My Story

Hello! My name is Ester Doce. I am an 8 years old girl and my birthday is on January 7th. I am doing well and enjoy good health. My favorite color is red and my future dream is to be a nurse I attend the 2nd grade at school and am doing well with the lessons. I enjoy learning and my favorite subject at school is Language. Because of the Pandemic, we are wearing masks and respect the distancing while we attend school and take the lessons in two shift but we are happy that we can go to school instead of taking the lessons at home. Right after school I get together with my friends to play outside for a short while. We usually play with a ball, do running races or jump with ropes and we do these games when the days are sunny. At times my cousins and I like to take our dolls outside and play.  During this winter we had snow for a week as well as many rainy days. When I am inside, I prefer to watch cartoons on the TV for a short while.

My family and I live in Pleshisht, very close to the community of Trebinja, Upper Mokra. This village is too far from Pogradec and during the winter we have difficulties to reach to the town because the roads are way too bad, covered with snow or mud. My father’s name is Armand and my mother’s name is Rozafa. I have a brother and a sister. They are twins and are at present five years old. My brother’s name is Ergi and my sister’s name is Eleni. They are both frequenting the kindergarten and when they play inside, I like to care for them when my mother is too busy doing the cooking or when she cleans our home. My family and I, same as all the other ones in my village deal with agriculture and raise animals in order to benefit from them. My parents usually plant wheat, corn, vegetables as well as other plants as alfalfa or oat for the animals. In our garden close to home my mother plants tomatoes, peppers, beans, onions, etc. My mother bakes the bread at home and this is why my parents plant wheat. We have a cow and benefit milk, cheese and butter for consumption. Once a year, my father sells its calf and with the amount that he raises, he buys what we need the most in our home. My parents receive every month a small amount considered as social assistance. This amount is given to our family because we are poor and what we benefit from agriculture and from the animals is not enough. Because of the poverty we face, my father has emigrated in Greece for a season of two within the year so that he can provide for us. At times he works there in agriculture and at other times they collect fruits as olives or peaches from the trees. We miss him a whole lot when he is gone to work there, but we are happy he has this opportunity. Emigration is the main financial source for my family. Living Water Adopt a Child have rented a place in Trebinja where we go to do our children’s Bible classes and where the adults gather for Bible study meetings. I am happy that I can learn from the Bible about the lord Jesus. My friends and I go there every Monday after we finish school.  I am happy that as I am registered in the programme of Adopt a Child. I am benefiting help spiritually and physically. Every month, I have received a package containing groceries. God bless you for your constant care on me.

Translated by Martin Rucolli

Adopt a Child Albania