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May those little feet grow to be the best they can be!

Posted in Uncategorized on January 31st, 2012 by vicki – Be the first to comment
Tomorrow Baby Vicki will be three weeks old and to mark that date she will be making her first trip from Freetown to Kabala.  Due to James malaria/typhoid illness (he has now recovered), the family had to remain in Freetown for a extended period.  But now they are on their way to introduce little Vicki to her home in Kabala at the NHA Compound.  There she will also meet her extended family – grandparents, cousins and all.



The Mansaray family is doing well – James is tired and weak, but recovering.  Kadijah is healing; Vicki is thriving and so is Roo!  The vitamins seemed to have replenished the iron in his system and we are hoping that it was a diet deficiency and nothing more serious. Lucy is healthy and continuing her studies in Freetown.


James and I have had a discussion, recently, over little Vicki’s feet.  He told me that they were very tiny.  I told him “no worries, I’ve made it through all my life with little feet, she will be able to stand on them”  I asked him to send me pictures.   As you can see her feet look perfectly proportionate.



✝


“By reading the scriptures I am so renewed that all nature seems renewed around me and with me. The sky seems to be a pure, a cooler blue, the trees a deeper green.


The whole world is charged with the glory of God and I feel fire and music under my feet.” – Thomas Merton

“Be good, keep your feet dry, your eyes open, your heart at peace and your soul in the joy of Christ.” -Thomas Merton


“What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear, the sighs, and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.” -Saint Augustine



Nazareth House Apostolate

www.nazarethhouseap.org

Its all about love….


 

 

 

The path

Posted in Uncategorized on January 25th, 2012 by vicki – Be the first to comment
As usual, Nazareth House Apostolate 
During a rainstorm, we noticed the letters N H for Nazareth House spelled out in the leaves of the trees at St. Simeon Skete
packs a whole lot of action into a years time; 
Humanitarian medical supplies delivered to a clinic in Sierra Leone from NHA
2011 was no exception.  
James mails packages to Sierra Leone from Taylorsville, KY 
2012 is panning out to follow suit. 
James receives the packages in Sierra Leone that he mailed in Taylorsville. 
January is not yet over and NHA has welcomed this New Year with President Koroma in Kabala, said goodbye to our dear friend, Thomas Landess, welcomed baby Vicki,  
Young boy at one the newest villages that NHA will give aid.
brought aid to new villages near Kabala, reopened the NHA School after the holidays and

St. Simeon Skete,  Meeting of the Lord Chapel
 continued the daily life of ongoing prayer at St. Simeon Skete.  
James from Sierra Leone visits California
A year ago at this time, James was returning to Sierra Leone after his visit to America.  
James during his visit to St. Simeon Skete. 
While in America (his first trip outside of Africa), 
James was able to 
meet in person many of 

those who have been with him through the struggles of rebuilding life after such a terrible war.  His heart had already been touched by them, now he was able to meet and physically touch them. 

 He was also provided a complete health screen by NHA. 
Now today, a year later, he is back in Sierra Leone, struggling with a rather stubborn case of Malaria combined with an even more stubborn case of Typhoid.  
He has just returned from opening a new village in need of NHA’s assistance, he has a new two week old daughter 

and much more responsibilities added to his charge.  
children in the newest village under NHA care

As they say in Sierra Leone “it no easy”; however, through the love, care and compassion of our supporters, NHA will do its best to lessen the load as best we can, not just for James but for all of those we serve. 



I remember lamenting at  the first of the year in 2011 “so much to do!”  But now a year later, as I review the year, I think “Oh wow! so much accomplished!”  

We kicked 2011 off in Chico, California attending the Pray Love Walk-a-thon sponsored by St Augustine’s Anglican Church.  This was the catalyst for the campaign to retire the debt of building the NHA Compound, our center of operations in Kabala.  We did, indeed, by the year end, retire the debt in 2011, which was one of our biggest expenses for the whole year.  The construction was completed and our staff, James and Kadijah, moved in.  





The move from Freetown all the way to Kabala was a difficult chore, one with its own expense, however, that too was accomplished through the assistance of NHA. 


The NHA School (which is right across the street from the new NHA Compound) needed painting and the rooms needed to be divided in order to accommodate the need for more classrooms.   

The Nazareth House Apostolate Teachers and Principal (January 2012)

Thanks to the support and generosity of all of you, this was accomplished before the start of the 2011/2012 School Year.  
Another successful school year is well underway at the NHA School and we are very proud of our teachers and our students and the tremendous discipline of both.

James daughter, Lucy, with plans to be (a much needed) doctor, entered a private boarding school in Freetown where her she can excel in studies and preparation for medical school.
Her tuition has been paid for this year. 


Every month (sometimes late but never missed) NHA was able to maintain the support of humanitarian aid to the families we regularly support in Sierra Leone plus random emergency needs that are presented to us.  The teachers received their salaries ($100 per teacher per month) and the school continues to be maintained and in good operation.   


Our monthly expenditure to provide for our staff, the school, the teachers, and care of the people in need – in Kabala, Freetown and area villages is $2,200 a month.   We depend on our regular monthly donors to maintain this commitment. 
__________________________________








Fire destroys the One Hut Village housing
NHA provided a new home for the One Hut Village 


The newly constructed home for the One Hut Family.   It has rooms with walls and everything

after a series of disasters destroyed their thatched hut not once but thrice.  
________________________________





Clinics have been stocked and restocked with medications from NHA. 


 Many children were treated


 for internal parasites (worms).   We even cared for a snake bite…      Lives are being saved.


Illnesses, labor and delivery and other medical situations that required hospitalization were paid for by NHA for several in need, including Kadijah’s expenses for delivery of Vicki 



and Roo’s anemia diagnosis.  (Remember James’ shingles, how painful that was)



So much accomplished.  A review through the blog posts only hints at all that we’ve done together.  Working together as a family, helping each other, caring for each other.  Lives are being changed for the better, bellies fed, educational opportunities granted, love exchanged.   


And all the while the ongoing prayer and stability rising from the work of St. Simeon Skete 


keeps it all in prospective and generates the discipline to carry it all out.  2011 was a remarkable year.   

And with the same perseverance, Nazareth House Apostolate in 2012 continues on the same path.   Come join us….

its all about love…


Nazareth House Apostolate
185 Captains Cove Drive
Taylorsville, KY 40071

The 12th Day of Christmas

Posted in Uncategorized on January 4th, 2012 by vicki – Be the first to comment

Love and Greetings from Nazareth House Apostolate.  


Tomorrow is Epiphany.   

Time goes so fast, it won’t be too much longer before we are in the Season of Lent.  
We want to take this opportunity to slow down 
and look at the faces of the people that are being served in Sierra Leone by you through NHA.
   When you make a donation, these are but a few of the people that are the recipients of your love, your care, your compassion.  
To them, you are a ray of light amongst the dark clouds in their lives.
   When they see James coming, they know you are there, too.
   They know that the bags of rice, or medicines or whatever the needs are – they know they are provided by you.   
It brightens their day and their existence.   
Though Christmastide ends this evening, may we continue to live on carrying the spirit of great love, selflessness and humility that came to us swaddled in a manger that first Christmas.  
We cannot stress enough that Nazareth House Apostolate relies totally on God as he expresses Himself through our supporters’ prayers, compassion and generosity.  

You are a vital part of our lives here at the Skete.  You are prayed for each and every day (you need to know that we are praying for you when your day is consumed with frustrations or filled with delight – we are with you).  In this prayer we are in unity with Christ and with each other. 

Our work at the skete generates the mission work in Sierra Leone, its a two-way street – one needs the other.  St. Simeon Skete (prayer) is the cornerstone of NHA and the work in Sierra Leone,  the extension of it.  It is important that the Skete is maintained, for without its work, the mission cannot be sustained. 

We continue the hope of reaching a minimum of 1000 donors giving at least $25 per month.  This really isn’t an unobtainable task when you consider the amount of people in the United States.  When you consider that many of us have acquired over 300 friends on Facebook, its not hard to imagine spreading the word and making this a reality.  It is very possible.  To date we have 31 regular monthly donors.  We depend on them and on the one time, occasional donations to make possible the good work that is not OUR work but that of an apostolate. And those of you involved in NHA know its much more personal than teamwork – its a family.  Join us today.  

Send donations to:

Nazareth House Apostolate
185 Captains Cove Drive
Taylorsville, KY 40071 

or make donations thru the website
www.nazarethhouseap.org 
via the Paypal Donation Button

Thank you.

Merry Christmas

Posted in Uncategorized on December 25th, 2011 by vicki – Be the first to comment
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, 

the author and perfecter of our faith, 

who for the joy set before him endured the cross, 

scorning its shame, 

and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 



Prayers for Kadijah

Posted in Uncategorized on December 21st, 2011 by vicki – 1 Comment
Imagine being 8.5 months pregnant, feet swollen, belly extended. 
  
You are excited that the pregnancy is about complete and soon your little bundle of joy will arrive.
  Suddenly you are roasting, yes, the West African heat is beating down on you… but there’s more…  you have fever, chills and it feels like a train is traveling through your head… pounding, roaring… 

MALARIA.   
Please keep Kadijah in your prayers as she struggles with late term pregnancy complicated by this dreaded disease mosquito born disease.  

Posted in Uncategorized on November 15th, 2011 by vicki – Be the first to comment

 We received a lab report on Roo and it showed he was severely anemic.  Everything else seemed okay and no malaria showed in the blood.

 From these photos we can see he is thin and doesn’t feel well.   We are starting him on iron vitamins as we do not trust the blood supply for transfusions.

Thank you for your prayers for Roo and the work in Sierra Leone by Nazareth House Apostolate.  Its not easy, but we don’t give up.

Eleven. Eleven. Eleven. Updates: bits & pieces

Posted in Uncategorized on November 11th, 2011 by vicki – Be the first to comment
In the spirit of Eleven, we give thanksgiving for the Eleven Patronal Saints of St. Simeon Skete and NHA. 

  1. Holy Prophet, Elijah, who heard God in the stillness
  2. Holy Simeon, the God Receiver & Confessor, who found God to be enough
  3. John the Baptist, Forerunner & Baptizer of Jesus in the Jordan River where Heaven opened
  4. Saint Mary of Bethany, who chose the better part
  5. Saint John the Beloved who with Mary Magdalene & Mary, the mother of our Lord, bore witness at the foot of the cross
  6. Saint Paul,  the Apostle, who showed us the Way of the Name
  7. Saint Pachomius of the Rule who gave us the Angel’s holy Rule of Prayer
  8. Saint Arsenius, who fled, found solitude and prayed always
  9. Saint Mary of Egypt, for whom repentance was enough
  10. Saint Isaac the Syrian, who showed us the beyond to be in our midst
  11. Saint Gregory of Sinai, who stayed with the prayer
“Lord, Jesus Christ our God,  by the prayers of your saints, have mercy upon us and save us.”



Today’s blog post will be a bit of a “catch up” on recent events.  


At this writing James and Kadijah are tending to Roo who is experiencing a very high fever of 104.  Please keep him in your prayers. 


The NHA Matching Fund campaign has ended and was a success.  We have now received the matching funds to match all the donations.   Thank you so very much for all the support.  You’ll be hearing more about this very soon.


Nazareth House Apostolate has purchased 100 worm pills ($319) and they are on their way to Sierra Leone along with medications received from the Anglican Church Women of St. Augustine Church in Chico, California.



We want to send our love and congratulations to Mohammad Sanu and his family.  



His wife gave birth (successfully) to their youngest child. 





 Last year they lost a child at birth – it was too premature.  



Sanu has joined the NHA team and works with James to provide and do the work of Nazareth House in Kabala.  


James reports after Sanu’s wife’s surgery – c-section (thanks to NHA’s provision) that he met up with an adorable little dog sporting only three legs.   



“Old school is this dog’s name. Some say he suffered the amputation during the war, some say he was hit by a car but no matter what his history is, he is the sweetiest dog I have ever met in my life. Whilst trying to help Sanu out as he struggle to get his wife out of the hospital after her operation, we met Old School. I was so worn out but was so moved to play with him and  there he comes wagging his tale as if I was his owner. He did make my day and every one told me so much good stories of him. Old School, as he is called, living his life as a Freetonian and had no choice but to keep his three legs going and making life happen as it is. No complain at all…….  To me he represents a lot of my people, they have nothing, many times not even their limbs, but they smile, they are genuinely happy and they make life go on as if they were richest of the world” -James Mansaray


After prayerful consideration and much research, we have decided to transfer Lucy to a Boarding School in Freetown.   



Lucy, (James daughter) plans on being a doctor and with the scarcity of that vocation in Kabala we felt it was our duty to see that she gets the adequate education and training without delay.   Our NHA School in Kabala provides very qualified education however, we are just now growing into the high school level that Lucy has already obtained, therefore we didn’t want to hold her back. We tried the excellent homeschooling but since the internet in Sierra Leone is so intermittent these days, her learning was not consistent.  The boarding school tuition, room and board (including food) is right at $3,000 a year.  We have provided $500 of that as a downpayment and this has allowed her to begin school.  The school has asked that we pay $1100 this month and the rest within the next month.   We are taking donations for this cause.  If you wish to give please indicate “Lucy” on your contribution. 


Nazareth House again paid the yearly rent for Marianna Barrie, the wife of the late sufi saint, Pa Barrie.  

We promised Pa Barrie that  we would take care of his widow and we have kept our promise.   







Thanks be to God. 





Back at St. Simeon Skete, we are preparing for Winter.   The skies have been as colorful as the changing leaves.  Finally, the grass mowing is over until Spring.





