the inhabitants grow staples such as corn, beans and other types of vegetables. Many families also raise domestic animals such as sheep, goats, cows and chickens.

May God bless you greatly! It is my pleasure to tell you about me through this. I am Natalia Marleny Garcia Coj and I was born in Zacualpa, Quiche on July 20, 2019. I am 6 years old and I am not studying yet due to my age. I stay at home and I play with dolls. I like to eat fried chicken and I love cats. My favorite color is black and thanks to God I am in good health.  I have one brother and three sisters. We attend the Catholic Church. We are a needy family and our current needs are groceries.

I live with my parents at home and my father`s name is Virgilio Garcia de la Cruz. He sustains the family by working as a farmer and day laborer while my mother, Luciana Coj Garcia, is tending her small grocery store and doing the housework. My parents and I are doing fine and in good health. We live in our own house and we have four rooms and a separated kitchen. The rooms are made of adobe with cement roof and granite floors. We have electricity and my father pays a monthly bill for the service.  We get water by connecting a hose from a nearby river. We have pigs and hens at home, but we would like to have some chicks because thankfully we have enough space at home. Well, thank you for your attention. Every kind of blessing to you!

Warm wishes,

Natalia Marleny Garcia Coj

Translated by:  Gladys Chavez / A-A-C Secretary-Antigua