Andrei :The boy with the sad eyes 

I would like to introduce you to a special little boy who has been with us at the Orphanage since September. His name is Andrei; he is 8 years old and in the first grade. In his young life he has already seen and experienced much sadness and suffering. We welcome Andrei and his younger brother Daniel who have found refuge and safety in our family. Even their mother is now staying temporarily at the Orphanage since their home was no longer safe. Their father is an alcoholic and lashed out aggressively at his family. Andrei and Daniel have seen many fights in their home and many times they had to sleep in the parking lot or stay with people they barely knew. Exposure to cold and unhealthy living conditions left their health compromised and their immune systems weak. Recently we had to transport them to the hospital because their fevers and coughs were so bad. They were treated for Interstitial Pneumonia which can leave scars on the lungs. After a few days they returned to us.

Today I had a conversation with Andrei and he opened up and shared with me about his hospital experience and about what his father was like. He said that he and his brother shared a hospital bed because there were not enough for everyone. He said, “One day, dad came to see us. Daniel did not recognize him and refused to go to him. For me it was the only time that I was happy to see him because he brought food and he wasn’t drunk. We had a nice talk and he didn’t yell about anything. When we lived with him we were never allowed to do anything because he said we were bothering him.”

Andrei said that he could not wait to come back to us, to sleep in his own bed, and go back to school. “I hated the food in the hospital” he told me, adding “Here at the children’s home the food tastes good!” Andrei is home with us, at peace, and no longer living in fear of his father. With each passing month we pray that his life will feel more normal as his spirit and body become whole again. We love this child and his family and ask you to pray alongside us for their welfare. May they know and serve their heavenly Father who knows their every need.

Gabi C.