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.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

This Week's Kabala Report from Mako

Written by Mako Mansaray, Kabala Sierra Leone

THE FRIDAY REPORT

Greetings from Sierra Leone especially from Kabala.

We wanna thank God
for another Good Friday.
It is a great blessing as we have the first
rain fall in Kabala last night.
As today is Good Friday,this fresh day started with a church
service in Pa Foday's church. This has been our tradition over the
years. Our message for today was taken from the book of Mark 15 verses
21to 40.

We really thank God for the health of Pa. Foday, as he was in church
this morning to deliver to us the Sermon. Thanks to NHA for getting the
right Malaria drugs for the treatment of Pa. Foday.

Our little friend Emmanuel's parents were also in church with us
today.Special prayers were offered for him as he is still in Gnaya
village with the grandmother. They told us that Emmanuel is doing fine
as he was taken there mainly to have some "traditional medications".
But with the love and concern shown by the NHA team both at home and
abroad,they have strongly promised us that they will bring back the
boy. This we will wait and see.

With the first rains last night,the mangoes are
back,fresh,ripe,sweet,and ready to eat. This is a very happy time
especially for the children in and around Kabala.
With all the happiness and joy on this Good Friday,deep down our heart
there is plenty of sorrow as a dear friend of Pa. Foday and Pa
Bah, - David Fonah,a motorbike rider commonly known as "OKADA" in Kabala
passed away in the very early hours of Thursday-1st April.
David Fonah,who came to Kabala from the East has spent all his life
riding people from one place to another around Kabala and the villages
around. He was a very popular man and was known as the poor mans
friend.

At the age of 49 years,the poor mans friend departed this world for
life eternal,leaving behind five daughters and a very worried and
broken hearted widow.The oldest among the children is 16 years and the
youngest is 4 years old.

At the grave site,Pa Foday and myself could not keep our tears away
as the youngest of the children was crying "Papa u don punish tay u
die,now u don lef we for sofer back. Who that go ge we tin for eat,send
we na school,cre we na Hospital way we sick or pay we ose
rent". Meaning,"father you have suffered all you life up till death,and
now you have left us to suffer the more behind you.Who will give us
food to eat,send us to school,care for us when we get sick or pay our
house rent?".

Lucy the widow, told us that her husband has died of severe cold (probably pneumonia) as a
result of the bike riding which he has done for the past 15 years.
As we walk back home from the grave site,I was so worried and trouble
by the words of Isha at the grave site that I immediately ask Pa.
Foday that we need to get this children to come to our school-NHA
Kabala. He welcomed the idea with a little smile on his face. I then took
his right hand,and said to myself,I am lucky to have both parents
still alive.

But all is not lost for this family as they still have Jesus. In our
own little ways,we can help this family. As "a friend in need is a
friend indeed."

Thanks to you all for your help and support.
May God Bless us all.
Love
Mako.