There are three children growing up in this poor Georgian family, and they are exhausted by hunger and poverty: Anano (5-year-old), Shotiko (3-year-old) and Nata (18-month-old).They have to live in a creepy building that doesn't look like a house at all! It's cold here like outside, there is a concrete floor and crumbling walls!

In the depth of despair Gvantsa addressed our Fund hoping that generous Georgians will not leave their compatriots in trouble.

- Gvantsa, what made you address us?

Gvantsa: We have long been unable to cope with our difficult financial situation. We moved here from my parents' house four years ago due to family problems. At first we thought we could cope with poverty, but we couldn't. The dump we live now cannot be called home, there are just concrete walls here. But thank God, my husband's brother sheltered us here, otherwise we would have found ourselves in the street with small children in our arms.

With the pandemic, everything has become even more difficult, we can barely keep our children. Sometimes they are completely starving and there is nothing in the fridge. My husband cannot read and write, he had a difficult childhood, he had no opportunity to get any education, but he does everything for our children. As soon as there is even a small opportunity to work as a loader, he immediately takes it on... But, you understand, the money he earns cannot be enough for three little children.

- How did you learn about Chernovetskyi Fund?

Gvantsa: Once a friend of mine told me about your Fund. I immediately visited your website and was stunned; I did not believe that you are helping so many people! I could not believe that there are so many kind and empathic people. But, I saw what you are doing, how you are helping people, and hope awakened in me again - perhaps, you will help my children too!

- How long have you been in such a dire situation?

Gvantsa: You know, 4 years ago we lived with my parents in Rustavi, everything was fine, but then my brother got married, and it became no longer possible for everyone to fit in the apartment. I didn't want my brother and mother to be at odds because of my family, so we moved here. Joseph's brother sheltered us, and we are incredibly grateful for that, we only pay for utilities.

You know, while we lived with my mother, the children had a warm home and there was always food on the table, but since we moved here, my angels have lost their childhood. There is almost no joy left in their lives. They, like me, are afraid that tomorrow we will have nothing to eat. I feel scared and ashamed to remember the moment when it became so hard for us that we had to cut off the hair of our eldest daughter (Gvantsa can hardly hold back tears). We told her that it was so necessary for her family. Lord, you can’t imagine what beautiful hair she had!

- Does the state help you?

Gvantsa: Yes, we are a socially disadvantaged family, we get a social allowance to buy food and the most basic things, such as diapers. It is getting harder and harder to pay bills. We can't even buy clothes for the children, usually neighbors or just kind people help us. I am very grateful to them for everything! It’s winter now an it is very cold for the children even inside the house. If only they didn't get sick!

- Does anybody help you? Maybe relatives or friends?

Gvantsa: Before the pandemic, my mother used to help us, she always brought pasta, rice, all the basic stuff, but now it is impossible to come here from Rustavi, so we were left without her support, the children also miss her very much. But I have a friend who always cares about us. When she makes some meat dish, whenever it’s possible, she tries to bring some to my angels. If not for her, the kids would have forgotten the taste of meat long ago - Gvantsa says with tears in her eyes.

My husband's brother let us in here, and we are very grateful to him. If not for him, I don't know what we would do. I can't imagine where we would get the money to rent any room.

- Where do you live? Please, describe your living conditions.

Gvantsa: We live in a small extension, and there is concrete all around. Recently, my brother-in-low decided that we shouldn't use the main door, he wanted us to have a separate entrance, so my husband had to punch a hole in one of the walls and install a door there. Our neighbor brought it to us, but it is very thin. You know, such doors are usually used as indoors between rooms, so it became even colder than it used to be. The windows are also very thin, the temperature outside is almost the same as inside.

Our appliances also went out of order, the washing machine does not work, so I just store the washing inside it and then wash it by hands. But what worries me the most is the stove. It almost does not warm, it becomes more and more difficult for us to keep the house warm ... Previously, the children loved to watch TV, but it also went out of order - it was very old.

- What about your health and the health of your children?

Gvantsa: They get sick, they permanently have runny nose and cough. Last December, all members of our family got sick, everyone had a fever around 40, so the ambulance took all of us to the hospital. God! I will never forget the day when I was in one ward, and my eldest daughter was in another. They gave me a phone to call her, and she cried into the phone saying to me: "Mom, I'm dying, help me!" (Gvantsa can no longer hold back tears).

My child, she is so special ... She understands everything better than many adults do... She was afraid to die, she felt so bad! Lord, don't let her go through that again! She has changed a lot after we moved here, she became very withdrawn, she even feels ashamed to say “hello” to the teacher. For some reason, Anano is sure that she is the worst of all ... My little daughter ...

My health now leaves much to be desired - I often have a pain in my heart, I have respiratory failure. Anano's immunity has decreased after the pneumonia she had last year, and now she gets sick more often. Not only me, but Anano too need examinations with a doctor, but we cannot afford it ... I don’t even know when we will become able to.

- What is your monthly income? What’s it enough for?

Gvantsa: We have 450 GEL of social allowance per month, sometimes my husband gets lucky and unloads the car for a store or a pharmacy, but usually he does not get money for this. This is how we cover our debts. We still have a 50 GEL debt at the pharmacy.

