Nazareth House Apostolate Blog: NHA Report: 7 Days of Updates (Day 3)

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.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

NHA Report: 7 Days of Updates (Day 3)

Day 3: "Living in the moment"
By James B Mansaray, Kabala Sierra Leone

Being a part of Nazareth House Apostolate, I have learned about staying in "the present moment". Fr. Seraphim always points us to the moment, he says "that's where God is" and for us in Sierra Leone it is a way of life. We must live in the moment - what has been or what will be aren't certain, what is right now - that we can trust.

The other day as I was out delivering rice purchased by the donations of the compassionate supporters of NHA, I encountered an old blind lady, her name was Mammy Mannia.

Here this sightless lady was walking a five mile hike all by herself to get to her village. It was pouring rain which makes the muddy dirt roads hard enough to navigate, and here was this frail lady making her way home without the benefit of her eyes.

I had plans to take the rice to another village and I did get to that village later. But the moment I was in right now contained a hungry blind woman. Needless to say, I escorted her home. Raining on and off, we walked the five miles to the village of Kamaron.

At times people shared the walk, other times it was just she and I. Arriving in Kamaron, she was greeted by her six grandchildren.

I left her with a large bag of rice.

See the smiles as they realized that they will have food for few more weeks.....

Thanks to everyone for giving to NHA.

I look at these beautiful innocent faces everyday, all around me here in Sierra Leone. I can't tell you how much it means to me that through your generosity, NHA is able to change so many lives. Please continue to give what you can, there are so many in need.

I left Mammy Mannia with her bag of rice and went on to deliver rice to other families in the area - more rice... more smiles!