Post comes so St. Laurence House can do their job... Giving, Giving, Giving.

Most of the supplies we ship to St. Laurence House in Freetown is hospital supply, medical, over the counter medicine and special needs. However, the USPS allows 20 pounds per flat rate box. Many times we have syringes and IV tubing which weigh very little. So we cram the box with other items taking advantage of the 20 lb limit. These last few shipments have been filled with medicines and extras to be distributed at Christmas time to those living around Freetown. We've also shipped our annual candy canes for the students at our Nazareth House Apostolate Kabala School. Many of the over the counter medications were purchased from Dollar Tree and Big Lots. Effective medication at a great price.

We've been praying for little Samuel Mansaray, the son of Paul and Hannah Mansaray. Paul is James' elder brother. Samuel has not been well, not able to take nourishment and has no appetite or energy. Plagued with repetative fevers and swollen glands, no doctors have been able to diagnose him or help him.

Samuel was the reason for this shipment, we sent him some nourishment boosters such as "Kids essentials" to give him vitamins and hopefully stimulate his appetite.

The boxes are hauled home from the Post Office to St. Laurence House

(Kadijah is lifting 60 pounds worth of supplies - 20 lbs per box)

where they are sorted according to distribution.

The St. Laurence House family

gets into the helping unload and sort the boxes.

Everyone is checking to see if there might be something special

just for them tucked in the packages.

I always try to put something fun, something unusual for James and the family to find when they open up the boxes.

This time it was Groucho Marx Faces which Roo and James

displayed for us all immediately! Heh! Groucho doing the Spiderman sign... Oh Roo, such fun you are...

"Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes? " -Groucho Marx

In these particular packages Roo received his Christmas gifts, a bit early. When I was in Freetown, Roo had a tiny toy Scooby Doo toy, so I sang the Scooby Doo theme song from the cartoon. He looked puzzled at me. Roo didn't know there were Scooby cartoons or Scooby Songs or anything. So in returning to the States, I sent him some dvds, only to find out that their television at St. Laurence House has now bit the dust and there is no way to watch the videos... sigh. Prices for an old analog TV in Freetown range upwards of $900 so it is not feasible to buy one there, and no way to afford cost of shipping them one - for now they will do without and maybe I can figure a way to bring a portable dvd player to them next mission visit. However take a good look at the smile on Roo's face,

watching the videos doesn't matter to him, he's happy enough just to look at all the DVD cases with his favorite characters on them.

This was Roo's special box,

having new Scooby Doo pajamas

and several people helped add a few spiderman gifts -

ah this Christmas has already proven to be one of his best,

Roo is very happy but ALWAYS

remembers to share with his friends.

Nazareth House and all involved are very thankful for your love and support. You make this happen! You are bringing about many many smiles. God bless you!

Packing up supplies to ship to Sierra Leone

Click on the play arrow above to watch video.


Liz, Aleica, Kelsay and I packed up several boxes of supplies


to ship to Sierra Leone.



We had a variety of things to ship: household supplies, some foods, Easter gifts for the Kabala Students, over- the- counter medications, as well as hospital supplies. The items came from all over the country.



Little Kelsay was so excited about hugging the boxes so that when James opens them up he will

also receive a hug - as well as the supplies.


It was a long day, sorting all the many items, labeling, packing

and closing up the boxes.


USPS Priority allows you 20 pounds per box ...so we crammed (and I mean crammed!)

each box to the last ounce so that every box was filled to the brim.




Then came the chore of taping it up

so that the box doesn't pop open (since it is stuffed so full) during its long travel.



One of the ladies from the church, named Arlene, brought in some dolls




that she had in her collection to give to the children living around St. Laurence House.



Even Chase, the border collie got in on the action (photo below, Chase is monitoring Aleica's work progress)

-keeping a keen eye on us, making sure we kept busy at our work.



A real working sheep dog, Chase stayed right with us until the work was done, herding us back to our work if we strayed from the area.



Finally, all the boxes are packed and ready to make the journey to Freetown. ....well...almost

...except for the one in which Liz tried to ship herself to St. Laurence House....

Only thing left to do is to PRAY the boxes' way clear to Sierra Leone. I pray that the hearts of the those who come in contact with these boxes prior to James' receiving them, considers the plight of the poor and that they do everything they can to speed the arrival to their proper destination.

