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.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

NHA School in full swing

The Christmas Holidays behind us, the students have returned to Nazareth House Apostolate School in Kabala and resumed their studies for well over a month.
NHA School, Kabala                                  ©2012 NHA All Rights Reserved 

 The students are packed into small rooms  

NHA School, Kabala                                  ©2012 NHA All Rights Reserved 
which we partitioned from the original room space in order to accommodate the growing attendance and need for more classrooms. 
NHA School, Kabala                                  ©2012 NHA All Rights Reserved 
 The day is fast approaching that we will have to build an addition on to the school.   
NHA School, Kabala                                  ©2012 NHA All Rights Reserved 
Despite the crowding, the teachers are doing a tremendous job and the students are excelling in acquiring knowledge.  
NHA School, Kabala                                  ©2012 NHA All Rights Reserved 
Students in Kabala have to contend with many obstacles that most students in the USA do not.  
NHA School, Kabala                                  ©2012 NHA All Rights Reserved 
They get malaria, they get typhoid from dirty water, 
NHA School, Kabala                                  ©2012 NHA All Rights Reserved 
they have to work to help support the family (even the elementary school students), 
NHA School, Kabala                                  ©2012 NHA All Rights Reserved 
they come to school hungry, and they have to walk miles (and I mean actual miles) to get to school.  

NHA School, Kabala                                  ©2012 NHA All Rights Reserved 
In America, we smile at our parents as they reminisce about having "had to walk to school several miles in the snow - uphill both ways."  
NHA School, Kabala                                  ©2012 NHA All Rights Reserved 
In Kabala, there is no snow - but there is heavy rains or extreme heat, they do walk many miles to get to school and the “hills” they must climb to remain in school are the stumbling blocks they must face daily which come at them from all directions.   

Pa Foday continues to use the motorbike purchased for him by NHA to check on the students and their families.  
NHA School, Kabala                                  ©2012 NHA All Rights Reserved 
If a child doesn’t make it to school, Pa Foday immediately goes to the student’s home to see what is going on and how to help get the child back to receiving regular education. 

                            ©2012 NHA All Rights Reserved 

There is so much more to running a school in Africa than grading papers, it takes involvement at all levels - at the school, in the community and in the life at home. 
NHA School, Kabala                                  ©2012 NHA All Rights Reserved 
One student that you know well, who has suffered illness and been away from his school desk at the NHA School has now made his way back.  
 Roo eagerly ready to return to school                ©2012 NHA All Rights Reserved 
Roo who is recovering from severe anemia and complications stemming from that illness, flings his backpack on his back and crosses the dirt road from his home in the NHA Compound to the NHA School.  
Roo walking to school                            ©2012 NHA All Rights Reserved 
Once back at his desk, Roo eagerly gets back to the business of learning.  
 Roo with his classmates at NHA School, Kabala           ©2012 NHA All Rights Reserved 
A solid, well rounded education is the basis for personal growth and ability to provide for oneself.  This also applies to a community.  
Roo answers the questions in his workbook.                             ©2012 NHA All Rights Reserved 
Education opens many doors and gives opportunity for betterment.  For this reason, its is vital that your prayers and support for the work of Nazareth House Apostolate remain ongoing.   
Students attentively listen to their teacher at NHA School, Kabala                                         ©2012 NHA All Rights Reserved 
...and if you haven’t yet been involved in the work of NHA, please consider doing so today.    Donations can be made through the website at www.nazarethhouseap.org or by check or money order to 
Nazareth House Apostolate
185 Captains Cove Drive
Taylorsville, KY 40071