A Christmas Miracle

This Christmas, Esmerelda and her family faced poverty, cold, and uncertainty. With three young children and few resources, even a warm meal was a struggle. Thanks to Mission Without Borders and generous donors, they received a Christmas Love box filled with food, treats, and hope.
Helen Taalo
27th October 2025

“There were moments when despair almost overwhelmed me,” recalls 21-year-old Esmerelda. Like many girls in her Roma community in Bulgaria, she was married at just 15. By her early twenties, she and her husband, Kostadin, 31, were parents to three young sons.

“I got married really young, and I didn’t really understand what being a wife and mother truly meant. In just a few years, we had three sons,” Esmerelda shares.

Despite Kostadin’s hard work and determination, jobs are scarce, and wages are low. The family lives in poverty, struggling to cover even the basics. Their home is unfinished, with just one room and no indoor bathroom.

“I didn’t expect it to be so difficult for us to get on our feet,” she says.

Daily life has been a constant battle. Esmerelda remembers the impossible choices, like deciding whether to buy food or nappies.

“Sometimes I feel like we’ve been forgotten, like the world has moved on and left us. But in those darkest moments, I always hoped for a miracle.”

As Christmas approached, the family faced the harsh winter with the same worries as always: how to heat their home, keep their children warm, and put a meal on the table. Joy and celebration seemed out of reach.

Then, their miracle arrived. Mission Without Borders reached out to support the family with Operation Christmas Love boxes—filled with food, treats, and essentials.

“This means so much to us,” Esmerelda says. “I was worried about how we would make it this Christmas, but this food will bring happiness to my children. It gives me so much hope to know that someone cares about us.”

Five-year-old Mladen beamed, “I didn’t think we would eat so much at Christmas!” His younger brothers, three-year-old Joan and one-year-old Krasimir, were equally excited as they explored the treats.

"Our first reaction was one of disbelief. It was like a heavy cloud had been lifted. Our prayers had been answered,” Esmerelda says with tears in her eyes.

“This package means we can have a special meal together. It’s not just food, it’s love and kindness.”

“This will be a Christmas to remember, thanks to the kindness of others,” adds Kostadin.

Click here to share this Christmas joy with other families in need.