Nazareth house apostolate

Travel Woes

Posted in African Roads, humanitarian aid, Nazareth house apostolate, Roo Mansaray, Sierra Leone, St Simeon Skete on February 5th, 2012 by vicki – Be the first to comment
James reports that on his way back to Freetown to pick up his family, he encountered yet another road accident.  With the frequency that he must make these trips back and forth to pick up supplies, it is becoming more and more imperative that NHA purchase its own vehicle.  The reliability and safety of renting cars is very risky at best.  

The vehicle in front of James on the road to Freetown, loses control and flips into the weeds.

Like many things in Sierra Leone, renting a car in that country is a much different process than in the United States.  On most occasions after you pay a hefty rental fee, the owner of the car insist that you use his driver as well.  

James rushes to assist those in the vehicle

Unless you know who you are renting from very well, you are at the mercy of the driver as to his driving skills or the safety conditions of the car.  


Finding a skilled, safe driver in Sierra Leone is a rare find. Finding a car that won’t break down several times on your journey is just as rare.  

This past week, when James recovered enough from his malaria and typhoid, he was able to find a decent car to bring the family home.  With such precious cargo aboard, 

Roo peeks at his tiny sister as she nurses during the ride home to Kabala.  No laws in Sierra Leone
 for seatbelts or child restraining seats.  In fact very few cars have seatbelts.

we were delighted that they made it back to the Compound in Kabala without any mishaps. 

The peaceful NHA Compound awaits the arrival of the family

 Little Roo did present the family with a worrisome matter when he spiked a fever and sores popped up on his throat as they made their way home.  

Though smiling, Roo looks rather thin and feverish. 

I am happy to report he is improving and we are hoping the peace and quiet of Kabala will help him to heal more rapidly.  

Once back home at the NHA Compound, Roo takes his medicine and vitamins.


Back home, Kadijah tidies up the grounds, sweeping away the litter that has accrued in front of the house.  


And Vicki takes in some much needed rest after the long drive. 


Several boxes of important medication are on their way across the Atlantic today.  This means that upon their arrival through Lungi,  James will yet again make the trip - relying on someone else’s vehicle and driver - to Freetown and back.  And when he returns to the NHA Compound, he will be making distribution of the medication to the area village clinics – again at the mercy of an unknown rented vehicle and driver. 

For the past several years, the NHA Compound has been our focus of fundraising.  Now that we have completed the compound we must turn our fundraising attention to some very important operational  matters that allow NHA to perform its duties both in Sierra Leone and in America.  We’ll be discussing the further needs of NHA in posts to come, however today we want to reiterate the need for a NHA vehicle in Sierra Leone.  

6 February 2010, James survived after being flipped several times in this car.
Two years ago, James was in a horrific accident. 

(http://www.nazarethhouseap.org/2010/02/17/6th-february-2010-accident-report/) 

 He survived only by God’s grace and mercy.  On that day,  a driver refused to slow down or listen to James’ urgent pleas to drive safely.  The taxi was filled with people, including a small baby which James held in his arms as the car flipped – over and over. The car stopped just inches away from rolling over a high cliff.


 It was a serious warning for NHA, a warning that we must not rely on others many with puffed up attitudes, that have displayed time after time reckless behavior in poorly maintained vehicles. We must make supply trips to and from Freetown, our work demands it.  However, paying good money to rent vehicles with drivers that put our staff in jeopardy is not prudent.  James has informed us that there are good used certified cars out there beginning at $10,000.  Anything older or less priced has more than likely been poorly maintained and driven very hard.  He knows many good mechanics in Kabala that will help to maintain and service the vehicle.  Having our own car won’t keep us out the way of those crazy drivers as they travel the roads, but it will give us more control and ability to practice safety.

