Submitted by: Rahim (RD) Dhanji
Submitted on: October 23, 2007 (initially via a comment)

Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim

Hello,

My name is Rahim (R.D.) Dhanji. I am Nizar (N.D.) Dhanji Mohamed’s son.

I want to firstly thank all of you who called and e-mailed our family to give your condolences for my father passing away. I also want to thank all of you for your kind thoughts and prayers.

It seems that my father passed away due to a massive heart attack. We had his body brought to Calgary, Canada. Myself, Shiraz (Dad’s brother), Salma, Shamim, and Gulzar (Dad’s sisters) were all here to pay our last respects to my father. Myself, Shiraz, and Gulzar live in Calgary. Salma lives in Edmonton and Shamim lives in Toronto.

The funeral (thanks be to god), went very well. A lot of family and friends came from out of town to attend. I want to thank these individuals for their support and for taking the time to come to Calgary to pay their last respects to my father. It means a lot to me and the family.

I would also like to recognize 3 people without whom it would have been next to impossible to get my father’s body from Tanzania to Calgary. They are Nadir, Riaz, and Gulu. These true gentlemen played an integral part equally in making sure that my father reached Calgary as quick as possible. I personally want to thank them from the bottom of my heart.

Last but not least, I would like to thank all those people here in Calgary who made this difficult time a little easier by supporting us and being there for us whenever we needed them. My family and I thank you.

My contact information is enclosed at the bottom if any of you wish to reply to this e-mail, talk to me, or would like to stay in touch. I hope to be able to attend the next Musoma get together so that I can meet all of you and get to know you and hear stories about my father and our family “in the good old days.”

May Allah keep you and your families in the best of health & happiness,
May he always take care of you at all times,
And may he fulfill all your wishes, Ameen.

Rahim (R.D.) Dhanji

Cell: (403) 837-8789
E-mail: dhanjirh [at] shaw [dot] ca
Website: www.dhanji.ca

Wishing you and your family

Eid Mubarak.

May Allah grant you and your family

good health, happiness, peace, prosperity, barakat and

fulfillment of all your good wishes

on this joyous occasion.

Best Wishes,

Fatima & Nizar Nanji and Family

Submitted by: Jashwant CM Rao
Submitted on: Oct 10, 2007 via |Submit| page

In my last comment I mentioned a poem that I learnt in school called Bruce and the Spider by Bernard Barton. Rakesh emailed me asking me to share the poem with all Musomians, so that we may have something else to ‘talk’ about and other Musomians may also start contributing similar poems or stories they have learnt. Also Musomians can write about things they learnt when coming to a new country from the little town Musoma. So here is the poem I mentioned.

The poem is about ‘Bruce’ - Robert I, a King of Scotland during the 1300s who was having a tough time winning a battle which was important for Scotland and also to keep his crown. After six attempts Bruce had to go into hiding in a small hut. There he saw a spider try for 6 times to make a thread for the web from one side to another. He saw the spider keep trying and after the seventh try, the spider was successful. Seeing this, Bruce was encouraged and decided to keep trying to win the battle. After the seventh try, he won the battle. The poem teaches us that Patience and Perseverance does pay off. We must not give up.

I did not remember the whole poem, just a few lines - I am now in my 60s!! So I looked on the internet and found the whole poem. It is a bit long.

BRUCE AND THE SPIDER
by: Bernard Barton

For Scotland’s and for freedom’s right
The Bruce his part has played;–
In five successive fields of fight
Been conquered and dismayed:
Once more against the English host
His band he led, and once more lost
The meed for which he fought;
And now from battle, faint and worn,
The homeless fugitive, forlorn,
A hut’s lone shelter sought.

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