Pa Foday improving

Last night or as James says it:  "Yester-night", I received this email from James, our director of operations in Sierra Leone:

Hello Mama,

Good day. It was such a long long day for me as usual. Today I ran down town to settle bank, check post, see Marianna, pay money to Seamstress, we owe them a little from last work on the uniforms so I settled that etc.   We still have 50 of the kids without new uniforms.  Hopefully for Christmas we can find a way to get more uniforms made, God willing and provisions met.

Pop (Pa Foday) moved to a single room with better facilities and cleaner but no electricity. 

Pastor (Pa) Foday looking handsome as ever and much healthier 

He using one of the solar lights you sent. Thanks for that.  

Two families from Kabala visited. 

How nice they were to come that far just to see Pa Foday. 

Later on my whole family came too. Kadijah, Roo, Baby Vicki and then Lucy joined us later on after her class.

Left to Right: Baby Vicki, Kadiatu (James sister), Lucy, Kadijah 

 Pa Foday so happy and you can tell from Pictures that he is coming back to life. 

Thanks for all your prayers and financial support. We love you All .

We talk more tomorrow. Getting few school supplies for NHA School in the morning. 

Kadijah is staying for  a week until I come back to help take care of Pop.

Love to Fr. Seraphim.  

How is Fr. Slavin, did his surgery go well?  Is he in pain?  

How is Denny and JoanE doing with all the deer meat piled all around them? 

Mama Vicki shared a Taste of Salone with those at Markwell's Deer Processing - grannat soup (Groundnut Soup).
Soon the Markwell's will share a bit of the products of their labors with James and the One Hut Family in Salone. 

We are looking forward to the jerky.  (click on this link to read previous posts on Deer Jerky: From Lawrenceburg to Kabala ) You know this, I guess.   Please thank everyone for helping us here, everywhere I look I see someone struggling more than rest.  We need so much help. 

I have attached the receipts for some of the hospital bills paid.  thank everyone for this.  Brima and I have paid these using the funds received from NHA and a bit sent from family. Brima has been helping so much for us and I am so thankful that you guys have added him to the Nazareth House Team here in Salone.  He is so helpful.  

Maybe more will come in the post this week.

love,

James

As James reports in his email, Pa Foday is improving and enjoying seeing his family and friends from Kabala.  He is anxious to get home and back to normal.  Thank you for your prayers and donations.  NHA may be a very small organization but it certainly spreads out to help many.  

Brima and James have been paying for the hospital bills of Pa Foday.  

120,000 leones equals $27.78

NHA has provided them $1000 so far for this purpose.  

3million leones equals $694.47

The receipts here total $866.70 and do not include his continued stay in the hospital 

60,000 equals $13.89

and recovery treatment or the cost of travel to Freetown and the return to Kabala.  

100,000 equals $23.15

The Ultrasound was extremely inexpensive compared to the cost of one in America.  The technology is not as advanced but proved to be an adequate diagnostic tool.

360,000 leones equals $83.34

Notice in the above photo that this receipt is for the supplies for surgery.  Brima had to obtain and provide even the surgeons rubber gloves.  This means the patients family must run around town and obtain the IV's, the medication and the tools before the operation can take place.

104,000 leones equals $24.07

Notice in the above receipt that pure water must be purchased - as the water from the tap is not purified.     We may complain about the healthcare provided to us in the West but it far exceeds that in 3rd World countries. 

We thank you for your ongoing prayers, love and support.  You are saving lives!  Pa Foday is just one of many that you are helping to provide a better life.  Thank you. 

Idioms & Phrases:“hard nut to crack”

Also, “tough nut to crack.” -  A difficult problem; also, an individual who is difficult to deal with. For example, This assignment is a hard nut to crack, or It won't be easy getting her approval; she's a tough nut to crack. This metaphoric expression alludes to hard-shelled nuts like walnuts. [Early 1700s]

As James was returning to Kabala from picking up the supplies to begin the task of finishing the well at the NHA Compound, he stopped by a village on his way home.  

No one was around at first, except this little boy named Lansana.  He is 18 months old and one of a set of twins.  His mom was out fishing in the stream for their supper and dad was at work on their farm.  Grandma was inside the hut tending to the other children.

