Maria's Story

Hello, my name is Maria. I was born in Moldova. I became deaf when I was seven months old. I have two brothers — they are older than me — and one sister that is younger. My father is an alcoholic. He used to beat my mother and us for no reason.

Because of hard life, my mother left me in an orphanage in Cahul. She said she would come back to see me, but she never did. She abandoned me. It wasn't easy for me to get used to the orphanage, but after a while I started to like learning and playing with other children. One day, when we had a school holiday, my mother came to take me home for a few days. I never felt safe, because my father was always drunk. I was full of fear. Getting home, I stayed silent so my father couldn't see me.

When I was invited to Orphan's Hands, I was full of joy. I knew there was a family that knows sign language and loves deaf people. Here I could finish my cooking and massage courses successfully. Our house is full of deaf girls — we're speaking the same language, sign language, and we praise God through signs.

I am so thankful for God, who never left me. Thank you. I love you.