The need for clean water in the world is so huge. Reserch shows that 80% of the world population does not have access to clean water. It is a priviledge to have clean and safe drinking water. In August 2011 a small village at the boarder of Mawa and Msindo, in southern Tanzania in Ruvuma region, had a priviledge of getting clean water. The water was hooked from the current system which Mawa village uses. It is the system that already serves five villages.

It was nice to have all villagers getting involved in the project. Both men and women, adults and children alike participated in the project which involved digging a trench and laying pipes.

Villagers participate in digging the trench and laying pipes

People are enjoying tap water! The women are most joyous!

In June a couple from from Austria, Mr. Fritz and his wife Traude visited Hanga Abbey to see the monks especially their long time friend Frater Anselm Wella, OSB. Mr. & Mrs. Fritz have been helping several needy children in Tanzania. For the abbey, they are particularly remembered for their contribution to build the currenct Trade School girls’ dormitory.

Pictured below from left: Mr. Fritz, wife Trude, Br. Anselm,  Fritz’s friend, Br. Lucius and Renata Mbiliyi a laboratory technician at Hanga dispensary.

The Corpus Christ Sunday, is a special Sunday for Catholics when they display the Holy Eucharist and process to acknowledge and express their faith in the sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ. In Tanzania this tradition continues. At Hanga village monks, students and catholic villages gathered to pray and process with the sacrament. It was a day of meditation, prayer, thanksgiving and pouring out personal concens to God through the adoration of the Holy Eucharist.

Monks in the procession

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Incensing the Holy Eucharist

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Villagers in the procession

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Children spread flowers to honor the Holy Eucharist.

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.People sing in the procession

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Adoration of the Eucharist in the abbey church.

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On May 8th, 2011 the monks of Hanga Abbey had a joy of receiving four young men aspiring to be monks. Fr. Gregory Mwageni, OSB, the first superior of the monastery, had the priviledge of presiding at the short ceremony of admitting the four young men into a rank of monastic  called postulancy. After six months or so the men will be raised to a rank of novitiate, a period of intense training in monatic life. The names of the new postulants are: Edward Msigwa, Herald Haule, Raphael Mwanyika, and Tobias Lelo.

In the photo: Frater Linus Kigahe, OSB, and Fr. Michael Mlowe, OSB, the postulant formators with the new postulants.

It has been common for Hanga Abbey monks to celebrate Palm Sunday with all their students from their four schools: St. Benedict Secondary School, St. Laurent Pre & Primary School and Trade school. This year celebration was not unusual but great. Abbot Thadei Mhagama, OSB, was the main celebrant. The celebration began with blessing of the palms at St. Pirmin’s guest house then pocession followed to the abbey church. The church was full packed and more then two hundred people had to stand during the whole mass. It is a small church compared to the number of people who have to be at Mass. No question there is a need for a bigger church!

On Easter vigil mass the abbot baptized and confirmed a few of our students in the abbbey church. It was nice to see new members joining the Church. Many relatives and friends of the baptized/confirmed were present for the event.

In the photos: Abbot Thadei interogating and hands Easter candle to the baptized and the confirmed.

It all began with Fr. John O Callaghan of Glenstal Benedictine Abbey in Ireland. He met Br. Cassian Kussula of Hanga Abbey during their meetings of Benedictine formators. An idea was born to help Hanga Abbey schools with computers and computer class was introduced as one of their subjects. Then St. Benedicts Secondary school and Hanga Religious Seminary received computers from Ireland through the efforts of Fr. John. But only to find that there is a problem of electricity at Hanga Abbey and its institutions. Hence the idea of solar electricity came to be the real solution. This March 2011 solar panels for electricity to run the computers and for light in the school have been installed.

We thank Fr. John, Br. Cassian and all the donors that have been involved in making this happen.

Bellow find the pictures of St. Benedict students, the headmaster Fr. Mugaga Angelo with two volunteers from Irend who installed the solar panels in front of the pannels.

Below left: Br. Lucius, OSB, is standing in the room with batteries charged by solar panels

Initiative to provide Kala Village with clean water. Currently the village has to travel to a lake to retreive water in buckets to be carried back for drinking, washing, etc. Hanga Abbey is in need of donations to improve the quality of life and safety for this village.

To view the brochure for this initiative, please click here!

At Hanga Trade School this year, 2010, on the 13th of November, 17 students including five young women graduated at the school after four years of training in different trades of masonry, carpentry, plumbing, automechanics, tailoring and electrical installation. These young women and men are ready to lead their lives and help their extended families with their trade skills which will enable them to be employed or be self employed. They cannot miss employment.

Notable too in this graduation, for the first time, there were two nuns of the Benedictine order of Camaldoli from Iringa (southern Highlands of Tanzania): Sister Esther Ngowi and Sister Anita graduating with skills in plumbing and automechanics respectively. Hanga Abbey is very proud to be able to help people in the field of education.

The colorful graduation ceremony took place at Hanga Religious seminary grounds on the 22nd October 2010. A total of 32 Form IV seminarians graduated their four year Ordinary Level Secondary School education program. Some of these young men will continue with monastic life somewhere and some will continue with studies to be priests. At the ceremony the guest of honor was Fr. Christopher of Mbinga diocese (in  southern Tanzania). In the picture you can see Fr. Chrysostom giving a speech during the ceremony. Note the gues of honor Fr. Joseph is sitting next to him and our reporter, Frater Lucius is on the right. Below: a photo of the Form IV graduating class of 2010 with our reporter in the white habit.

The visit of eye doctors, Dr. Ed Tuhy from Kalamath Falls, Oregon – USA in 2009 and Dr. Greg from Canada in 2010, at Hanga Abbey and working with people with eye problems at the Abbey dispensary has led to a discovery of many people with need for cataract sugery. As the word got out catholic parishes of Sacred Heart in Medford, and St. Pius X in Klamath Falls, both in Oregon – USA have contributed enough to help these people with cataract problem to have sugery. We thank all parishioners at the two parishes for their generosity.

The patients have been getting surgery at Songea Regional hospital, 50 km from Hanga, for $30. However, there has been one special case of a girl of 10 years old, Jackline Lunji,  who had to be refered to Dar es Salaam National Hospital about 700 miles from Hanga Abbey. She had stopped going to school for 2 years because she could not see. It cost $400 for her sugery to take place due to the travelling expenses to Dar es Salaam and costs of living there with her caregiver, Br. Stanislaus, OSB. By all standards her story is a success strory. Jackline now sees well and back to school! Bellow see her pictures with her parents, caregivers, optomestrists and after sugery.

Jackline with her parents at home in Hanga

Jackline before sugery.

At Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam

Diagnosis before sugeryTreatment after sugery