First Days at Neema House

Tuesday was my first day at Neema House. I didn't have to go seeing as I only got in at 10 the night before, but I was awake at 6 so I thought I might as well. I was very grateful to be safe and sound in the morning though as there was an incident in the night where I locked myself in the bathroom and couldn't get out again. The door locked with a key, but when I tried to unlock it the key just went round and round. I was starting to panic and think I would have to bang on the door and shout (a terrifying idea for me when I'm with new people!) and it felt like hours that I was trying to get out. In reality it was probably only a few minutes. I was very glad to make it back to my bed!

My first impression of Neema House was that it was strange and amazing and both the same and different to what I was expecting at the same time. The babies are so much smaller than they look in the pictures. So much smaller and needier. The first day I was there for only a few hours and yet by the end of it I had already changed nappies and given bottles and comforted three crying babies at once. I'd also been peed on and slobbered on and licked. Yet I'd also been given sloppy baby kisses and dozens of cuddles and it was lovely. 

There are three groups of babies at Neema House - little babies, big babies and toddlers who are separated by age and development. So far I have spent most of my time with the little babies and toddlers. When you sit down in the toddler room half a dozen little people will come and climb all over you and demand cuddles. I thought that it would take a while for them to get used to new volunteers, but apparently not with the toddlers, and the little babies are too small to care who looks after them. They are used to being taken care of by a multitude of different people. Apparently a lot of children in orphanages have attachment issues and they will go to anyone, which is unlike a normal baby who will cry when a stranger takes them. However, some of the babies at Neema House have bonded with their nannies and will cry when taken away from them.

There have been a lot of firsts this week - first time trying African food, first time experiencing driving on African roads, first time being accosted by street vendors looking to make money from the mzungu (white person). The list goes on. However, I feel so glad and blessed to have been given an opportunity to come to a place like this, to be able to learn about the African ways and to take care of some of God's precious children who without places like Neema House would not have such a good start in life and who might be left to fend for themselves in the streets.

Beautiful Bryony - Neema's youngest baby

Please keep Neema House and the babies here in your prayers. They need all the help they can get!

xoxo,

-Hannah