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.

Good morning! It is a great blessing for me to introduce myself on this beautiful day. My full name is Elmer Francisco Chivalan Ajqui. I was born on December 28, 2021. I am a 3-year-old boy, and I live in Guatemala in a town called Pasojoc III. I live with my mother and two brothers. Thanks to God, we are in good health. Because I am very young, I am not attending school yet. For now, I play with my toy cars and football at home. I love the color sky blue, and the animal I like the most is the rooster. I love eating rice and potatoes. My father´s name is Carlos Chivalan de la Cruz. Sadly, he abandoned us and we know nothing about him. My mother´s name is Dominga Ajqui Simaj de Chivalan. She is a single mother and struggles to provide for our home needs. She weaves typical shawls to sell and also goes to wash clothes when people call her. We raise hens. Our pets are dogs.

We are not attending any church. We do not have our own house, and fortunately, one aunt allows us to live in her house; we share the house with my grandpa. There is one room and a kitchen. It is an adobe room with a tin sheet roof and a dirt floor. There is no running water or electricity. We use candles at night, and sometimes, we stay in the darkness. Thankfully, one of our neighbors shares water with us, and we save it in containers. Our greatest needs are groceries and corn. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be registered in the feeding program; I attend alongside my older siblings; we walk 5 minutes to arrive there. I thank you for taking the time to read my information. Many and abundant blessings!

Warm hugs,

Elmer Francisco Chivalan Ajqui

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