November 21, 2025
After three months of traveling and speaking from Kentucky, Indianapolis to Florida and Texas, we are glad to be back at Neema (Grace) Village in Arusha, Tanzania.
Our big kids at Neema Village love music class with Ms. Caroline singing “Jesus Loves Me This I Know.” They are in front of the new gorgeous mural at the preschool. Volunteers at Neema just do the most amazing things! Thank You!!
Three new babies came to Neema Village this month. Sweet little baby Robison, above, was abandoned at the hospital. He makes 70 babies in the baby home today. Baby Robison is a preemie, weighing about 2.1 kg, and is in our NICU unit at Neema Village getting great care from our nannies and doctors. We are so Thankful to be able to rescue these little ones.
It is hard to think what desperation would make a mom walk out and leave her baby. But in one of the poorest countries in the world, it happens. As we tell folks, it is not our job to judge. Neema Village is a place of Forgiveness and Hope. Hope for the babies and Forgiveness for the moms. We pray baby Robison will have a new mom and dad someday and he will never be abandoned again!
It is hard to put this story together but little Berthan came to Neema from Social Welfare. She has two women claiming to be her mother! Hopefully the police and social welfare will be able to figure this one out soon and she can go home. Two women were in the hospital, one went to get some pain meds for the other but when she came back the woman had taken the baby and left. The police eventually found the woman, who also claimed the baby was hers.
I know… you can’t make this kind of stuff up!! As many of you have reminded me, “Oh, for the wisdom of Solomon!”
New baby Kendric Gipson came to Neema this month. His mom exposed him to “the sickness” and refused the medicine. She is a college student and has asked that we help so she can finish school. We have started baby Kendric on preventative medicine and he should be fine. Please pray for the mom.
We are so Thankful for our daughter Kim White who has been at Neema for three months directing the work on site. With seven different ministries it is a huge job. She is amazing and totally up to the task! We have returned to Neema so she can have a few months home with her hubby, Bruce, the Saint.
Remember only Tanzanians are paid at Neema Village, the directors are all volunteers. We like that!
Important on a personal note: Facebook has decided that I am not me so I no longer have Facebook or messenger. If you have wondered why I am not responding to your messages please complain to Facebook – if you can find them!!
We’ll survive!
Some of you may remember in 2013 when twins were brought in late at night and we realized one of them was blind. Malikia and her twin Julius have been our babies ever since the night their mom died out in a Maasai village.
Now that little baby, Mali, is home from Braille school for Christmas break and we caught her helping wash dishes in the Hallelujah house yesterday. We are so thankful God has allowed us to do this precious work for almost 14 years now.
We are most Thankful that you have come along with us on this exciting journey, following our posts, praying for the moms and babies, coming to volunteer and giving from your heart so the work can continue.
Love you all and please come for a visit, you will be amazed at what God is doing here!
And please remember our fun loving, hard working Nannies and the Christmas bonuses. We now have 103 full time employees and we try to give each one a $100 bonus for Christmas.
Give a Christmas bonus at www.neemavillage.org
Michael and Dorris
