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 Mayans who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They normally speak a Mayan 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 Lidia Marina Chibalan Garcia. I was born on November 19, 2013 in Zacualpa, Quiche, and I am 10 years old. I am a healthy girl. I am in 3^rd grade this year at school and I enjoy playing with my classmates there. My favorite color is light blue, and I love rabbits. My favorite food is fried chicken. I have two brothers. I walk to the program in thirty minutes.  As a family, we attend the Christian Church. I am under the care of my mother.

My father’s name is Elias Chibalan Hernandez.  He earns a living by working as a farmer in our village, but he travels to the coast for six months to pick coffee beans during the harvest season. My mother’s name is Ana Garcia Grave, and she is a housewife. In addition, she raises hens to sell and get some income. We live in our own house. It has two rooms and one separated kitchen. Our house is made of adobe, tin sheet roof and dirt floors. We do not have running water, but we get it from our own little natural spring. We do not have electricity, so we use candles to illuminate our house at night. We have hens at home. As a humble family, our needs are groceries and clothes. This is my personal information, and I hope you find it interesting to read. I want to let you know that my mother gave this information to LW evangelism team.  God bless you richly!

Lots of love,

Lidia Marina Chibalan Garcia

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