THE DAUGHTERS UNVEIL THE TOMBSTONE FOR SR AULERIA MVULA
Posted | 17 December 2023 18:00 CAT
The Daughters gathered on Sunday, 17th December, 2023 at Mt. Zion for the memorial and unveiling of the tombstone for the late Sr. Auleria Martha Mvula.
Speaking during his homily, Fr. Raymond Kapilikisha encouraged all Christians to be filled with joy because they were always accompanied by the Lord in their life.
He said that the late Sr. Auleria had accomplished all that the Lord wanted her to do in this world.
“We Christians should not be deterred of moving on because we are accompanied, strengthened and encouraged by the Lord always. Therefore, we should be preachers of the Good News and proclaim good tidings of the word and always looking in the future with hope,” he said.
Fr. Kapilikisha also strengthened the sisters to live the Charism of the Congregation as this was their identity. He urged them to be good from within and let people know that they were consecrated to pray for them.
“People should feel good to live with us and feel free to live with us. This is what will save us. It is our obligation to let people know that we pray for them always, ” he said.
And speaking after the unveiling of the tombstone, Sr. Matilda Mubanga eulogised the late Sr. Auleria as a humble, simple, hardworking sister who was sensitive to the needs of others and wanted to make everyone around her feel comfortable.
“When we went to Mangango, we had no electricity, so Sr. Auleria would wake up early in the morning and make the fire for the boiler to warm the water for the whole community. So by the time we woke up, we found hot water ready for bathing. She used to do the laundry for us at the spring as we had no clean water in the house. She knew what she was good at, like cleaning the storerooms and so our storerooms both at the house and hospital were kept clean,” she said.
“Sr. Auleria was also a generous person who would look out for the needs of the community and each sister whenever she went out”, she recalled.
Sr. Matilda also remembered Sr. Auleria for her availability and support at the hospital even though she was not a medical personnel.
“Whenever she knocked off from the school, she always came to help us at the hospital and whenever we were out as hospital staff she would take over the running of the hospital and gave a report when we came back,” she said.
Sr. Grace Nyati, one of Sr. Auleria’s group mates talked about how Sr. Auleria was a humourous person who never took any offence from anyone and as such was teased the most in the community.
“We started our formation together with Sr. Auleria as Aspirants in Kabwe. It was a joy to be with her because she united us through her jokes. We had a relationship of cousinship. She was a peaceful person and would encourage us to live the values of religious life. She was a person of few words, quick at saying sorry and never took any offence from anyone,” Sr. Grace said.
In addition, Sr. Auleria’s niece Ignatia Mwale could not hold her tears as she recollected the commitment, love and concern that Sr. Auleria had for each member of the family.
“My aunt was like our mother as she united us in the family. She was always the first one to attend to us whenever there was a problem. She was very caring, loving, always the first one to come when someone was sick. She was the pillar of the family and our counsellor”. She taught us a lot of practical life skills and we really miss her a lot”, she said.
Sr. Auleria Martha Mvula died on 21st August, 2022 while in retreat at Ibenga Mission hospital.