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 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! How are you? I am Juan Carlos Pol Benito, and I am writing this letter just for you. I am 11 years old, and I was born on June 15, 2013. I am in good health, and I am attending 3^rd grade this year. I like playing soccer in my free time. I love the color blue, and my favorite animal is the hen. I enjoy eating black beans with rice. My father’s name is Tomas Pol Pablo, but sadly, he abandoned us after I was born. My mother’s name is Juana Benito Gutierrez, and she works hard at home. She helped me to give all this information to the Evangelism team. My maternal grandfather, Jose Maria Benito, is the one who covers our needs; he works as a farmer and day laborer.

I have one brother and one sister. At the moment, we are not attending a church. We live in my maternal grandparents’ house, and we share it with them, some uncles and cousins. The house has two rooms and a separated kitchen, and it is made of adobe with a tin sheet roof and dirt floor. We use a solar panel to have electricity at home, and we use a hose to transport water from a stream to our home. I would like to ask for your prayers for us since we are always in need of groceries, clothes and shoes. I walk for 30 minutes to arrive to the feeding program. Well, I say goodbye to you for now hoping you find my letter interesting.

With much love

Juan Carlos Pol Benito

Translated by: Loyda de Osorio, AAC Secretary/Antigua