PA1931

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 corps.  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.

Hello, my name is Oscar Domingo Tzoy Grave.  I was born on November 2, 2012 and I am six years old.  My father’s name is Gregorio and he works on a farm that belongs to our neighbors.  My mother’s name is Rosario and she is a housewife.  My family travels to the coast each year from November through January to work during the coffee harvest.  We own the house in which we live.  It is adobe with a tile roof and a dirt floor.  We have 2 rooms with a separate kitchen.  The kitchen is made of wood.  We do not have electricity or running water.  We have a solar panel that provides power for light at night.  We use hoses to get our water from a natural water source.  We do not have any domestic animals.  I have 2 sisters and 2 brothers.  My older sister is the one who takes me to the feeding program.  I am in kindergarten this year, and when I am not in school, I like to spend my time playing ball.  My favorite color is black, and my favorite animal is the rabbit.  The foods that I like to eat the most are boiled eggs with black beans.  My family attends an Evangelical Church. 

With much love and many blessings,

Oscar Domingo Tzoy Grave

Translated by: Edwina Lyons/AAC Missionary