My Story

Pasojoc III, where your child lives, is located in an extremely remote area of the mountains in Quiche, Guatemala. Life in this area is very difficult and very isolated from the outside world. It is a 3-hour walk to the nearest market town. The people who inhabit the area are Quiche Indians who can trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They normally speak an Indian dialect called Quiche; however, Spanish is becoming more common. The climate is basically warm, but it can get very cold at night. Houses in this area are typically constructed of adobe with tin sheet or tile roofs and dirt floors. Pasojoc III is an area rich with natural resources. It is a farming area where the inhabitants grow staples such as corn, beans and other types of vegetables. Many families also raise domestic animals such as sheep, goats, cows and chickens.

It is my pleasure to introduce myself in this opportunity. I hope you are doing great. My name is Esteban Domy Eliseo Garcia Chijal. My birth date is February 16, 2020, and I am 5 years old. I am a healthy boy. I live with my parents, three brothers and three sisters. I am attending Pre-Kindergarten this year. I enjoy playing with my toy cars at home. I love the color red, and the animal I like the most is the cow. The food I love the most is fried chicken. My father works as a farmer and day laborer; he provides for our home needs. His name is Genaro Garcia Grave. My mother works hard at home and weaves typical items to sell and help herself economically. Her name is Maria Chijal Itzep. We raise hens, pigs and a cow. I am so happy to say that my family is doing well.

We attend the New Covenant Prince of Peace Church. The house in which we live belongs to one paternal uncle and my paternal grandma is living there too. There are four adobe rooms with a tile roof, and a dirt floor. The kitchen is separate. We do not have running water, but luckily, there is a river nearby, and we use a hose to bring water. For electricity, we have a solar panel which is so useful to us. Our greatest needs are groceries. I am very happy to be registered in the Living Water feeding program; I get there by walking in one hour. I usually attend alongside my siblings. This is all for now, but I send many hugs. I hope to hear news from you very soon. I pray our Lord blesses you!

Kisses and hugs,

Esteban Domy Eliseo Garcia Chijal

Translated by: Violeta Hernandez / A-A-C Secretary-Antigua Guatemala