October 18th, 2023
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1:27 (NIV)
Neema Village is always a busy place. Today with 65 babies on campus, and the MAP program helping moms and widows, the free day care for special needs babies, training for traditional birthers, digging water wells, volunteers coming and going, five new babies have arrived since we left Africa one month ago. God is surely busy helping widows and orphans in Tanzania!
Angel writes, “All the Neema babies have a tragic story but some of the babies stories are just the worst. Baby Graceson came to Neema a few days ago, we think he is around a week old. He was abandoned at night, under a car. Someone saw movement and thought it was a snake. People went to get flashlights so they could see to kill the snake, but someone said, “Wait that is an arm.”
They took the baby to the police station and later to the hospital. Neema’s social worker, Angel, was called the next day to come pick up the baby. We named him Graceson because it is only by the grace of God that this little one is okay. We will love and care for him until his forever family comes for him.
Above Neema Director Kim White with baby Calissa.
Ashley writes: “A new baby came to Neema Village today. She was born Oct 9, 2023 and her mom died having a c-section. Mom was 19 years old and it was her first baby.” Since the baby is an orphan with no family we got to name her and we chose the name Calissa (spelled Kalissa in Africa).
Forgive me for a few moments while I cry for this little one. I grew up without a mom, it always touches me.
Hopefully we can find a family member or baby Kalissa will get a new family. Neema Village only takes babies under the age of two and we try to get them into a family home by age two or three.
We named the baby Calissa after a sweet friend and full sponsor of a baby since the beginning of Neema Village. I hope Calissa Kneipp does not mind our telling you how God worked in her life on this special morning when she heard the news about the baby.
Calissa writes: “Neema Village in Arusha, Tanzania has named a baby after me and I’m so humbled. The weirdest part is that around 2 am this morning I was thinking of my legacy and “wishes” …one of those wishes that went through my head was that a baby at Neema Village would be named Calissa. I’ve had the joy of sponsoring a baby through this orphanage since it began. The fact that I awoke this morning to this post is astounding… but I guess nothing is weird with God. Look at her!!! Neema Village and Dorris Fortson you will never know how much this means to me!!!!!”
Calissa is a mighty warrior and in a horrific battle with ophthalmic cancer, please say a prayer of healing for her.
Baby Ethan was born October 3, he came to Neema Village weighing 2.5kg (5.5 lbs). His mother abandoned him at the hospital. The mother is known. She had told everyone she had a tumor. So when it came time to have the baby she delivered and then left him at the hospital. She came home telling everyone she had surgery to remove the tumor. The neighbors knew this was not true and were worried about what happened to the baby.
Ethan’s mom was identified by the kanga she had wrapped him in before she left. A village leader notified social welfare and Neema’s social worker, Angel, went to pick up the baby at the hospital. Social welfare is looking into the story. We will keep Ethan safe until everything gets sorted out and his mama gets the help she needs.
Anna, our director of MAP writes today;
“We have a new MAP mom, her name is Amani, which means Peace. She has two children. Her little son was born handcapped, due to this, her husband abandoned them. Amani came to my office looking for support, she had so much worry on her face, no hope and crying because her landlord wants to kick her out since she owes back rent. I visited her place, they had nothing to cook on that day. I gave her money to get meals and we decided to put her in a MAP program. She is willing to do a vegetable and fruit business.”
Another MAP (Mothers Against Poverty) business is born! God is busy in Tanzania, if you want to work where God is working join us in supporting the MAP program through Neema Village Outreach.
Antonio is a widow, 61 years old. After the death of both parents she is raising her six grandchildren and one great grandchild. They are all living in one small room in bad conditions. During the rainy season the rain comes into the house. They can’t all sleep on the one bed so some of the children put their clothes on the floor to sleep. After hearing about this widow, Anna visited the family to see how Neema could help.
First, we will move the family to a larger home. They will need another bed, sheets and blankets. Then we will see how we can help her business. The grandmother is frying and selling small fish in the street so that she can provide for the family. Neema will see how we can enlarge her business.
Two other new babies, came to Neema this month. You can see all the babies and read their stories on the Neema Village website. www.neemavillage.org
Katarina came to Neema September 21, 2023. She is Maasai and came with her father, grandmother and a couple of uncles. She is clearly loved and they saw her settled in at Neema. Sadly, her mother passed away due to retained placenta. Katarina was born September 18, 2023. She is very beautiful and healthy. She has lots of black curly hair and big chubby cheeks. She is doing well and her family can visit anytime.
Rahel came to Neema with her grandmother. She was born August 22, 2023. Her mother, around thirty years old, was not feeling well before Rahel was born or after. The family took the mother to a remote Maasai clinic (out near Frankie’s village). Rahel’s mother had a fever and a cough and sadly she passed away. Rahel has three other siblings and her father is not around. They think maybe he is working in Kenya. We will gladly love and care for beautiful Rahel till future plans are made for her.
Much like Maria and Kelle swinging together, we often tell people we are all in this grand mission called Neema Village together. With our 14 member Board we try to be God-led and God-inspired. The “footprint” of Neema Village is huge in Tanzania but in order for it to continue long past when we are gone we will need some generous folks to put Neema Village in their wills. I hope you have thought of this. After you take care of your family, please remember the less fortunate in the world and Leave a Legacy, one that by putting Jesus in the hearts of over 450 babies, might really one day change the world!
Please be praying for all missionaries around the world who are in harms way today.
Love and Blessings,
Michael and dorris