When I went to the Tsetskhladze family to interview them, I did not expect that, in addition to hunger and cold, I would literally have to look death in the eye. One careless step may become the last one, and these words are not just an exaggeration. To get to the hut (it is simply impossible to call this building home), you need to cross the river along some structure made of wood and iron, which is held between the banks by ropes and cords wrapped around a tree. I probably wouldn’t even dare to come close to such a “bridge” if it weren’t for Ninuki and Nika, who were waiting for me and cheering me on

You must have nerves of steel to cross such bridge

"Don't be afraid, take a step and watch your feet!” - Nanuka shouts to me. “Or better, don’t look down, just walk slowly like an ant,” Nika instructs me. They make this way several times a day and know how best to do it. 

When I crossed the “bridge” and my speech was back to me, the children laughed at me for a long time. 

"We only go together - to save each other"

Nanuki: you know, Nika fell right into the river recently - it was slippery after the rain, and he could not keep his balance and fell into the water. It seemed funny to me, but when he started to sink, I started screaming and Nika was screaming too, they barely pulled him out of there. Fortunately, he survived.

Natela: True. We almost lost Nika because of that. You should have seen how the ambulance usually picks me up. I am a sick person, and we often call an ambulance. I have breathing problems and I use an oxygen cylinder that needs to be refilled every two weeks… can you imagine that? If I need to be taken to the hospital, the ambulance and firefighters come together. We'll probably all collapse together. 

Do you have any idea how they carry this cylinder across the bridge?

Natela: I did, wrote lots of letters, they said “yes” - but no result. 

Natela: I understand, I didn’t even think that you would come, I thought you wouldn’t dare. I called you because of a dire need. We are just perishing. I've been in bed for one year and I can't get up. I have epilepsy and I started having attacks frequently. I collapsed so many times that I hurt my head. I also have diabetes, goiter, neurosis, everything hurts. 

These kids live in unbearable conditions

Natela: This is what I “saved up” over the years of a hard life. I am now only 44 years old, but I feel like I am very old. When I was 13 years old, I was kidnapped by my future husband. In our village you never return to your family after this, so I stayed with my husband when I was very young. With a person I didn't even know. So, he gave me a "savory life." He had a terrible temper. He drank and cursed. My first two children were born dead, and then God gave me my daughter Natruli and son Ramin. When they were little, family life became so unbearable to me that my mother took me back home. She said she couldn't bear to see me suffer anymore. If only she had done it earlier. And then I had to raise my children and then my grandchildren alone. One year ago, after another attack of epilepsy, I hit my head so hard that I could not recover. And after that, I have problems with breathing and with everything in general ... I take a bunch of medications.

“I can give my grandmother a meal, but I can’t find anything”

“I didn’t find anything, I’ll just give her water, and I’ll say that it’s tea!”

Natela: My daughter, Natruli. She is mother of four. You already met her elder children, and there is one year's difference of age between baby Nanako and Lile. One is two years old, and another will get one in February. 

Natela: We get an allowance; my son-in-law works as a laborer - my daughter is lucky with her husband, unlike me. She also got married young, but she did it for love. The money is enough only for medications and bread. Anything you see here are gifts from good people - our neighbors and relatives.

“Everything you see here is what kind  people gave to us”

Natela: It is not a house. We made it of boards. Someone helped us with building materials. So, we’ve got what we’ve got. All the beds are falling apart, children sleep cuddling to us. It is harsh. They have nothing, they are deprived of everything.

A hut made of boards cannot be called a house!

Nanuki: Yes! I am deprived of dolls, pencils, and princess dresses. And I don’t have a bike 

Nika: I have not bike either. But I want to have a phone more.

Nika: Everyone has it. You are not a human if you don’t have it - everyone will laugh at you.

“Nanako and Lile cry all the time, they can’t calm down”

Nanuki: I don’t want them to laugh at me. I also need a phone.

Nika: So that Nanako and Lile did not cry. My ears hurt. They cry all the time, I think their cry generator got damaged. It is impossible to cry that much! 

Cry-baby 1

Cry-baby 2

Natela: If you can help us resolve the issue with this bridge, we will be just happy. They didn't hear us, maybe they will hear you? We have no water, no light, no gas... the neighbors “lend” us that. It's probably illegal, but we can't die in the dark, can we? Maybe you can help with that too. We also really need a refrigerator, we need a bed, our neighbors gave us clothes for children - and we need it the least. It were our neighbors who bought this oxygen cylinder for me. The kindest people live in Georgia, indeed. The thing is, that in our village people live in poverty and we can't always be at the mercy of our neighbors. That’s why I decided to address you. I am sure you will help us.

Nika: That's it, if you've finished talking, let's see you out, otherwise it will get dark soon, and you may collapse. We can’t leave you here. We have no room!

“Walk as we, and watch your feet”

* * *

This is where we end our story. It is absolutely impossible to convey in words all this pain and horror that we saw.

 It is impossible to convey in photographs. You can visit that family yourself. Their address is: Kobuleti district, Daba Chakvi, 15 Abashidze st. If you’ve got a bad heart, you should not go there! 

Natela and her grandchildren need more than just help and support, they need to be saved! They are perishing slowly but surely.

Every time you can help someone, just do it, and rejoice that God answers someone's prayers through you! 

We are sure that all together we will manage to save them from imminent death. 

Please don’t forget to repost our story. Let your friends know about the grief of this family! It’s extremely important!

Friends, there is one more request: if you know about the misfortune of a neighbor or friend do a godly deed, drop us an email at: office-fsp@fsp.ge

Our Fund’s accounts are:

#GE15TB7194336080100003

#GE42LB0115113036665000

#GE64BG0000000470458000

(Purpose: The Tsetskhladze family).

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

It is also possible to transfer money from TBCpay, ExpressPay 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

We have already helped thousands of disadvantaged people! Let’s support this family too! And who knows, maybe someday we ourselves will need help of strangers! Life is always unpredictable!

We have good news: now you can read the stories of our beneficiaries on 

Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/chernovetskyi.fund/

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