The child does not speak well yet, but she already knows the words "scary rat"! Perhaps this terrible memory will remain in her beautiful head forever...
The situation that we witnessed during our visit to the Metreveli family plunged even us, experienced Fund employees, into indescribable horror. Anna-Maria is only 18 months old, it was she who was attacked by a rat, and her elder sister Elena is 4 years old. The little ones live together with their mother Nana (35-year-old) in a junkyard, in a room that looks more like a dog kennel, rather than a human dwelling ...
“Woe is me, woe! - the poor mother cries bitterly. - I’m ashamed to look into my children’s eyes. They deserve a normal life, it’s not their fault, that I cannot give it to them.
Nana Metreveli in the depth of despair almost lost her hope. Her last hope is our Fund and our good friends. There are not someone else’s children and it’s absolutely unacceptable that these little angels have to live at the junkyard.
- How does Anna-Maria feel herself now?
Nana: She seems to be okay... I just don't have money to take her for rabies shots, so today the neighbors gave me money for the taxi again, because public transport is stopped now.
- This place looks more like a rat-hole. It's even scary to think how you survive here ...
Nana: As you can see, we have not died yet ... But I don’t know how we will manage to survive the winter.
- How did you find yourself here?
Nana: Well, I will have to tell you a long story starting from my early childhood, then. Is anybody interested in it? Will anyone read it?
- Please, tell us, Georgians should know how their compatriots live.
Nana: I had an unhappy childhood. My father left us. There were me, my mother, my sister and brother and my grandmother. We did not have our own home, my mother was not able to pay rent... She found this damned place at a junkyard, she made walls of wood with her own hands ... We did not have a roof or a floor ... We all lay on blankets right on the damp ground ... Before going to sleep, I looked at the stars and cried bitterly. I shared my dream with them that when I grow up, I will have my own small house with a floor and a ceiling and my own bed! But, as you can see, my dreams were not destined to come true ... (Cries.)
- Calm down, Nana, you should not cry. You have wonderful children!
Nana: I live only for them ...
- Let’s continue...
Nana: I had to quit school ... I left it after 5th grade and started working ... I was 11 then. I worked with my grandmother picking apples in Gori. I was the eldest child, I had a sister and a brother. I had to work in order not to starve to death...Then, in the nineties, they did not pay any allowance to poor families. This is how my childhood passed. When I grew up, I thought that nothing could be worse than my childhood. I got married - I was 15 then. We seemed to live normally. But you know, “some to misery are born”, they will suffer their whole life. Life in the husband's family did not work out either. We did not manage to save our family. He used to leave me and then come back again. The last time he left was when I just gave birth to Anna-Maria. Back in the maternity hospital, he told me that this was my child and that I had to cope on my own. So, we try to...
I could not pay for the rent and decided to return to my mother’s house. Nobody lived here anymore. I feel awkward to say it, but I don't have very warm relations with my family. Only my sister helps me. Sometimes strangers do more for me than my relatives ...
- Honestly, I don’t know what to say...
Nana: What can one say? I myself would not believe to such a "fairy tale". I am ashamed to look in my children’s eyes. God forbid any mother to pass through this. Anna-Maria spends all day near the breadbasket, collecting crumbs, but she cannot realize the whole tragedy yet, but Elene suffers very much.
- Elene must be deep with worry about that...
Nana: Most of all I’m worried about her state of mind. Anna-Maria still does not understand everything. But Elene is really worried. She asks why she is not like other children. Why others have water at home, but we do not. Why someone is warm, but we are not ... I could not bathe her for two weeks because of the cold. Then my sister took her to her place and bathed her there. And do you know what she asked me? Why some people can bath, but she can't. You understand?
- Nana, it’s just terrible. I believe that joy will come to your home.
Nana: To be honest, I hope for nothing. I asked for help for many times, asked to help me to rent an apartment, because it's just impossible to live here. We got rid of rats, even lizards have stopped coming because of the cold.
- Nana, what are the main things that can make your life easier?
Nana: I don't even know ... Beds? What do you think? Here is one ottoman, I found it in the trash. Table, chairs? TV ... I should stop dreaming! I don't need anything, just food and firewood, so as not to freeze. The rest is just luxury!
- Elene, what are you dreaming about?
Elene hid behind her mother and whispered something in her ear.
Nana: She had her birthday on December 7, she turned 4. She just dreams about a doll house, about a doll kitchen. But she feels embarrassed to tell you about it.
- And what did you get as a birthday present, honey?
Elene shook her head and looked at me with her sad eyes.
Elene (4 years old): Can I have a gift? I have very scary dolls. And I want a beautiful one. For me and for Anna-Maria.
***
Nana is 35 years old. When she was a little girl, like her daughter Elene now, she used to close her eyes and imagine a fairy tale. But her beautiful fairy tale turned to have a terrible ending... Probably, because there were not so many kind people in her childhood as now. Now Nana imagines a beautiful fairy tale for her girls. Little Elena and Anna-Maria still have a chance to live a normal life, or rather, to have a good childhood. Only we can help them with that. God gave us this family and said: "Here they are, my children, and let's see how you will treat them."
The family is in great need. First of all, they need food, diapers, beds, chairs and a table, a small cabinet, a kettle. It would be also very good if we can make a present for little Elena. She dreams of a doll house.
You can call or visit them in person and provide them help. Address: Tbilisi, 26 Kvishkheti Str. Phone: 558 71 86 36, Nana.
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! Unfortunately, no one is immune to loneliness and sickness.
Please repost our publication, so that as many people as possible learn about the troubles of the Metreveli 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: Metreveli family).
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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