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 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 Wendy Maribel Calachij Rodriguez. I was born on January 20, 2014, and I am 7 years old. I am a healthy girl, and I have not been enrolled at school yet due to my age. I keep playing with my dolls at home. I love blue, and I like cats. My favorite food is fried chicken. I have four brothers and four sisters. I live about two hours away from the feeding program; my older sisters are part of the program too. We are attending Prince of Peace Church.

I am under the care of my parents. My father’s name is Venancio Calachij Luis, and he works as a farmer and day laborer. My mother’s name is Ana Rodriguez Benito, and she is a housewife and raises hens and sheep. My whole family goes to pick coffee beans at the coast for two months. We live in our own house which has one room and one kitchen. Our house is made of old tin sheets and wood. We use candles at night, and we use jars to bring water from a natural spring which is located near our house. This is my personal information, and I hope you can find it interesting.

Blessings and hugs

Wendy Maribel Calachij Rodriguez

Translated by: Loyda de Osorio/AAC Secretary, Antigua