March 20, 2025
God is busy at Neema Village! With a men’s conference, a new MAP program for mom’s with special needs babies, a GIFT program to young Maasai girls, a full house of volunteers and four new babies this month it has been a whirlwind of activity for Directors Kim White, Kelle Samsill and the staff at Neema Village.
Most important first, abandoned baby Janeth is still in the hospital and needing your prayers. This precious miracle was born, either at home or on the streets. Her mother took her to the hospital in the night but before any details were recorded, the mama fled, leaving her baby alone.
Several young volunteers from Ft. Worth Christian school were able to go with Safina and HeavenLight to pick up the little newborn. We are praying the mama realizes how much her baby needs her and will come back. Until then, baby Janet (Janeth African spelling) will be loved and cared for at Neema Village. She will be adopted if family cannot be located.
**Remember you cannot adopt unless you have lived in Tanzania for three years so don’t be calling me about adopting this baby!! And Social Welfare handles all adoptions from Tanzania.
Another great monthly seminar was added to the MAP program at Neema Village this month. Many of the moms referred to Neema Village have been abandoned, abused and kicked out of society simply because they had a special needs baby. Added to the heart break of having the baby in a society where there are no government programs to go to for help the women often find themselves begging on the street for their next meal. We put them in our MAP apartments, teach them to read and write if they need it, train them in business and computers, tell them about a Savior who has never abandoned them and then we set them up in a business. But they still need help and encouragement to know that they are not alone.
On Saturday Dr Sarun (our pediatrician), MAP Assistant Director Grace Maans, Bri Followay, and Directors Kim White and Kelle Samsill facilitated our first seminar day of encouragement held for women with special needs babies.
It was a day filled with laughter and tears, good food, prayers and some great Bible words of encouragement. Many people come to Neema to see the babies and then are touched by the MAP (Mothers Against Poverty) program which is filling a huge gap in African society for women lost in a culture of abuse and hopelessness. These lion hearted women are not the problem in Africa, they are part of the solution!
Another new baby this month, Baraka’s mother is an alcoholic and fell on the baby, so Social Welfare asked Neema Village to take over the care of this cuddly little 2 month baby boy. Baraka, which means blessing in Swahili, was being neglected and abused in his mother’s care. This little blessing is safe and loved at Neema Village and hopefully one day his mom will be able to take him safely home.
We received another call from social welfare this month that a baby girl had been abandoned in a mosque. We think she is about 2 weeks old. Bri Followay, our longterm volunteer helping with our special needs babies has been praying about getting to name a baby. When she arrived with our social worker to pick up the new abandoned baby, social welfare had named the baby Briella. There were definitely some tears shed! Baby Briella’s mama obviously loved her; we can tell by the way she has been well taken care of. This poor mom must have been so desperate to lay her baby down in a place she knew she would be safe. We cannot imagine the sadness this mom must be feeling. It’s not our place to judge. We are called to love and hope that the mom will get the help she needs so that she can be reunited with her baby. Until then we will love baby Bri and take care of her.
Neema’s fourth men’s conference in the Preslar Mothering Center was held this month. Two hundred men came for the day with Payte Baldwin from Fort Worth facilitating the conference. Bible lessons, break out sessions, prayers of repentance and worship made this is a life changing event for many of these men.
Cooking for all the conferences and seminars held in the MAP Center adds up to lots of food and hours cooking and serving for our staff. Gertrude who cooks for our MAP moms every day while they are in their classes also organizes the food for the seminars. With all our seminars it is no small task!
Baby number four in this month is little Miriam. She makes babies at Neema Village today. Neema only takes babies 2 years of age and under and we try to get them in a home by age two. Baby Miriam came to Neema around dinner time on Tuesday, March 5, 2025. She is Maasai – her mama is 15 years old or younger and went into psychosis after the baby was born. The village knew where to turn for help. They brought the baby to Neema Village so that we could care for her until hopefully she can return home. Her name is Mariam. She is one month old and weighs 2.3 kg.
If you are in need of a good place to do your morning walks, you can come to Neema and push a buggy! Our babies love their morning walks.
Many of the babies do not have sponsors. With our new giving platform, Tithely, we are revamping our sponsorship program. If you are sponsoring a baby could you please send us an email at [email address removed] with the name of your baby? We do want to thank you and keep you updated on your baby. Neema Village does not receive money from the government and exists solely by the Grace of God and the generosity of His people. start at $30 a month and all babies are listed on the website www.neemavillage.org. And remember no one is paid a salary at Neema Village from your donations except our Tanzanian staff.
All by the Abundant and Amazing Grace of God
Michael and Dorris Fortson
[email protected]