Father Tamirat Tegegn: “Happy with my missionary service”

I was ordained a priest on October 28, 2023, in my home parish of San Miguel de Hembecho, in the Vicariate of Sodo, in southern Ethiopia. I returned to Peru within three days to avoid losing my residency permit. I arrived in Peru on November 2 at midnight, local time. The Provincial assigned me to the Santa Cruz de Baños parish.

Baños is one of the seven districts in the province of Lauricocha, in the department of Huánuco. It sits at over 3,400 meters above sea level in the Quechua natural region. Geographically, it covers an area of 82.66 square kilometres. Its terrain is rugged and famous for its springs and pools of thermal and medicinal waters. This district is surrounded by various Andean mountains, the cordilleras of the Incas.

Upon my arrival, I was entrusted with the responsibility of parish administrator, which is to say, parish priest and vocations animator. Although I was assigned as a parochial vicar, I acted as the parish priest, since there was no one else at the time.

Thank God, I used to listen to the advice of Father Lino Eccher, a Comboni priest and parochial vicar of the three communities that are next to my parish. He helped me a great deal at the beginning of my priestly ministry, as he has been in the same parish for 22 years.

Then, I immersed myself deeply in my priestly ministry, and it really helped me a lot to gradually get to know the culture, the traditions, the way of eating and celebrating the town's festivals, and in general, the customs and norms.

It is not just me preaching the Gospel to them; they also teach me a great deal through their way of dressing, the way they welcome visitors, and their charity toward newcomers. It was a wonderful time to get to know the people in depth.

After serving in Baños for a year and a month, the Provincial and his councilors asked me to go to another parish in the same department: San Pedro de Huánuco. I accepted. This new parish is very good for me because it has a milder climate; I didn't suffer as much as I did in Baños.

In San Pedro de Huánuco, there are five of us Comboni priests, and it is my responsibility to attend to the people in the camp, although Father Sergio Agustoni sometimes helps out when necessary.

In this parish, I sometimes stay overnight at people's homes. Where we have a chapel with space to rest, I stay there. But most of the time, I minister to the people and return to the Comboni community.

Ever since I arrived at this new parish, I have been happy with the missionary service that God has entrusted to me, and which I am continually learning to carry out.

Thank you!

Father Tamirat Tegegn Tanga, MCCJ