“I like to go to kindergarten because there is food!” - says 5-year-old little beauty Tamar, looking into my eyes naively. This adorable little girl with celestial blue eyes was the first to rush out from this pitiful shack to greet us. Still quite a baby, she does not understand that her words tear one’s heart and bring tears in his eyes.

“My poor babies... They live from hand to mouth, just bread with unsweetened tea have become a usual meal for them,” - a caring mother Maka wipes away her tears. – “Since my husband got ill and was left without job, the only thing left for me is to pray. Every day, every night I keep thinking about what to feed them tomorrow?" A young tear-stained woman and her three babies: 2-year-old Merab, 5-year-old Tamar, and 8-year-old Giorgi, who huddle up to her like chicks in their dilapidated house look so heartbreaking...

Is this how Georgian children should live? Dreaming of food, clothes, warmth, and comfort? Their poor mother does not sleep all night long, she cries wondering what to feed them tomorrow.

- Maka, could you please tell me what misfortune brought you to us?

Maka: You know, we have never used to live richly, but we somehow managed to make ends meet. And now... Now it is almost impossible to survive from payday to payday. My children are almost starving, it is cold at home, our roof is about to collapse upon our heads. I have no idea how to live on. My husband used to sell fish, he earned at least some penny, but then everything was closed. I have a feeling that we are just sinking. We can endure somehow, but what about the children? I can’t stand anymore hearing these words: “Mommy, mommy, I am hungry!” My husband has tried many times to find a part-time job in our village, but it was all in vain.

- What do you live on now?

Maka: A social allowance is our only income. 320 GEL is a tiny amount, I just can't stretch it for a month. I am grateful that they give me foodstuff on credit in the grocery store, otherwise I don't even know what we would do.

- Could you please tell us in more detail how it all began? How did you meet your love, what plans did you make then, what did you dream about?

Maka: I am originally from Kakheti, it is quite far from here. I met David in Tbilisi when I was visiting my friend. We liked each other right away. We did not have a lot of opportunities to see each other, but that did not mean we loved each other any less. (For the first time during our conversation, the young woman smiled.) David managed to get away from work to see me. And soon we realized that we couldn't live without each other, and we got married. You know, we never, never dreamed of wealth. We dreamed only of a strong family and healthy children. But even here we faced a test. Our younger son Merab was born with problems: hypoxia, meningitis, he spent a month and a half in an intensive care unit! Lord, what we had to go through then... Now, thanks God, everything seems to be fine. But we need to show him to the neurologist, but still don’t manage to allocate the necessary amount for that. There is not enough money even for food.

- Does anybody help you? Your parents or relatives?

Maka: My parents are pensioners - they live in the countryside, and they need help themselves. They sometimes manage to send us some foodstuffs. I also have a sister, but she has many mouths to feed; she can barely cope. My mother-in-law is an old, sick woman, she has high blood pressure all the time, she can barely walk, and her eyes don't see well. How can she help us? All her pension is spent on medications, and it is not enough. I only believe in the mercy of the Lord. Day and night I pray for my kids!

- I think, it is faith that does not let you fall into despair. Do you go to church?

Maka: Yes of course. Now it became quite difficult, my youngest son Merab is such a widget! And they have no footwear, so when the weather is bad, we have to stay at home. But I try to take them to church and make them receive communion whenever possible.

- Did you address the local authorities for help?

Maka: Yes, of course! But how long can you write requests that no one reads? I know that we are not the only one who needs help - our village is very poor, here are no jobs. But these thoughts, unfortunately, do not make me feel any better. Children are still asking for food, they are freezing, they have nothing to wear to school. We have no money even for notebooks and pencils!

- Tell me about your children, please. How do you cope with studies in the time of the pandemic? What do they like? How do they rejoice you?

Maka: Of course, they are the best in the world, as any mom will say about her children. (Maka laughs) Our eldest son Giorgi attended lessons using an old telephone, which barely worked - he often missed lessons completely. Tamar goes to kindergarten, and she really missed the children when it was closed. But, at least, they gave us a little food there, and this is already a great help! She is so sociable, she sings, dances. It would be nice to take her to some music/drama club, but we can’t afford that.

- Maka, what is your biggest dream?

Maka: You know, before I got married, I used to work all the time, I was studying to be a pharmacist. I did not manage to get a job in my specialty, so I had to work as a cashier, as a consultant in stores. Now, while the children are little, I stay at home. But my husband and I dreamed of something completely different! We thought we would both work, we would be able to provide our children with a decent future. It's hard to say what I'm dreaming about now - probably, about a quiet life. So that not to wake up every morning in fear, thinking about what to feed my children with today? How to survive until the end of the month? How to go on living? Just to work, and know that your children eat their fill, they are dressed and have everything they need.

 – Can I talk to them, please? What are you dreaming about, Giorgi?

Giorgi (8-year-old): I will become the most famous racer in the world! And they will give me a medal! Mom, dad, brother, sister, and grandma - everyone will be proud of me! I’ll also earn a lot of money and I’ll be able to buy for them whatever they want.

- What would you buy for yourself?

Giorgi: A beautiful car and of course, the fastest one! And I will buy sweets and toys for my brother and sister. I really want a car, at least a toy one. One where you can get in.

Tamar (5-year-old): And Giorgi will buy me a doll when he has a lot of money - Princess Elsa - she is the most beautiful.

- Tamar, do you like going to kindergarten?

Tamar: Yes, they have a lot of delicious food there.

- And what do you eat at home?

Tamar: Well, potatoes or beans. Mom usually cooks that.

Maka: It is true. Our diet is very modest. I either fry the potatoes or boil the beans. They give them bread and butter, and tea in the kindergarten, and at home they eat just bread. Sometimes we even have got no sugar.

– We are so sorry, Maka! What do you think, you need most in your home?

Maka: Foodstuffs, foodstuffs and foodstuffs again. I do not sleep at night, worrying that my children do not get nutritious food while they are growing! God, we need so many things, but I'm so embarrassed to bother you.

- Don’t be shy, tell me! We are here to help you!

Maka: My children have neither normal clothes, nor footwear.  They are shy before their peers. Our gas stove is good for nothing, it is very old, and you can often feel a bad smell. It is so scary! We have no refrigerator - and this is a huge problem. In kindergarten they give us a little bit of a milk and cheese - but where to store it? I can't even cook soup for two days. We really have a lot of unsolvable problems.

– Do you believe in the kindness of strangers?

Maka: Of course! I read your posts and I see how united our country is; how people lend a helping hand to a neighbor and even to a complete stranger, despite the hardships that everyone experiences today. I believe that our misfortune will touch someone's heart. God knows I ask for help only for the sake of my kids!

***

Friends, the Kevlishvili family found themselves in very difficult situation. Three little children (8-year-old Giorgi, 5-year-old Tamar and 2-year-old Merab) live on bread and water, they need clothes and shoes, and they can only dream of sweets and toys!

The family always used to live modestly, but at least the children were not starving. The difficulties with which the population of the entire planet is struggling today are insurmountable for such poor families, they are literally on the verge of death.

The Kevlishvili family really needs food, clothes, shoes, and the most basic appliances - fridge and a gas stove.

You can visit them and provide all possible help to the Kevlishvili family.Their address is: Kaspi Municipality, village Zemo Khandaki.

Please repost our story. 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. Do not pass by someone else's trouble! Those poor people are sent to us by heaven so that we could prove not by words, but in deeds that we trust in God!

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 Kevlishvili family).

You can also transfer money from our website.

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 Kevlishvili family too, as no one is immune to bad luck! And who knows, maybe someday we ourselves will need help of strangers!

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