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.

Many greetings from Pasojoc! I am Esvin Alexander Simaj Simaj, and I am so grateful to LW for allowing me to share with you a little about my life. I was born on July 24, 2018. I am a healthy boy. I attend the first grade and my favorite color is blue. In my free time, I enjoy playing freeze tag and soccer. My favorite animals are doves. About my favorite food, let me tell you that I love the edible native herbs, especially Macuy (a highly nutritious wild herb in Guatemala). I live with my parents, siblings, and paternal grandparents. I have one brother and one sister at the moment.

I am so happy to tell you that my mother is pregnant and she will give birth soon. My mother’s name is Olga Martina Simaj Cux. She is a healthy housewife. Please pray for her and my baby brother or sister. My father’s name is Cesar Simaj Riz. He is healthy and works as a day laborer and farmer. However, there are not many job opportunities for him in our village, so he sometimes travels to the city and works in whatever he finds provisionally. The coffee harvesting time is a good opportunity to earn extra income, so he usually travels to the coast once a year. As family, we are members of Christian Life Church. 

We live in a three-room house with a separated kitchen, which belongs to my grandparents. Thanks to a neighbor, we have electricity at home. We contribute to pay for that service monthly. About water, let me tell you that we get it from a stream by using hoses. My grandmother’s name is Paula Riz Gomez. She is a housewife and raises chickens for our consumption. She is in charge of taking my siblings and me to school because my mother is not able at the moment.

I am so happy because I can enjoy delicious meals from LW at a nearby school here in Pasojoc I, which is a great blessing! To get there, I usually walk for fifteen minutes. On vacation from school, I go to the main feeding program in Pasojoc. My grandmother and I usually walk for one hour and a half from where we live. It is almost time to say goodbye, but I kindly ask you to pray for my family and our needs. Most of them are groceries and clothes. See you later!

In the name of Jesus,

Esvin Alexander Simaj Simaj

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