Most recent supply shipment arrives in Freetown

The medical supplies, etc. that we mailed well over a month ago

have finally arrived in Freetown, delayed (we are told) by the volcanic ash which grounded air travel in Europe.

IV Potassium and other hospital supplies were received from NHA,

Vitamin A for Kamasorie Village, etc.

Betsy had asked for some baby care supplies and they have finally arrived for her.

James was relieved to receive something to help the neck pain

he still suffers from the wreck he experienced this past Winter.

Many of you have given so much to make possible for the people of Sierra Leone to thrive. We are very thankful.

We are grateful to the churches that have collected the o-t-c medications for us that made up this particular batch of supplies that arrived in the post this week - namely St. Alban's in Sun City, Arizona

and St. Mary the Virgin in San Diego.

as well as Kathy Nagy of Louisville who is keeping Kamasorie Village

supplied in Vitamin A;

Aleica Willis for sending us the left over Potassium bags, needles, etc from an illness in which she had homecare (the medical supplies she didn't use were left at her house so she sent them to us).

Dr. Baumann

and Dr. Kern for their continual help

and SOS (Supplies Over Seas)

for the opportunity to purchase, at such a low price, the hosptial supplies we send.

We thank Liz Holt for various items she contributed to this shipment as well as packing the boxes up for us.

We especially thank all of your for your continued support in prayer, deeds and funding. What a wonder family Nazareth House has become - with such team work - living and loving together to give each other a hand.

Thank you all from our staff in Sierra Leone: James, Kadijah, Lucy, Ann Marie, Roo, Mako, Pa Foday and from the many other hands, arms & legs of NHA in Sierra Leone that are doing all they can to assist and make life happen for everyone - Sanu, Emmanuel (Stress),

Johnny, Betsy, Simithe, Albert....too many to name them all - but they, together with Seraphim and I, send you our perpetual gratitude for all that you are doing to change lives for the better.

God bless you all, keep up the fantastic work. You are what makes NHA so unique and so effective.

BEANS over RICE

Deacon Tom remembered how much James likes Baked Beans.


We had a box filled with hospital syringes and other supplies ready to ship. Though much needed, they are very light to ship. Priority Flat-Rate boxes are the same shipping price for 2 ounces or up to 20 pounds. Since we had to ship the hospital items anyway, Deacon Tom packed with the syringes, a few cans of James favorite beans.


Needless to say, James (and Roo) enjoyed them. I love how they fix them over rice. Everything is over RICE!

Rest in Peace, Little Baby Girl Bangura

I cannot even begin to relate to you the extreme heartache that I feel for this family and for all the families who have been dealt this horrific blow during a time that should be filled with joy. I have wiped away tears all day.

The news of this baby girl's death received this morning was tough enough to deal with. The fact that it shouldn't have happened makes it even harder to take.

Ill equipped medical facilities, unskilled staff, corruption with pure and simple greed, stole this child's life away. Kadiatu has been in and out of "so called" hospitals during her labor. As she struggled in the pain of labor, her husband was kept away from her side, told that "it was all alright" and repeatedly asked for fees. Even today as he came to collect his child's lifeless body for burial, he was asked for "dismissal fees".

A timely c-section would have prevented this tragedy, but Kadiatu was never given this opportunity to have one. She is poor, she didn't have the ability to pay for such a "luxury" as a c-section. Salu, her husband, is a good man, hard working and caring, he trusted that those who professed to be doctors and nurses knew what was best for his wife and child. They may have known, but I don't believe they acted in the best interests of their patients in this particular case.

As Salu, with James and Kadijah came to collect the child's body this morning, the medical staff was absent from the facility, they had fled.

Salu was trusting the nurse to tell him the truth about his wife, he is kind, gentle and simple man. It is not within him to comprehend that someone would not care properly for his wife and child, especially when he paid fees. Going to the hospital is not a usual thing for Salu, there has never been money enough and since he was able to bring his wife to a hospital, he simply thought she was in the best care. They kept telling him the delayed delivery was "okay, everything was fine" when in fact the child was in great danger. They had to have known this, but they didn't act. Kadiatu began labor when I was still in Freetown...3 weeks ago...and the birth happens today!!!!!

By the time, James and Kadijah were able to step in, it was too late. James sent me a picture of the little infant girl. She was perfectly developed, looked to be a very healthy child, especially for Sierra Leone. Her head was damaged from trying to be born, her arms broken. Such a tragedy.

This is why Nazareth House Apostolate is in Sierra Leone. These innocent people have no chance but from organizations such as NHA. The government is recovering and rebuilding itself, it has an incredible amount on its plate. The people are so desperate that they will do anything, even allow a child to die in the womb, to get a chance at a bit of money to survive on. Need can breed greed.

And here, once again we are witnessing a preventable tragedy come to fruition... and once again, I am seeing Salu tenderly carry another daughter to the graveyard...in a cardboard box because he couldn't afford a coffin. The grave worker tenderly takes the lifeless body and gently places her in the ground. Salu prays with the Inman at the grave site that houses both Isha and now her baby sister. Again, I see James at Salu's side, standing over a child's grave together.

Again, my heart breaks.

And I know it will break many times over in the future. Sometimes all you can do is bear witness in your heart and to others....its that "at the foot of the Cross" thing...where Blessed Mary watched without being able to do anything for her Son.

For every heartbreaking events such as this, there is much more that we can do, if we have the compassion, if we have the love, and if we have the guts. Please continue to support the work of Nazareth House. If at all possible to pledge a monthly donation so that we are able to prepare a budget - so that we know each month what needs we can fulfill, it would be so helpful. Nazareth House Apostolate relies completely on God as He expresses Himself through your prayer, compassion and generosity. Please help us Feed Jesus in the Hungry, Clothe Him in the naked, Visit Him in the sick.... - Matthew 25:35.

Medications supply doing well...

Nazareth House Apostolate received a shipment of o-t-c medicines for our Sierra Leone Mission via US Post on Monday from St. Charles Anglican Church, Huntsville, Alabama. Last week we received a bag full of o-t-c ulcer medications for James, as well as tums and vitamins from Donna A. in Louisville. Liz H. & Tom O. both of Louisville brought a good variety focusing on Diarrhea medication. With what we have already shipped and what we have now packed to take, we are not doing too bad at all on our medication collection. Thanks for what has been collected and also for the donations which enable us to purchase specifically requested over the counter medicine.