Father Endrias Shamena Keriba, Ethiopian Comboni missionary in South Africa

When I was 16 years old, I attended the World Scout Jamboree (international assembly) in Holland, north Europe. From there I moved to Latin America, specifically to Chile. It is there, in Latin America, that I came to know the work of the Comboni missionaries.

At the end of the trip, I came back to Ethiopia to continue with my academic formation like any other boy in my neighborhood; however, the work of the Comboni Missionaries that I saw in Latin America remained always in my mind and I felt in my heart that God was calling me be like one of them go leave everything behind to preach the Gospel in other countries. Therefore, once I finished my studies, in the year 2004 I decided to join their Institute.

In Addis Ababa, I studied philosophy within the Capuchin’s Theological Institute. From there, my superiors sent me Uganda to make 2 years of novitiate, a period of strong moments of prayer, knowledge of the founder and vocational discernment. I concluded deciding to offer all my life to God, by making my first Religious Profession with the vows of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience.

I continued my formation studies in South Africa where I made my studies of Theology for 4 years. Then I returned to Ethiopia, among the Gumuz people, to make two years of missionary experience (also called ‘Missionary Service’), prepare myself to the perpetual religious consecration to the mission and to the religious orders. First, I was ordained as a Deacon, and six months after, as a priest on November 22, 2014, in my home parish.

After my ordination, I went back to work among the Gumuz people for six months to minister and to be among the people I was a deacon with.

In 2015, my General Superiors in Roma assigned me to keep on working as Missionary in Latin America, but this time in Colombia where after leaning Spanish, I worked for five years in one of our missions, as a parish priest.

Then again, my General Superior in Rome assigned me to the mission in South Africa where I have been working for the last 5 years as a Parish Priest. Our presence and the missionary service we humbly offer to God, is found among the native Zulu people of part of the African continent.

The borders of my parish also cover, geographically speaking, the area where we, the Comboni Missionaries, have a house of theological studies and where our young seminarians participate enthusiastically.

Recently, I celebrated my 10-years anniversary of priesthood ordination. in “my” South African parish. In prayer, I offered my thanksgiving to God for the missionary vocation that He has given me and I can express by sharing it with faith among the Zulu people of South Africa.

Siyabonga kakhulu… uNkulunkulu anibusise nonke. meaning thank you so much.
May God bless you all.

Comboni Missionaries