As the women missionaries entered the gypsy colony, they could see garbage and waste strewn around and children playing in the filth. As they walked through the colony, their hearts were saddened to see the poor living conditions of the people. The sisters could see a few homes within the colony, but the majority of the people lived in makeshift tents made of tarps and blankets.
Going from tent to tent, the women missionaries visited with the women and girls and listened to their stories. One young girl they met shared in tears how her mother had died soon after her youngest sister was born. Though they lived with their grandmother, the responsibility of raising her two sisters had fallen on the oldest girl’s young shoulders. The youngest even called her “mother,” having never known her true mother.
