The Janelidze family was graced with two kind and wonderful boys. Their mother, Eliza, was overjoyed beyond words. And their father, Geronti, would proudly say to everyone, “I am raising two brave sons for my homeland.” Indeed, as the years went by, the boys grew more handsome and, most importantly, were known throughout the Abasha district as well-mannered and kind-hearted brothers. Most people held this loving family in high regard. But envy is a cruel thing—there were those who begrudged the couple’s boundless love and happiness. That envy bore bitter fruit. It is heartbreaking to write these words: neither of those young men is alive today. Gangrene and liver cirrhosis, two merciless diseases, claimed their lives. Since then, every day for their devastated parents has been a living hell. Their poor mother clings to old photographs of her children, and her heart feels like it is being torn in two. No one can truly understand the fiery agony consuming her heart. Eliza’s soul aches in ways only a mother who has lost her children could comprehend. No one else…

A veteran of the Abkhazian war breaks his last piece of dry bread in half. Robert Jakhia was wounded four times in the Abkhazian war. He never feared death—he was ready to give his life for his country. Today, this forgotten hero lives in ruins. Years ago, Robert was hit by a car,  leaving him with a damaged spine that required surgery. He has also undergone two hernia surgeries. He’s deaf in his left ear and blind in his left eye due to a wartime injury.

By some twist of fate, we, dear friends, have become the closest people to this lonely couple. There’s no one else they can rely on but us. Dali and Akaki, both gravely ill, have no home, no medicine, and no food.  Everything they once had was sold to pay for medical treatment.  They have to move from one place to another just to avoid paying rent. Dali (60 years old): “If not for our neighbors, we wouldn’t be here anymore. We would have died of hunger or cold. The kindest woman, Tea, shares her bread and firewood with us. And she has a family of her own; she’s a mother of many children. We’re so grateful to her. May God bless her! We don’t have children of our own—there’s no one else to take care of us.”  How much pain and hardship can a person endure? 

Saba is just four years old. He suffers from a severe retinal disease—retinopathy—that could lead to complete blindness in just a few days. Right now, he can only see objects very close to him. Everything else is like a blur, shrouded in fog.  His vision is deteriorating rapidly, and nothing seems to stop it. The day Saba was born should have been the happiest day of his mother’s life. Instead, she heard the devastating words in the delivery room: “Your son isn’t breathing.” Saba’s life began with resuscitation, doctors, and a tough battle for survival. He miraculously pulled through, but it was later revealed that he had a congenital eye defect—retinal detachment – that caused him to lose his vision.

What’s worse: terminal cancer or a home completely burned to ashes? A large family with two little children—a one-month-old and a two-year-old—is crying out for help! But there’s no one to turn to…The six thousand lari that the local government allocated is a mockery of their enormous grief… We are their only hope

Mirian was 35 years old when, on that fateful evening, a car struck him as he stood on the sidewalk. The driver lost control, and the blood of an innocent young man was spilled. Mirian suffered injuries that were deemed incompatible with life. His head injuries were so severe that doctors gave him less than a one percent chance of survival. He had multiple skull fractures, and you can probably imagine what that means. Mirian spent three months in a coma. The first surgery was performed in Moscow, but his condition only worsened afterward. Following the unsuccessful surgery, Mirian was transported to Georgia by a mobile resuscitation vehicle. In total, the poor young man underwent four brain surgeries. And throughout all this time, he felt nothing, perceived nothing, and was barely distinguishable from the dead—except that he was breathing. But Mirian’s heroic mother refused to give up. This poor woman achieved the impossible for her son. Indeed, after the fourth brain surgery, with God’s help, Mirian emerged from his critical condition, and for the first time, he had a real chance of survival.