The blessing of a smile.

HER SMILE BLESSES ME………

Blog post by James Bombolia Mansaray: Kabala, Sierra Leone

Meeting my beloved Sierra Leonean people in the villages always brings the smiles out of me.  No matter how down I am, no matter how overwhelmed I am, these people who have little to nothing always give to me more than I can express. Thanks to Nazareth House Apostolate for making it possible for me to go to these beautiful people even with the little support we are getting.

Have you ever noticed a true smile from the very poor? Go buy few bags of rice and bring to these villagers who might have been hungry for couple of days then you will see what I mean.  The thought that someone considered their troubles and came to them delights them so.  

Yesterday I gave rice to the few lucky ones in surrounding villages courtesy of money sent in by Mama Vicki to give out to some people for Christmas. It is always not enough but with the little we have,  you can see the smiles that am talking about.

It is easy to smile when things go good for you, when everything is falling into place, but most grumble when things are not going good.  But these villagers keep a smile even if things are worse.  They are happy for another day in hopes things might get better.  And when they get a bit of relief they are overjoyed. We all do smile and  always see people smile when they  get a gift or something but this lady set my eyes with tears of joy after I gave a bag of rice to her family. She just couldn't hold it inside and you can tell from her parched lips that there was nothing placed in her mouth several  days. I was so honored to be there for her and would love to do more of this and bring out more smiles like this.  I can do this but I need your help through NHA, donate today, let's bring out more smiles. 

The Sacred Heart and Empty Cups

Nazareth House Apostolate

The Feast of The Sacred Heart of Jesus

July 1, 2011

Dear Friends,

I have told this story before but it bears repeating.   It should be pondered with an exposed heart much like Jesus, as represented in the “Sacred Heart of Jesus” artwork. 

 

Jesus’ heart is not hidden or protected, its right out front, exposed, vulnerable so that it can absorb our pain, our sorrows.  It is that kind of heart that will hear this story and understand.

Some years back while Fr. Seraphim and I were in Kabala, Sierra Leone we had purchased rice to give each child a cup or so to take home to supplement their families food supply.  The children were lined up to receive their allotment of rice.  A child was given a cup of rice and then moved on as the next one received theirs.  As the line grew and the supply of rice began to shrink, the unthinkable became reality.  We ran out of rice—and there stood 20 or 30 children with empty cups in hand.  These kids were hungry and there is nothing sadder than the faces of hungry and sick children being told there is no more rice.   Standing there we looked on in horror.  We didn’t have the resources to buy more rice, there was nothing we could do.  I began to cry.   I thought, “How could this be?”  and I thought “God never runs out”, and then I thought again, “at a certain level, God does run out when he runs out of: 

• · Our Generosity

• · Our Sacrifice

• · Our Trust and faith

And when this happens, then God becomes the hungry and sick child who runs out of rice.  (Matthew 25:35...) and He is also at the same time, the rescuer in us, because at the moment I was feeling such pain for these hungry children with no rice, something beautiful happened.  Without any adult prompting, the children who had already received their rice turned back and began sharing their rice with the children who had empty cups.  They, without any thought, just instinctively began dividing what they had with those without. 

For sixteen months now we have been attempting to raise the funds to complete the compound and move NHA to Kabala.  The city of Kabala and the surrounding villages are in great need.  There is much to be done to assist the people.  In order to dive into  meeting those needs we must first finish the construction of the NHA Compound.  We still need $12,380 to pay off the contractor.  Then we will never have to pay housing again, nor rent!  Goal accomplished.

I am aware that with such great need, there will never be enough to come to the aid of everyone we meet.  However, I pray that your heart will be opened to generously give so that we are not facing empty cups but instead sharing what we have with those who have not. 

Our plan to accomplish this goal is to enlist 1000 people (family units) giving at least $25 per month.  This would enable us to continue and enlarge our humanitarian aid work, better equip and expand the NHA School as well as feed, clothe and shelter those who have yet to be reached in the villages.  If you are not already part of the monthly donation for Nazareth House, please consider doing so today.  Whatever you decide, whatever the amount - we are in great need of your help today.

If you are already pledging and contributing monthly support, thank you very much. We ask that you see your way clear to give a little extra this month to help complete the NHA Compound while Nazareth House  continues to provide the humanitarian aid, pay teachers salaries, open doors through education and spread a little love to our brothers and sisters in Sierra Leone.  Thank you for your prayers and support.

May God bless you, always.

