Most recent supply shipment arrives in Freetown

Posted on May 2, 2010 by vicki


The medical supplies, etc. that we mailed well over a month ago

have finally arrived in Freetown, delayed (we are told) by the volcanic ash which grounded air travel in Europe.

IV Potassium and other hospital supplies were received from NHA,

Vitamin A for Kamasorie Village, etc.
Betsy had asked for some baby care supplies and they have finally arrived for her.
James was relieved to receive something to help the neck pain

he still suffers from the wreck he experienced this past Winter.
Many of you have given so much to make possible for the people of Sierra Leone to thrive. We are very thankful.
We are grateful to the churches that have collected the o-t-c medications for us that made up this particular batch of supplies that arrived in the post this week – namely St. Alban’s in Sun City, Arizona

and St. Mary the Virgin in San Diego.
as well as Kathy Nagy of Louisville who is keeping Kamasorie Village

supplied in Vitamin A;


Aleica Willis for sending us the left over Potassium bags, needles, etc from an illness in which she had homecare (the medical supplies she didn’t use were left at her house so she sent them to us).

Dr. Baumann

and Dr. Kern for their continual help

and SOS (Supplies Over Seas)

for the opportunity to purchase, at such a low price, the hosptial supplies we send.
We thank Liz Holt for various items she contributed to this shipment as well as packing the boxes up for us.
We especially thank all of your for your continued support in prayer, deeds and funding. What a wonder family Nazareth House has become – with such team work – living and loving together to give each other a hand.

Thank you all from our staff in Sierra Leone: James, Kadijah, Lucy, Ann Marie, Roo, Mako, Pa Foday and from the many other hands, arms & legs of NHA in Sierra Leone that are doing all they can to assist and make life happen for everyone – Sanu, Emmanuel (Stress),

Johnny, Betsy, Simithe, Albert….too many to name them all – but they, together with Seraphim and I, send you our perpetual gratitude for all that you are doing to change lives for the better.

God bless you all, keep up the fantastic work. You are what makes NHA so unique and so effective.
Posted in Grace Church Louisville, NHA, St Mark's Portland OR, Supplies over seas | Leave a comment

Mako: NHA School Report,

Posted on April 30, 2010 by vicki

By Jerry Mako Mansaray, Kabala, Sierra Leone:

Greetings to you all from Kabala,we are very much happy as a school for all the help and support you have been given to us all this while.

We want to thank God for another good week in our school.We continue to teach and help the children,as these children means much to us as well as you all.

Pa. Foday with support from the school staff, continues to do the home visits. As a part of the school activities,it is really helping us as a school to build good relationship with the parents and the community around us.

This week in the school has also been very important to us especially in the area of prayers.We have offered special prayers for Mama Vicki and Father Hicks as they went to California to in the name of Nazareth House Apostolate.

This week also witnesses the 49th Independent Day celebration of our country. In Kabala, as all other parts of the country,people celebrate this great day in various ways.The tradition in Kabala includes :a general March Pass (parade) from all works of life,especially government institutions.Schools, both primary and secondary, took part in the March Pass as well. It was a good and happy sight to see our Nazareth House School Kabala take part in the march pass for the first time.What a joy and blessing you have given this children to have there rightful place in society through your help and support.To you all we say keep up the good work.

The Independent Day celebration was climaxed with the launching of the Free Medical Health Care for suckling mothers and children under five.The Kabala Yogomaia Town field was the scene of the programme. The programme was well attended,as the free medical health care means a lot to us out here. The health status in Kabala and the country as a whole is nothing to write home about as we have the lowest life expectancy rate in the world,in fact infant mortality is still the highest in the world. On average it is about 500-1000 people to one doctor,also poor condition of service climax the recent strike by medical staff.With this free medical system in place,all sierra Leonean are hoping for the better especially the poorest of the poor. Poverty rate is also very high about 80% of the people live on less than $ 1 a day.With such a move by the government,we hope the lives of our mothers and children will be save.

It is our responsible as a school to pray,so that hearts and minds will be willing to help and support the good work of NHA.We strongly believe in prayers,as it’s the key to our very survival on earth.
May His love and Grace keep us together.
With love,
Jerry Mako.
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Mako: NHA School Report,

Posted on April 30, 2010 by vicki

By Jerry Mako Mansaray, Kabala, Sierra Leone:

Greetings to you all from Kabala,we are very much happy as a school for all the help and support you have been given to us all this while.

