NHA Family has increased by a village

Greetings from yet another new village that James has placed under the care of Nazareth House Apostolate.  

It is a good distance away from the NHA Compound in Kabala and very difficult to bring supplies by foot or motorbike.



 Nevertheless, James makes his way to the hidden villages



where those in the furtherest places out seek the minimal substance that will enable them to survive.



This is one of the many reasons we must provide a Vehicle for James.  James' entrance into their community is the first sign of hope to them.

Nazareth House has been begging for assistance in getting this transportation situation handled.



Its not easy raising the money when the economy is strained, politicians are doing their own fundraising and disasters require our attention.



However, its not easy for the people that James presents to us for help.  Its not easy on James, either.  He hikes into these villages, witnessing poverty at utmost extremes.... and he knows it depends entirely on God as He expresses His generosity through us...  that is, when we hear Him and heed his call.  

Despite this weakened economy, many of us have enough to grab an extra latte' or eat out several times a week - and with gas prices increasing weekly, we still manage to drive from one place to the next with little cutbacks.  Some of us are suffering, others have had to cutback but are still in a position to help those who are struggling to survive. 

When the cupboard is bare, how many of us have had to resort to roasting a snake to feed our family?

...and how many of us would have such a satisfied smile for the provision?

I don't know how to share with you how very great the need is other than to tell you that it is huge and show you in these pictures that James sends from these villages.  



There is no government assistance for these people.  They are not lazy, they work hard all day long, men women and children.



The resources are simply not there for them.  They haven't asked for our help, they voice no complaints for their living conditions.



 In fact, they daily, frequently throughout the day,


 give thanks to God for what they have.  

It is James who bears witness to the poor and brings it to us.  It is up to us to have compassion and in turn offer a hand or we can look away, ignore.

By next week, the politicians will end their campaigns and your phones will stop ringing and your email inboxes won't be filled up with campaign requests for money and votes.  Win or lose, the politicians will survive and maybe we and they can return to normal lives.  Campaigns ending, maybe unity can begin to be considered.

 Adjusters and Insurance will do their best for the people in the Northeast. Unfortunately, those poor people will be besieged with contractors - some legit, some not. It is our prayer that those who have suffered the horrendous storm damage will begin to see a glimmer of hope, in the kindness and generosity of those who place "helping thy neighbor" in to action.  Some lost their lives, others lost their possessions.  It won't be a quick fix for those who survived the hurricane, it will take time, patience and steadfastness.  Please keep them in your prayers and be ready to lend a hand.



Neither will there be a quick fix for these villages in Sierra Leone.  It takes many of us working together, not forsaking one human tragedy for the next.  Seraphim's father always said "son, be nice to everybody, because everyone is having a rough time"  That was good advice then and it remains good advice now.  There is no insurance or government aid coming to the villagers rescue, their glimmer of hope is totally dependent on your love, support and compassion. 

Give today

Nazareth House Apostolate

185 Captains Cove Drive

Taylorsville, KY 40071

On December 1, two of the three packages we sent to Sierra Leone arrived. One box was missing. 

Inside the boxes were the medications collected and sent by the Anglican Church Women of St. Augustine of Canterbury Anglican Church in Chico,  California. 

When these packages arrived, Roo was beginning to recover from the first batch of distress from this mysterious illness he has been suffering.  

We thought we were on the upswing with his illness and things looked brighter.  

In the missing box there was a backpack (a free gift from Staples) stuffed with worm medication and hospital strength ibuprofen.

  It was disappointing that one box was missing.  For the first time in many years, postal boxes have not been coming through to Freetown.   Later is better than never and the boxes have now arrived.   The photo below is of Lucy sporting the new backpack (sent filled with worm pills). 

Recently,  another box has arrived - a critical box filled with the iron tablets that Roo so desperately needs.  It came just as he suffered yet another relapse with high fever. 

It breaks my heart to look at Roo in these photos as I see the loss of strength and weight in him.   He looks small for his age compared to the guitar.

But James reports that he is showing signs of improvement and hopefully he'll bounce back.  I had fear that it was something more serious but it could very well be a severe case of vitamin and mineral deficiency.  We are working to correct that.



Nazareth House makes monthly shipments of medication from Taylorsville to Freetown.  We encounter tremendous needs in Sierra Leone, yet we ask that people resist the urge to donate items to this cause unless specifically requested. 

It’s actually prohibitively expensive to export goods from the United States to Sierra Leone.  Rather cash donations are preferred and greatly appreciated.  

