Vocation Story

By Peter Ramoga, DBTI student

Port Moresby, PNG, 30 July 2017 -- My name is Peter Ramoga. I was born into a Catholic family. My father’s name is Rolland Ramoga, and my mother is Catherine Ramoga. I am the first born of eight siblings, four boys and three girls together with an adopted sister. My local village, Takwaondo, which consists of about two hundred people, is located in the West Kwara’ae area in Malaita Province, Solomon Islands.

The Diocesan priests look after our Parish. During their pastoral visits to our community I always admired them and the community always gave them the best welcome. One fine afternoon, I took some cooked bananas cut them into pieces, to the shape of the host. I tried to dress like a priest, wearing a mosquito net and started to distribute the banana pieces as “holy communion” for the littles ones around me. But my mother came and stopped us from continuing and she said,” the Holy Eucharist is not something to be taken as a fun game. It is the highest form of all prayer”.

My date of birth was in 12 December, 1993. I started schooling at Ususue Catholic Primary School in the northeast Malaita, walking about two hours. Then in 2005, my parents sent me to another part of the province to continue my studies, and I was staying with my grandparents. Years passed by and I completed Grade 10. I was privileged to be selected to do my Grade 11 at the prestigious St. Joseph’s Catholic Secondary School in Tenaru, near Honiara (capital of Solomon Islands).

However, I was forced to discontinue my Senior Secondary schooling due to financial problems. So, I applied to Don Bosco Rural Training Centre, Tetere to do the two-year course of agricultural training. Staying with the Salesians, my childhood dreams of priesthood was rekindled. But, there was the 15-year old Selina whom I met at St. Joseph’s school and had become my best friend at St. Joseph’s. We had dreamt and talked about a life together. Another love was developing, which I thought was stronger than that of Selina. Fr. Joseph Thanh was my guide. When I completed my two-year training at Don Bosco Tetere, Fr. Joseph suggested that I complete my Grade 12 and I returned to St. Joseph’s Tenaru. My admirer Selina had already graduated and was doing a course at the Teachers Training College. Today she is happily married.

I spent the weekends at Don Bosco Tetere and was in contact with Fr. Joseph and the Salesians. I was involved in the Parish activities and helped out in the Boarding. When I completed Grade 12 (Form 6 as it is called in Solomon Islands), I applied to join the Aspirantate in Boroko, NCD. I am now doing my 2nd year at DBTI as a student of MFM (Machine Fitting and Maintenance Technology). This year I am staying at Savio Haus, Bomana and travel daily to DBTI, Boroko. I believe, everything will fall in place and if God calls me, I am willing to pursue my dream to be a priest.

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