Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
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Adaba (Agenzia Fides) - "A year has gone by since I started my 'fidei donum' service in the Church of Robe in Ethiopia, so I thought I would tell you about the progress made": writes to Fides Fr. Giuseppe Ghirelli, currently in the Catholic Mission of Adaba, West Arsi, Oromia (see Fides 11/12/2014)
"I am fine - continues the priest – I am happy to dedicate myself to this population, I am learning the Oromo language and I can already say a few sentences. When people hear me speak in Oromo, they laugh, they tell me they are surprised, but I think the reason is that I make them laugh when I speak this new language. The hardest work is still to get to know a new culture, to understand the mentality of the people, to be close to people, putting aside our way of thinking and prejudices that inevitably accompany us. When I celebrate Mass with my few Christians, while I look at them, I think of what I could do and organize for them, but then, immediately, the idea is that the first thing to do is just to be here, to be with them, to make Jesus present among these poor people who struggle, work, strive to get by, hoping to improve their situation. In them there is a great desire to 'survive' in the midst of enormous difficulties. You should see how happy they are when I go to visit them in their homes and to hear me say a few words in their language! In many ways I feel lucky, I try to be close to them and I sincerely hope that meeting Jesus and believing in him, can give direction and perspective to their existence. This is what I would like to do: make Jesus present with my life, to make him known, read the Gospel with them, walk together, to understand where they find the strength to go on in life and help them experience how the word and example of Jesus can give strength and hope amid the many problems they experience in their lives. Will I be able to do this? Will I succeed? In my wanderings from one parish to another I often think of the many people I meet along the way, many women and many children who graze cows or sheep. How do they live? What are their houses like? What do they eat? Do they go to school? Do they have parents? Is there anyone who thinks of them? Are they Christians? Do they know Jesus? I ask myself a lot of questions and I pray for all of these situations. I hope to help some of them to have a more certain future. I am in a predominantly Muslim area where Catholics are a small minority, there is not much pastoral work to be done, but there is much to be done such as being close to them, to learn, share their lives, help them have a further opportunity and to be guided by the example of Jesus. Naagaa_pace", says Fr. Giuseppe. (GG/AP) (Agenzia Fides 21/09/2015)