The Jonah Fast

Posted in fasting., Jonah Fast, Nazareth house apostolate, Nineveh Fast, St Simeon Skete on February 1st, 2012 by vicki – Be the first to comment
One of the practices at St. Simeon Skete is to observe the three day, Jonah Fast beginning at 12:01 AM EST on Monday, February 6th and lasting until after Vespers on Wednesday, February 8th.
Icon housed at St. Simeon Skete



The Jonah Fast, commemorates the three days that Prophet Jonah spent in the belly of the beast -the whale. It also commemorates the repentance of the people of Nineveh and is sometimes called the “Nineveh Fast”. It begins the Monday after Septuagesima – which is two weeks before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.
While the normal service schedule will be adhered to at St. Simeon Skete, the fast will be observed by refraining from food (and drink if they wish) from midnight until Vespers (or sunset) during these three days. If, for health reasons you are unable to do without all food during the day, we encourage you to at least refrain from something i.e. meat, fish, and dairy products during the fasting period. At the skete, fasting is considered abstaining from an otherwise normal activity for the purpose of spiritual pursuit.  Usually people abstain from food, but may also abstain from other activities – in example – refraining from the media i.e. news, etc.



This is a special fast at St. Simeon Skete because life at the skete embodies the experience of being in the belly of the beast where one must live in the “darkness” of faith.  – where one seeks answers; but is turned back to live with the questions that make the answers possible; where every good answer simply makes the question vibrate all the more.  Just as supply cannot be separated from its source; the answer cannot be separated from its question – nor the question from the answer.


Whether you participate in the fast or not, now is a good time to prepare yourself for the upcoming Lent.  The days peel off quickly and without preparation your Lent can easily slip by with no gains within.  A good choice of preparation is to read the Book of Jonah as a prelude of the forty days of Lent.  It is a beautiful story of repentance and fasting.


King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
Matthew 12:41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.
Jeremiah 36:9 In the ninth month of the fifth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, a time of fasting before the LORD was proclaimed for all the people in Jerusalem and those who had come from the towns of Judah.
Daniel 9:3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.
Joel 1:14 Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.
Jonah 3:7 Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink.

 

Friday Smiles

Posted in Freetown, Kabala, labor and delivery Sierra Leone, Nazareth house apostolate, Nazareth House Apostolate School on January 13th, 2012 by vicki – Be the first to comment
(All photos on this post and on this blog are the property of the photographers and Nazareth House Apostolate - All rights reserved.  They cannot be used for any purpose without written permission from Nazareth House)

 

 

It is all smiles for the Mansaray Family.

Papa James is bursting with joy that his youngest daughter has arrived
and is healthy
and that is beloved wife survived the birth
in a country where maternal mortality during delivery is very high,
Having malaria, enduring a long drive from Kabala to Freetown, it is amazing how well Kadijah is doing!  Thank God.

Lucy is back at boarding school, unable to leave the school to be with her family, yet,  delighted that her baby sister and mom are doing well.  Lucy is all the more determined to study harder.   She knows how much we need doctors in Kabala.

….and Roo…

Roo wasn’t sure what to think about all this and was being very quiet…

but now that he met his little sister
well..look at those eyes… they say it all
Baby Vicki has definitely met with his approval
At this post, James is working his way back to Kabala,
he has work to do and we have villages to care for.
In our line of work, there is no “family leave”.
The Needs don’t stop, the work is ongoing.
People like this little “lucky charm” toddler are depending on us.
They depend on you and I to lend them the hand.  If you haven’t already committed to a monthly donation, please consider doing so today.
Through your generosity, NHA has given help to many, but the light of each new day uncovers more that need us.
We can’t fulfill every need, but with your help, we can help many – bit by bit, person by person AND put a smile on their face.
After checking on the latest new villages, James will return this weekend to pick up his family once Kadijah and Vicki are released from the hospital.

Please pray for him as he travels the roads of Sierra Leone, road travel is not safe.  Drivers are wild and the roads bad.
Its all about love….
Nazareth House Apostolate (NHA)
185 Captains Cove Drive
Taylorsville, KY 40071


Note: For those of you in America who have noticed the earrings already in Vicki’s ears.  This is Africa, its a different culture and ears are pierced at a much earlier age than in USA.  This has been part of their culture from the beginning.

NHA presents: VICKI ANN MANSARAY

Posted in Chico California, Nazareth house apostolate, Nazareth House Apostolate School, Nazareth Rosary, Pregnancy in Africa, St Simeon Skete, St. Augustine of Canterbury Anglican Church on January 11th, 2012 by vicki – Be the first to comment
Nazareth House Apostolate,  St. Simeon Skete,
Fr. Seraphim and Vicki Hicks

and proud parents,
James and Kadijah Mansaray,
together with

siblings – Lucy and Roo
announce
the arrival

of

Little Miss VICKI ANN MANSARAY
of
Kabala, Sierra Leone
Glory be to God!

Your prayers have been very reassuring
your love has showered us all
Thank you all!
James message on Facebook reads:
“Counting on what you’ve done for me, my family and Sierra Leone as a whole i name this newly born rose as Vicki Ann aka SPECIAL to show my love and appreciation for you Mama Vicki. You are one in a million, keep up the good work with Nazareth House Apostolate.. we all in salone loves you.”


I can assure you that Grandmama Vicki is quite ecstatic over this arrival PLUS  it was a year ago on this day that her last granddaughter was born.

 

Dear “Special” we all wish you the best, know that you are never alone – you are always bathed in love.



God bless you little one!



And Kadijah, Oh My Gosh, traveling from Freetown to Kabala, arriving and delivering all in a span of less than a days time……..   “You are one strong mama!”



We are so proud of you!  Godspeed, heal fast.



Thanks to all of you who gave special attention to this pregnancy, especially the ACW of St Augustine in Chico who paid the hospitalization, Esther de Laix – for the supplies for Kadijah (see Esther, Little Vicki is wrapped in Roger’s blanket gift) and the many others who generously provided for this birth to be a safe and healthy one.




Nazareth House Apostolate
185 Captains Cove Drive
Taylorsville, KY 40071


 

This Weeks Full Moon brings a full week for NHA

Posted in Ashley Landess, Freetown, Kabala, Nazareth house apostolate, Sierra Leone, Thomas Hilditch Landess, Tom Landess on January 11th, 2012 by vicki – Be the first to comment
Nazareth has had a full range of emotions this week.
Seraphim especially enjoyed his conversations with Tom
The week began with the passing of Thomas Hilditch Landess, a dear friend to Seraphim and I and to Nazareth House Apostolate.
Lucy in Sierra Leone sending condolences for the family
James and his family in Sierra Leone have not been able to meet Tom Landess or his family, but they know them well and have been friends for years.
Roo especially, since Tom’s wife, Mary Beth has always had a special nitch in her heart filled with Roo.
And Roo loves her.  The bond is there – no need to meet face to face, the heart travels across oceans and bonds the two.
The news that Tom dropped the body this week hit us all hard, including the Mansaray family.  They, too,  share the loss and grieve with the family.
And as one friend passes another one arrives.
In the middle of the night I receive this text that James and family have packed into a car and made the long trip from Kabala to Freetown.  Kadijah ‘s fever is worse and with the baby nearing time for delivery they thought they could find better medical attention in Freetown.
I received word at 4:24 AM this morning that James wife, Kadijah has given birth to a baby girl – her name is Vicki.
We will keep you informed and send pictures as we get them.
God bless you all, Nazareth House Apostolate truly is a family … We love you all.