This approach benefits the local economy (local skills, labor & materials) - for example our NHA School uniforms:  when the material is bought in Freetown, the seamstresses are hired to make the uniforms which keeps the Material shop in business and allows the seamstress to provide for her family.  This is a win, win situation because our students get a uniform as well as others benefiting from the process.   If we make the uniforms here in America and send them, they would cost much more per uniform since we'd have to pay shipping ...and the Material Shop (local business in Freetown) and the skilled laborer (Seamstress) would have not had the opportunity to actively use their trade.   This allows NHA to concentrate on more immediate needs such as filling hungry bellies and medical assistance.

This is something NHA feels strongly about, it is our goal to provide the tools and opportunities that bring about the change and education for a community to rise above their current status and stand on their own.  NHA doesn't want, nor does the people they serve want us to constantly be giving humanitarian aid. Our long term goal is to serve a community to the point of no longer being needed.  As the community functions on their own, we can then move on to help another community, knowing the first one is self-sufficient.

"Bear one another's burdens, and so be filled with the law of Christ" (Gal. 6:2).

These are the reasons we ask for funding, rather than items - plus it also assures your tax deductible donations go directly to support needs and projects and reduces administration costs especially shipping.

We try to limit the items that we send to items necessary for survival - that which are unavailable in Sierra Leone, especially in Kabala.   From time to time, we do accept donations of over the counter medications but please refrain from sending these items to us in Taylorsville without first checking with us.  Contact us via the email listed on our website.

With the completion of the NHA Compound and the building contractor completely paid off we have been asked, "What's next?"   There are always needs to be met, both in Sierra Leone and at the heart of our operations - St. Simeon Skete.   

