The Shoes are on the way to the NHA students in Kabala

Thank you to the neighbors and friends of Nazareth House who helped James prepare the shoes for travel to the students in Kabala.

and Thank you to the people who gave shoes, helped ship to Maria in Summit Hills, and got the word out that we needed shoes.

It was truly a team effort. ...and Maria - Lord knows how much I love you, You did good, girl. You are a saint!

Report on "Shoes Travels" by James B. Mansaray:

I got up at 4: 30 AM local time packing and trying to fit shoes in a huge box and barrel

before taking it to the Bus Station for its voyage to Kabala.

In Freetown this can meet you a lot of STRESS dealing with transportation here, this one was very STRESSFUL situation for me this time around.

Poda Poda after Poda Poda (transport bus),we finally get to the bus station, unfortunately for me, the Government bus scheduled to drive to Kabala was too small.

There was not enough space for even two suitcases

so I had no option but to try Texaco Lorry park at the esatern part of town where I was able to find a place for the shoes, thanks to Abdulai, a neighbour friend who helped me to get this from one spot to another with those hug boxes on the head.

Boxes filled with shoes are on their way to Kabala, and all of us at St. Laurence House will leave this afternoon to meet the shoes there.

Soon we all will have a great time dealing with this at the school and beyond. We still have a big full box of shoes at St. Laurence House which will be handed out to people as and when necessary. So far, a whole lot have benefited from this and we all cant wait for the School in Kabala to get their share.

I am so tired but will have lunch, rest a bit before we take to the road again. Do keep us in your prayers. We'll be sending word from Kabala.

Love to all.

Nazareth House Apostolate at Kroo Bay Community Health Centre

Nazareth House Apostolate is committed to supporting Kroo Bay Community Health Centre whenever we can with whatever supplies we have.

This past mission trip (Oct 2009), we brought in (again what we considered very little) supplies to Kroo Bay Clinic

and again the staff at the clinic were overwhelmed and so appreciative as if we had given them tons and tons of items.

I felt embarrassed for the small amount of supplies I was bringing into the Clinic, but Nurse Adama reassured me that it was all very much needed.

They had NOTHING to work with. This always puzzles me seeing so many organizations on Youtube, Blogs, websites talk about and show the needs for Kroo Bay. I just can't understand the lack of giving, the producing of the supplies they need to do their work.

The word is out there, but it seems people just are answering the call to help. Nazareth House is very small and hasn't much, but we will always remember and give aid to Kroo Bay Medical Clinic.

Looking at the mothers holding their sick children,

as ill as the children are

I see the hope in the mother's eyes

because they trust the staff at Kroo Bay to do the best they can despite their lack of better equipment.

I am in total awe of the whole staff, (Adama, the nurses, the assistants, all led by a fine, capable gentleman named Gibrillo Timbo, the Community Health Officer) they do so much to save lives with so very little at hand to do the work.

James made sure to coordinate cell phone numbers with Adama so that when they have needs they will let him know.

If we are able, we at Nazareth House will surely do all that we can to help.

Yesterday, Americans celebrated Thanksgiving Day. A day to be thankful for the bountiful gifts that have been bestowed on us.

I can't help but think of the children in Sierra Leone who are constantly giving thanks for what they have, smiles on their faces.

Yet, most of us in America ate more in one day

than these children consume in two weeks.

As we continue our Thanksgiving Weekend traditions, shopping in mad crowds for Black Friday sales, visiting Family and Friends, maintaining a holiday spirit, take time to stop,

be still and consider those without. Consider their small quiet cry...

Remember those who need your help in Sierra Leone.

This Holiday Season give a gift that is worth every penny that is given, a gift that really changes a life. A gift that will be returned but not to a shop or store, but returned with thanksgiving and love...

GIVE TO NAZARETH HOUSE APOSTOLATE

2216 Goldsmith Lane

Louisville, KY 40218

or

give through our website by clicking here.

Your donations are tax deductible.

Welcome to Koinadugu District

Welcome to Koinadugu District, it is the village in Kabala in which our school is located,

the place where Pastor Foday resides with his family and our all time favorite area of Sierra Leone.

If we would ever move to Sierra Leone, this is where we would call our home.

Besides being a beautiful place, mountains and lush vegetation, the people there are the sweetest and dearest we've met.

One of our favorite places to visit in Kabala, (after the school) is PayGay's pub & guest houses.

Our last visit there last month, we were guest a PayGay's guest house.

Paygay is a very dear friend

and treated us like royalty.

He even brought us a generator for the nights we stayed at his place.

At Paygay's Pub you can relax, drink a coke or a beer and visit with friends.

Paygay, who recently became a father,

has put a lot of time and energy in making Koinadugu District a better, more productive place.

There will be an election on November 27th for Chiefdom of Koinadugu District.

Paygay is one of the candidates for the position.

Nazareth House Apostolate does not involve itself in politics, but as our friend, we certainly wish PayGay all the best in whatever he does.

He is a wonderful caring man and he has been very supportive and helpful to Nazareth House.

Response from a dear friend in California concerning the shoe shipment: "I got shoes. You got shoes. All God's children got shoes, my Lord. When we get to heaven, we gonna walk . . . . we gonna walk . . . . all over God's heaven!"

OH YES! WE GOT SHOES!

"Ask and you shall receive".. I was just wondering when the processing and release of the shoes

loaded on the container from Summit Hill, PA would take place when I received the news from James.

"Mama, we've got shoes". "St. Laurence House has been invaded by shoes, I mean WE'VE GOT SHOES!"

Fr. Sandy delivered some of the bags of shoes collected by Maria Stianchie from ONE LOVE FOUNDATION.

Some of the shoes collected are going to the Orphanage - St. Mary's, while others were for Nazareth House Apostolate, for our school in Kabala and

various children of the villages we serve.

The large garbage bags full of shoes were left off inside the garage of St. Laurence House in Freetown, Sierra Leone. After the initial awe of seeing "all these shoes" the chore of sorting

by sizes, determining boys from girls and counting them all began.

The shoes were transferred from the garage to the living of room of St. Laurence House

for the sorting.

I am delighted to see little Sia,

who has been so ill,

recovered and up assisting in the shoe project.

I am also happy to see Jodie, James sister,

giving a hand

to get all these shoes ready for delivery.

The living room is covered in shoes.

Everyone works to separate and sort.

Finally after several hours of work, the job is done.

Now its time to bag up and clean up from the sortment.

Everyone is tired and worn out

... BUT...

Roo comes home from school

and its his turn to see the sight of a room full of shoes.

So what does Roo do? He does what any local spiderman would do,

he creeps and crawls and climbs all through the stacks of shoes.

What excitement!

What a great thing you've done! Thanks for all the shoes... just wait until you see them being put on the feet for which they were intended. Good work, my friends, you've done well! Thank you, thank you.