Regular daily meals and snacks are not a routine part of his day, fending for himself and hunger is.  Lansana has no toys, no games, not much of anything.  Yet, he is satisfied, happy.  No complaints of the past, no worries for the future he takes in life moment by moment. 

Ribs showing, protruding belly full of worms, he has found a single nut.  

At this early age he is determined and resourceful.  He attempts to break the nut with a rock.

After several tries he is successful and he eats the fruit from within. 

As this child found the nut hard to crack, poverty itself is a “hard nut to crack” - a difficult problem to fix.  The Bible tells us that poverty will always be with us.  Matthew 26:11, John 12:8  and then there is Deuteronomy 15:11 which says “There will always be poor people in the land.  Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.”   

So we must look at what is presented to us with reality.  We can’t be puffed up and think we can fix it all - God tells we aren’t able to do this on our own.  But he makes a point of telling us that it is something He wants us to try to do - (with open hands) help out.  And so we must.  Please join us, eyes wide opened, knowing we can’t make it go away but also knowing we can and will help out - loving one person at a time.  

Give today

NHA

185 Captains Cove Drive

Taylorsville, KY 40071 

Friday Smiles

It is all smiles for the Mansaray Family.  

Papa James is bursting with joy that his youngest daughter has arrived

and is healthy

and that is beloved wife survived the birth 

in a country where maternal mortality during delivery is very high, 

Having malaria, enduring a long drive from Kabala to Freetown, it is amazing how well Kadijah is doing!  Thank God.

Lucy is back at boarding school, unable to leave the school to be with her family, yet,  delighted that her baby sister and mom are doing well.  Lucy is all the more determined to study harder.   She knows how much we need doctors in Kabala. 

....and Roo...

Roo wasn't sure what to think about all this and was being very quiet...

but now that he met his little sister

well..look at those eyes... they say it all

Baby Vicki has definitely met with his approval

At this post, James is working his way back to Kabala,

he has work to do and we have villages to care for.  

In our line of work, there is no "family leave".  

The Needs don't stop, the work is ongoing.  

People like this little "lucky charm" toddler are depending on us.  

They depend on you and I to lend them the hand.  If you haven't already committed to a monthly donation, please consider doing so today.  

 Through your generosity, NHA has given help to many, but the light of each new day uncovers more that need us.  

We can't fulfill every need, but with your help, we can help many - bit by bit, person by person AND put a smile on their face.  

After checking on the latest new villages, James will return this weekend to pick up his family once Kadijah and Vicki are released from the hospital.  

Please pray for him as he travels the roads of Sierra Leone, road travel is not safe.  Drivers are wild and the roads bad.  

Its all about love....

Nazareth House Apostolate (NHA)

185 Captains Cove Drive

Taylorsville, KY 40071

Note: For those of you in America who have noticed the earrings already in Vicki's ears.  This is Africa, its a different culture and ears are pierced at a much earlier age than in USA.  This has been part of their culture from the beginning. 

This Weeks Full Moon brings a full week for NHA

Nazareth has had a full range of emotions this week.   

Seraphim especially enjoyed his conversations with Tom

The week began with the passing of Thomas Hilditch Landess, a dear friend to Seraphim and I and to Nazareth House Apostolate.  

Lucy in Sierra Leone sending condolences for the family

James and his family in Sierra Leone have not been able to meet Tom Landess or his family, but they know them well and have been friends for years.  

Roo especially, since Tom's wife, Mary Beth has always had a special nitch in her heart filled with Roo.  

And Roo loves her.  The bond is there - no need to meet face to face, the heart travels across oceans and bonds the two.  

The news that Tom dropped the body this week hit us all hard, including the Mansaray family.  They, too,  share the loss and grieve with the family.

And as one friend passes another one arrives.  

In the middle of the night I receive this text that James and family have packed into a car and made the long trip from Kabala to Freetown.  Kadijah 's fever is worse and with the baby nearing time for delivery they thought they could find better medical attention in Freetown. 

I received word at 4:24 AM this morning that James wife, Kadijah has given birth to a baby girl - her name is Vicki.   

We will keep you informed and send pictures as we get them.   

God bless you all, Nazareth House Apostolate truly is a family ... We love you all.