   There is over 17 acres of grass to cut on the property and Seraphim has been keeping up with it.





   When time came for Louisville Tractor to come and take away the lawn mower for Winterizing,



 Seraphim was like a boy having his toy taken away.  


He explained to me that the Cheetah (Scags Zero Turn) was the best working tool he’s had in a long time.  ”Its a fine machine”  He is very thankful for it, especially with this much grass to cut. 


And as they drove off with it, Seraphim watched it to the very end of the road.   Men and their tools.   …smile…




We cannot stress enough that Nazareth House Apostolate relies totally on God as he expresses Himself through our supporters’ prayers, compassion and generosity.  Through this assistance we are able to reach hundreds (families and individuals, doctors and hospitals,  teachers and students).   Join us, today.

donations should be made through the Paypal button on our website 
or 
mailed to
NHA
185 Captains Cove Drive
Taylorsville,  KY 40071

NHA: changing the quality of life

Posted in Uncategorized on September 26th, 2011 by vicki – Be the first to comment
At Nazareth House work is always going on, whether it be at the Skete in Taylorsville, Kentucky
 or at the compound in Kabala 
or at the One Hut village near Kabala.  
Wherever there is a Nazareth, you will find someone working hard. 
Through the financial gifts to Nazareth House, 

James has headed up a crew to provide a solid home
 for the One Hut Family Village, 
One Hut Village 2010

who until recently have been living in a thatched mud hut. 

One Hut housing early 2011
 The whole family crammed into a few tiny rooms. 
Now we are putting the finishing touches on a very solid structure.  
The bricks were made with mud but reinforced with concrete and a zinc roof is placed over head!  
A big difference from their past, 
One Hut children stand in their house looking up through the missing roof
especially with the recent tragedies they have experienced 
Wind blows roof off of One Hut housing facility
when the wind blew their roof off last Winter 
and then fire destroyed their thatched hut this Spring.  
 But, now because of your compassionate generosity, their standard of living has improved greatly.  
The men of the village are hunters, they hunt bush meat for their food.  
Now they can focus on capturing that nourishment without worrying about the women left without proper shelter back home. 
Thank you and please continue to give so that others may also benefit from a gift of love. 
Please keep up the good work,  through Nazareth House you are helping so many people who’ve been straddling the line of existence and defeat.   By your contributions you provide that little boost they need to not only survive but to change the quality of their lives.  Thank you. 
Be a part of the Nazareth House Family
Join us today
Nazareth House Apostolate
www.nazarethhouseap.org
Note: Bush meat has been known to carry disease, we have warned those involved of this situation.  However, man must do what he must do in order to provide for his family and this is the manner in which this village and many others in Africa survive.  They do not have the luxury or wherewithal to purchase neatly packaged sanitized food.  NHA does provide the rice for them as often as we have the means to do so as well as medical supplies. 

When I die

Posted in Uncategorized on September 21st, 2011 by vicki – Be the first to comment 
When I die












When I die


 when my coffin is being taken out


 you must never think


 I am missing this world












don’t shed any tears


 don’t lament


 or feel sorry


 i’m not falling


 into a monster’s abyss
















when you see my corpse is being carried




 don't cry for my leaving




 i'm not leaving




 i'm arriving at eternal love




















when you leave me in the grave


 don’t say goodbye


 remember a grave is


 only a curtain


 for the paradise behind













you’ll only see me descending


 into a grave


 now watch me rise


 how can there be an end


 when the sun sets




 or the moon goes down

























it looks like the end




 it seems like a sunset




 but in reality it is a dawn




 when the grave locks you up




 that is when your soul is freed

















have you ever seen a seed fallen to earth




 not rise with a new life




 why should you doubt the rise




 of a seed named human















have you ever seen a bucket


 lowered into a well


 coming back empty


 why lament for a soul


 when it can come back


 like Joseph from the well














when for the last time


 you close your mouth


 your words and soul 


will belong to the world


 of no place no time














~RUMI, ghazal number 911, translated May 18, 1992, by Nader Khalili.




















































				

				
								
			


				

				
The Moment

				Posted in Uncategorized on September 18th, 2011  by vicki – Be the first to comment  

				

					


As James detaches from the things of life 








that once devoured the day in the hustle and bustle of the “got to make it big” city life, 








he is now settling into the wisdom and joys of simplicity.  








Each moment becomes a cherished event, good or bad.








Its the quiet ordinary moments, 








 like learning to weave a prayer mat with a friend








  that make us understand the importance of not wasting a single moment 


and the realization that what we’ve already been given is enough for God 


to do what he wants to do in our lives.   The hard part is trusting that…


and that’s where faith comes in…











				

				
								
			


		
		

			
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