„From today, I want to be your wife! – I told Gocha directly on his birthday 14 years ago“ – recalls Natia Berdzenishvili.

"We found each other in Terjola, in a boarding house for persons with disabilities. We liked fancied each other from afar for two years. Gradually Gocha was able to get rid of all my other admirers but he wasn’t making a step toward a romantic relationship. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands and told him how I felt.

I threw him a surprise party for his birthday on December 24. I organized a small gathering with our friends. Back then I was knitting and selling my handmade pieces, so I had saved little money. We set a table and got a cake with candles for Gocha.

I gathered my courage and told him directly: from today, I want to be your wife. I swore that I would be with him till death. Initially Gocha was confused, he was shy and couldn’t say a word. Later he told me that he loved me and gave me a ring.

It seems that Gocha and I understand each other without any words. He makes me very happy. He is always by my side, taking care of me. He is attentive to my health problems, when I have convulsions. He likes to surprise me and gives me gifts. I feel that I have a warm and faithful person by my side.

We have been living for each other for 14 years now and we have two children – a 13-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy. I will never forget how I felt when I learned that I was pregnant. Thank you, God, for gifting me a child – I kept saying in my heart. When I returned home and told Gocha about the joyous news, he started caressing me on my stomach and I was feeling huge love. However, both of my childre were taken away the moment they were born. We were able to find them after we moved into a family-type home of an NGO that supports social inclusion – Kheli Khels, where they helped us get our children back.

Before then, Gocha and I had lived in a lot of large boarding-houses and we experienced a lot of problems and violence. Our love helped us overcome these challenges. People say that persons with disabilities cannot start a family, in a family-type home of Kheli Khels we became independent people. We are doing everything ourselves at home, including food and laundry. Gocha is an excellent cook and I am skilled in handicraft. Gocha is working and we have our income. Because of my health, we still need a supporter, however everyone needs someone to support them, like parents, grandparents, siblings and others.

Our children live in a nearby village, with foster parents. They both live in a very good family. Our children visit us often and we prepare for their visit with special gifts. We want to have our own home in the future, where all of us will live together, under one roof.“