2012 Projects, Needs, Goals

John 16:24

Matthew 7:7 

1. Kadijah will be delivering her baby in about 6 weeks or less.  The cost for her delivery will be $500  (PAID Yesterday by ACW of St. Augustine: Chico California) 
2. Maintenance.The buildings at St. Simeon Skete (The Chapel, The Kellia and Anna House) are wood and require immediate painting and sealing this Spring. This was the wettest year in history in Kentucky and it certainly did not help the wood at the Skete.  Much of the wood on the decks is warping and beginning to rot.  We have received several estimates, however the best was an estimate for ALL three buildings of $15,000.  This includes power washing, the paint, the sealant and repair of deteriorating wood and the labor.  For three considerably sized buildings with a lot of wood, this is an excellent quote. 
3. Lucy, James daughter, plans to become a doctor.  Considering the troubles we experience trying to find a honest qualified doctor, to see her through the schooling is one of the most positive projects NHA can set out to accomplish.  To have our own resident doctor within the NHA team can mean wonders to the betterment of the village we serve.  Our NHA school has not reached the level of education that Lucy already has.  We add levels each year, but Lucy is far beyond that.  We struggled with homeschooling but with the insufficient Internet service in Sierra Leone and no electricity in Kabala, Lucy was being held back and losing the quality of teaching she was receiving before.  After much prayer and investigation we found a Boarding School in Freetown where Lucy can get the accelerated education and tailor her studies to that of becoming a physician.  We have been unsuccessful in convincing American Doctors to come and live in Kabala so far, so the quicker we can get Lucy on the road to becoming a doctor the better.   The cost for her education, room and board runs just at $3,000 per year.  (Payments made so far this year for her school from The Millers, Kirkland, WA;  St. Bartholomew's Anglican Church: Redmond, WA; L Burwell, Louisville, KY)  We still owe $900
4. James must travel long hours crammed in unmaintained taxis operated by dangerously careless (many times intoxicated) drivers on treacherous roads to and from Kabala to obtain the post and financial support each month.  Every time he is in this situation, his life is in jeopardy.   We need a car owned by NHA that James can operate and maintain in a safe manner.   We don't need a large car or an expensive new car - just a safe, maintainable car.   James says he thinks we can find one anywhere $6,000 to $10,000
5. We are at 300 students at the NHA School today, hundreds more are wanting to attend but we do not have adequate room or teachers to support such an influx of students.  To expand the school, adding more classrooms it will costs just at $17, 500.   We pay the teachers $100 per month, we currently have 8 teachers.   Each month it would be an additional $100 with every teacher we add. 
6. St. Simeon Skete of Nazareth House Apostolate is the heart from which ongoing prayer beats the life into all that we do, especially the work in Sierra Leone.  Without this prayer, there would be nothing accomplished.  Those in residence stand before Our Lord as intercessors for every man, the whole of mankind.   They are not there because they ran away from others, but so they can become closer to others by deepening their relationship with Christ as they serve him.  This is why it is important to pray for vocations for the Skete.   In years past, people counted on those with vocations to hold them up in prayer as they went about the necessary duties of daily life.  In India they believe that the sages that do nothing but sit in prayer, high in the mountains, are the reason the world continues.  Abraham asked if the Lord would spare the cities if fifty righteous people lived there.  The Lord said yes.  Boldly, Abraham kept bargaining down, until God agreed not to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if even ten righteous people lived there.  God was mercifully willing to spare the cities for the sake of a few righteous people, but none lived there.   Vocations of prayer such as at the skete or at monasteries are dwindling and I believe we see the results of this in the depravity of today's world.  Being called to be a religious at the Skete involves community, but most importantly revolves around that person's deepening of their relationship to God.  We consider the Skete "the grand experiment"  - only time will tell if the life of prayer, a deepened relationship with God lived for others will find support.   In the Fall of 2010 the skete property became available.  Nazareth House Apostolate had no funding, no credit and no idea how to make this happen.   Nazareth House's funds are twofold - that designated for Sierra Leone and that for administration & operations of the headquarters, etc. in the States. The bulk of our funding is for Sierra Leone and these funds come in and go straight back out to tend to the needs of the mission work.  We had nothing to show a banker to obtain a mortgage for the Skete.   Nevertheless, we stepped out in faith and applied for a loan.There was one miracle after another miracle in obtaining the skete property and they have not stopped once we are here.  After a week or so, with silence from the bank,  I began to think we would be declined but gave them all that they asked for - highlighting what could be rather that what had been.  I made it clear that donations for Sierra Leone must go to Sierra Leone and could not be counted towards a mortgage payment for the skete. Finally one day, the phone rang and it was the banker.   He told me he wanted to talk with me about the "loan structure".   I asked "what does that mean?"  He told me that the loan had been approved. (Miracle) I began to cry, because there was no logical reason the loan should have been approved.   The banker said "are you okay?" I replied "I am crying." "I didn't expect to be approved"   The banker replied (now keep in mind this is a BANKER) "What Nazareth House Apostolate is doing is a good thing, and we want you to do it Taylorsville".  This was a declaration that someone in the world believed it is worth the support.  An organizational interest free loan was obtained for $350,000 (miracle) and the mortgage through the bank for $250,000 for a total of $600,000.   So we are asking our readers to pray for another miracle that we can retire the mortgage.
7. There is no electricity in Kabala provided by the government or any other means.  Therefore, it is necessary for the work of NHA in Kabala to obtain a generator for the NHA Compound.  James has checked out the available generators in Freetown and has concluded that there is one that would do adequately for us.  Its price tag is $4,500.  
8. We are also working to secure internet via satellite to the school and the compound.   There is a little building next to the school that NHA is in the process of buying.  It cost $7,000, we've paid $1,000 for it so far.  Once we own the building we'd like to turn it into a small teacher's study/Internet cafe.  The Cafe would charge reasonable rates for use of the Internet and proceeds would go for the benefit of the school. (Another step in self-sufficiency)   I have made inquiries for donations of satellite equipment and am waiting positive response.                                

Millions and Millions of dollars in donations are asked for everyday by many organizations.  Our goals are modest compared to many of these requests, however, the impact of their fruition is beyond measure. 

"Where there is no vision, the people perish (Proverbs 9:18)".

As NHA strives to fulfill the needs listed above, we continue to meet the regular monthly requirements to sustain both the life of prayer at St. Simeon Skete and the life of those struggling without food, medical care, proper sanitation, running water in Sierra Leone.  Each month we pay our teachers and provide rice and medical assistance for an ever-growing number of families. 

We cannot stress enough that Nazareth House Apostolate relies totally on God as he expresses Himself through our supporters’ prayers, compassion and generosity.  This allows us to work together as a team, a family (The NHA Family) to reach thousands of lives by the act of prayer, love and touch.  

“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” 

“Come and see.” 

John 1:46

NHA School, Ismaia Road, Kabala

Last year when James visited St. Simeon Skete in Taylorsville, Kentucky he was presented with a large sign for the Nazareth House Apostolate School in Kabala. 

During the Summer Break the school building was painted and the sign was framed and placed prominently for all to see.  

There is much to do to keep the school in Kabala and the Skete in Taylorsville  up to date, both administratively and in the way of building maintenance.  The weather presents harsh extremes on a building and we must tend to them accordingly. We count on your donations and support to do this. 

We have nearly 300 students in need of uniforms.  Unlike most schools in Sierra Leone, we provide our students with uniforms without charging their parents.

 This enables parents to send their children for an education without placing a financial hardship on the family.  We do not want a child kept from school because of lack of money or clothing.   The Children pictured above on the NHA School porch represent those uniforms we've been able to afford to have made so far.

We have a long way to go to fit them all in new uniforms.  Some of the children continue to make do with the old uniforms, although most are beginning to show much wear.

It costs NHA $25 to provide two (2) uniforms per student.  For  many students this is their only complete outfit they have to wear.   If you would like to provide a set of uniforms for a student (or more) you may do so by sending your donation of $25 to NHA, 185 Captains Cove Dr, Taylorsville, KY 40071 or via the Paypal donation link on our website.  And with the Holiday Season coming up, giving a new uniform triples the gift as it enables the proprietor that sells us the material to keep his Material Shop operating (stimulating the local economy), it allows the seamstress to make some money to buy her family a meal or two with every uniform she sews and a student receives new school clothing.  What a great gift!

This year we hope that you consider Nazareth House Apostolate for your Christmas Gift giving.  For the person who has everything, rather than buying more of what they don't need, make a real difference in the life of someone in need by donating in the name of that person.  NHA will acknowledge your gift to them in a nice card along with a follow up and photo of how that gift was used.

Today is the Feast Day of St. Charles Borromeo.  

(After the death of his uncle, Pius IV (1566), Borromeo contributed materially to suppressing the cabals of the conclave. Subsequently he devoted himself wholly to the reformation of his diocese. It had deteriorated in practice owing to the 80-year absence of previous archbishops.  Borromeo made numerous pastoral visits, and restored dignity to divine service.  Turning his priests and people towards deeper and deeper prayer.

In conformity with the decrees of the Council of Trent, which suggested simplifying church interiors, Borromeo cleared the cathedral of ornate tombs, rich ornaments, banners, and arms. He did not even spare the monuments of his own relatives. 

He extended his reforms to the collegiate churches, monasteries and even to the Confraternities of Penitents, particularly that of St. John the Baptist. This group was to attend to prisoners and those condemned to death, to give them help and support.

Borromeo believed that abuses in the church arose from clergy ignorance. Among his most important actions, he established seminaries, colleges and communities for the education of candidates for holy orders. His emphasis on Catholic learning greatly increased the preparation of men for priesthood and benefited their congregations.

In addition, Borromeo founded the fraternity of Oblates of St. Ambrose, a society of secular men who did not take orders, but devoted themselves to the church and followed a discipline of monastic prayers and study. They provided assistance to parishes where ordered by the church.

n 1576, when Milan suffered an epidemic of the bubonic plague, Borromeo led efforts to accommodate the sick and bury the dead. He avoided no danger and spared no expense. He visited all the parishes where the contagion raged, distributing money, providing accommodation for the sick, and punishing those, especially the clergy, who were remiss in discharging their duties.

Borromeo met with much opposition to his reforms. The governor of the province, and many of the senators, addressed complaints to the courts of Rome and Madrid. They were apprehensive that the cardinal's ordinances would encroach upon the civil jurisdiction.

Borromeo also faced staunch opposition of several religious orders, particularly that of the Humiliati (Brothers of Humility). Some members of that society formed a conspiracy against his life, and a shot was fired at him in the archiepiscopal chapel. His survival was considered miraculous. (Brothers of Humility tried to have him murdered - how humble of them...wow)

He successfully attacked his Jesuit confessor, Giovanni Battista Ribera who, with other members of the college of Milan, was found to be guilty of unnatural offenses. This action increased Borromeo's enemies within the church.

Borromeo's manifold labors and austerities appear to have shortened his life. He was seized with an intermittent fever, and died at Milan on 3 November 1584. He was canonized in 1610, and his feast is celebrated on 4 November each year in the Roman Catholic Rite.)

NHA Student receives snakebite

A 7 year old girl, living in Africa, has had a good day at school, enjoyed running and being around her friends.  

As night falls, she helps prepare the family meal by boiling potatoes.  There is no electricity, she can barely see by the light of the fire under the cooking pot.  She takes a step and her bare foot lands on an angry snake - a cobra.  The snake reacts and she is bitten.  Did I tell you that she is only 7 years old?  

She is rushed to a hospital -  isn't that what you are supposed to do when you are injured or sick? Arriving at the hospital she finds no medical personnel.  They have left for the night, leaving their patients to fend for themselves, not one doctor anywhere to be found.  As if that isn't turmoil enough, the storage area that contains the venom antiserum is locked with only one man to have access to it.   

Sounds like a horror story or a movie but this is exactly how Fatu spent her evening last night.  

