My Story

Chixocol, where your child lives, is a very small village nestled in a mountain valley in the state of Quiche, Guatemala. Life in this state is very difficult and somewhat isolated from the outside world. Most families live in one-room adobe houses with dirt floors and a small attached kitchen. The extremely poor live in houses made of corn stalks. In the past few years, electricity and water have become available to most people in the area – however, indoor plumbing is very rare. Most of the families are farmers or shepherds and live off the fruits of their labor. Public education is available for those who can afford it and consider it of value.  Life in Quiche is always a challenge.

Hello! I want to start this letter by praying that God's peace be with you and your loved ones. My name is Francisco Alyacer Toj Jimon, and I want to share a little about my life with you. I was born on August 25, 2017. I am nine years old and I am repeating the first grade. My favorite pastime is playing with my toys and stuffed animals. I love eating roasted meat. My favorite color is blue, and I like cats. Although I am doing well, I occasionally suffer from pain in my left foot. This is because I fractured my foot about four months ago. Now, I want to tell you about my family. My father is Camilo Toj, and he is a plumber. While my father works, my mother is dedicated to taking care of my brother and me. At the moment, I only have one brother. My mother is Elsira Martina Jimon Lopez. She also sells homemade snacks at a nearby school to contribute to the expenses.

Please pray for my mother’s health. She has suffered from nerve disturbances for about eight years. She was under treatment but stopped a while ago. We are a Christian family and attend a nearby church called Life Christian Church. We live in a small house, which belongs to my mother. It is made of cinderblock and adobe walls, a metal roof, and a concrete floor. It has two rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. Unfortunately, the kitchen and roof are in bad condition, but we trust God will provide all that we need to fix them. So please, pray for our needs. We have some cows, pigs, and chickens at home for our consumption or occasional sales. I am so happy because I am already part of the feeding program. My father and I usually walk for 30 minutes to get there from our house. It is time to say goodbye, but I look forward to hearing from you soon. Take care of yourself!

Sincerely yours,

Francisco Alyacer Toj Jimon

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala