Delbarton Students, from New Jersey, USA, Visit Hanga

In June five students from Delbarton High School (Morristown county) in New Jersey had the opportunity to visit Hanga Hanga abbey and the village. For three years Delbarton school has been sending students and teachers during summer to experience Tanzanian culture and also help Hanga Abbey schools with some school supplies. Last year the school bought books for St. Benedict Secondary School and participated in the exercise of making bricks. This year as well they provided funds to buy text books. We thank teachers and students at Delbarton schools for they support in the field of education for our Tanzanian students.

Farewell party to students and teachers from Delbarton High School

 

 

 

 

A Priest and a Benedictine Nun Join Hands to Help Needy Children

In the archdiocese of Songea in southern Tanzania, a parish priest Fr. Pius Nchimbi and a Benedictine Nun, Sister Siri, OSB, have paired their efforts to help orphans and children who have been abandoned by their parents (single mothers) or from  very poor family in Mgazini parish west of Songea municipality. Three years ago the pastor decided to use dilapidated building with minor renovation to host less than ten children. Now that number has grown to 51 children. With some help from some people form USA and Germany the children are getting better services. They have good dormitories, beds with good matresses and mosquito nets, 

     

table wares and clothing. Thanks to the benefactors for sharing their blessings with these children. As more rooms can be renovated, (depending on the availability of funds)  more children will be taken in. There are so many of these needy children.  

Hanga Heath Center Attractive to Medical Field Work

For many years Hanga Health Center has been a place that many medical schools have been sending their trainees for field work even from outside the country as far as Italy, USA, Germany and Austria. The nearby Peramiho Hospital has been sending students at the Center at  a regular basis yearly; but this year in May we had medical students from Songea regional hospital and as far as from Mbeya Referal Hospital about 8 hours car drive northwest of Hanga Abbey. As such it is a good assistance to the staff especially during busy times of the year, during rainy season when there more patients to attend to. Indeed the accommodation and friendly environment at Hanga makes Hanga Health Center

.

Frater Lucius with some of the medical students in field work at Hanga Health Center.

 

 In the photo above are medical students from Mbeya

Below a photo of medical students from Songea and Mbeya   

Medical students from Songea Hospital

Celebrating Palm Sunday at Hanga

It is customary for Hanga Abbey and its schools (Hanga Seminary, St. Benedict, Hanga Trade School) to have Palm Sunday celebrated together at which students from all schools  and workers celebrate the Mass at the abbey church. This year the mass was presided by Fr. Kamugisha the head of St. Augustine Catholic University of Songea campus. The celebration started at St. Pirmin's Guest House where palms were blessed and procession began heading to the abbey church about 300 meters.
The celebration of masses together is desirable for the community but the abbey church is too small to handle all people at once. Hence, at least once a year, monks, students and workers take the trouble to attend mass together.

Frater Deogratias Mwageni, OSB, of Hanga Abbey Dies

The sad news of the death of Frater Deogratias Mwageni, occured on Friday  11th of April 2014. Frater Deogratias died after his health dwindling for some time. He was born in  1950 on 30th of March. He joined Hanga Abbey and made his first profession on July 11, 1975.



Of the many responsibilities he held at the abbey Frater Degratias will be remembered by many people as a teacher and headmaster at St. Benedict school from 2000 until 2004. Because of his compassion and treating student as if he were a grandfather to his grandchildren, he earned a name "Babu Poa/Deo" meaning Cool Grandpa or Grandpa Deo. Indeed Frater Deogratias was a quiet monk who always lived by sticking to monastic discipline. He loved peace and did not like confrontation a quality that earned him many friends and great respect among the monks.

May he rest in peace.