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! How are you doing? I am Daylin Amanda Leslibet Gutierrez Simaj, and I hope you find my information engaging. I was born on May 25, 2020. I am a healthy girl, I am 5 years old, and my favorite pastime is playing with my dolls. I am in pre-kinder and I love eating hamburgers. I love the color pink and my favorite animals are cats. Now, I want to share with you a little about my family. I am the only child in my family. My mother is a single parent and she does her best to move forward with me. Her name is Romelia Albertina Gutierrez Simaj. She is in good health and works in a tortilleria business in the city.

My mother usually visits me every three months. I tell you that sadly, I have no information about my biological father. Therefore, I only have my mother’s last name. I live under the care of my grandparents. My grandmother’s name is Marcelina Simaj Riz. She is a healthy housewife and raises chickens for our consumption. We are a humble family and some of our greatest needs are groceries. My family and I attend a Christian Church called Life Christian.

We live in our own three-room house with a separated house. It is made of adobe with metal tin sheet and dirt floor. We get water from an artisanal well and a kind neighbor shares the electricity service with us. We share the expenses for that service with him. It is almost time to say goodbye, but I want you to know that I am so happy to be part of the feeding program in Pasojoc I. To get there, my grandmother and I usually walk for 25 minutes from our house. May God’s grace and peace be with you today and always!

Sincerely yours,

Daylin Amanda Leslibet Gutierrez Simaj

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