Hermann Mahunan Djimini is a young Comboni Missionary from Cotonou, Benin. He was ordained a deacon on 9 February. He shares with us his feelings and his dreams.
I am the second of six children in a Catholic family. I was introduced to the faith by my parents from an early age. We used to pray and go to Mass together. Each of us was involved in different groups in our parish. Before joining religious life, I took some psychology courses at university, which gave me useful skills for my future relationships with others.
When I announced my decision to enter the seminary, I felt the pain of leaving my parents and family. Still, fortunately, I had already been away from home during the formation courses I had attended. My parents and siblings were surprised by my decision, but they supported me all the way, especially with their prayers.
But my decision did not come out of the blue. I began to feel the call to the priesthood when I was an altar servant in my parish – at that time served by a diocesan priest. I was fascinated by the priest’s way of life, and the way he related to people and welcomed everyone without distinction.
He was also very dedicated to his work. The workshops for altar servants, which I attended every year, also helped me to grow in my journey of faith.
One day I received a brochure about the Comboni Missionaries, which mentioned their dedication to the poor and the most abandoned. Although I had met them before, I had not had much contact with them. So, I contacted them and asked for more information. When I visited them, their life of service appealed to me.
I felt inclined to offer my life to God, especially at the service of the people, as its founder St Daniel Comboni did. Moreover, when I read about his life, I was fascinated by his courage and his missionary zeal. All this contributed to my desire to become a Comboni Missionary.
From the beginning, I was impressed by their commitment to the mission, to working in difficult places. As missionaries, they take the risk of staying in certain difficult places because they believe that everyone has the right to experience God’s love, a conviction that our Founder passionately shared. I also appreciate the communitarian aspect of their missionary life.
In 2016 I started my vocation journey in the postulancy, we were from three different countries. I immediately realised the need to be open to working with others. This aspect of internationality has grown even more, with members from many different countries. I see this as a great advantage; the presence of all of us helps us to grow and open our minds. We recognise that things can be done differently from the perspective of another culture or country. Seeing internationality as an opportunity for growth helps us to move forward with a new vision.
In 2019 I made my first religious profession and became a member of the Comboni Institute. In the same year I was sent to South Africa to study theology. These four years have been intense, rich in experiences and encounters. I have appreciated the efforts of each member to build the community through prayer, work and celebration. I have also appreciated the freedom and responsibility given to each of us during our journey of formation, which has allowed each of us to express ourselves and our gifts and to offer our personality to the community.
Once you offer this freedom, people are surprised by their abilities and discover new hidden talents. I have worked in a parish in Pietermaritzburg, teaching catechesis and accompanying a Malawian group. Our impact as Scholastics is measured by our ability to care for the vulnerable around us. We try to respond to their needs as a community, within our limited means, through charity and various forms of assistance. Security issues and the priority given to studies at this stage limit our interaction and access to people, especially in terms of home visits.
My desire as a Comboni Missionary is to help our people in their journey by listening to them and accompanying them. My dream is to have a significant impact on their lives. I am very happy to be a Comboni Missionary. I have never regretted my decision. There will always be challenges and difficulties, but it is worth it to be a missionary.
