The Widow Wins It All!

The Widow Wins It All!

August 9, 2020

You are not going to believe who this is!!

Yes, it’s Phillip!

Kim Fortson White writes: “I was at Neema Village when this little cutie pie (above) came in. I have never seen a baby so emaciated (below). God placed just the right people at Neema to care for him. Thank you Rebekah Johnson for your tireless efforts. Keeping the oxygen tanks full (not easy in Tz) and giving the right meds to treat the worst lung infection the doctor had ever seen in a baby. And thank you God for the incredible nannies of Neema Village who literally stood watch 24 hours a day over this baby for months on end. They are also God’s miracles.”

Neema Village is getting close to 300 babies saved in eight years. There have been a few we got in too late to save, this little one at three months old and just over 3.3 lbs, was close.

It’s a little early for another blog but just had to share some good news with you. This week we began our 3rd Women’s Rights Seminar in the Koala Place Mothering Center on the Neema Village campus. It is named Koala because 2 Australian nurses built the Mothering Center where all the MAP events happen.

The Women’s Rights Seminar is a 16 week course taught by two young attorneys. They help women understand that they do have rights; the right to not be beaten, to inherit their land and cows, the corn, the home and the fields. The first class today was about how their children have the right to support from the father and how to make that happen.

Baraka, one of the attorneys, is with me in the picture to the right and Winnie is pictured below with some of the women during break.

The 25 women who came today are new to the MAP program. Most of them were abandoned by their husbands and left to care for their children alone. At Neema’s Mothering Center they find a support group of moms struggling just like themselves. They are also able to take classes in sewing, computer, bookkeeping, and look at other business ideas like sustainable farming, egg business, bee keeping, etc.

Winnie, the attorney, is the one in the grey suit below.

But on with the story of the widow. Mwajuma showed up at Neema a few years ago. She was sitting in the driveway one morning when we woke up. She had had polio when she was 12 and has walked on her knees since then. She married and had a son and then her husband left her. On this morning, Michael helped her into Neema where we could visit with her about what help she needed.

She knew how to make the beautiful shoes that are so popular in Tanzania so after visiting with her we set her up in the shoe business.

But last year she had a wreck, broke her leg and has had 2 surgeries, now sadly it looks like she will not be able to work again.

A friend called her a few months ago and told her that her husband had died. Mwajuma decided to go to the village. While there she began to talk to the elders about her right to inherit the land and home. She had learned some very important things through the Women’s Rights program and she was able to inherit all he had owned. The widow got it all!

Now one last happy story. A baby ( above) was left abandoned at the hospital in January. The mother just walked out after the birth. The nurses gave her a few days to hopefully return but she never did so Neema Village was called and we named the baby Patric.

Yesterday Patric was adopted! His new mom is from Dar and she flew to Arusha and spent a couple of days with Patric so he would not be afraid. She spent the night in the small baby room with the nannies and in the morning they flew off to Dar and a whole new life for this sweet baby. It’s what Neema does best!

A Whole New Life is what Jesus does best too, but you probably know that or you wouldn’t be reading this long blog!!

Bless you,

Dorris and Michael, just Administrators of God’s Amazing Grace.

Psalms 30:11

Another reminder: As you continue to buy things through Amazon, please remember to buy through Amazon Smile.  It is Amazon’s way to give back. Set up Neema Village as your “Charity of Choice” and they will give Neema Village 5% of your purchase.  We are registered with Amazon as a nonprofit so you just have to scroll down the list of nonprofits until you get to Neema Village, click there and everything you buy will make money for Neema. But be sure you choose Amazon Smile when you go to Amazon to purchase something. Asante Sana!

Michael and Dorris. www.neemavillage.org