DOB – January 21, 2008

Came under Tumaini care in April, 2014!

Whoa this little boy!! His story will break your heart, but his smile will melt it! Oddo and I were called out to make an emergency home visit in our village by the balozi (or “neighborhood watchmen”) of this section of the village.

To give you a perspective, one day Liadi came running into my office, slammed and locked the door and, leaning against it and panting, exclaimed, “Don’t open it Mama!  It’s Alexi!”.

He didn’t mean anything untoward, simply, he was EXHAUSTED!  Alexi’s energy is intense, but he listens and (for the moment) will heed a warning that he has pushed the envelope too far.  How can anyone get upset with that smiling face?

Well his father, who is a drinker, evidently can. Being the rambunctious, busy, and dare I say excitable little boy that he is, one day Alexi ate the family supper – all of the family supper – SO – his father took both of his hands and put them in the fire as punishment.

We had the father charged but he pleaded mental illness, and in Tanzania that is a free ticket out of jail and back into the home to inflict further damage.  We pled with Alexi’s mother to leave but she refused . . . we can only do so much.

Today, Alexi still carries the scars and will for a long time, but this little guy’s spirit is incredible and his joy at being loved is immeasurable.  No one will EVER forget having met this personality . . . I promise!  Alexi is extremely sweet. We expect that Alexi suffers from ADHD, but there is no treatment available in Tanzania.