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! I am Joselin Carolina Luis Grave, and this is my information. I am 5 years old, and I was born on June 15, 2020. I am in good health, and I am not attending school yet due to my age. I stay at home playing with dolls and my little brother. My favorite color is blue, and I like cats. I enjoy eating eggs with tomato sauce. I have one brother, and we are happy because we have been registered at the feeding program this year. We walk for 30 minutes to arrive at the program, and one of my aunts accompanies us there. We are a needy family, and groceries and clothes are our frequent needs.  

My father’s name is Jorge Luis Quinilla, and he is not living with us because he is working in a milk factory in the United States. He keeps in touch with us and sends us money every month. My mother’s name is Petronila Grave Ajqui, and she works as a weaver to help with the income. Thank God, my family is in good health, and we are attending the Catholic Church. We live in our own house, and we share it with my grandmother and an aunt. The house has two rooms and a kitchen, and it is made of adobe with a tile roof and concrete floor. We have running water service, and we use a solar panel to have electricity at home. We have hens, a cow, a pig, a cat and a dog at home. I hope you like my letter.

Many blessings

Joselin Carolina Luis Grave

Translated by: Loyda de Osorio, AAC Secretary-Antigua