Nederlandstalige versie
Jacqueline & Janneke are walking the Nijmeegse vierdaagse collecting money for
the Abba Toon Leus school in Dharrito (see: www.abbatoon.nl/4daagse)

Our visit: a journey with a mission

Wednesday October 24th: Dadim. The service of remembrance. Go to tea.



The Mass

Today we walk to the breakfast table at 8.00 a.m.. Ben is preparing the flowers for the grave. The flower arrangement looks very beautiful. Our diner is walking around in the garden. It looks very good.

At 9.00 a.m. we go to the church. Long before the Mass starts we hear the singing of the choir. A lot of people went to the church. Father Boniface and father Iede say Mass. Iede is translating some Borana words for us. Father Boniface says: "Today, we celebrate the life of Abba Toon." Important words of Abba Toon are: "I'm happy with life. And happy with the word of God in my life.". A boy of the choir reads out a poem. The leader of the Catholic women of Dadim wants to say some words too. But, after three words, her eyes fill with tears and she's not able to speak more.
One of the Borana men says some words. Iede translates the words for us. Again, a lot of sweet and nice words, full of praise. "Abba Toon took very well care of all the people. Especially the children. It didn't matter whether the people were baptized or not." "He was a brother of all Borana people."
After the Mass, we all go to the grave. The tablet that the family brought is put on the grave. Lia lays the wreath on the grave. Father Boniface blesses the grave. After the ceremony at the grave, it's time for the coffee ceremony. We already dare to try a coffee bean!
The children's clothes we brought are handed out. It's a little chaos. It's a matter of course that all the children want to get some new clothes. After the distribution, we go back to the misionary house and drink some coffee and tea and have lunch.
Iede tells some stories about Abba Toon working on the book. The cooperation with Sylvia wasn't always running smoothly. There were some conflicts, but the final result is a very great and valuable book.

Drinking tea

We are invited for tea at 5.00 p.m. by the leader of the Catholic women of Dadim. They prepared Enjéra with potatoes and vegetables for us. We get tea with camel milk. Everything tastes very good. Very very nice they take all this trouble for us. At this moment, the woman is able to speak some words to us about Abba Toon. She is still in distress about the death of Abba Toon. Ben (Abba Toon's brother) gets a gift from one of the boys in the house. It's a Borana-bracelet. A gracious gesture. Ben will never take the bracelet off.
After the visit, we walk around Dadim. Some students are walking with us. They like to talk to us. They do their best to practice talking English.

Campfire

Back to the misionary house, the furniture is taken outside. The campfire is started. Again there is a very good diner prepared for us. Salad, tomatoes, sweet peppers, rice, lentils en off course the goat.
After dinner we watch some Big Brother Africa with Boniface. Iede brought a video of the funeral of Abba Toon. We all watch it together. After this we sit around the fire and talk for a while. At half past twelve it's time to go to bed.


Ben is arranging the flowers.Ben is arranging the flowers.
Diner, part 1.Diner, part 1.
Diner, part 2.Diner, part 2.
The flowersThe flowers
The church.The church.
The church.The church.
click here for movie:The start of the mass
MassMass
MassMass
Children in the church.Children in the church.
Children in the church.Children in the church.
The poem.The poem.
Nice words.Nice words.
Mass is finished.Mass is finished.
Lia puts the flowers on the grave.Lia puts the flowers on the grave.
The blessing of the grave.The blessing of the grave.
The blessing of the grave.The blessing of the grave.
A lot of people are present.A lot of people are present.
A lot of people are present.A lot of people are present.
The grave.The grave.
The words of the Borana people, the fathers and sisters.The words of the Borana people, the fathers and sisters.
The words of the family.The words of the family.
The coffee ceremony.The coffee ceremony.
The blessing of the coffee.The blessing of the coffee.
click here for movie:The blessing of the coffee
Joop and Ria and the Borana people.Joop and Ria and the Borana people.
A lot of children.A lot of children.
Abba Iede and a Borana girl.Abba Iede and a Borana girl.
The children behave properly.The children behave properly.
Abba Boniface talking to the children.Abba Boniface talking to the children.
The coffee.The coffee.
The children love to pose for the pictures.The children love to pose for the pictures.
Nice coffee.Nice coffee.
Handing out the clothes.Handing out the clothes.
Showing the new clothes.Showing the new clothes.
Littie kid with Littie kid with "new" clothes.
......
Diner, part 3.Diner, part 3.
The enjeera.The enjeera.
Sister Collette and Jacqueline drinking tea.Sister Collette and Jacqueline drinking tea.
Drinking tea.Drinking tea.
Termite hill.Termite hill.
Walking in Dadim.Walking in Dadim.
Diner, part 4.Diner, part 4.
Watching the video of the funeral.Watching the video of the funeral.