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 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.

My full name is Heidy Carina Calachij Grave, and I am glad to share my story with you. I am a healthy 5-year-old girl. I was born on July 29, 2020. I am in pre-kinder. My favorite pastime is playing with my dolls. I like the color pink. My favorite animals are cats. I love eating fried chicken. Now, I want to tell you about my family. My father’s name is Rolando Calachij Garcia. He works as a farmer and day laborer. My mother’s name is Elma Esperanza Grave Rodriguez. She is a housewife and sells chickens raised at home to contribute to the expenses. We are a low-income family, and most of our needs are groceries, especially corn. About siblings, I have two brothers and one sister.

We attend a Christian Church called Prince of Peace. We live in our house, which is made of adobe with tin sheet roofs and dirt floors. It legally belongs to my father. It only has one room. My father built another space at home, with metal sheets and wood to use as a kitchen. We get water from a nearby river, which is about 10 minutes away. We use a solar panel instead of conventional electricity. I live about 10 minutes away from the feeding program. My mother and I usually walk to get there. Thank you so much for reading my letter! I hope to hear your story soon.

With much love,

Heidy Carina Calachij Grave

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala