In perfect timing, once again, compassionate individuals from all over the United States and even some from Europe have come together to make possible the work of Nazareth. It is truly an act of love...love for our brothers and sisters, the love for each other!
Despite the fact that the US economy is down, the housing market tumbling and fuel & food cost up, you came through to meet the needs of those less fortunate than yourselves. You gave to stop the internal parasites ravaging so many children, you gave to provide education, you gave to provide medical needs, you gave to provide clothing, you gave to provide food, you gave, you gave, you gave....
Your gifts are like seeds. Now we have only to physically deposit and implement these beautiful seeds of love and watch them grow.
Every donation of every size is a blessing to the giver and to the recipient in many ways. Every gift is meaningful and special.
There have been so many acts of selflessness. I'd like to take a moment to highlight one of those caring selfless acts:
Nazareth House received an email from One Love Foundation (www.1lovefoundation.org). It explained that they are a newly formed Charitable Organization from Summit Hill, Pennsylvania. Presently they are working to fill a 40 ft container to send to Freetown for Fr. James Sandy, pastor of St. Martin's Parish for his community and the children of St. Mary's Orphanage. They have not raised the full amount of money to send the container ($8,000), and still need to do fund raising. YET, they were concerned about our mission, having read our blog and admired the work of Kadijah and James through Nazareth House. They could not allow us to go to Sierra Leone without making our goal. Putting the NHA mission as priority, they sent in via paypal the difference to make up our goal for uniforms and on-the-ground needs.
One Love Foundation asked that we fulfill a gift from Mrs. Amy Burkey's 7th grade Social Studies Class at Penn Kidder Elementary School. These children, upon hearing about the situation in Sierra Leone, raised $200 for mosquito bed netting. They asked that we use the $200 to provide mosquito bed nets for some of the children at NHA Kabala School in honor of our contractor's child who died while he was away from his village working on our school.
I am happy to report that with this donation, along with all the previous contributions to this specific mission and the funds that came in today - we have made ALL of our goals and will also be able to add to the 7th graders' gift from Penn Kidder School to provide a bed net for the children at our school and some families in Freetown, also. James is checking on the price of bed netting in Freetown today, but it is possible that we will be able to provide 100 bed nets for 100 children! In other West African countries a bed net can be bought for $5. In the past, we've paid $10 in Freetown. By purchasing in bulk, James is hoping to negotiate a better price. Never-the-less, we are pleasantly surprised to be able to add the gift of bed nets to many children. What a blessing to be able to provide both bed netting to fight off the wicked mosquitoes and the internal parasite medications. Truly, truly the out pouring of love is overwhelming. Thank you ALL. This has been an act of unity to the tenth power!!!!!