A 12-year-old shepherd girl dreams of a warm jacket and boots. The heartbreaking story of beautiful Mariam, the daughter of the mountains of Kharagauli, will bring tears to your eyes.

REPOST RIGHT AWAY, MY GOOD MAN! HELP YOUR FRIENDS FIND THE WAY TO GOD!

This girl, who shines like a ray of sunshine, is 12-year-old Mariam. She lives in the village of Babi in the Kharagauli Municipality. One glance at her, and you’ll immediately know she’s a child of the high mountains. Mariam has seven siblings. Recently, the Skhiladze family experienced a terrible tragedy. Their 7-month-old daughter Barbare passed away. She had a congenital heart defect. Mariam was devastated by her sister’s death. The stress triggered a worsening of her speech problems. When a correspondent from the Fund visited the village, Mariam was herding goats. It was such a striking scene to witness. Little Mariam looked like a biblical figure. Her eyes were so pure and full of kindness that words could not do them justice. Do you think her parents asked her to herd the goats? – No. It was her own wish, ever since she was 10 years old.

“When I saw my sister’s body, I begged the Lord to bring her back to life,” were the first words the girl said to the Fund’s correspondent, and her sea-colored eyes filled with tears.

Mariam and her mother, along with her brothers, often visit 7-month-old Barbara’s grave.

Mariam has many dreams. This child of the high mountains dreams of beautiful clothes. As she spoke about a red dress, her sad eyes sparkled.

Mariam (12 years old): My clothes are old. I want to have a new dress. Sometimes I imagine myself in a red dress, and… (she didn’t finish her sentence, lost in thought, but her eyes sparkled so brightly that words weren’t needed anymore). Winter comes early in my village. It’s already getting cold now. In winter, there’s so much snow that it covers me completely. I want to have a warm jacket and winter boots. What worries me most is that I’ll have to bathe in the cold again, and I’ll get sick. We don’t have a bathtub. My mother has to bathe me in a basin. It’s so scary, auntie, so scary… I dream of bathing like other children, but that dream will probably never come true.”

Good people, I want to tell you a bit about Mariam’s village, because I’m sure every Georgian will take this story to heart. Those of you who haven’t visited the village of Babi in the Kharagauli region should make the trip. The village, nestled in the high mountains, rivals the Swiss countryside, but you know what’s heartbreaking? Unlike Switzerland, Babi has almost become a “dead village.” The abandoned homes will break your heart. Once one of the most densely populated villages in Georgia, it now stands empty. Some people moved to the city; others went abroad. In the centuries-old homes built by our ancestors, only thorns “bloom” now. If you see it with your own eyes, I swear, you won’t be able to hold back your tears. Do you think the people who lived there were heartless, and that’s why they left the village? Do you think they prefer living in Paris or Milan to their native mountains? No! No! No! But what can young people do? How can they live in a village where there are no conditions for a normal life? Meanwhile, the country spends millions of lari from the budget to invite some foreign “star.” And our breathtaking villages, which should be known to the world, are emptying out and “dying.” God, it’s heartbreaking. Mariam’s family, her parents, are true heroes! They told the Fund’s correspondent that they will never leave the village. The reason? If you hear what they said, you won’t be able to hold back your tears.

“If we leave this village and move somewhere else, who will take care of the cemetery?” Not only do we tend to the graves of our own family, but we also clear the graves of other families’ ancestors, and our 8 children help us with this,” Mariam’s parents said. What amazing parents Mariam has.
This little girl is growing up in such a dignified family. Now, dear readers, you can see why we must fulfill Mariam’s dreams.
This child is guarding the historic village, the ancient church, and the abandoned graves. This little girl is a protector of Georgia!

The mountains of Kharagauli.

Our Fund’s accounts are:

– In Bank of Georgia GE64BG0000000470458000

– In TBC Bank GE15TB7194336080100003

– In Liberty Bank GE42LB0115113036665000

(Purpose: Mariam Skhiladze).

You can also transfer money from our website: Bank of Georgia (e-commerce), TБC Bank (GeoPay), Liberty Bank (PayGe), PayPal:

It is also possible to transfer money from ExpressPay, TBCpay, and PayBox (OPPA) terminals. Find our Fund under “Charity” section. You can read more about rights and responsibilities of the Fund following the link https://goo.gl/GY2Gus

You can save someone’s life and draw closer to God! Text 97100

Even if you dial once this special number, it might save someone’s life: 0901200270! God bless you!

Corr: Nini