"Oasis of the Heart"
 Ministry in JAMAICA
 

"When I arrived in Jamaica in 1991 I could not fathom that I would be called mom, mommy and Sister Mom," says Sister Naomi Rosenberger about the countless Jamaican children she has nurtured over the years.

Sister Naomi, a former Prioress of Benet Hill Monastery, came to the Vicariate of Mandeville as a co-director of development. In 1997, when the vicariate became a diocese, she was named Chancellor where her role involves assisting the Bishop and the Vicar General in the Administration of the Diocese of Mandeville. "My responsibilities totally depend on being available for whatever need is directed at me," says Sister Naomi.

Busy though she was, she and fellow Benedictine Sister Connie Ostrander couldn't help being affected by the poverty they saw around them. "The suffering we have observed called us to action; we could not remain unengaged." So they founded a separate ministry: Oasis of the Heart: a "women-helping-women project where we provide direct assistance to impoverished women and children."

Oasis of the Heart has provided assistance with tuition, school uniforms, a school nutrition program, ("if children don't wear shoes and bring their own lunches in many places they're not allowed in school") dental needs, wood, medicine and doctor appointments and even facilitated the building of simple houses.

Sister Naomi speaks with pride of the many volunteers and donors who have aided Oasis of the Heart throughout the years and of "the phenomenal growth of our diocese. Our harvest is great, and our laborers are many and dedicated. More than 100 missionaries, lay, religious and clergy from 26 different foreign countries work together to build the Kingdom of God in this south central region of Jamaica."

Unfortunately, the needs in Jamaica are greater than they have ever been. The Sisters cite the recent case of a young girl they just met who had been raped and a 7-year-old child so starved he weighed only 14 pounds and so hungry he was eating his own feces.

If you would like to support Sister Naomi and Sister Connie's Oasis of the Heart ministry to "the poorest of the poor" in Jamaica, you may send your donation to:

Benet Hill Monastery
(on memo line: Oasis of the Heart donation)
2555 North Chelton Road
Colorado Springs, CO 80909-1362

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BENET HILL MONASTERY
3190 Benet Lane
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(719) 633-0655
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