Important Note: Nazareth House regularly ships hospital supplies to Sierra Leone. Periodically we also collect o-t-c medications and supplies to send to St. Laurence House for distribution.

However, we are very precise as to the times and items in which we send. It is very cost prohibitive to ship to Sierra Leone. We must send the hospital supplies. To use up all the box space and not to waste poundage (the Post Office charges the same amount for a box whether the box weighs 2 ounces or 20 pounds!); we add other items to go along with the hospital supply.

However, because of the high cost of shipping please do not send items to our headquarters in Louisville for shipping to Sierra Leone without first contacting us.

Many everyday items can be purchased in Freetown for the needs of the people. At this point feeding, sheltering, and providing medical aid are the most critical needs - to do this, we depend on financial donations. Education for the betterment of the lives of the people is equally important, for this we must also depend on financial donations. Please continue your support. If you haven't committed to monthly contributions, please consider doing so today. Change a life, bring on a smile, make a difference.

Dr. James Konteh, Sierra Leone (Part 2)

Dr. Konteh has been wishing for a digital camera so that he could document some of his surgeries. Especially those made in such limited and trying conditions that turned out to be successful & happy endings.

Recently James met up with Dr. Konteh while he was in Freetown and gave him a gift from Nazareth House Apostolate-A brand new digital camera complete with accessaries and a nice case :)

 

Nazareth House received this email from Dr. Konteh (re: the camera)

Dear Vicki,
I just receive the Kodak Camera from James. Thank you for a kind gesture. I really appreciate it and I salute you for a purpose. For your information I have just been posted to Kenema Government hospital with effect from the 1st of February 2009. I shall inform you when ever I report on duty. I have informed James about it.
Thank you.
Dr. Konteh.

 

 

Through the years, Nazareth House has caught up with Dr. Konteh and brought him the medical supplies he so desperately needs to do his work. It is our intention to keep in touch with him and help him out, even as he begins new work in Kenema.

There is one thing about Nazareth House, we build relationships with those we serve. Making Nazareth House like a huge family, our lives entwined. Yours in America and theirs in Sierra Leone -still one family. As we've said many times, we do not throw someone a bag of rice and go on. Never seeing them again, never thinking about them. We grow with them and they with us.

 

Here James supplies him with sutures and other medical equipment.

 

The above photo shows Dr. Konteh at the new medical facility in Kabala. It is new, clean and very nice...but remains without supplies or staffing. The brain drain is great in Sierra Leone. Once educated, prospective nurses and doctors leave the country seeking employment where they can sustain a living.

Nazareth House has specific sources for the hospital/medical supplies needed in Salone (Salone - Krio for Sierra Leone). Your financial donations enable us to provide the equipment for these hospitals.

There are times that we have over-the-counter medicine drives in which to minister to those who are sick in the areas we serve (Advil, tums, cold capsules, etc). At this time we are not collecting until we have succeeded in securing a residency in Freetown in which to store and distribute.

It is our hope that we can raise the amount of rent our Landlord of the current facility, St. Laurence House, is asking. He is asking $10,000 by March 1, 2009. We are thankful that he has allowed us to rent another year, he had first refused. Rental property is getting scarce in Freetown. Property available is being priced out of our reach due to the influx of foreigners able to spend freely. We are working hard to purchase our own land and property but must secure a place to keep our staff and all the supplies off the streets in the meantime.

We are accepting all donations, small or large to make this goal of $10,000 by March 1st. EVERYTHING pushes us towards obtaining this goal so don't hesitate, thinking a small amount won't make a difference... it will! Tell your co-workers, family and friends. Share the opportunity to really help the poor in one of the poorest nations in the world.

Tax deductible donations should be made to:
Nazareth House Apostolate
2216 Goldsmith Lane
Louisville, KY 40218

or

thru the PAYPAL Link on the left sidebar of our website www.nazarethhouseap.org

POSTAL WORKERS COME THROUGH FOR NHA

Once again the postal workers have come through for NHA and we have received a large shipment of postal packages. Many of these items were shipped months ago, but they did arrive and they came intact. This is fantastic.

PHOTOS:
Roo goes with James to help at the POST OFFICE in collecting shipments. (love is wide-eyed look as he exams the boxes)
Boxes are carried to St. Laurence House
Lucy sorts and figures out the distribution. (I am happy to see that Lucy (our soon to be accountant - when schooling is complete -) is actively accounting for each piece that has arrived and categorizing and documenting. Wonderful!