In this age of Internet Purchasing, many of us have found Amazon to be a real pleasure. You can buy what you need while remaining in the comfort of your home and see it delivered within a few days. AND on many occasions or with a specific membership your order arrives at your door in two days free from shipping costs.
Living out away from the city and with gasoline being so highly priced lately, Amazon has been a very cost effective way to bring supplies into St. Simeon Skete.
The border collie at the Skete, Chase, will someday be helping us to herd chickens into the Chicken Coop at night - when we get one in place; however, until then Chase believes his duty is to greet delivery trucks.
He waits daily at the door, looking for deliveries. Chase is especially fond of our regular UPS Driver (Border Collies have high intelligence - he is discerning about who he likes).
When James, our director from Sierra Leone, was in America he was delighted
by the ability to buy something and have it delivered to you
without having to ever leave your house. Rain, sleet or snow, excessive heat...your packages are delivered.
We agree with James - we like home delivery at the Kellia at St. Simeon Skete, too. However, the ultimate home delivery is right under James' nose. America may have access to many material goods, but compared to Africa they lack in the human to human, daily contact and fellowship. While in our hurried lives we zip through the grocery self check-out without ever making eye contact - in Sierra Leone, its not like that.
As Kadijah sits on the porch of the NHA Compound in Kabala, the neighbors approach her with the vegetables they have for sell. Fresh picked and delicious brought right to the door.
Kadijah, the ever prudent buyer, takes a taste before she buys.
She makes her selection, pays for the groceries and the transaction is complete. But so much more has happened, personal relations are formed and bonds of friendships grow.
After the nice visit, the neighbors are on their way to the next house, to bring not only their goods but also their fellowship.
Yes, Amazon gets our goods to us quick and packaged well at that, but you just can't match the personalization and love in the way home delivery is done in Kabala.
In our fast pace world, the Kabala "Home Delivery Service" reminds us that there is nothing like human contact.
As it is in Kabala at the Nazareth House Compound, so it is at St. Simeon Skete. Our regular delivery drivers (the humanity of the internet transaction) have become part of our lives, like family. And even Chase is not left out of the interaction. Chase gets a treat at every delivery.
And like our staff in Kabala, we always offer anyone that comes to the doors at the Skete something to eat and/or drink and that especially goes for delivery drivers who have been hauling boxes in the heat or cold all day. Hospitality is part of what we are about. Its a win win situation all around - but best of all and most importantly we enjoy the fellowship.
The Internet, used properly, can be a helpful and effective. We are social beings and nothing can replace human contact. Taking time to get to know one another has a profound effect on our well being. Sure we can rack up friends on Facebook but our grandparents can tell you there is nothing like person to person interaction. The Fuller Brush man, the milkman, the iceman and other delivery workers were our grandparent's friends and source of neighorhood news. They knew if they were having a bad day or a good day just by looking at their face as they walked to the door. This is what Nazareth House Apostolate is striving to do, to keep the personalization in all we do, the touch, the smile, the love. Join us today.
