Single mother Nino, who has faced tests that not every man can withstand, and her three children – a needy family from Tbilisi - huddle together and look at me with their huge eyes.  

“We won’t be able to cope alone...... We really need your help and the help of the friends of the Fund,” Nino says in a hopeful voice. She lowers her head and tears drip from her eyes.

    The life of this wonderful Georgian mother has always been full of suffering, and the worst of them is looking into the hungry eyes of her children.  

  In the depth of despair, single mother Nino Gabidauri addressed our Fund for help ... Because our mercy can bring her children belief in miracles, belief that people will not stay indifferent to their fate.

- Nino, what a misfortune made you address our Fund for help?

Nino: You know, I’ve had a lot to go through ... But I’ve never lost hope - I used to face adversity with courage, finding the strength to cope with them. But now ... Our situation has become completely unbearable ... Tell me, how is it possible to look into the eyes of your hungry children day after day, to know that there is nothing to feed them and there is no one to help? My youngest son Aleko is only one year old, he is a very agile and mischievous baby, and I have absolutely nobody to leave him with. I am ready to take any job, I don’t shun any work - I even used to collect scrap metal ... But now I am deprived of the opportunity to leave the house. The situation has become even more complicated due to the pandemic. Our only income is a social allowance of 260 GEL. But you still have to pay for an apartment ... We are starving, we literally have to survive!

- How did it happen that you found yourself in a rented flat alone with three kids in your arms?

Nino: My story is sad, it hurts me to talk about it, but I will tell you if you want. I was 5 years old when my 2-year-old brother, Giorgi, died in a fire. We were alone at home: my brother, my 3-year-old sister and I. The voltage stabilizer under the TV flared up, then the fire spread to the curtains and soon the whole house was on fire. I was a smart child, I managed to let my sister out, but my brother ... He fell behind the sofa, the sofa caught fire, and I couldn't get him out of there. Later, firemen took him out of there, half-burnt, he did not live to reach the hospital, he died in my arms... I’ve seen this terrible picture in front of my eyes up to this day. My son was baptized as George in his honor ... My grandmother took my sister and me to her village after this terrible tragedy, she brought us up. Our parents divorced ... I still have a tense relationship with them.

That terrible day seems to have divided my life into "before" and "after". I was a cheerful and carefree child no longer. Somehow, I grew up right away... But I didn't break. I dreamed, made plans, wanted to study, work. But my dreams were not destined to come true. On my 19th birthday, when I was visiting my relatives, my future husband kidnapped me. So, I found myself in Zugdidi.

- Sorry for asking, it seems to be a sensitive topic for you, but could you give me more details?

Nino: I'll tell you ... We didn't even know each other until that day, he just saw me in a photo, and it came into his head to marry me. Since this person is no longer alive, I will not say bad things about him. I am grateful to him and the Lord for my wonderful girls - my hope and apples of my eye. But to be honest, our relationship did not work out, I left him when I was pregnant with my second daughter. I went back to the village, to my grandmother’s place. Then, as the baby grew up, I rented an apartment in Rustavi, and started to work little by little. Visiting friends, I met my second husband, Aleko's father. Everything was fine at the beginning ... But then everything went wrong, and we parted. Material difficulties made me, being pregnant, start working as a cleaner. At six months I had an accident... And my husband left me before the birth of our son.

- Lord, how could this happen, Nino?

Nino: I was coming back from work by a minibus, when some inept driver rammed into us. I was sitting in the front seat and hit my belly. My eyes darkened and I felt a terrible pain... Everything was a blur - people in white around me, intensive care unit... I was in a coma for one week. And then my wonderful baby was born. He weighed only 800 grams, 28 centimeters height! Like a mouse! And what a giant has he become now! He spent seven months in hospital, and I felt very bad too ... But thank God, we are both at home now.

- Your life is indeed full of tragic events, Nino ... We are really sorry. What particular help do you need at the moment?

Nino: I have nothing to feed my children. We live only on the allowance plus 90-GEL food vouchers. You know, it’s impossible to keep children with that money. Besides that, I have to pay for the rent. God bless my landlady, a good woman, she allows me to pay the rent in installments. I often remain hungry myself, if only the children eat. We are completely cut off from the outside world, we don't even have a TV set. And the girls need to study. There is no way for me to pay for the Internet. Rosa went to school this year, they gave her a netbook, but what is the use of it when there is no Internet ...

  And I would also like it very much to have a washing machine. You know, there is a lot of washing, when one has three children in the family and washing things in cold water in an unheated room is very difficult... The more so as Aleko is such a mischievous baby that I have to keep an eye on him all the time ...  

– Does anybody help you? Parents or relatives?

Nino: As I said before, my parents are divorced and each of them have a new family, their own life ... Besides, our relationship is not very good either. I have only the grandmother who lives in the village, but she is already 74 years old, and she lives on her pension. I have a sister, but she has five children! She needs help herself. It so happened that I can only rely on myself and on the mercy of Lord.

- We are so sorry! Did you address anybody for help? The local government, for instance?

Nino: While my youngest son, Aleko, was in hospital, I kept haunting the doors of various authorities explaining everyone that the child was in such a state that we really needed help ... But, unfortunately, everything was in vain. Not only did they refuse to help us, they even cut our allowance by 20 lari. Can you imagine that?

