Soup and More for Florentina

Her smile captures the hearts of everyone around her. Now almost four years old, Florentina sits next to her grandmother Elena politely eating her lunch. What could have been a tragic tale for this grandmother and granddaughter has turned into a continuing story of determination and gratefulness. Find out how you, our partner have helped this Romanian family.

Poor and desperate, Florentina’s mother left her infant daughter at a local orphanage over three years ago. The precious bundle wasn’t there long until her grandmother rescued her. Providing for a growing child proved to be impossible since Elena lived on less than $40 every month. Hope came when Elena was invited to one of Operation Blessing’s soup kitchen programs. Hot nutritious food five days a week was an amazing miracle! Florentina was just eight months old when she and her grandmother began coming.

As time passed it was a common sight to see the elderly woman slowly walking with her excited toddler to the soup kitchen location. And then last January the daily walks ended. Elena became very ill and was in the hospital for three months. A neighbor and one of Florentina’s aunts took turns caring for her. Finally Elena returned home, but was too weak to leave the tiny apartment.

Volunteers soon began delivering their daily meal. These visits not only provided company for the bedridden grandmother but also a short play time outside for the young girl. During one such visit in November, Florentina also received gifts of stuffed animals, pencils, paper, warm long underwear, shoes. In addition some nonperishable food was brought to help stock their bare cupboards. Even though the doctor predicts she will recover, the last few months haven’t been easy for Elena, who goes to kidney dialysis twice a week. With tears in her kind eyes Elena says that she’s living for her granddaughter.

This family lives in the second story of an old apartment building with no private restroom. They can’t afford to put more than one light bulb in the chandelier. But Elena and Florentina are wealthier than some of the richest people in the world. They value and love each other.