PrayLoveWalk, Chico California

Nazareth House Apostolate began in prayer.  It is that “making space for God” that we strive to continue.   

When many think of Nazareth House Apostolate, they think of the humanitarian work we do in Sierra Leone.   

That work, full of compassion, is a portion of what Nazareth House Apostolate is. 

Humanitarian work is noble work but for NHA, as with everything else of NHA, it must be born out of and sustained in prayer.   Without it, we become simply one of many humanitarian organizations. 

There is so much more to Nazareth House Apostolate. 

Without focus, commitment and practice of prayer as the priority, we become nothing than another secular establishment.   Our prayer is not only a precious gift to give others, but more importantly it is for God.   This is why St. Simeon Skete is vital to us all.  

People need a place of ongoing prayer,  a place where God is enough.  Not all of us can live the demanding disciplined life at the Skete, but we can all pray.  And when there are times in which we are unable to pray because of the distractions and dysfunctions of the world, it is comforting to know that there is a place where prayer is constant and where we are taken up into that prayer.  

This blog post is not meant as a suggestion for you to assume we no longer need your donations-quite the opposite.   (Although, if you can only give us one thing, we’d rather it  be prayer.) The goal of this post is a recommitment to the statement you’ve heard so many times from us: 

“Nazareth House Apostolate relies totally on God

as he expresses Himself through our supporters’ prayers, 

compassion and generosity.”

It is to the degree that you are in ongoing relationship with God that you will hear, know and understand what he has put into your heart.  

In the spirit of focusing on prayer, the parish of St. Augustine of Canterbury in Chico, California sponsored a “Walk-a-thon” to benefit Nazareth House Apostolate on New Years Day 2011.  They didn’t want to just WALK through Bidwell Park, they wanted to PRAY through it.  And that is exactly what they did. 

From the beginning, the event was organized in prayer, about prayer and for prayer.  The normal administrative preparations all began and ended in prayer from permits to advertisement.  


Even the name of the Event maintained the focus: PRAY- LOVE-WALK-a-thon.   

On the day of PrayLoveWalk, we’d hoped for a sunny, warm day.  It didn’t happen, we got exactly the opposite - a rainy, cold and dismal morning.  But it didn’t matter.   

The gathering of the people filled with love brought about all the warmth and light we could ask for.  

The teamwork was incredible. 

People helping out to do whatever

 task to make the PrayLoveWalk a reality.  

One after another, they joined in to register the walkers.

Thankful to Augie’s Fine Coffee and Tea,  we enjoyed hot coffee to wake us up and keep our teeth from chattering.  

It was wonderful to see the loving fellowship

 and genuine happiness as people greeted each other and worked together.  

The prayer walk opened (of course) in prayer, 

and then the participants 

dispersed into groups

 or individually to begin the course

 through Bidwell Park.  

Each step a prayer, 

each smile a prayer, 

each conversation a prayer...

In the midst of the prayer walk 

we happened upon the New Year's Day "Polar Bear" Swimmers 

who brave the icy weather to take a yearly splash in the cold waters in Bidwell Park. 

The prayer walk combined with such great fellowship seemed blessing enough, but St. Augustine Parish being St. Augustine Parish didn’t end the day there - they also fed us. 

Again, teamwork at its best, 

a tremendous breakfast was spread before us.   

Having had a nice prayer walk, a great breakfast 

and lots 

of good fellowship,

 it was now time 

for the Raffle Drawings.   

More fun

More fellowship

and then a little bit more fellowship...

Nazareth House Apostolate is very much in awe of the NHA gathering in Chico.  What a wonderful work you have done.   

We are very pleased to announce the results of the PrayLoveWalk -a-thon:

• $500 received January 1st; individual check to NHA
• $1769 received January 17; summary of checks written to NHA
• $1893.79 received January 27; individual check from St. Augustine to NHA (total of checks written to St. Augustine for NHA)
• $50 received from out of State donor written to NHA

for a grand total presented to Nazareth House Apostolate: $4,212.79. ...and it all began in prayer.    Simply amazing!  


Thank you to everyone who participated, what an awesome work.   Thank you, thank you!

Be Still ...

Dear Nazareth House Friends,
Greetings!  In the last month, Nazareth House Apostolate Blog has been quiet.  We've received many phone calls and emails asking if everything is okay.  We thank you for your love, concern and patience during our brief hiatus.

With all the busy-ness and muchness of the Holiday Season beginning with Thanksgiving, on through the New Year, Nazareth House felt the need to begin 2011 in a time of stillness.  Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God" 


There is that special strength found in the quiet stillness that brings focus like nothing else can. "And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice."  Kings 19: 11-12


Though silent, we have not been stagnant  - we've a lot to share with you. Check back with us often.  

Travels to Sierra Leone

Its been great having James in America, but he is anxious to return to his beloved wife and children and to get back to doing the business of NHA, serving the people in need.  

As we prepare for his return, 

we have been packing up many of the medications 

and such for him to distribute once he is back on Sierra Leone soil.   

He has been greatly missed and many are waiting for his assistance through NHA. 

James has got a good dose of what the work on our end of the project entails.  

 He knows just what goes into preparing a package to send to him for the work.   From the arrival of the items to our Taylorsville NHA Office

to the packing, labeling and custom forms.  From there its off to the Post Office

hauling box after box ...

finally the most painful procedure:  Paying for it all!

We'll be tracking these things as they travel from Kentucky to Freetown.  We'll follow their path on the blog and for the first time James will be on both ends of a project - both shipping and receiving.

 I've had this happen to me and its exciting to ship from the States, arrive in Sierra Leone and pick up the package there as it completes its journey.

Mama Vicki with Freetown Postal Workers

 

Now its James's turn.  He's experienced a lot of things in America.  Many things amaze him, some things worry him, but by far he is impressed with our delivery systems here.

When we complain about slow deliveries or such, we are fortunate that we receive our packages without paying bribes or tips and that it arrived in a reasonable amount of time.  For others in 3rd World countries getting your mail is not that easy.  

NHA wants to thank the Freetown Salone Post for being so kind to us and making sure that our packages arrive timely.  They know that each package is filled with love and supplies to help their people.   Thank you all.  I love the cooperation and team work of NHA.