The following is a reprint of an article from James in Freetown from last June 2007. Recently, I mailed out a copy for a friend interested in what Nazareth House is doing in Sierra Leone. It laid on my desk a few days and several people passing through encouraged me to reprint it… so here it is. (BTW the only update to my “intro” would be that the school building is almost done (we lack the $3,000 for final completion) and rainy season is on its way very soon: Here is the article including my “intro” as printed in June 2007
June 14, 2007
Dear Friends,
Today I received this report from James in Freetown, Sierra Leone. I cried all through it. James and his family at St. Laurence House are doing the work of Nazareth, day in and day out. Who, what and how they help depends entirely on the tools we provide for them, spiritually, financially, physically. This is why it is so vitally important that we give them all the support we can. We have yet to complete the goal to begin building the school building, the rainy season has already begun. There isn’t a way for these people to help themselves, some can’t even dress themselves…please read on… And to James, I love you…you are a hero to me…
Report from James Mansaray to Vicki Hicks: re Nazareth House, Freetown:
It has been said through the media, press, internet, cnn tv, the world as a whole etc. that the ten years brutal rebel war in my beloved Country Sierra Leone waged by the Revolutionary United Front sponsored by the then President Charles Taylor of Liberia was basically aimed at seeking control of diamond mines of this poor nation.
Though it is ten years away now, we still feel, see and experience the pain of it. It has been said by many, Churches, the UN, and other religious bodies that we should forgive and forget. Yet, put your self in these poor man’s shoes. Yes, as Christians, we should forgive but i see it very difficult to forget this odd past more especially as i see more victims of this said war still suffering.
From my own point of view, and as a victim of this fierce ten years of brutal murder, humiliation and carnage, I still see the trouble continue. Reasons for this I will explain below.
If you take a walk down the streets of Freetown where I presently resided, you must catch a glimpse of either a one footed man or a young graduate with both hands being chopped off for no just cause. Sometimes it is hard to believe but this is true. A whole lot has been shown by the United Nations Peace keeping force helping us out but I must confess that little has been done for those living in the cracks, by this I mean those poor boys and girls roaming around the city with one eye, one ear, one leg, one limb or both limbs missing.
Now take a close look at this young Man called Mohamed Kargbo who is among those still struggling the results of this war and whose physical figures was wickedly transformed by few wicked men out of greed and selfishness. I had seen men in pain and frustration but what I saw in this young man this Thursday morning set me into tears.
It happened in front of our little St. Laurence prayer house when my wife Kadijah noticed this young man with no limbs struggling with something. As a Woman she knew it was something that only a man can deal with so she called my attention to help this guy. At first I thought he was in need of food or something but as I get closer to him I realized that he needs something more than food. Poor Mohamed I guess had a bad meal or sick with Diarrhea was in desperate need of using the bath room but was too late or shy to say so, tell me how can you take off your pants off with no hands in the middle of a crowded old City like Freetown when you know the after math of what will follow. Poor mohamed had no option instead he decided to use the nearest gutter to help himself where he got stock and could not move. The gutter was so deep that he alone can’t get out. With my help and a good Samaritan who was passing by we both gave him a bath inside this gutter before we later took him to the back tap at St. Laurence house where we bath him proper with soap. I had to get new clothes for him to put on and some Loperamide Anti- Diarrhea pill that we recently received from our sponsors at Grace Church thru Nazareth House Apostolate to help ease his stomach problem.
After the odd part of this mornings event, I mean the cleaning up, I saw great need in this man and it was clear to me that I should not let him go empty. In my agenda this morning, I was to take rice for distribution to some of the poor and needy people here in Freetown so I thought it wise to also help Mohamed out but he sadly told me that he has no dwelling place, he sleeps where ever the night finds him. But Mohamed desperately needs help for he is just a human being like us. My wife and I agreed that if he so desired, he could come for food everyday at St. Laurence house to keep himself going. To save his present trouble, we provide him enough for a week and also gave him a handful of medication for his diarrhea.
Following the story that lead to the amputation of both of his hands, Mohamed said he was caught by the rebels in Makeni Town. He was in his farm together with his mother, father and four years old sister. The rebels place his whole family in their farm hut and set it on fire and then forced him to join them in the fight. Two days later he tried to escape together with a police officer when they were caught. Both of their hands were chopped before they sent them away to report to the other villages that they are on their way. The poor police officer could not bare the pain and shame and forced the rebels to kill him. Having walked the bushes for a whole week with no food, Mohamed found him self in Lunsar.
Photos:
1. James washing out Mohamed’s clothes after his troubles
2. Kadijah w/ Mohamed in his clean clothes provided thru Nazareth House
3. Mohamed on stairs of St. Laurence House
4. Mohamed giving us a view of his short-sleeve amputation received at the
hands of RUF rebels.
5. Mohamed and James