Scared and in pain, she lies on a hospital a damp plastic bed - no sheets.  The headboard is dirty, the paint is cracked and chipped. 

A make-shift tourniquet is placed around her leg, her toe has been bitten.  The swelling is beginning to take place.

James makes contact with the one and only man who has access to the Antiserum, the man asks if James has any money.  James pays and the antiserum is made available.  

As there is only one man with access to the antiserum in the whole village, it turns out there is only one antiserum pack - for all of the village.  It has been used on Fatu, the next snake bite victim is out of luck. 

After the pain reliever and the antiserum, Fatu seems much better.  The night will tell whether she continues to improve or not.  

Such is the case for villagers in and around Kabala, medication and medical help is extremely limited. 

This is why they depend on NHA to help them out.  

NHA has just purchased ($319.00) and is sending Vermox (generic form) for worms - internal parasites - along with antibiotics, etc.  Its not nearly enough, but one child saved, one life made better makes the difference.    It cost us $3.00 per pill and it takes 6 pills to cure someone with worms invading their bodies.  It is your donations that provide these pills. 

We will be looking for ways to make sure snake anti-venom serum is provided.  It is these needs, these situations that beg your compassion and generosity.  Help NHA help those in need.  Give today, give someone in Sierra Leone a chance. 

Nazareth House Apostolate

185 Captains Cove Dr.

Taylorsville, KY 40071

or through the website 

www.nazarethhouseap.org 

by using the paypal donation link.   

Delivered to your door

In this age of Internet Purchasing, many of us have found Amazon to be a real pleasure.  You can buy what you need while remaining in the comfort of your home and see it delivered within a few days.  AND on many occasions or with a specific membership your order arrives at your door in two days free from shipping costs.  

Living out away from the city and with gasoline being so highly priced lately, Amazon has been a very cost effective way to bring supplies into St. Simeon Skete.  

The border collie at the Skete, Chase, will someday be helping us to herd chickens into the Chicken Coop at night -  when we get one in place; however, until then Chase believes his duty is to greet delivery trucks.  

He waits daily at the door, looking for deliveries.  Chase is especially fond of our regular UPS Driver (Border Collies have high intelligence - he is discerning about who he likes). 

When James, our director from Sierra Leone, was in America he was delighted

 by the ability to buy something and have it delivered to you 

without having to ever leave your house.    Rain, sleet or snow, excessive heat...your packages are delivered. 

We agree with James - we like home delivery at the Kellia at St. Simeon Skete, too.  However, the ultimate home delivery is right under James' nose.  America may have access to many material goods, but compared to Africa they lack in the human to human, daily contact and fellowship.  While in our hurried lives we zip through the grocery self check-out without ever making eye contact - in Sierra Leone, its not like that. 

As Kadijah sits on the porch of the NHA Compound in Kabala, the neighbors approach her with the vegetables they have for sell.   Fresh picked and delicious brought right to the door. 

Kadijah, the ever prudent buyer, takes a  taste before she buys.

She makes her selection, pays for the groceries and the transaction is complete.  But so much more has happened, personal relations are formed and bonds of friendships grow.    

After the nice visit, the neighbors are on their way to the next house, to bring not only their goods but also their fellowship.  

Yes, Amazon gets our goods to us quick and packaged well at that, but you just can't match the personalization and love in the way home delivery is done in Kabala.  

In our fast pace world, the Kabala "Home Delivery Service" reminds us that there is nothing like human contact. 

As it is in Kabala at the Nazareth House Compound, so it is at St. Simeon Skete. Our regular delivery drivers (the humanity of the internet transaction) have become part of our lives, like family.    And even Chase is not left out of the interaction.  Chase gets a treat at every delivery.  

And like our staff in Kabala, we always offer anyone that comes to the doors at the Skete something to eat and/or drink and that especially goes for delivery drivers who have been hauling boxes in the heat or cold all day.  Hospitality is part of what we are about.  Its a win win situation all around - but best of all and most importantly we enjoy the fellowship.

The Internet, used properly, can be a helpful and effective.  We are social beings and nothing can replace human contact.  Taking time to get to know one another has a profound effect on our well being.  Sure we can rack up friends on Facebook but our grandparents can tell you there is nothing like person to person interaction.   The Fuller Brush man, the milkman, the iceman and other delivery workers were our grandparent's friends and source of neighorhood news.   They knew if they were having a bad day or a good day just by looking at their face as they walked to the door.    This is what Nazareth House Apostolate is striving to do, to keep the personalization in all we do, the touch, the smile, the love.   Join us today.