We want to thank God for another good week in our school.We continue to teach and help the children,as these children means much to us as well as you all.

Pa. Foday with support from the school staff, continues to do the home visits. As a part of the school activities,it is really helping us as a school to build good relationship with the parents and the community around us.

This week in the school has also been very important to us especially in the area of prayers.We have offered special prayers for Mama Vicki and Father Hicks as they went to California to in the name of Nazareth House Apostolate.

This week also witnesses the 49th Independent Day celebration of our country. In Kabala, as all other parts of the country,people celebrate this great day in various ways.The tradition in Kabala includes :a general March Pass (parade) from all works of life,especially government institutions.Schools, both primary and secondary, took part in the March Pass as well. It was a good and happy sight to see our Nazareth House School Kabala take part in the march pass for the first time.What a joy and blessing you have given this children to have there rightful place in society through your help and support.To you all we say keep up the good work.

The Independent Day celebration was climaxed with the launching of the Free Medical Health Care for suckling mothers and children under five.The Kabala Yogomaia Town field was the scene of the programme. The programme was well attended,as the free medical health care means a lot to us out here. The health status in Kabala and the country as a whole is nothing to write home about as we have the lowest life expectancy rate in the world,in fact infant mortality is still the highest in the world. On average it is about 500-1000 people to one doctor,also poor condition of service climax the recent strike by medical staff.With this free medical system in place,all sierra Leonean are hoping for the better especially the poorest of the poor. Poverty rate is also very high about 80% of the people live on less than $ 1 a day.With such a move by the government,we hope the lives of our mothers and children will be save.

It is our responsible as a school to pray,so that hearts and minds will be willing to help and support the good work of NHA.We strongly believe in prayers,as it’s the key to our very survival on earth.
May His love and Grace keep us together.
With love,
Jerry Mako.
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Mako: NHA School Report,

Posted on April 30, 2010 by vicki

By Jerry Mako Mansaray, Kabala, Sierra Leone:

Greetings to you all from Kabala,we are very much happy as a school for all the help and support you have been given to us all this while.

We want to thank God for another good week in our school.We continue to teach and help the children,as these children means much to us as well as you all.

Pa. Foday with support from the school staff, continues to do the home visits. As a part of the school activities,it is really helping us as a school to build good relationship with the parents and the community around us.

This week in the school has also been very important to us especially in the area of prayers.We have offered special prayers for Mama Vicki and Father Hicks as they went to California to in the name of Nazareth House Apostolate.

This week also witnesses the 49th Independent Day celebration of our country. In Kabala, as all other parts of the country,people celebrate this great day in various ways.The tradition in Kabala includes :a general March Pass (parade) from all works of life,especially government institutions.Schools, both primary and secondary, took part in the March Pass as well. It was a good and happy sight to see our Nazareth House School Kabala take part in the march pass for the first time.What a joy and blessing you have given this children to have there rightful place in society through your help and support.To you all we say keep up the good work.

The Independent Day celebration was climaxed with the launching of the Free Medical Health Care for suckling mothers and children under five.The Kabala Yogomaia Town field was the scene of the programme. The programme was well attended,as the free medical health care means a lot to us out here. The health status in Kabala and the country as a whole is nothing to write home about as we have the lowest life expectancy rate in the world,in fact infant mortality is still the highest in the world. On average it is about 500-1000 people to one doctor,also poor condition of service climax the recent strike by medical staff.With this free medical system in place,all sierra Leonean are hoping for the better especially the poorest of the poor. Poverty rate is also very high about 80% of the people live on less than $ 1 a day.With such a move by the government,we hope the lives of our mothers and children will be save.

It is our responsible as a school to pray,so that hearts and minds will be willing to help and support the good work of NHA.We strongly believe in prayers,as it’s the key to our very survival on earth.
May His love and Grace keep us together.
With love,
Jerry Mako.
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Hot, Hot Days in Sierra Leone

Posted on April 24, 2010 by vicki

Last night I was talking with James on the phone, he says it is very hot in Freetown. In Kabala, Mako tells me it is so hot, he cannot sleep. I know what he is talking about, the hot nights, mosquitoes buzzing around, it definitely is too hot to sleep.