Being absorbed into His mercy,

Vicki Hicks

 Mail checks to:

Nazareth House Apostolate

185 Captains Cove Drive

Taylorsville, KY 40071 

or

make  a donation with your credit card

through the PayPal link on our website

Monthly donations can be made through your online banking "BillPay:.  Simply sign NHA up as one of your automatic monthly deductions.   You only need our name and address, your bank does the rest including mailing the check and paying the postage!   

Planting Rice, Whatever the need

At Nazareth House Apostolate,

you will find our staff

 doing what NHA does - caring for others.  

  Wherever the need.

   If the need is to help plant rice, 

then you plant rice.   

Last week, 

Lucy and Roo joined in with Pa Foday and Mama Fatu and 

 the workers on Pa Foday's farm to plant rice.   

 It's that Nazareth House Apostolate "thing" .....  

Kadijah brings food for the workers in the rice field.

that "thing" of working together, making possible a better tomorrow for all.  

Nazareth House in Action

Last Week, our Nazareth House family from St. Laurence House packed up the necessary provisions

for James to make a trip to Kabala to check on the school and distribute rice to those in need along the way.

The following is written by James Mansaray from Freetown:

Its is our belief and wish at NHA to give rice for those who are in real hunger as (and when necessary). With the little funds we manage to scrape up every month, we pick families around us and those beyond to surprise them with a little bit of help to ease the hunger cry.

Small as he is, I need not tell ROO to help me collect, pack and give rice out to our neighbors.

This is what we do and would love to continue doing since there a so much empty stomachs out there.

Couple of days ago I was on the road again

with a handful of medical supply and rice reaching the most desperate homes especially those who had never had a bag from us before.

Day by day you meet more hungry kids

and adults and they need not ask you to give them for their eyes and the way they do says it all.

More and more kids left alone to baby sit themselves till 7:00 PM in the evening, when the family food will be ready.

Sometimes you need not blame the parents for they too had no choice but to make use of the best harvest that are left behind by rats and monkeys’.

As a child I had experienced this and till this day I still see mothers struggling to make the last days meal for their hungry kids who just sit back and wait for what will be placed in their big empty bowls.

For the kids at the one hut house, it’s all smile in their faces for they knew for sure that something is in store for them that will keep them alive and

active the up coming days. There is this joy you always find in their eyes and with this, it is always in my mind to give out more and more everyday.

A poor blind man could not believe that he was receiving a gift of rice and couldn't believe it was true. He asked if this will happen for him at least once every three month before he dies. (Help me provide this for him - give today). For him death is just around the corner since he is blind and has no means of providing for himself.

Sometimes it's so hard to believe and very difficult to do but once you see the hungry faces, you are left with no choice but to help out in your own way just like the

way we at NHA are trying to do.

See the huge smile of appreciating in this one legged woman's eye as I dropped her her own gift from St. Laurence House.

This is something no one will stop us from doing, we will continue despite the struggles. Together we will make our way into more and more hidden villages and do our work.

A big thanks to you all helping us reach these people. It is because of your compassion that they can keep breathing, please keep it up. You are important and needed.

God bless you all.

James.

Roo experiences the value of FREEDOM!

If your week has been like ours, its had its share of frustration. Everyone has those weeks from time to time and they are good lessons in patience - at least this is what I keep telling myself (smile).

The other morning was particularly annoying. For years I've fought with the Sierra Leone Post in order to get packages delivered without items stolen from within or whole boxes lost all together. But the USPS, I could count on...that is... until recently.

I suddenly noticed a drop in donations and mail for Nazareth House at our address. This is always a scary thing to have happen since without our help people are put in severe need. Nazareth House Office Headquarters shares property with Grace Church in Louisville, but is incorporated separately. Both organizations are registered Kentucky Corporations at the Goldsmith Lane address. We've been getting mail for Nazareth House at that address since 2001. As of May 11, 2009, the USPS took it upon themselves to stick a yellow label on and return to sender all mail for Nazareth House. The label reading "undeliverable at this address"!

I began to get calls from people who have had donations sent by mail returned. We went to the Louisville Post, showed them our Corporation Registration papers (we had to go to 3 different USPS offices to get to the right place) and explained the problem. They were at a loss and said they didn't understand why this was happening. They assured me they would get it fixed. I explained that we are a humanitarian organization and that when donations don't come - people starve. There are very needy people depending on us to survive. This was Tuesday.

Yesterday, I did receive a piece of mail for Nazareth House. I pray that this situation has been rectified. If you have received your donation returned, please resend it. The economy has hurt us enough, we can't afford, for the sake of these dear people in Sierra Leone, to lose any more donations. If you were thinking of sending a donation and haven't yet - please do so today. The Post Office is on guard looking for our mail now and would like to have chance to make amends for their mistake. Let's bombard them with mail - let's keep them on their toes while we keep some bellies fed in Sierra Leone.

Nazareth House Apostolate

2216 Goldsmith Lane

Louisville, KY 40218

In the midst of the frustrations of lost mail, etc. I received the following email from James. I thought it was adorable and it made my day! Although James and Roo experienced some frustrations, the story certainly lifted mine. Lucky for us, James had his camera and documented the whole story... Read on:

Good Morning Mama,

Wow, We all pray success on our campaigns to raise awareness and funds for our work. We pray and place it in God's hand to work on.

I am doing fine and woke up well. We were busy this morning figuring how to get ROO out who playfully locked himself in our Room. He locked it with the Key and could not open so i was looking around for him and I heard him inside saying Papa "Open the door for me". I said,"I cant for the key is inside with you". So he started crying and crying. He was short and could not reach the key anymore. With my instructions from outside in the yard through the window, he placed a stool and climb up and them turned it a gain. It was a miracle. Since then he has refused to go into our room and now lodge himself in the prayer room. Funny but that could have cost us a whole door break.

I am getting few items for school like chalk, papers, etc and preparing to deliver it to Kabala school soon. As I go, I will be doing rice bags for some poor families too. Pray and I will report on that too.

I miss you but will catch you later on.

Love you lots.

Son.

As James gives instructions from outside the bedroom window, Roo pushes over a stool to stand on to reach the door.

An intense look on his face and key in hand , he tries to unlock the door.

A smile creeps across Roo's face as he realizes success!

Roo, never wanting to experience being locked-up again, celebrates his freedom with a bowl of Cassava Leaf & Rice.

PS: As you can see, Roo is a huge Spiderman Fan.

Daily frustrations being worked out... I have some good news to report.

More boxes are being delivered to Maria filled with shoes. Still a long way to go to reach our goal.

We are making progress filling this storage to later be packed into the container which will set sail to Sierra Leone.

James also reports that another package has arrived to St. Laurence House from the Post. We'll report on that later. Thank you, God. It's all good.

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!

Mangoes & Rice: A Report from James in Freetown

Imported rice from Thailand namely Parboiled, Triple AAA and Bella Rosa to name but these three has taken a toll in the markets making it very difficult for the ordinary man to meet a whole bag, instead some go for the half bag which is 25 kg and majority do with the one cup service which is meeting what you can afford for a day and then leave the following day to fend for itself.

For some, especially up in the provinces, a mixture of rice and Bulgur (some kind of brown wheat also imported) which is usually being used to feed pigs, is being blended together to make a perfect family dinner.

The other day, i sat together with a group of fellow photographers at the Sun Colour Photo Studio down Sanders Street and I noticed several push carts carrying bags of rice, old and young men sweating and forcing more rice with their wheelbarrows. Printed on one of the rice bags was USAID,followed by a small writing at the bottom - A GIFT FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. These lines throw lots of question to us and we started debating about it. The argument was, was this sent to us as a gift when people we are paying for it? This remained unanswered.

Let's say, where man fails to come to our rescue, God is always there to help. The months April and May has been good indeed bringing forth more mangoes to help combat the hungry homes. It was said years back that people in Freetown only eat mangoes to balance their diets but my pictures are saying the opposite. More homes are making better use of it including St. Laurence House forgetting this diet balance thing and using mango as a way to ward off hunger.

In Kabala, it is very difficult to tell whether mangoes should be eaten at a certain time because people sleep, wake and dine with it twenty four hours a day.

My fear is what will people do when all this mango season celebration will be done in a months' time and the rice prices still the same or worst?

Rice Price Gauging in Freetown?????

It is being reported that the business owners in Freetown are sending their workers out to buy large quantities of bags of rice. They, in turn, sell it to the population of Freetown at a higher price than they, themselves paid. Whether this is indeed the case or not, the above photos are evidence of the "hoarding" of rice. The people in Freetown, unable afford to purchase rice (their main food source) by the bag, now are buying it by the cup - enough to get through the day - and if they are lucky to have enough money - enough to get through a week.

It is interesting to note the US AID written on the bag of rice in the above pictures. It was my understanding that Humanitarian AID rice was provided to countries in need - free of charge, yet these bags will be sold to the people in Sierra Leone for a profit.

We welcome your comments on this issue, click on the "comments" link below, just to the right of the posting time. Thank You.