Vicki meets the Woodchopper

Nazareth House Apostolate is about building relationships - building a relationship with God and with His people.   In Sierra Leone, NHA never dumps out humanitarian aid and leaves, at no time seeing the recipients again. We aren't like that.  Its more of a family atmosphere.  Sometimes we see each other regularly and sometimes we don't.   Regardless, those we meet stay in our hearts and prayers and we do all that we can to keep in contact with each other.

Abu, the woodchopper 2013

And so it is with the woodchopper.  He pops in and out of our lives in Kabala, yet each meeting is as if we'd been together all along.

For those of you recently joining Nazareth House Apostolate, we first met the Woodchopper years ago.  The above video with James interviewing Abu, details that meeting.

A (much younger) Roo with his papa, James, meets up with Abu

As years roll by, we've met up with him from time to time.  http://blog.nazarethhouseap.org/2008/08/woodchopper-still-in-kabala-forest.html  and http://blog.nazarethhouseap.org/2009/07/reunion-with-woodchopper-abu.html
He has been a friend and a part of our lives for many years now.

Just recently, Abu meets the youngest of the NHA Staff Family - little Miss Vicki

Love the reinforced shoes, Abu!

Abu is still patching and re-patching his clothes to suit his needs to shield his body from the harsh elements of the sun and rain in the forest of Kabala.   Please keep him in your prayers.

Until we meet again, Abu, best wishes always!

A month ago, Nazareth House Apostolate pleaded for funding to finish the building of the Nazareth House Compound in Kabala, Sierra Leone.  At that time we were still owing $12,304 (as of July 6, 2011).   We are very grateful to those of you who sacrificed to give whatever you could, despite the economic climate in America, to come to the aid of those in need in Sierra Leone.   We are not yet debt free, but we are making progress thanks to those who put their compassion into action.  Today, we owe $6,408!

James Mansaray and our staff, his family have made the move to Kabala from Freetown and are now living in the new NHA Compound, despite it incompleteness.

James shared with me that life is more free of distraction in Kabala.  He likened it to the Nazareth House move into St. Simeon Skete - from Louisville to Taylorsville, Kentucky.  Whereas the Skete, in its quiet simple setting allows NHA to dive deeper and deeper into prayer; the NHA Compound in Kabala allows our work in Sierra Leone to be offered deeper and deeper into the villagers that have been overlooked, left hidden in the cracks.   NHA's presence at St. Simeon Skete and our presence in Kabala marry the two spiritualities of the Saints, Mary and Martha, strengthening the work from both sides of the Atlantic.

We are still in need of your help.   The rainy season is in full swing in Kabala.

This is a good thing as we still do not have water from well flowing to the NHA Compound.   Our staff, thrifty as always, is taking advantage of the rains to fetch water for bathing, cooking, etc.

The family and friends living around our staff have been very good to bring water and help our staff, however, with Kadijah's pregnancy and all, we really need to get this water situation working.  There has been troubles and the work has become difficult and more expensive to get the well pumping to the house.  We have hit water but not yet able to bring it into the house - we need more money to make this a reality.

Your donations are more important than ever.  There is so much to do and until the NHA Compound is complete we cannot move on to meet the growing needs in the surrounding villages.   More and more people are depending on us as we continue to meet are already established responsibilities - paying our teachers each month, providing rice for families, doing our work.  

It is exciting that there has been such a rallying behind us to keep NHA at work!   Remember, every bag of rice given is received in the name of our supporters.  NHA exists as a family, a group of people working together to love each other.  

Last month not only did we bring the NHA Compound debt down by almost half, we were also able to provide the materials to build a 5 bedroom mud brick house complete with zinc roof for the One Hut family.  

The NHA Staff: James, Kadijah & Lucy & Roo visit One Hut Village: February 2011

This family has suffered one catastrophe after another,

In April 2011, Fire destroyed the One Hut Thatch Roofed hut

 leaving them without shelter.  

James mixes concrete for floor & walls of new One Hut Compound

As of today, because of your contributions - the One Hut family is withstanding this current rainy season sheltered  by a zinc roof over their heads.

More concrete for the new One Hut Compound, seen in the background

  Let's keep the momentum going.... making differences, changing not only the lives of others but ours as well - for the better.

Please share the word about this good work, invite others to be a part of it.   Be a NHA Sustainer, become a regular monthly donor to NHA.  

donations can be mailed to:
           NHA
           185 Captains Cove Drive
           Taylorsville, KY 40071

or through the paypal link on our website

           www.nazarethhouseap.org

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!

Best Wishes for a Simple & Wonderful Christmas Day