THE NHA COMPOUND is being TILED

The contractor is in the process of tiling the NHA Compound. He has enough funds to do some tiling in the interior and the exterior wall. I was surprised by the exterior tiles, I wasn't aware that tiles would be used outside and the "bright display" took me aback for a moment. But affectionately, I remember T.I.A. This Is Africa and bright colors remind of us of life and joy. I wouldn't have it any other way.

There is plenty of work to be done to put the NHA Compound in proper live-in condition. However, the contractor is waiting on us to send him the funds to complete those tasks. We still owe a bit over $39,000 to him. So far he has used everything we have paid him on the NHA Compound (materials, workers salaries, etc) and he's used nothing on himself. He is not a rich man, not by far. He is a hard working family man and deserves to be paid. If you haven't contributed to the Compound... please consider doing so today. If you have contributed and know of others who would like to be a part of this great work - please tell them about what you have accomplished to help others in Sierra Leone through Nazareth House Apostolate. Every organisation needs a center of operations and Nazareth House is no different.

We must have a place to house our staff and store the supplies. There are so many people depending on us, prayerfully consider a donation today. Thank you.

Back on the Road, Camera in Hand

All photographs on this post are the exclusive property of NHA & its photographer, James Mansaray

© 2010. Nazareth House Apostolate. All rights reserved.

Report and Photography by James B. Mansaray

Freetown, Sierra Leone.

A few weeks back I was again on the road with my Nikon D40 to be present with the Teachers and Students as the year draws to a close for the NHA School.

As usual as I make my way from Freetown to Kabala, I drop off medical supplies to the villagers and fill up hungry bellies.

Last week on the blog I asked you to involve more people in helping us to raise funds for the much needed Compound for NHA as we make the move to Kabala. I hope that you are telling everyone about the work of Nazareth House and about the lives you are changing and making better through NHA.

Some will ask questions why the move to the Wara Wara Hills of Kabala? Why not Freetown and its beautiful beaches? I can only answer them by saying that Kabala needs attention for there are lots of lapses in that area. Educationally, healthcare and in terms of infrastructural growth, Kabala is way behind. Although Freetown, with all its needs, and even though it is far behind other nations' Capital Cities by comparison, it still has more opportunities than Kabala. I love Kabala and I love it with all my heart. It is where I was born, where I grew up.

Kabala has its odds: poverty, disease, hunger - however, of course it has many good things, too. And these good things could increase tremendously if only it is given a helping hand. How can changes be made without a start. Somebody has to do something. NHA has done so much for Kabala and there is so much more we can do. Kabala simply needs a little nudge from you guys by your help through NHA.

One morning as I travel on to Kabala from Freetown, a stop at SS curve, commonly known as the KABALA curve, I am welcomed by the beauty

that surrounds this peaceful and loving town.

Such incredible beauty.

The government assiduously is playing its part for Kabala but it still cries for large NGO's with huge proposals yet still children play in the streets naked

and hungry.

NHA, small as we are, continues

to put smiles on hundreds of parent's and student's faces

as our NHA School's enrollment grows and grows.

NHA Students enjoy "closing of School for Summer" Party.

My camera sees all of this and will not stop me from showing it to you in my own little way. Look at life for children in the area.

A young boy at Makakura village does nothing for his living but carries a big black wooden box on his head, a trap to track down rats and ground pigs.

He is so graceful and doing this with a big smile. You see nothing like this in Freetown…

These boys needed education but there is no way out. Not without our help. Kabala needs a jumpstart and NHA has wasted no time getting things started in Kabala. NHA began with the school but there is food and farming that needs to be increased, there are medical needs, there is so much more to be done.

When I was a boy, we knew nothing but fun in this town, rolling our butts on hills, or climbing palm nuts trees barefooted, with naked hands to make a day’s meal.

Though those days were "the good ole days for us" there has been no change, no real improvement for I still see this happening .

In those days we were called "missionary kids" as we were surrounded with a host of Missionaries, but today, that's all faded away with more needs and precious few answers. Those days we were talking about pure tap and sterilized water, dusty but well fixed roads, good farms etc. They are still dreaming of these same things today, hoping that somehow, someway they will become a reality.

Can we really sit back and let the Wara Wara hills of Kabala fade and die?

I know I cannot allow this to happen and I don't believe you will allow it, either. There is so much potential here, so much opportunity to make a change for the better, to improve so many lives. We only need your helping hand.

Please give today for Nazareth House Apostolate. Be a part of change, real change, real love. Join the Nazareth House Family where we are not about hand-outs but all about relationship, growing together, helping each other to be the best they can be.

My heart belongs to all of you. Thank you and please continue the great work and spread the word.

James Bombolia Mansaray

Friday Report from Mako

Summer Greetings to you all,

It holiday time in Sierra Leone and so also in Kabala.

Schools and school children are closed for the Summer Months.

The rains are coming down as they never have before, as this is the peak of the rainy season.

This season is the most difficult time in Kabala, especially the months of July and August.

There is plenty of farm work, but little food and crops at this time of the year.

Food items are very expensive, especially rice which is the staple food.

Children have to carry heavy fire coals on their head and walk up to five miles to the center of Kabala

The fire coals are sold so that they can help to buy food for the home.

The mother has to sell other food items such as corn to support the home too.

The father has to work in the farm and taking care of their livestock’s.

The younger boys have to work very hard on the farm too.

The younger children are happy to help in there in own little ways.

Sorie, at 6 years of age has lost both his parents due to Malaria and typhoid within only six months time

This poor orphan has to take care of himself, as you can see Sorie washing his only cloths.

But the story is not the same for all the children,

as this boy is content riding his old tyre.

Life at the time of the year in Kabala is very very difficult

Every family member, both young and old, have to work on the farm and do some petty trading in other to make a living.

We thank God for sending Nazareth House Apostolate, as you have been of great help and support to the people of Kabala.

Pa. Foday continues to do the “Home Visit” in spite of the heavy rains and his duties at his farm.

He has been improving from his recent bout with malaria.

Despite all the troubles, sickness and hard times Fr. Seraphim & Mama Vicki and some of our Nazareth House Supporters in America have been dealing with, plus the day to day struggles James endures in Freetown, and our own problems here in Kabala; Nazareth House continues to make sure that they are always a great help to the people of Kabala.

Please help them with these kind works. Give today to NHA so that they can help feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and provide medicine for the sick.

Please also help us to pay for the Compound so we can expand our work to more of those in need in the villages in and around Kabala.

May God Bless Us All.

Jerry Mako.

Recovering with a Fresh Initiative

Posted by James Bombolia Mansaray

18 July 2010

It is only a short time away before NHA makes the move to Kabala. The plans are set, but so little accomplished and there is much to be done to make this a reality. At times when I think of this move, I wink my eye brows, trying to send away the uneasy feelings and trust in the strength in you all to make this happen. I had this uneasy feeling with the school and the NHA supporters came through.

I pray that we can do it again this time for the NHA Compound.

Like the school, the Compound is so vital to the work we do in Sierra Leone - it is the cornerstone of stability and the future of the help we continue to give.

True, it has been a while since I last wrote on this blog. I've missed keeping in touch with you all and I guess you guys missed hearing from me as well. I have been quiet but not inactive.

It is our job at NHA to keep the good work going.

It is hard for me to talk about the future in Kabala without first speaking of the heavy cloud of illness we have experienced in the inner circle of NHA recently.

My mum, my dad (Pa Foday)

have both battled malaria this past month.

And then only a few weeks back my wife escaped the deadly malaria and Typhoid parasite.

Today, our beloved Fr. Seraphim continues to struggle to fight against this dreaded disease. Malaria can be a killer disease and we are most thankful for your prayers and the recovery of our loved ones during this troublesome time for NHA.

Young boys praying the rosary for the healing of Fr. Seraphim.

The illnesses we've experienced knocked us down for a bit, but also set us up with a fresh initiative to move forward - with a deeper sense of urgency.

As long as there is ONE person starving,

ONE child unable to attend school, or

Sadly we lost little Emmanuel due to circumstances stemming from his internal parasite infestation.

ONE person dealing with worms squirming in their guts, that's all the motivation we need. We fight hard to conquer all roadblocks.

Once again, Nazareth House Apostolate is in the midst of those it serves in Sierra Leone.

It is the call of NHA to experience what the people it serves experiences. As a Humanitarian Organization we do not place ourselves in a different environment than everyone else. We are one with the people, in their midst.

We get hungry, we get sick, we carry buckets of water, we share the same food - no fancy hotel living with showers that have hot water, no fancy headquarters, we live as everyone does. We get malaria.

TENKI

GREETINGS,

To God be the glory, great things He has done.

Nazareth House Apostolate Primary School Kabala, wants to thank you all for what has been a blessed school year.

If it was not for your SUPPORT, LOVE, PRAYERS and GREAT HEART OF GIVING, we should have not come this far as a school.

Therefore, as a school and behalf of the Education Superintendent Rev.Foday Mansaray, Head Teacher Mr. Mako Mansaray Teachers- Mr. Joshua B.Kanu, Mr.Kelleh Mansaray, Mrs. Lucy Kamara and Mr. Jonathan Senessie we want to thank you all for supporting the school all through these years.

We were able as a school to have a very successful school year.

School close down on the 9^th of July, exactly one week today.

The parents were with us on this very day to collect the report cards of their children.

It is always a very special day for all the children, as they will be going to new classes when school reopens.

But above all the parents will like to see and know the academic performances of their children right through the school years.

The children were given there reports cards: Nursery, Class One, Class two, Class Three and Class Four.

We already have a group of pupils that will go to class five next year.

We need to have a new class room space for them and also a new teacher.

The school currently has five (5) teachers, for all the classes.

But come next year, we will need another teacher to handle the new class.

We hope and pray that God will make the necessary provision so that we can find a new class room space and a new teacher for the children as we want to keep all these children at school.

We are growing as a school, if something is not done we will have to turn down some of these children, which NHA hates to do because we care and love our children so dearly.

We can keep all these children in school come next year if hearts are opened to GIVE to NHA to help these needy children.

Once more our gratitude goes to Father Seraphim and Mama Vicki for all the support, hard work and love that you guys have shown to us all through these years.

Know that this love and concern will always hold a special place in the heart of all NHA school children in Kabala.

To our great friends and supporters out there we say ‘TENKI’ (Krio for 'thank you')

We love you all.

Jerry Mako.

Dear Friends and Supporters
We send you our warmest greetings from NHA School Kabala. We thank God for another week in the month of July, and the last week in our school year calendar.

What a blessing for us as a school and all our children to have such a very successful school year and a blessed one too.

But we must make haste as a school to render our gratitude to you all for the support, giving, love and prayers all through these school years.

Today marks another historic day in the lives of NHA School Kabala, as the school was able to hold it second annual “School Party”.

The cooking was done by me

along side my staff

especially Lucy Kamara, the only female teacher we have in the school,

with all the support from the children. What a blessing and happy time for us all.

After the cooking off we go to get ready for the P-A-R-T-Y.

As you can see the children at the assembly grounds, they offer their prayers before the start of the party.

All the children and their parents were in attendance to celebrate this day with us.

It was a very happy time as you can see from the smiling faces of the children.

Photo by James Mansaray

You remember Sheaku,the child with the worms.

just take a look at him,he is doing fine and well. Thanks be to God for his recovery - God working through Nazareth House to provide the means for his healing.

There was enough food and drinks for all our children, staff members, and friends invited, and even the supporting parents. We really thank God for this great love and for the ones that is shared this very day.

There were cultural dances, singinging, and a film show for the young nursery children.

Once more we want thank you all for all the love and support you have shown to us all these years.

Photo provided by James Mansaray

Your support and help to us as a school as you can see has changed the lives of hundreds of children and brought JOY, LOVE, PEACE and HOPE in their lives.

Photo by James Mansaray

Our local community at Kabala has been really blessed with the work on NHA.

Photo by James Mansaray

To you all we say thank you for all what you have done for us.

Much love to you all, and May the good Lord keeps us all.
Mako Jerry.

*Photos for this post were taken or provided by Mako Mansaray unless otherwise indicated. All photos on this blog are property of NHA, all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated.