Hello, my name is Melania. I am a mother of two young children and 33 weeks pregnant with my third child. We are stranded in a foreign country where I no longer feel safe to live or give birth. I need to fly back home to the U.S. to safely give birth. I left the U.S. because I was going through a very difficult time financially and I didn’t want to end up in a shelter with two children and a newborn. The resources in my small hometown aren’t as extensive as it would be in a larger city.

After extensive research, I thought I could come to Tbilisi, Georgia (the country, not the state) to find an affordable place, regain some stability, safely give birth and establish a savings. I thought I was making a responsible choice as a mother who just wants stability, safety and happiness for her children. Ever since I’ve arrived here, it has been a complete nightmare finding permanent housing before my baby is due. I’m constantly being discriminated against by landlords at first sight because I am a foreigner, pregnant and have children. I have gotten the run around from so many landlords for potential housing and I have lost hope as it gets closer to my due date. I have had to rely on Airbnbs and a lot of the Airbnbs here are in very poor condition despite their stellar reviews. The Airbnbs here aren’t cheap and it’s pretty much exhausting my resources quickly. I have not been able to nest and properly prepare for my new baby (due to unstable housing.) I don’t trust the hospital where I am supposed to give birth. The Doctors here are very dismissive and a bit mean especially to foreigners. I have an unsettling feeling about having to stay here because of the overall environment, language barrier and lack of English resources.

***The U.S. Embassy will not pay for my flight back home unless I have a Doctor’s note. Georgian Doctors are refusing to provide me a note for the Embassy to proceed with the purchase of my ticket. Despite my low risk, healthy, uneventful pregnancy and past pregnancies. The Embassy has worked diligently with me, however, the Doctors here are uncooperative although I’ve deeply explained my dire situation.***

I’m at a point where I feel as though my life, my unborn child and my two children’s lives are in danger here. We not only need to fly back to the U.S., but I need to quickly secure a safe place for my children and I to live once we get back. Even if it’s a small one bedroom to start out.

After losing my living arrangement while in the states, I was forced to make a split second decision to come here. Unfortunately, it did not work out in my favor. Very soon, it will no longer be safe to fly back. I will be forced to give birth here alone with no stable place to live and no one to look after my children while I’m having a c-section. Therefore, I’m at another disadvantage if I don’t act quickly.

We need as much help and as many prayers as we can get. Thank you so much for listening and thank you from the bottom of my heart if you are able to donate.

For the privacy and safety of my two children, I’d prefer not to include them into the picture. Thank you for understanding.