Visitors from USA at Hanga, June 2019

Five friends of Hanga abbey visited Hanga from USA in June 2019. They are part of the many people who support social projects that Hanga Abbey is providing to the people particularly the water project. The visitors had many things to see and experience. They visited Mhukuru village where about 15,000 have safe drinking water - a gravity-fed water system. They saw the water line, three reservoirs/tanks, and several water taps with people enjoying the water. At the village, villagers were able to express their appreciation to the visitors by presenting gifts and performing traditional dances.

USA frinds of the abbey. Front from left, Mary Ann Crawford, Jesse Short, and Kirk Crawford. Behind Mary Ann is Darrin Short.

With children at Mhukuru; behind from left Wayne Bos, Fr. Osmund, Darrin Short, and Jesse Short.

Mary Ann Crawford with the women of Mhukuru at a water tap.

 At Mhukuru village villagers welcomed the visitors from USA with great joy; gave writhes to the visitors and performed traditional dances.

At the abbey they visited different abbey institutions including Hanga Religious Seminary, Hanga Trade School, St. Benedict Trade School and Colland Secondary School. To all these institutions they presented gifts of T-Shirts, soccer balls, basket balls and volley balls. It was a great joy to the students and teachers.

Visitors presenting soccer balls to the Headdmaster Fr. Chrisostom, OSB, at Hanga Seminary

Presenting T-shirts and balls at St. Benedict Secondary School

Presenting T-shisrts and balls to Hanga Trade school stedents

At Colland Secondary School there was a work of drilling a water well. Mr. Nashon, an employee from Chipole Convent in the archdiocese of Songea brought his drilling equipment for the job. It was a perfect opportunity to our visitors to see the real work of drilling water wells, from the beginning until witnessing water from the ground pumped out for use.

USA visitors witnessing water well drilling at Colland Secondary School

Celebrating Sunday of the Holy Eucharist

It is a long time tradition in the Catholic Church that in some parts of the world Catholics celebrate the Sunday of the Holy Eucharist with procession. It is cebrated every year on the second Sunday after the last Sunday of Easter. In Tanzania, the tradition is still alive. At Hanga community which is comprised of the villagers of Hanga, the abbey and its institutions the celebration is indeed very festive.

This year, 2019, the procession with the Eucharist began at the parish church and concluded at the abbey. The procession and adoration took more than three hours. In the procession different groups marched with the Eucharist chanting various songs of the Eucharist. Indeed as the Eucharist (the Holy Mass) is central to the Catholic faith it is a very worthy event to celebrate. Visitors from USA were amazed at the celebration which they had never seen or heard before and the great number of people who participated left them in awe.

Procession began at the parish church

USA visitors participating the procession with the Holy Eucharist.

Diffferent groups singing and dancing