St. Joseph Peramiho Hospital Sends Student Nurses to Hanga Health Center

At Hanga Health Center on November 28, 2014, six nursing students were welcomed to have their field experience at the Center. It has been a customary for students from Peramiho St. Joseph Hospital to send their students to the Health Center for practices. For the Health Center, the presence of the students alleviates much work to the staff especially during this rainy season when there is overwhelming number of patients. The students finish their field work toward the end of December. We thank the administration at Peramiho Hospital for sending us a  help, and we thank the students for their dedication.

Photos of the student nurses at Hanga Health Center at gate and signing a Guest Book.

 

Graduation at Hanga Serminary, 2014

Fifty five men finished sitting for National Examination for Secondary School Education at Hanga Religious Seminary this year 2014. November 22, 2014,  was a graduation day for the young men at the seminary. It was time to congratulate them for their completion of the Secondary School Education and saying farewell.

The day began with the celebration of Holy Mass followed by speeches and dances/singing and concluded with luncheon. Among the dances performed during the ceremony was the famous Ngoni war dance commonly known as "ligihu" - See pictures below of students in pink costumes. The guest of honor was Fr. Tetulian Mrope, a professor at Peramiho Seminary School of Theology.

 

Below the guest of honor Fr. Tetulian Mrope and Fr. Chrysotom Mukulasi, OSB, (the Rector of the seminary) beside him, handing School Leaving Certificates to the graduating seminarians.

 

We thank Fr. Chrysostom and all the seminary teachers for their academic and moral formation they gave to the seminarians. We wish the graduating students success in their future endeavors.

Br. Julian from German (on left) was at the ceremony. Br. Julian teaches music at the seminary.

Above Fr. Chrysostom Mukulasi, OSB, the Rector of the seminary is giving a speech.

Students from other Hanga Abbey schools were present including Nakagugu Formation House, St. Benedict Secondary School and Hanga Trade School.

 

A Wedding Ceremony of an Abbey Employee

It was Theodora Mpagike being married to Mr. Michael Mbiro this last September 2014. Ms. Theodora has a certificate in dentistry and has been working at the Abbey Health Center for ten years. With that many years at the Health Center she is well known by the villagers. Consequently her wedding was phenomenal. It drew a big crowd at the Catholic parish church at Hanga village. The wedding was officiated by Fr. Frown Tindwa, a former student of St. Benedict Secondary school, one of the abbey's school. Fr. Tindwa is a relative of Mr. Michael. Mr. Mbiro and her wife Theodora have a two year old daughter who was baptized on the same wedding day. Congratulations to Mr. Michael Mbiro and Theodara for their commitment to life together. We wish them many God's blessings.

In the photos are sections of the wedding ceremony.

In the photo above from left Theodora Mpagike, (in wreath)  her daughter, Fr. Frowin Tinda and Mr. Michael Mbiro.

 

 

Exchanging wedding rings - below.

Many villagers of Hanga attended the wedding.

 

 

Frater Stanislaus, OSB, Graduates in Medical Studies

On August 26, 2014  at the University of St. Augustine in Mwanza run by Episcopal Conference of Catholic bishops of Tanzania Frater Stanislaus Mwinuka, OSB, had graduation ceremony finishing his training to be a Clinical Officer. He becomes the first monk of Hanga Abbey to have the diploma in the field. Indeed he is being waited for eagerly at Hanga Health Center for his expertise. We thank those who sponsored for his studies. Later on we expect Frater Stanislaus to continue on with training in optometry. We wish him success in all his endeavors.

Below are some pictures of Frater Stanislaus graduation day.

St. Laurent Primary School Graduation 2014

On August 16, this year 2014 St. Laurent School had the celebration for the graduating class - Standard VII class. St. Laurent school is a pre and primary school of English Medium. The total number of graduating pupils was 62 of whom 38 were boys and 24 girls. Mr. Ernest Haule the owner of OK Hotels in Songea  town was the guest of honor. In September the pupils will be sitting for their final National Examinations. We wish them success and bright future. Like all other classes in the past that all pupils passed the National Exams, we hope they too will do well.

Farewell and Welcome to Visitors at Hanga Abbey

On July 4th, 2014,   the monks at Hanga Abbey held a farewell dinner for some visitors and welcoming others. The farewell was for a group of students and professors from Oregon Institute of Technology, USA. They have been building a structure to filter water for four years. The structure will be complete sometime this year. This year they had about two weeks to work with monks to fill the filter chambers with gravel and sand. They also had plumbers to lay/fix pipes in the chambers as inlets and outlets. The project is cosponsored by Sunrise Rotary Club of Klamath Falls, Oregon, USA, and Engineers Without Boarders of USA. See some pictures below.

  

   A Welcome was given to visitors from Cologne, Germany, Frau Perry with his friend; both are touring Hanga Abbey and the country as a whole. Also, and very unusual, two Benedictine nuns from Namibia Sisters Ottilia, OSB, and Adela, OSB, were welcomed. This is a very rare visit. They are the first people/nuns from Namibia to visit Hanga Abbey. We are very happy to welcome them to observe our monastic way of life here at Hanga Abbey and see what we do as an African Benedictine community of men.

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.