The heart of Christmas keeps beating in Salone

Posted in Nazareth house apostolate, Sierra Leone, St. Simeon Skete. Kabala on January 7th, 2012 by vicki – Be the first to comment
Christmas has come and gone on the calendar but in our hearts it remains all year, 
A Christmas gift was given in Fairleigh’s honor.  It will be used to help in Sierra Leone
or at least it should.  
Its important that we try not to let the world’s craziness 
steal it from out of our heart.  Remember those in need everyday, not just during Holidays.  Your compassion, your love expressed brings happiness.  
A special thanks from Lucy and Roo for the money sent to them.  
Zachary and Brittany sent money for Roo and money for Lucy to buy something for themselves for Christmas.   
Like any child, Roo bought a small toy, but then he bought himself some clothes with the remaining money.   
Lucy received some money from Loretta to use for school.  She needed a calculator, socks and shoes, which she was able to purchase with the money. 
Both Lucy and Roo are grateful for the thoughts, prayers and gifts.   
Roo is especially proud of his clothes, he’s sporting his new favorite new shirt in this photo.  
Thank you to everyone for your support!  Your donations are the gifts that keep on going,
changing lives, bringing smiles….. its all about love. 

6 January 2012, The Feast of Epiphany

Posted in Customs and Traditions, Epiphany, Kentucky, Nazareth house apostolate, St Simeon Skete, Taylorsville on January 6th, 2012 by vicki – Be the first to comment

Epiphany (the word meaning “showing forth” or “manifestation”)  is one of the oldest Christian Feasts in the Church Calendar.

Most people associate this feast with the coming of the magi or Wise Men to bring gifts to the Christ Child in Bethlehem.
But there are other manifestations of God’s Presence that are also celebrated on this day.  In the Eastern Church, the Baptism of Christ by John the Baptist, and another celebration is that of the miracle of Jesus changing water into wine, the Wedding at Cana.  Because of these customs, in many churches water is blessed today.
On the last day of Christmas, we begin our Epiphany preparations at St. Simeon Skete.
In the back of the Skete’s barn, Seraphim has made space for a workshop.
It is his hope to establish a woodworking shop in order to maintain and tend to the work around the property as well as construct icon stands, etc.
In the barn, Seraphim begins making the Epiphany Cross.  As he works he stresses that it is “vitally important that in making the Cross that you fashion the vertical beam first before the horizontal.

If you don’t have the vertical beam right, no matter how hard you work at the horizontal beam – it will never work.”  he further explained “This is the same with the spiritual life: If you don’t have the vertical beam (represents your relationship with God) right, your horizontal (represents your relationship with man) will not work, it will not be right.”

Last evening, for us it was time to take the Christmas Tree down (before sunrise the day of Epiphany).

Today began as usual – walking over to the Chapel in the darkness of the wee hours of the morning.
The moon is beginning to set and lights the path.
6 Jan 2012, Moon at 93% full

Upon reaching the Chapel I meet Seraphim and enter into the ongoing stream of prayer.
Seraphim’s day begins earlier; he has been in the chapel now for hours.
After Lauds (Morning Prayer) we begin the Liturgy.
As is the custom at St. Simeon Skete on Epiphany, during the Offertory, the water is blessed and will be used as Holy Water for the coming weeks and months.
The font at the entrance to the Skete is filled with the Holy Water.

The Epiphany Cross is placed in the offering basin along with our rosaries.  (At the skete we offer our beads that hold our prayers at every Mass)
The Cross is then blessed at the Altar.
Later a special procession is made to the nearest river (about a 15 minute hike through the woods for us at the skete) and the Cross is tossed into it, making all waters Baptismal Waters as the river carries the Cross from tributaries, to streams, to rivers, to oceans.
Following Mass as the sun rises, St. Simeon Skete keeps the tradition (Eastern Europe, Baltic Sea to Mediterranean) of blessing all the entrance doors on the property.
God’s blessing is then asked to be upon the building and all who dwell on within.
A piece of chalk is first blessed with holy water and the inscription is then written above the doorway.

20 + C + M + B + 12
The three initials stand for Christus Mansionem Benedicat – Latin for “May Christ bless this house”, although they also stand for names traditionally given to the Wise Men:  Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar.  They are enclosed by the numerals of the current year.
All doors of the Holy Trinity Kellia have been blessed for 2012
After Seraphim completed blessing all the doors of all the buildings on the Skete’s property, he began his journey,
carrying the Epiphany Cross through the woods to the river.
Saying the Jesus Prayer and the Rosary along the way
he stops to bless the entrances to the St. Arsenius’ hermitage hidden in the woods, and the newly found St. Elijah’s Cave.

