Dear Sponsor,
My name is Mariia, and I am ten years old. I live in a village. My dad works on a farm, and my mom is at home because she is sick with breast cancer. I don’t have any brothers or sisters. My best friend is Oleksii—we always play hide‑and‑seek and tag together, and he supports me a lot.
Christmas is my favorite holiday. We decorate the tree, cook yummy food, and watch Home Alone. In the summer, I ride my bike, jump on the trampoline, and visit my grandma.
I am in the fifth grade and go to school by bus. I like performing, reading, drawing, and making crafts. My favorite subject is history. At home, I love eating pasta, borscht, varenyky, and doughnuts.
In my free time, I draw, read, play with cats, rollerblade, and help in the garden. When I grow up, I want to be a dentist.
Dear Sponsor, I am very happy that God sent you to help me. Thank you for your kind heart and for helping my family. I would be very happy to get a letter from you. God bless you!
With respect,
Mariia
Caseworker Comments:
Mariia is a cheerful and active ten‑year‑old girl whose bright personality brings warmth to those around her. Although she smiles often, she carries a quiet worry in her heart about her mother’s health and rarely shares her feelings openly. At school, she gets along well with everyone and knows how to stand up for herself. She dreams of having a brother or sister, as she sometimes feels lonely at home, and she finds it easier to communicate with boys her age.
Her favorite subjects are art and history, and she enjoys drawing, making crafts, walking outside, and daydreaming about the future. At home, she helps with cleaning her room, washing dishes, folding clothes, and learning to cook. One day, she hopes to become a dentist.
Mariia’s physical health is mediocre. She is examined by a doctor every year, and a heart murmur has been detected, though she currently does not require medication.
Her family is facing extremely difficult circumstances. Although there is only one child in the home, their financial situation is very strained. Mariia’s father works as a general farm laborer, but the farm is small, and his salary is below minimum wage. He also suffers from thrombophlebitis—dangerous blood clots in his legs—which limit his ability to walk long distances or carry heavy loads. Unfortunately, there are no other job opportunities in the village.
Mariia’s mother is unable to work and is currently undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. Over the past year, she has already completed seven rounds of treatment. The family lives with the father’s elderly parents, both of whom have minimal pensions and serious health issues, including hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease. Nearly all of the family’s income goes toward medical treatment. They grow vegetables in a small garden and keep a few poultry to help them get by.
The family survives on the father’s small salary and the grandparents’ pensions, totaling about 11,000 UAH (approximately $252). Their living conditions are extremely deplorable. They live in a small house with two rooms, a narrow corridor, and a summer kitchen. The walls are damp and require constant heating. There is no indoor toilet or bathroom; the toilet is outside, and water must be carried from a well in the yard.
The home contains only the most basic furniture—beds, a sofa, chairs, and a table. Mariia sleeps in her parents’ room on a fold‑out chair. Heating is provided by a wood stove, but firewood must be rationed because the family could not afford to buy enough due to the mother’s illness. The parents and Mariia share one room, while the grandparents live in the other. Meals are prepared in the summer kitchen.
Before the war and before the mother became ill, the family managed to renovate the summer kitchen, replace the floor in one room, and install new windows. They had hoped to build an indoor toilet and shower, but those plans are now impossible. Their greatest hope is simply for the parents to regain their health.
Since first meeting the mother, she has begun attending Saturday prayer breakfasts and has started reading the Bible. She is open to learning more about the Gospel and finding strength in God during this difficult season.
This family is doing everything they can to stay afloat, but the burdens they carry are overwhelming. Mariia’s nutrition is not fully balanced, and meals are prepared only with whatever ingredients are available. The family’s needs are many, and their resources are few.
We share a common desire—to support this family with practical care, compassion, and guidance as they navigate this painful and uncertain time. HART’s Child Sponsorship Program would help improve their living conditions, ease the heavy financial strain, and ensure that Mariia and her family have their basic needs met.
Mariia is a tender, hopeful child with dreams for the future. With help, she can continue to grow, learn, and flourish. Your support could be the blessing this family has been praying for—a reminder that God sees them, loves them, and has not forgotten them.
