My Story

Pasojoc 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 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 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! It is a pleasure for me to greet you affectionately, and I pray that you are well. My name is Ana Gregoria Melisa Mendez de la Cruz, and I am so glad to share some news about my family and me. Thankfully, I am in good health, I was born on October 16, 2017, so I am 7 years old now, and I am attending 1^st grade this year. I like to do my homework after school and play with dolls in my free time. My favorite color is red, I like cats and what I like to eat the most is rice with sauce. I enjoy attending the feeding program. I have two other siblings that are also registered, and my big sister Susana goes with us since we must walk one hour to be there. 

About my parents, unfortunately my father passed away five years ago due to alcohol, and sadly my mother abandoned us four years ago; she went to live with another family that she has, but she does not help us with anything. We live with my maternal grandmother, Ana Maria Mendez; she is a widow, my grandfather passed away two years ago. She works hard at home, looks after us and raises hens to sell to contribute to our expenses; we also have a dog, a cat, a pig and a cow at home. Fortunately, my aunt Maria Teresa is in the United States, and she sends money every two months to help my grandmother and us economically; we do not know what kind of job she does there, but my siblings and I are so grateful to her for supporting us. Some of our needs are groceries, clothes and corn; we pray to God for them, and we trust He will provide what we need. As a family, we attend Christian Life Church. The house where we live belongs to my grandmother; it has 5 rooms and a separate kitchen. The walls are made of adobe with tin sheet roof and dirt floor. My uncles and aunts live here too; besides that, we have running water and electricity service that must be paid for every month, and my grandmother oversees it. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter, and I want you to know that my big sister, Susana, gave this information to the Evangelism team when she came to register with me.  I wish you many blessings, and I will be waiting to hear from you soon.

In Jesus Name,

Ana Gregoria Melisa Mendez de la Cruz

Translated by: Luisa Reyes de Solis, A-A-C Secretary/Antigua