Upon arrival at the river bank, Seraphim said the Service for Placing the Cross in the Water adapted from Office of Baptism.
After placing the Cross into the River, thus rendering all waters Baptismal, Seraphim recited the Luminous Mysteries.
Taylorsville Lake, Taylorsville Kentucky
Tonight, after the last Office of the day, we will remove the Nativity Scene from the Chapel although the Season of Epiphany will remain through four Sundays.

Christmastide: Day 11

Posted in C.S. Lewis Center, Nazareth house apostolate, Nazareth House Apostolate School, NHA, St Augustine of Canterbury, St Mark's Portland OR on January 4th, 2012 by vicki – Be the first to comment
As usual, the Nazareth House Apostolate supporters, workers, and recipients; both children and adults, do what they do so well - and teamed up to demonstrate what LOVE is all about.  
It is always amazing to watch people come together to make things happen.  
People from one side of a country to another, from one side of an ocean to another, all walks of life, all capabilities… all blended together to hold each other up.   
Its all about love, and when love is truly orchestrating our actions – astonishingly wonderful things can happen. 
At the time that the Sunday School Class in Portland, Oregon was preparing candy canes and greetings for the children in Kabala, 
the Anglican Church Women of St. Augustine’s Anglican Church in Chico, California were sending medications and extra funds for the work of Nazareth House in Kabala. 
And while they were doing that, down South in the Carolinas, The C.S. Lewis Center and St. Theodore’s Anglican Chapel were Fasting for Africa as a fundraiser for the work of NHA.  
 …and all the while individuals and families are donating.  
In Kabala, everything came in at the right time – money, necessities and Christmas Candy Canes.  Once we, in America, ship over to James in Kabala, then its time for them to what they do so well – distribute to those in need. 

And with love and the same abundant zeal that began in USA… the work is done.  
By the time the candy canes had arrived, the NHA School had already closed for the Christmas Vacation – (yes, in Sierra Leone it is still called Christmas Vacation and not Winter Vacation). 
 No problem!, James knew exactly what to do.  He thought of the Blind School.  

Candy canes are a gift that do not have to be seen - 
they are a gift for many of the senses -and with someone to help you remove the wrapper its even better.  
 So James packed up the medications from Chico, 
as well as supplies bought from funding from Columbia, South Carolina along with the candy canes from Portland, Oregon 
and headed out to the School for the Blind.   
He was also equipped with the means (from donations) to provide needs depending on their necessity to those at the Blind School.  
And back at the NHA School in Kabala, if you look closely at the little guy holding up the thank you sign for the candy canes, 
you’ll notice it is ROO.   
Another bit of team work accomplished, Roo was critically anemic just last month, however, fast action sending vitamins and IRON from our headquarters in Kentucky has proved effective and we see that energetic smiling Roo once again.
As you can see, 
TEAM NAZARETH has managed to spread the love again.   
So on this eleventh day of Christmas, 

we give you love – lots of it – from all of us at NHA. 

Hello 2012!

Posted in Kabala, Nazareth house apostolate, NHA, NHA school, St Simeon Skete, Sunday School, The Parish of St. Mark's Anglican Church on January 2nd, 2012 by vicki – 1 Comment

 

The weather here at St. Simeon Skete currently remains unseasonably warm, albeit, the winds are escorting in the first very cold air of the Winter.

The first sunrise of 2012 majestically peeks through the clouds, a new day….a new year.


2011 proved to be a remarkable year for us at Nazareth House Apostolate.


St. Simeon Skete newly acquired, we began 2011 realizing there would be a lot of work to do, but also understanding it was purposeful work and we were excited to get started.


