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 Manuel Alexander Hernandez Chibalan and I was born on June 10, 2013 in Zacualpa, Quiche. I am thirteen years old and I am in 6^th grade. My pastime is to draw. I love sheep and the color black. My favorite meal is fried chicken. Sometimes, I work as a farmer to support my mother with the home expenses because my father passed away five years ago due to his alcohol problems. His name was Obispo Hernandez Menchu. My mother`s name is Rosa Chibalan Hernandez and she is a housewife. Moreover, she raises and sells her hens and turkeys to get some income. Thankfully, my older brother works as a farmer and day laborer, and he also travels to the coast to do all types of jobs to earn some money.  I want you to know that my mother is suffering from stomachaches, but she visited the public center health from Zacualpa town and is taking medicines for the pain. I have one brother and two sisters. We are a needy family, so our current needs are groceries, clothing, corn and shoes. I take my lunch at the local school from Pasojoc I and I walk for twenty minutes.

We are believers and we attend the Prince of Peace Christian Church. We live in my mother`s house, and we have three rooms and one separated kitchen. The rooms are made of adobe walls, tin sheet roof and dirt floors. We get water from a natural spring by connecting a hose and we have electricity. My mother pays for the service. We have hens, turkeys, pigs and geese, but we would like to have some chicks because thankfully, we have enough space in the house. By the grace of God, the rest of my family and I are in good health. It was a pleasure for me to send you my personal information. Have a nice and blessed day!

Yours truly,

Manuel Alexander Hernandez Chibalan

Translated By: Gladys de Catavi, AAC Secretary-Antigua