Walter Wilson Nana
Buea, Cameroon
Sr. Florence-Mary Lum Akwenji Awambeng is a member of the congregation of the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus. For 25 years, she has kept her veil and stayed steadfast to her vows of service to the Lord.
Wednesday, May 14 2014 at the Sacred Heart Parish, Fiango, Kumba, her parish of origin, Sr. Florence-Mary was joined by her Bishop in Buea Diocese, Mgr. Immanuel Bushu, Priests of Buea Diocese, Religious in and out of Buea Diocese, biological family members and friends to celebrate her silver jubilee of Religious Profession.
After 25 years in the Sisterhood, Sr. Florence-Mary is still holding strong to her candle and her vows
In a holy mass to her honour, celebrated by Bishop Bushu, the Prelate said in his homily that it is a moment of thanksgiving to Sr. Florence-Mary, for all the goodness God has done to her life and for all mankind. “We cannot thank God enough, but we say thanks!!” he noted.
He enjoined all to pray for Sr. Florence-Mary, for the message she is passing is that when God is alive, mankind is also alive.
Sr. Florence Mary(carrying gift) is joined by fellow Religious during the special offertory procession to the alta of God
Mgr. Bushu indicated that the best thing for Sr. Florence-Mary is the mass we have offered in her honour, adding that no matter the difficulties in human life, we should believe in God. “Sr. Florence-Mary should never give-up. You are paving your way already to Heaven,” Mgr. Bushu said.
He will invite the Rev.Sr to stand with fortitude after 25 years in the Religious, saying it will never be easy but she must be strong in spirit and with God.
A colourful offertory procession during the mass the celebration of Sr. Florence-Mary Awambeng 25 Years In Sisterhood
Sr. Florence-Mary will cue in after the Bishop’s sermon with the renewal of her vows saying; “Lord I am weak, give me thy strength. Arise take my hands. Come to my aid with no time length. My days in thy hands…”
Martin Mekuru Elondo, President of the Sacred Heart Parish Council, Fiango, Kumba saw in the silver jubilee celebrations a grace of God to the parish, the Diocese of Buea and to Sr. Florence-Mary. He appealed to parents, guardians, adults and the youths to listen
Senior staff of the Department of Journalism & Mass Communication, UB in a souvenir pic with Sr Florence Mary & Mgr Bushu
to the voice of the Holy Spirit knocking at their doors, while praying God to bless Sr. Florence-Mary, her family and the universal church. “The harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few. Let us turn to the Lord of the harvest with our hearts honestly in a bid to serve him,” Mekuru said.
Sr. Florence-Mary was born to Mr Godfred Awambeng and Mrs Theresia Awambeng from Mankon, Bamenda, Northwest Region.
The desire to serve God as a Religious grew strong in Florence-Mary after completing her secondary and high school education in GTHS Kumba and St. Paul Technical High School, Bonjongo respectively. She was not only interested to become a Religious but to join a Missionary Congregation. Thanks to the advice of some Priests and the then Bishop of Buea Diocese, the late Bishop Emeritus, Mgr Pius Suh Awa, she was recommended to the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus Congregation, which at the time had come to work in Buea Diocese. Mgr. Awa will introduce Florence-Mary to the then Superior General, Mother Marie Therese Akwe of blessed memory, during one of her visits to Cameroon and then the process of joining the Handmaids took off.
February 6 1986, she left Cameroon to Nigeria to join the Handmaids. February 27, she will be hooded on Mother Foundress’ Day and on September 8 1986, she was clothed. She will make her First Religious Profession on September 10 1988. She spent most of her years working and studying in Nigeria until two years ago when she was transferred to Cameroon.
She worked in Owerri Archdiocese, where she was given the name; Nwachinemere, which means in the igbo dialect of Nigeria a child whom God does things for. Other places she has worked include the Handmaids Convents in Lagos, Owerri and Port Harcourt. Back to Cameroon, she has worked in the Handmaids Convents in Bonjongo and Mutengene.
Presently, she is a part-time lecturer in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Buea and Editor of Cameroon Panorama, a publication of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Cameroon lodged in the Catholic Communication Service of the Diocese of Buea.
During her Nigerian sojourn, Sr. Florence-Mary did a Masters Degree programme in Education at the University of Port Harcourt and another Masters in Pastoral Communication at the Catholic University of West Africa.
