The Archbishop of Canterbury has urged Anglicans in Cameroon to stand firm in their faith, saying that “God sees your struggles and is with you”.
The Most Revd Dame Sarah Mullally, who is the first Archbishop of Canterbury to visit Cameroon, was preaching at a Eucharist at Bishopcourt, Douala, this morning.
Preaching to a congregation of parishioners, bishops and clergy from across the Anglican Diocese of Cameroon, government officials and traditional leaders, the Archbishop said: “It is a joy to be with you here today at the heart of my pastoral visit to the Diocese of Cameroon.”
In a three-hour service filled with emotion, music, joyful dancing and prayer, the Archbishop told Anglicans: “Find your hope in the one who sees you and knows you. For our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth!”
In her sermon Archbishop Sarah said she was visiting Anglicans in Cameroon “as a pastor and shepherd” and “to assure you that you are not forgotten.”
“I give thanks to God for your faithfulness, and for your persistence in proclaiming the hope of Jesus Christ amid the suffering of your people,” she said.
Preaching on the story of Jacob wrestling with the Angel of God (Genesis 32:22-31), the Archbishop said: “Brothers and sisters, in our scriptures we see the struggle of God’s people. We see the struggle against the powers of sin and oppression; the struggle in times of war and displacement, wilderness and exile; we even see the struggle of God’s people against God himself.”
The Archbishop added: “God sees your struggle. When it feels like the eyes of the world are turned away, God looks upon you. When it feels like you are fighting a battle in complex circumstances and unclear gains or losses, God is with you. God wrestles and struggles with you in the darkness, until the blessing comes.”
Reflecting on the Gospel reading (Matthew 14:13-21), the Archbishop said: “Jesus experiences the brutality of suffering and oppression, not only in his own death on the cross, but also in the killing of his cousin, John. We cannot underestimate how closely Jesus understands the pain and suffering of those experiencing similar oppression in our world, the fear and anxiety that rule daily life. Jesus sees his people and understands their pain.”
Concluding her sermon, the Archbishop said she prayed that Christ “who is the bringer of peace, will mend what is torn apart.”
She added: “I pray that Christ, the healer, will bind up your wounds and revive you. I pray that Christ, the one who sees and knows the heart of every person, will be your hope, your comfort, and your assurance. I pray that amid division, displacement and oppression, Jesus the Prince of Peace will bring hope.”
Yesterday the Archbishop visited the South West city of Buea where she paid a courtesy call on the Governor of the South West Region and visited the Biaka Foundation, a healthcare institution founded on Christian principles that serves communities across Cameroon.
The Archbishop had also been due to visit South West clergy and parishioners at St Peter’s Anglican Church in Limbe but was prevented by heavy rains and flooding on the roads. Instead she met with some of the clergy after the service in Douala this morning, along with clergy from across the Diocese of Cameroon.
After lunch with bishops and clergy, this afternoon Archbishop Sarah will visit St Michael’s and All Angels’ Anglican Cathedral, and Emmanuel Parish in Douala, to meet and pray with local Anglicans.
The Archbishop’s visit to Cameroon is the second leg of her visit to the Anglican Church of the Province of West Africa at the invitation of the Primate of West Africa, the Most Revd Dr Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith. The 10-day visit, which concludes in Yaoundé on Tuesday, began in Ghana last weekend.