The Journey of Grace: My Vocation Journey thus Far

When God calls, he does not select. I believe if it were based solely on selection, I would have no place within the standard. I was born on July 7, 1992, in the heart of Pamol Ndian, specifically at Mana Camp, in the Southwest Region of Cameroon, though my roots are in the Northwest Region. Alongside me came my twin sister, Evangeline Suykie Ngek. We were gifts to Sir Nformi Wambeng David Ngek and Mami Mbaayi Salome Timah. My father worked as a Research Overseer at Pamol Plantations Limited, while my mother was a process worker in the Pamol Oil Palm Mill.

We grew up under the care of a single parent, sometimes with our mother, at other times with our father, but mostly under our mother’s guidance. Our childhood felt like a silent tug-of-war. Our parents, from the Oku and Bameta (Tiben) tribes respectively in the Northwest Region of Cameroon, lived apart. Their separation meant we inherited little from either culture. Moreover, our father was a Baptist and our mother a Presbyterian. However, God had his plans for me. I started primary school at the Catholic School in Mana Camp, moved to the Catholic School in Mundemba Town, and completed my primary education at the Baptist School in Bulu Camp. My first year of secondary school was at Government Secondary School Bulu, after which my father enrolled me in the newly established St Pius X College Ekondo-Titi, the first Catholic boarding school in Ndian Division. It was there that the seed of my vocation was quietly planted.

At St Pius X College, I encountered the richness of the Catholic tradition. I was captivated by the reverent rhythm of Catholic worship, and my heart was stirred by the example of Rev. Fr Emmanuel Ngwese Epie, my principal at the time. He was a priest whose life of simplicity, prayer, and dedication drew me closer to God. In him, I saw the person I wanted to become. He didn’t just teach us; he led by example, living a life that made holiness attractive. But just as my soul was catching fire, tragedy struck. In 2010, as I was preparing to complete secondary school, my father passed away. With his death, the structure of my education crumbled. I could no longer afford to stay in the boarding school system, so I transferred to Government Bilingual High School, Ekondo Titi to complete my secondary education.

Even then, the call to the priesthood never left me. After high school, I knew I had to find my path, but I wasn’t ready to enter a diocesan seminary. Instead, I enrolled at Paul’s Computer Institute in Bamenda (now St Paul’s Computer Higher Institute of Technology), where I obtained a Diploma in Office Automation Secretaryship, becoming a certified Microsoft Specialist. However, the yearning for a deeper calling grew louder.

My decision was affirmed when I encountered the Missionary Society of St Paul (MSP) of Nigeria. The MSP members who worked in my parish at the time lived a life that resonated deeply with me: communal, joyful, missionary, and spiritually grounded. Their way of life was the answer I had been praying for. When I finally expressed my desire to join them, I was told that the MSP did not accept foreigners at the time. My heart sank. However, my parish priest encouraged me to wait, assuring me that he would speak with the Superior. I waited an entire year. Eventually, the door opened. I applied immediately, alongside another candidate from Cameroon. We were invited to the admission retreat in the MSP Formation House, Iperu-Remo, Ogun State. It was my first time traveling to Nigeria, and it was daunting, confusing, and challenging. Due to the distance and the cost of traveling, we requested to be interviewed together, but in the end, I was the only one admitted.

I received my admission letter with trembling hands and joyful tears. On October 21, 2016, I began a journey that would define my life, along with 19 others, in Iperu-Remo. The formation shaped not only our minds but also sifted our hearts. Some left, and some were asked to leave. Eventually, only twelve of us progressed to Abuja to study philosophy and theology.

For me, being in Nigeria was both a blessing and a burden. I had no relatives nearby and often couldn’t go home during holidays. The journey was long and difficult, involving border checks, sleeping in motor parks, days without food, and travel fatigue, but grace carried me through. God always placed me in communities that welcomed and supported me. Each return to the formation house felt like coming home to a family that God himself had chosen for me. Through perseverance, hardship, and hope, I was not only being shaped into a priest but also a missionary. With my ordination on June 28, 2025, I now look back and say: It was not easy, but it was worth it. The journey continues, and the fire still burns.

By Fr Leopold Ngek, MSP

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