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! My full name is Candelaria Adelia Elizabeth Simaj de la Cruz, and it is such a great pleasure to greet you through this letter. I am 4 years old, and I will be telling you a little about my life. My mother helped me provide this information to a member of the LW staff when she registered me in the feeding program. I was born on September 29, 2021. I do not attend school because of my age. The thing I enjoy doing the most is playing with my dolls. My favorite color is pink. I like dogs and my favorite food is fried chicken. By the grace of the Lord, my family and I are doing well. We are members of the Prince of Peace Christian Church. I am so happy because I can enjoy delicious meals at the feeding program alongside my siblings. To get there, we usually walk for one hour and a half from our house. I have two brothers and three sisters.

My father’s name is Pedro Simaj Toj. He is a day laborer and works hard by growing corn to support our family. While he keeps busy in the field, my mother also works hard at home by doing the chores and taking care of my siblings and me. Her name is Manuela de la Cruz Jimon. We live in our own one-room house with a kitchen. It is made of adobe walls with metal tin sheet roof and dirt floor. We have electricity and get water from a nearby river by using a plastic vessel. We raise a few chickens at home for our consumption. As a family, we pray that God keeps us healthy and helps us to gather our daily needs, like groceries. This is all for now, but I hope you enjoyed reading my information

Kind regards

Candelaria Adelia Elizabeth Simaj de la Cruz

Translated by: Hillary Popol, A-A-C Secretary/Antigua