St. Simeon Skete, Taylorsville Kentucky USA

With St. Simeon, the God receiver, as our patron, the skete seeks to practice the ideals found in our Rule, The Thousand Day Nazareth. In simplicity and poverty, the skete embraces the struggle of inner life through the practice of the Prayer Rope.

See our website at www.nazarethhouseap.org

Donations should be addressed to: Nazareth House Apostolate, 185 Captains Cove Drive, Taylorsville, Kentucky 40071.

Important Notice: All writings, posts, graphics & photographs in this blog are the copyrighted property of (unless otherwise indicated) Nazareth House Media, a division of Nazareth House Apostolate and cannot be copied, printed or used without written permission from NHA Media, Taylorsville, KY.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Orphaned Newborn Twins

By James Mansaray: Freetown, Sierra Leone


In present day Sierra Leone the word "HARDSHIP" is in the ears of every man and woman, both young and old. The reality of this hardship comes to full blown life in the idea of bearing twins. Giving birth to twins has always been a rare issue, but when it happens it means moreof the energy, stress and money needed to raise a single kid, now the struggles of raising a family is doubled.

Several weeks back, right on this blog, we told a story of two beautiful male twins born to mother Dusu. It was on that report that Mama Vicki stressed the need of helping these helpless and poor mothers who carrying a gift from God within them had no choice but to get caught in the web of inappropriate medical facilities, and in an environment where the needs are great but little or nothing at hand to go with.

Now, take this story of these new born twins, who tragically lost the mother just after a struggling birth at this same small health centre at Heremakono village where mother Dusu was. It is scary enough in this country to give birth to one baby, let alone two.

Kumba Kamara of Makakura village lost so much blood during labour and died few hours later leaving her newborns behind. The twins (a boy and a girl) presently hospitalised at the Kabala Government hospital awaiting help from anywhere.

The twins now in the hands of Aunty Yamana Marah face the challenge of surviving it..... This can only be made possible with our helping hands. Unfortunately, theiradopted mother cant breast feed them and the type of formula they can afford brings nothing but diarrhea.

According to this lady tending to them, they have last lost so much weight due to lack of food and her fear is they do not have the fight within them to keep life going.

Majority of the average families here will tell you that preference is one baby at a time but it’s all depends to what the Good Lord has in store for you. We always see and hear desperate barren couples praying for a baby day in and day out, when some especially amongst the poorest of the poor, are bringing them into the world in twos and threes’ whenever they visit the labour room. Life, at whatever multiples it arrives in is a beautiful gift from God. We must be there to welcome it and provide what it needs, especially if the mother is unable. I don't know why I always see twins and triplets in the hands of the very poor, I just know that God knows and God sees.

Sometime back on this blog we talked of a poor girl giving birth to three babies at once. Unfortunately she has moved on to the up country and we have lost track of her. I pray those kids are doing well.

You can help today by donating to NHA so that we can help meet some of these desperate needs. The truth is, most of these stories are here hidden and untold and I most times find myself in the midst of it. It is our way at Nazareth House, to be there in the midst of "tight spots" calling in the Name of the Lord. Being there in prayer and body to love one way or the other, helping in our own little way. Please give today and help save lives.

One way to help out is to give to NHA to buy pills that make the worms go away. Everyone here gets worms, no matter how clean you get yourself. The conditions just are bad to make it a common thing for us. We are hoping to cure at least 100 people from these parasites. One pill is $3 and it takes 6 to cure someone of a bad case of worms. That is $18 per person.

Another way to help is to give what Mama Vicki calls "on-the-ground" money so that when they are here they can take care of what they find in need. It could be feeding a family, repairing a home to keep rains out, providing medical needs... whatever they find, we want to be able to help out.

Consider your donation in prayers and send to

NHA

2216 Goldsmith Lane

Louisville, KY 40218

or through the paypal donation link on our website www.nazarethhouseap.org


Also, please keep all those who lost their lives when the ferry sunk yesterday. So sad, it has been determined it was because of overloading of the boat. This is always how it is and with no efficient equipment for rescues or life boats and life jackets...you take your life in hands on a ferry here. Please pray for the families who lost their loved ones and for those that survived but are suffering from this tragedy. thank you

JAMES