Dear Friends of Nazareth House Apostolate,
We've been rather quiet lately, not posting a lot of new work on the blog, but that doesn't mean that we have slowed down at all. In fact, in reality, it means we've all been very busy. Each of us doing our part to provide for the hungry, the sick, the naked, the neglected, the marginalized...
Now it is time that we come together to commit to a huge effort to make the compound (a permanent center of operations residing in the area in which we work) a reality. There is so much at stake - namely: LIVES.
Owning our own land, our own building, is imperative to the continuance of our ability to maintain the level of humanitarian aid that the people of Sierra Leone have come to depend on from you as Nazareth House. If Nazareth House was to drop out of the picture, many would experience many losses in one way or another - either food, medical aid, schooling, health and/or some would lose their very existence.
I, for one, am not willing to allow this to happen. I don't believe that you want this, either.
Several of you have committed to monthly contributions for Nazareth House. Regular monthly donations allow us to have dependable income to provide for those in need. However, we must enlist many more monthly contributors to continue the outreach we are currently giving each month PLUS raise money to purchase our own property.
At this time we are able to make the monthly needs and the Nazareth House Kabala School budget each month but there is nothing extra to apply to the compound fund raising.
March 2010 is the deadline for owning our own property! Our current landlord has extended our lease for the absolute last time. We have 10 months to raise upwards of $200,000! We all are well aware of how fast time can slip away - to make it we would have to raise about $20,000 each month PLUS the $2,000 we need to provide for those we serve. We currently receive just a bit over $2,000 per month to do what we do - that is, feeding many in Freetown, pay our teachers and provide school supplies, maintain St. Laurence House (our rented compound), feed and care for our staff, provide school fees for those going to high school and University in Freetown, medical fees...and more ...
In March 2009, we were able to secure our rented quarters for one more year... this ends in 2010 with NO renewal.
You, individually or with your organization make up Nazareth House-those that pray, support, and work to serve those in need. It is that unity of all our talents that make Nazareth House so unique. So how are we going to perpetuate our continuance, making a difference in the lives of those who live in the midst of despair and poverty?
When Nazareth House first started in the year 2000 and I had to ask for donations, I was embarrassed, maybe even ashamed that I had to beg. Then, I went to Sierra Leone ...
I saw women washing clothes in buckets, their mud floors flooded from the rains. These women were doing, with great dignity, everything they could to provide clean clothes for their families. I simply throw my clothes in a machine and walk off, come back later and throw them in a dryer. sigh...
I saw children, unable to go to school in order to sell food to help support their families. And they aren't selling their goods in air conditioned clean buildings, they are walking (barefoot) from village to village with heavy loads on their heads.
I met people who were overjoyed to receive common over the counter medications that are taken for granted in most American households.
I found hungry children and adults....
and children dying of diseases such as pin worms! Yes, pin worms! My pride, my whatever it was had to go, if begging gets them what they needed to better their lives - then begging is what I have to do. So here I am, in front of you, begging you to spread the word of the Work of Nazareth House. This is a shared process and we must allow others to be blessed as much as we have by been by this giving, this demonstration of love.This work is a part of you and you a part of it. Scroll through past posts and look at all we are doing - you, me, those in Sierra Leone ... we are making a huge difference. We cannot stop now.
Of course, I am asking you to contribute financially to this worthy cause. If you haven't committed to a monthly sum, please consider doing so. If you can give anything LARGE or small, it goes to change a life. Giving once a year, quarterly, monthly...whenever...whatever...it makes a difference. Don't hold off, thinking it won't do anything...believe me it will.
I am asking you to share with your friends, relatives, church, organizations the chance to be a part of this beautiful service to others. It is such a wonderful blending of people of all walks of life, denominations, religions, creeds, race coming together to help those in need. A unity of love.
It is what we are told to do:
"for I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison , and you came to Me" These are Jesus' words but they are shared and summed up by all religions - "help the poor, the hurt, the needy".
Contributions should be sent to
Nazareth House Apostolate
2216 Goldsmith Lane
Louisville, KY 40218 USA
or made through Pay Pal
add the amount you wish to give on the donation link of the website: www.nazarethhouseap.org
If you need information or material to help spread the word about Nazareth House please email me at nha.prayer@gmail.com. You can also check Nazareth House Apostolate as a Cause on Facebook. See us in action on Youtube at www.youtube.com/SaloneNHA.
If we go into the bank, we can't collect the interest on our money unless we've put money into our account. Right? Conversely, we can't collect money for a compound for NHA unless we've put interest into doing so. Lets compound the interest for NHA....spread the word, tell everybody.
Being absorbed into God's mercy,
Vicki
