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.

My name is Yarlin Melisa Toj Morales, and I am so happy to greet you through this letter. I was born on June 2, 2018. Fortunately, I am a healthy 7-year-old girl. I love playing with my stuffed animals. My favorite color is pink. I love having beans and rice for my meals. My favorite animals are piggies. About school, let me tell you that I am in first grade. Now, I want to share a little about my family with you. Fortunately, everybody is doing well. My father’s name is Domingo Toj Garcia. He works as a day laborer and sells fruits in our village. My mother helps him with the business. Her name is Eva Morales Riquiac. She also has a tortilleria business to contribute to the expenses. I have two brothers and one sister.

My family and I attend a Methodist Church. I like my church because I can learn about Jesus, who has blessed my family and me so much. As proof, I am already part of the feeding program. To get there, my siblings and I usually take a bus. The bus ride takes us ten minutes from our house to get there. My family and I live in a small, but nice house made of concrete block walls, a metal roof, and a concrete floor. It has two rooms, a separate kitchen, an artisanal well, and electricity. The owner of the house is my father. Thank you so much for reading my information! I hope you found it engaging. 

Cordiality yours,

Yarlin Melisa Toj Morales

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala