Merry Christmas

A Christmas Hymn from the Sister's of Rosary Hill Christmas Eve Service

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Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming from tender stem hath sprung!

Of Jesse's lineage coming, as men of old have sung.

It came, a floweret bright, amid the cold of winter,

when half spent was the night.

Isaiah 'twas foretold it, the Rose I have in mind;

with Mary we behold it, the Virgin Mother kind.

To Show God's love aright, she bore to men a Savior,

when half spent was the night.

This Flower, whose fragrance tender with sweetness fills the air,

dispels with glorious splndor the darkness everywhere;

true Man, yet very God, vrom sin and death He saves us,

and lightens every load.

O Saviour, Child of Mary, who felt our human woe,

O Saviour, King of glory, who dost our weakness know'

bring us at length, we pray, to the bright courts of Heaven,

And to the endless day!

The Unbroken Rashani Rae

There is a brokenness
Out of which comes the unbroken,
A shatteredness out of which blooms the unshatterable.
There is a sorrow
Beyond all grief which leads to joy
And a fragility
Out of which depth emerges strength.
There is a hollow space
Too vast for words
Through which we pass with each loss,
Out of whose darkness we are sanctified into being.
There is a cry deeper than all sound
Whose serrated edges cut the heart
As we break open
To the place inside which is unbreakable and whole.

Rashani Rae

Thank You notes

We received these thank you notes from Tanzania in yesterday's post. Now we are watching a violent popular movie on tv, while I post these to the web. Life can be so disconcerting!

Please ignore the poor English, and try to understand the underlying message. Although the educational language for upper education in Tanzania is English, the students do not begin to learn English until they are in high school. Any student that is accepted to Ndanda Secondary School is among the top students in the country. The students are assigned randomly to Ndanda, they do not have the choice of what school to attend.

Many of the students are in the same situation as these scholarship recipients -smart enough, but no money. The scholarship we give them is $500/year, and that is enough for school fees, eats, uniforms, books and some extra cash.

Thank You Note continued

5.

Dear Joseph's Parents

How are you? What about your health/conditions with our family. I hope all is still well.
Apart from my side I feel well and I still with my studies as well as needed. So I am very happy to talk with them with short message and I know my background in short and totally my thanks.
My name is Hamsi am a student at Ndanda High School where our honorable fellow Joseph Lawrence Chow was become a teacher. Am a one who benefited with your massive support with child who want get basic need.
So I was born twenty years ago at _____________ in __________ district. I was started primary school in 1999 at _____________ and I finished in 2005. I was given chance to join in secondary school at _________________ where Mr. Joseph (rest in peace) friend Mr. Mathew was a teacher.

After finished O level education in 2009 I was got chance to still with studies at Ndanda High School. But even as chosen to still with studies,my parents they won't pay all schools fees/eats this due to bad standard life and poor economics which my family have. After getting donations from you I still well with studies and my parents greet you and they have very happy and they say Thanks alot for your donations which help still with subject.

Also give big up to sister Jen who help to connect us with you.

Thanks

Yours in Education,

Thank You Note Continued

4.

Dears

To the parenti of Joseph Chow and all family concerned Joseph Chow. What are the conditions and day to day economic activities. To my side its fine.

The purpose of letter most important thing is to grant my thanks for your support. Jiammani I thanks for helping me in education because this is important thing to me, but now everything is ok and I continue my studies. Seemed one I want to introduce my self for those who support me.

My name is Devis _________ and fathers name is ____ and mothers name is ____________ and my family are not in in __________. Therefore for side of mother I am single born, and side of father we are five in number. The father side of family situation we are suffering due to poverty and after aspect ????? the great one is poverty in education, primary education _____________ and secondary school called __________ . Now I am at Ndanda.
Sorry because I have a problem in English language. My concentration is HGK. It means History Geography and Kaswahili.

Thanks
Student,

Devis

Thank you note continued

3. Ramadhani

Dear Jospeh's parents

My name is Ramadhani __________. I'm a form five HKR student in this school of Ndanda. I do thank for your assistance because I am the one who benefited from your massive support.

First I want to say a something that I was born in 1990 in home village of ______________ in Mtawara region. When I was child I was taught how work and how to respect my self and even others this made me an efficient and creative one.

By the year 1999 I registered to join primary education at ___________ village then by 2005 I was selected to join with secondary education level at _____________ ward found hopeless due to massive and gigantic poverty that they have.
But I do thanks to them since they tried according to their level best to ensure that I got such education. It was normally to be exposed from the school due to lack of school fees, proper uniform and other requirements.
Therefore by the year 2010 my form four examinations were released where by I was selected to join with advanced level education, so if was during this point when my parents life became poorer and poorer. But they did not lose hope. I cooperated with my parents to struggle more effectively especially more myself since they are lacking enough ability doing work to ????? I worked in ferrys and traded to different villages searching for money which helped some success.

Therefore I do thanks on behalf of my parents they are congratulating and thanking you for your strong support supplied, they wish you good and longer life and God bless you. Also to my side are finishing by saying that Bod is together with you and will bless our heart Joseph Chow and I will follow his actions in order to become like him.

I thanks you alot we never forget you.

Yours faithful,

Ramadhani

Thank You note continued

2. Dear Joseph's Parents:

My name is Mohamed a form 6 HORK student at Ndanda High School. I came from _________in the ______ region in __________ village. I live with mother, brother and other relatives. I go my primary education at ________ primary school and secondary education at ________ secondary school in __________.

The aim of this letter is to give thanks to Mr. Joseph's parents for their help. For sure I real thank the family and may our Almighty God bless you. I also thank the school administration choosing me to be the helped student.

Indeed the late Joseph Chow paved the way to us as how to study and how to tackle different challenges in our daily life, may God bless him.

Yours faithfully,

Mohamed