– What do you believe in? In what do you see the salvation?

Nino: I am an Orthodox Christian. I used to go to church quite often. But now, because of Aleko, I can't. And this coronavirus! But I have got a corner with icons at home, where I pray and light candles. I pray Lord and ask him to give me the strength to get out of this situation and put my children on their feet.

– Do you believe in the kindness of strangers?

Nino: Yes, I do! I believe it so much, because Georgia is a country where kind and noble people live. It is so small that sometimes it seems that we are not strangers to each other ... A striking example of it is your Fund, thanks to which we learn about the troubles of our neighbor. For so many times have I myself read your posts with tears in my eyes ...

- Did you learn about us from social networks?

Nino: My neighbors advised me to contact you, they said that you had helped a lot one of their friends. The hope sparked in my heart that there are people in the world, who will not remain indifferent after learning about our misfortune.

- Nino, tell me more about your girls.

Nino: Khatuna is already quite an adult, she is so serious ... She loves to study. But now the coronavirus has completely messed things up. We missed almost the entire second semester last year. What could we do? Unfortunately, when the children were transferred to distance learning, they did not take into account the fact that some of them do not have money for the Internet, not even food ...

 Rosa helps me a lot. She loves her little brother!  She teaches him to crawl and walk, she even shows him some educational videos on the school netbook! They do everything together. Rosa says that Aleko is a part of her! She is my little chatterbox and helper ...

Rosalinda (7-year-old): I am not a chatterbox! I am a smart girl! And I study well! Look, I have only “tens”!

- Certainly, Rosa. What will you become when you grow up?

Rosalinda: I want to become a doctor! I will do surgery. I will have a lot of money, and then I will buy a lot of food for Mom and Aleko! I will buy a lot of sweets and sausages!

- Is it your favorite food?

Rosalinda: Yes, it is! What can be more delicious than sweets and sausages? Have you ever tried anything more delicious?

- Probably you are right... What else are you dreaming about, Rosa?

Rosalinda: What I want most is that we have our own home and that I have my own room. There will be wallpaper with Barbie dolls on one wall, and with red sausages and salamis on the other...

- And why exactly with red ones?

Rosalinda: Because red is my favorite color! And sausages are the most delicious food! Everything will be red in my room! I'll have red dresses. And shoes.  

- Well, what are you dreaming about, Khatuna?

Khatuna (13 years old): I don't dream... Miracles do not happen. It's better to think about studying.

- Khatuna, why don't you believe in miracles? Has none of your wishes come true in 13 years?

Khatuna: No! I didn’t believe it and I don’t believe it now. Santa Claus has never come to us. My wishes have never come true. I need a phone, a tablet or a computer to study ... Do you think I will have them someday? I don’t think so! Mom won’t be able to save money to buy it, and nobody will just give you a gift like that!

- Do you think about the future? What do you want to become?

Khatuna: Definitely a police officer. I really want everything to be according to the law! Everything to be fair. And I will become a police officer! But I need to study for that. Who needs me uneducated?  

- I think that your younger brother Aleko does not share your gloomy mood. What do you think he dreams of?

Rosalinda: I know! I know! He wants to have cookies, and also that I would have my own room, and Khatuna would have hers!  And Aleko and mommy would have their own rooms too! So that my mother would always hug us and say: "Genatsvalos Dediko!" ("My dear!")

- Does Aleko dream of all this?

Rosalinda: Yes, don't you believe me? You can ask him! He can't talk, but I can understand him!

Khatuna: Yah! Look, he's crying again, probably he is hungry...

- Let's ask your mom. Nino, what is your biggest dream?

Nina: So that the children were healthy and happy. I will give my life for their happiness... So that they would have the opportunity to study, to become successful people. And so that they would not suffer from deprivation, from hunger, would not need most basic things. My dreams are very modest...

- What do you need most at the moment?

Nino: Lord, it’s so embarrassing to ask ... Personally, I really need a washing machine. It is very difficult to wash the children's clothes in cold water in an unheated room. Khatuna needs a computer or tablet so that she can study... Food, diapers... We will be happy to get any help. We are so lonely and have so limited means at the moment that even a kind word of support means a lot to us!

***

Dear friends, we have told you another story of a wonderful family. What happens the next? How will their lives change? Almost whole Georgia will learn about them. Maybe we can make Khatuna believe in miracles, and little Rosalinda stop dreaming of painted food, but make her eat most delicious sausages instead at least once a month?

Here is the address of this family: Tbilisi, 19 Godziashvili Str. You can visit them in person and provide them help or call them and support Nino with the kind words. Phone: 574 02 14 84.

There are three children in the family, and they need computer, home appliances and even food! These are the children we are proud of, they are our future! We should not remain indifferent to the troubles of this family, we will show our mercy and care, all together we will help them however we can, showing them all our love and mercy!

Please repost our publication, so that as many people as possible learn about the troubles of Gabidauri family!

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: Nina Gabidauri)

You can also transfer money from our website.

  It is also possible to transfer money from ОРРА, TBCpay and ExpressPay 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).

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