Osligi was a Maasai baby and came to Neema when he was just a few days old.  His mom had gotten a ride on a motorcycle to try to make it in to the hospital while she was in labor.  It was the worst road we had ever driven on when we went out to that remote village last year.  We could only imagine what she must have gone through trying to make it in to save her baby’s life.  Osi’s mother did not survive the birth but the baby did and shortly after the birth he came to live at Neema.

Osi had a toothy smile that stretched from ear to ear and quite often kept us laughing with his antics.  He could also be heard screaming for his porridge most mornings!  His father has not remarried and works away from the village so his uncle who lives on the main road decided to take him.  His wife is a teacher and Osi will get a good education.  He is close enough that we can go out occasionally to check on him. 

Bakari came to Neema at about 4 months old. His mom had died and the father was unable to care for the baby.  As he grew older Bakari’s sweet personality emerged, we called him a “gentle little soul.”  He could be seen often helping one or the other of the littler children, like in the picture below.

It is always a bittersweet time for us when these little ones that we have loved are able to go home.  But we know we have to let them go.  Osiligi was fully sponsored while he lived at Neema.  Bless you dear sponsor. 

We pray that we loved them both well and that God’s love was settled deeply in their hearts.  They loved to sing “Jesus Loves Me This I Know.”  I wrote a poem a few years ago about that, I hope you know He loves you too.