But during the day, its a different story, the heat makes it hard NOT to fall asleep.

Last month, while we were in Sierra Leone,

there were days that it seemed like the heat had put a spell on us.

We’d go out, do our work, come back to St. Laurence House and “knock-out” for an hour. After a little rest, we’d go out again.

This made our days long and delayed but with the hot sun zapping our energy,

it was the only way to get through it.

Along the streets, you’d find people who had succumbed to the extreme heat, sleeping right on the ground.

Even the animals, searched out shaded spots to rest in the heat.

The rainy season will come in a few months, but for now
The sweltering days require periodic “napping”.
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Hot, Hot Days in Sierra Leone

Posted on April 24, 2010 by vicki

Last night I was talking with James on the phone, he says it is very hot in Freetown. In Kabala, Mako tells me it is so hot, he cannot sleep. I know what he is talking about, the hot nights, mosquitoes buzzing around, it definitely is too hot to sleep.

But during the day, its a different story, the heat makes it hard NOT to fall asleep.

Last month, while we were in Sierra Leone,

there were days that it seemed like the heat had put a spell on us.

We’d go out, do our work, come back to St. Laurence House and “knock-out” for an hour. After a little rest, we’d go out again.

This made our days long and delayed but with the hot sun zapping our energy,

it was the only way to get through it.

Along the streets, you’d find people who had succumbed to the extreme heat, sleeping right on the ground.

Even the animals, searched out shaded spots to rest in the heat.

The rainy season will come in a few months, but for now
The sweltering days require periodic “napping”.
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Hot, Hot Days in Sierra Leone

Posted on April 24, 2010 by vicki

Last night I was talking with James on the phone, he says it is very hot in Freetown. In Kabala, Mako tells me it is so hot, he cannot sleep. I know what he is talking about, the hot nights, mosquitoes buzzing around, it definitely is too hot to sleep.

But during the day, its a different story, the heat makes it hard NOT to fall asleep.

Last month, while we were in Sierra Leone,

there were days that it seemed like the heat had put a spell on us.

We’d go out, do our work, come back to St. Laurence House and “knock-out” for an hour. After a little rest, we’d go out again.

This made our days long and delayed but with the hot sun zapping our energy,

it was the only way to get through it.

Along the streets, you’d find people who had succumbed to the extreme heat, sleeping right on the ground.

Even the animals, searched out shaded spots to rest in the heat.

The rainy season will come in a few months, but for now
The sweltering days require periodic “napping”.
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Mako’s Weekend NHA School Report

Posted on April 23, 2010 by vicki

By Mako Mansaray, Kabala, Sierra Leone

Greetings to you all from NHA School Kabala,
We as a thriving school are happy to thank you all for the continuous help and support you are giving to us as a center of the Kabala children’s education.

The education Superintendent Rev.Foday Mansaray (loving known as “Pa Foday), the teachers and pupils want to thank you all in our varioius ways for helping us with the motorbike. The motorbike was shown to the school this morning byPa.Foday. Everybody was delighted. This will help the school greatly in our ‘Home Visit’ programme.

Schooling for this week was very good. The turn out of the children was 95% as compared to the first week of the re-open of school. Parents are really supporting us as a school.They make sure the children are there on time for the morning devotion and normal school classes.

We continue to help the sick children to get medical treatment at the Kabala Government Hospital.Although this is not easy, as most of the time parents have to go find a pharmacy to buy the drugs themselves as there is little supply of medications in the hospital.We thank God as the school is always trying to help. Pa. Foday will also use the motorbike to take any of our sick children to the hospital, as this is the most easy and fastest way to move in and around Kabala.

The Kabala township yesterday witnessed some political unrest that resulted in violence. This caused the disruption of schools,businesses and the peaceful lives of the people in the town.Parents had to rush out to various schools to collect their children. Shops and other businesses were closed down until the situation was put under control by the security forces.

We at NHA chose to keep our children in school under lockdown until the problem was brought under the full control of the security apparatus.I am happy to report that none of our children were hurt in the process,and our parents’ this morning came to the school thanking the school management for keeping their children safe.It was a plus on our side. We really thank God for that.

Life returned to normal later on in the day,and everything is fine today as the township is back in it’s activities and kicking around.

