There is a reason to give...

This morning I received the following email with several photos from James Mansaray, our NHA Director in Kabala, Sierra Leone.  I thought that I should write a blog about the situation and the needs but I think James' email says all that needs to be said.  I have no words to add.  

James Bombolia Mansaray	6:40 AM (9 hours ago)
to me

As we strives to raise funds on this  past Giving Tuesday for our nha school kids, several poor families in Kabala were devastated with their house on fire yesterday afternoon.  

Two of our NHA school kids live with their parents in this house. 

For Victoria and her sister, they were still in school but they lost everything again. 

Yesterday we were talking about uniforms and today it’s about food, clothes, basic house stuffs and shelter not only for Victoria and her sister but eight family member living in this house. 

These are hard times so this family is in desperate need. Vic and her sister luckily got a pair of uniforms on with the spare lost in the fire.  

so they stayed with their grandmother last night as they wait for whats next. 

I  stopped to see them again this morning and I was in tears, walking there with nothing in my hands, I wish I had buckets of money to give them to restart.  I cried so hard, mom.  

We are hurting here so bad, even food is hard to come by. But Guess what?  

these girls were just happy that I came and they welcomed me good in the midst of their burned out rubble of a house.  

At the fire there wasn't any way but for the neighbors and I to carry bucket after bucket of water to put it out.  

 I was there mama, my heart hurts, I wish I could do so much more.  

My neighbor died of malaria yesternight and the overwhelmed wife ran off leaving the kids to fend for themselves.  I fed them.  I am so broken mama, Monday I went to Nurse Ami's village - she is working all day long, hundred of mom's holding sick kids waiting outside.  

Please thank everyone for their prayers and encourage them to see through my eyes and come to our aid.  Its hard mama, its hard. 

Donations can be made by mailing a check to NHA, 185 Captains Cove Drive, Taylorsville, KY 40071 or via the Paypal Donation Button on our website www.nazarethhouseap.org

NHA: Doing what we do best...

TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE...


Nazareth House Apostolate isn't a large organization with a lot of funding, but everything we have we put straight to good use.  

Thank you for your response to our recent appeal.   We are "catching-up" bit by bit. Like everyone else in this economic times, we will take each day at a time - moment to moment.  

We are not out of the woods yet, we may never be ...and that's not even the point.

The point is... we do what we can do in the moment - whatever the moment holds, that's where we are because that is where God is...   in the moment.

Last week this man was praying for help, this week thanks to you of NHA, he is giving thanks

Last week, the moment presented us with some elderly people housed in a nursing home near Freetown.   They were in need of a boost, not just nutritionally, but emotionally.

Despite the pressures NHA is contending with -  providing for those under our care each month, all the while trying to raise extra funding to pay for the completed construction of our NHA Compound in Kabala (moving our staff, etc. ); we are banding together to reach out to the immediate needs of those around us.

Our supporters are real people with real situations and when they lose their jobs in this uncertain economic climate it does affect us but this is when the unity amongst our NHA family kicks in and we work together to overcome the obstacles.

And at a time when there was uncertainty whether our staff would find their next meal, we have come to the aid of yet another group of people -- we've enlarged the family a bit more, expanding to accommodate a few more who need us.  

Kadijah made Fr. Seraphim's favorite African snack - banana cakes.

Lucy hands out the banana cakes that Kadijah made

She made enough for each person residing at the Elderly Home to have their own stash.

Not only that, we provided a few large bags of rice and some drinks for the people.  

There is a big difference in what just a little care can do for a friend in need...

Last week when we first saw this woman

Lucy with the lady this weekend.  Notice she is dressed and holding onto her banana cakes!

AND...not only that, but we gave the gift of touch, a hand held, a hug.

Ann Marie, holding a woman whose ability to hold was taken away by Rebels in a most horrific way

NHA doing what it does best, loving each other, caring...

Keep it up, dear ones...   NHA has many depending on them, spiritually and physically........  Let's not let them down.  

The latest members of this growing Nazareth House Family.   A family of Love. 

Make a commitment to monthly donations.   And if you haven't given to NHA, please consider doing so today.  

God bless you all!