The Nazareth House Apostolate Compound in Kabala Sierra Leone was a pressing necessity and we needed to get the construction contract paid and the cost of the land.


St. Augustine of Canterbury Anglican Church in Chico California organized a Walk-a-thon on New Years Day last year and helped to  jumpstart the funding for this project.

Our director of operations in Sierra Leone, James Mansaray had arrived in America after years of denied visas and was able to participate in the walk.
We are happy to report that we paid off the Contractor and the building is complete (except for the well which we will complete as rainy season ends and weather permits) and the need for a generator.  Individuals, small businesses and churches came together to see the Compound completed.

NHA now owns not only the land the school sits on but also that which the compound is built on and the structures.
We continue to strive for 1000 supporters giving $25 a month to keep the work of Nazareth House in operations both in Sierra Leone and at the skete in the United States.

As of this post, we have 30 supporters giving monthly.


The circumstances requiring our attention in Sierra Leone are overwhelming, yet,


we have been able to make the immediate necessities each month –


such as paying the teachers


at our Kabala school


and caring for those who could not make it without our help.


Some months we were late getting the funding in, but we made it every month – all the while paying down the Compound Fund.
The first year at the skete, has been both rewarding and very challenging.

There is (and remains) much to do in transforming the place into a  skete

as well as maintain the property and the 6 buildings on the grounds.


The manual work is heavy, yet, the daily Mass, the 11 Prayer Offices nor the daily Rosary have been missed, to the contrary they have been deepened.


There have been many that have arrived here as visitors but left as family, feeling a bond through the prayer.

 



As 2011 closed, the Sunday School Students of the parish of St. Mark’s Anglican Church



provided, packed and shipped the Annual Candy Canes (along with personal hand-made Christmas greeting cards)


for the students of Nazareth House Apostolate School.


This is for most of them, their only Christmas gift.


And, as always, you can see by the smiles on their face – its enough, they are not only satisfied but delighted.


We will be featuring this joy with our students this week,


as the final days of Christmas come to a close.

Check this blog often this week for updates.

As the first sunset of 2012 blazes behind the lake at St. Simeon Skete,  and we celebrate this last week of Christmas
we send you our love and thanksgiving.  Thank you for teaming together to be there for others both in prayer and deed.  From Nazareth House Apostolate, its board members, our staff in Sierra Leone, our students, teachers and the people we serve, we thank you for your love and support.  You are held daily  in our hearts and prayers.  God bless you all.

President Koroma greets 2012 in prayer at Kabala

Posted in Holy Martyrs of Uganda Church, james mansaray, Nazareth house apostolate, Nazareth house kabala school, NHA, Prayer, President Ernest Bai Koroma on January 1st, 2012 by vicki – 1 Comment
President Ernest Bai Koroma has arrived in Kabala and James was there to meet him, camera in hand.   
©2012 NHA Media, James B Mansaray, photographer

President Koroma is in Kabala to celebrate the New Year.  
©2012 NHA Media, James B Mansaray, photographer

He didn’t greet 2012 with a lavish party and champaign filled glasses,

©2012 NHA Media, James B Mansaray, photographer

instead he welcomes the New Year surrounded by the people of the country in which he serves

©2012 NHA Media, James B Mansaray, photographer

and he began it in prayer.

©2012 NHA Media, James B Mansaray, photographer

Joining with those who had gathered to meet the New Year worshipping at the Holy Martyrs of Uganda Catholic Church in Kabala,

©2012 NHA Media, James B Mansaray, photographer

He opened the year,

©2012 NHA Media, James B Mansaray, photographer

 in prayer for the remaining hurdles Sierra Leone continues to face and

©2012 NHA Media, James B Mansaray, photographer

  in thanksgiving for the progresses made

©2012 NHA Media, James B Mansaray, photographer

 What a wonderful way for a Head of State to start a New Year.  Many blessings to you, President Koroma, to Sierra Leone and to all involved in Nazareth House Apostolate.   God bless you all.

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