Two of our little guys, Peace Joy and Jackson who have been living at Neema Village, returned home this month. Peace Joy was two years old in August and returned home to live with his grandmother.
Peace’s mother died shortly after his birth and the grandmother made the long trip to town to see the little baby left alone in the hospital. She named him Peace Joy but was unable to care for the baby so Social Welfare contacted Neema Village. After two years at Neema Village, Peace has wiggled his little smiley face into our hearts. We will miss PJ, but we know being in a home with a family is the best solution for him. Our motto from the beginning has been, “No baby belongs in an orphanage.”
A few weeks ago, Anna, our MAP director, had told us about a mom with three boys who had been abandoned by her husband and was ready to give up on life. Seven years ago, her husband had left home one day and never returned. They did not know if he was alive or dead.
She had been begging for work from neighbors, washing their clothes and working in the fields. She told us there were many nights that her three boys went to school and then to bed without having had any food for the day. They were all skinny when we met them. Eventually the family became homeless and one evening they came begging at the door of a kind lady who gave them a small room to sleep in. The boys had a foam mattress on the floor, but mom was sleeping on rags. One of our volunteers went out the next day and bought her a mattress.
Anna and Elidaima, the mom whose name means God Forever, decided a milk cow would be a good business for her and the boys. Yesterday we drove to Usa River to find a cow. Jack Pape, who knows cows, checked her out and pronounced her fit. Did you know cows do not have upper teeth, just the bottom! I didn’t know that.
We loaded the cow into a little white pickup and drove slowly back to town. The cow is six and a half months pregnant and giving 12 liters a day in milk from her last calf.
We told Elidaima to give the boys 2 liters of milk to drink every day and sell 10 liters. At 1,400 shillings per liter it just might be a good business for her.
Elidaima was so excited. It is always amazing to see what a little hope can do.
Last week, Linda, Karly and Anna drove out to interview another woman with four children who was trying to abandon her six weeks old baby.
Her husband had contracted AIDs but didn’t tell her, so she is now sick and worried that her newborn is sick as well. Her husband then left the family. She has been so depressed that she did not want to take the medicine which would probably mean a death sentence for her.
Anna brought the mother and baby to Neema and our nannies have been taking good care of them. She is back on the medicine and now has a smile. We are hoping we can help her find a way to make a living for her 4 children. If we can stop just one mother from abandoning her baby, we will have been successful.
We can give out cows and sewing machines all day but the best thing we can give these women is hope for “Hope does not disappoint us.”
Romans 15:13. “May the God of Hope fill you with all Joy and Peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with Hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
We hope you are overflowing today with Peace and Joy.