So 450 GEL is enough for food - buckwheat, pasta, bread - and diapers, and of course, utilities, sometimes electricity bill is up to 50 GEL.

- What do your children eat?

Gvantsa: I try to prepare the proper food for their growth. I cook mainly soups, borsch, porridge. The kindergarten gives us cereals, some food for the children, which is also a huge help in our situation. I bake the bread myself. It is cheaper to buy flour than bread, and children also like it. They are very fond of meat and fish, but, you know, we have absolutely no money for this.

My middle son always asks me for yogurt, he calls it "butiti", he says: "Mom, buy some butiti." But if I buy it for him, then what about the other children? So I can’t please them with that either. We can't afford sweets at all, I can only buy them lollies from time to time, and that's it...

- What would you like to wish them?

Gvantsa: I want them to be healthy and to have a warm and cozy home, I will give everything for this. You know, when Anano was 3 years old, she started having tantrum when she saw a huge beautiful house. We could not calm her down, we even took her to a neurologist. The doctor was horrified, he could not believe that a three-year-old child could have such problems with nerves, he even had to prescribe her medications (Gvantsa turned completely pale). You see what a delicate soul she has? Even at the age of 3 she understood that our family is different from others, that we live in bad conditions...

- How did you meet your husband?

Gvantsa: About eight years ago, a friend of mine got married to a guy from this village, so I came to the wedding, and we met here. We fell in love with each other, he was so courteous and caring. From the very beginning I knew that he had financial problems, but he always worked, Joseph is very hardworking. We got married and moved to Tbilisi, we had no children for the first 2 years, but then God gave us Anano. We lived quite well, but when we got more children and Joseph lost his job, it became very difficult.

– Do you believe in the kindness of strangers?

Gvantsa: How can I not believe in it, if this is what constantly saves us and gives us happy moments.

I remember how one man once learned about our family. He came to our place and gave us a few kilograms of potatoes, a box of lemonade, even some meat. I made soup for the children then. How happy they were! By that time, they had not eaten anything like this for a long time. I am so grateful to that person ... And just a month ago we completely ran out of food, we had nothing at all, the children were hungry all day. So my neighbor gave us some bread and butter for tea ... How not to believe in the kindness of people after that!  

- Would you like to address our readers?

Gvantsa: I believe that there are good people, I believe that they will help us. Every day I see people on your website helping families like ours. This gives me hope that my children will also experience happiness due to your attention!

We are already grateful to you for paying attention to us, for coming and listening to us... It means a lot!

- I’d like to talk to your children, please.

Anano, your mom has told me so much about you, you are so smart. What are you dreaming about?

Anano (5 years old): I dream about a big beautiful house! You know, they often laugh at me in the kindergarten, they say that I live in a stone house, but this is temporary, right? Mommy says that we will have everything, she only does not know when, but I will wait.

- I know that you go to the kindergarten. Do you like it there?

Anano: I love the kindergarten, we always play and have fun there. The teacher already teaches us to read. I can’t read yet, but I will soon learn. It’s true! I love to study. The teacher says that I am a quick learner!

- Do you have friends in the kindergarten?

Anano: Yes, I have a lot of friends! We always play the house. I can already do a lot, sometimes I look after Nata, I take her in my arms. She's so little, but I'm not at all afraid to hold her.

– What do you like doing?

Anano: I really like to watch TV, you know, the one with the wi-fi. We don't have a TV, but my friend does. And I also love to dance, I love TikTok. As soon as the music turns on, I immediately start dancing, as once at the wedding! It was a lot of fun!

- Do you already know what present you would like Santa to bring you?

Anano: I really want a Barbie and a TV. My friends have Barbies, and they will still get more for the New Year. I also want to play with them later.

- Shotiko, what are you dreaming about?

Shotiko (3-year-old): I want a lot of sweets! I love sweets and butiti (yoghurt), they are so delicious. But my mother hasn't bought it to us for a long time.

***

Friends, we have no moral right not to help these people after learning their story. Let's pray for this family, ask the Lord all together, so that the life of this family would change for the better!

This little family is in dire need of food, medical examination, home appliances to survive! Help them to survive! Consider them as your relatives.

It all depends on God and on our mercy. You can visit them in person and provide all possible help.

Call Gvantsa and ask her what her family needs, cheer her up and support her, let her feel that she is not alone and that we will not leave her in trouble. It’s extremely important!

Their address is: Gori municipality, village Shindisi, phone: 599 70 08 52.

Friends, Chernovetskyi Charity Fund starts a charity campaign to help the Markhvashvili family” As you know, our Fund never stops on ad-hoc help. Georgians should live like any other worthy nation on earth deserves to live!

Please repost our publication. Let your friends know about the grief of this family! It’s extremely important!

God gives us chances to care about people who are unable to take care of themselves.

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 Markhvashvili family)

It is also possible to transfer money from Nova Technology, 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 ).

We have already helped many disadvantaged people! Let’s support the Markhvashvili family too, as no one is immune to bad luck! And who knows, maybe someday we ourselves will need the help of strangers!

One call saves life - 0901 200 270.