Once more we want to thank you all for the help, prayers and support.Your support is making great boys and girls out here who in the future will help in building a better Sierra Leone.

May the good Lord continue to bless us all.
Much love from us all in NHA Kabala,
Jerry Mako.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Mako’s Weekend NHA School Report

Posted on April 23, 2010 by vicki

By Mako Mansaray, Kabala, Sierra Leone

Greetings to you all from NHA School Kabala,
We as a thriving school are happy to thank you all for the continuous help and support you are giving to us as a center of the Kabala children’s education.

The education Superintendent Rev.Foday Mansaray (loving known as “Pa Foday), the teachers and pupils want to thank you all in our varioius ways for helping us with the motorbike. The motorbike was shown to the school this morning byPa.Foday. Everybody was delighted. This will help the school greatly in our ‘Home Visit’ programme.

Schooling for this week was very good. The turn out of the children was 95% as compared to the first week of the re-open of school. Parents are really supporting us as a school.They make sure the children are there on time for the morning devotion and normal school classes.

We continue to help the sick children to get medical treatment at the Kabala Government Hospital.Although this is not easy, as most of the time parents have to go find a pharmacy to buy the drugs themselves as there is little supply of medications in the hospital.We thank God as the school is always trying to help. Pa. Foday will also use the motorbike to take any of our sick children to the hospital, as this is the most easy and fastest way to move in and around Kabala.

The Kabala township yesterday witnessed some political unrest that resulted in violence. This caused the disruption of schools,businesses and the peaceful lives of the people in the town.Parents had to rush out to various schools to collect their children. Shops and other businesses were closed down until the situation was put under control by the security forces.

We at NHA chose to keep our children in school under lockdown until the problem was brought under the full control of the security apparatus.I am happy to report that none of our children were hurt in the process,and our parents’ this morning came to the school thanking the school management for keeping their children safe.It was a plus on our side. We really thank God for that.

Life returned to normal later on in the day,and everything is fine today as the township is back in it’s activities and kicking around.

Once more we want to thank you all for the help, prayers and support.Your support is making great boys and girls out here who in the future will help in building a better Sierra Leone.

May the good Lord continue to bless us all.
Much love from us all in NHA Kabala,
Jerry Mako.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Mako’s Weekend NHA School Report

Posted on April 23, 2010 by vicki

By Mako Mansaray, Kabala, Sierra Leone

Greetings to you all from NHA School Kabala,
We as a thriving school are happy to thank you all for the continuous help and support you are giving to us as a center of the Kabala children’s education.

The education Superintendent Rev.Foday Mansaray (loving known as “Pa Foday), the teachers and pupils want to thank you all in our varioius ways for helping us with the motorbike. The motorbike was shown to the school this morning byPa.Foday. Everybody was delighted. This will help the school greatly in our ‘Home Visit’ programme.

Schooling for this week was very good. The turn out of the children was 95% as compared to the first week of the re-open of school. Parents are really supporting us as a school.They make sure the children are there on time for the morning devotion and normal school classes.

We continue to help the sick children to get medical treatment at the Kabala Government Hospital.Although this is not easy, as most of the time parents have to go find a pharmacy to buy the drugs themselves as there is little supply of medications in the hospital.We thank God as the school is always trying to help. Pa. Foday will also use the motorbike to take any of our sick children to the hospital, as this is the most easy and fastest way to move in and around Kabala.

The Kabala township yesterday witnessed some political unrest that resulted in violence. This caused the disruption of schools,businesses and the peaceful lives of the people in the town.Parents had to rush out to various schools to collect their children. Shops and other businesses were closed down until the situation was put under control by the security forces.

We at NHA chose to keep our children in school under lockdown until the problem was brought under the full control of the security apparatus.I am happy to report that none of our children were hurt in the process,and our parents’ this morning came to the school thanking the school management for keeping their children safe.It was a plus on our side. We really thank God for that.

Life returned to normal later on in the day,and everything is fine today as the township is back in it’s activities and kicking around.

Once more we want to thank you all for the help, prayers and support.Your support is making great boys and girls out here who in the future will help in building a better Sierra Leone.

May the good Lord continue to bless us all.
Much love from us all in NHA Kabala,
Jerry Mako.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment