Christmas 2024
Dear Benefactors,
Warm greetings from our mission in Yaounde. Another school year began in September, and as usual, our students have been sent to school. We are waiting for good results. Every year brings changes. Some have left for the countryside, others have gone to stay with family, and others have not returned after the holidays, so there are changes. Thank you all very much for your continued help in educating so many students, which we continue to ask for. The joy of the children walking to school every morning is great, as is that of their parents or guardians, who are truly grateful for the help. Every day after school, the children have classes with us to learn to read and write, which is a great challenge for some. For example, there are 80 students in the second grade at school, and the teacher is unable to work individually with them, even with the best of intentions. That is why the little ones come every day, and we have classes for three age groups. They are eager to come, especially since Sister Piotr also has interesting manual activities for them; they love to paint, build with blocks, do puzzles, and create origami. They only have this opportunity with us. Not to mention playing soccer or basketball.
We meet with young people on Saturdays, and our Dominican group is becoming increasingly active. Preparations for the nativity play are currently underway, and this time we want to invite parents to the play to share the joy of Christmas with them. Sister Piotr is our artist, so she teaches the young people how to act and coordinates all the rehearsals. The young people have access to laptops to do their homework, which often involves using the internet. They are increasingly given this type of homework at school. We are happy that this year, more young people who have completed their vocational training have joined the workforce. They are William, Victorien, and Routha. They would not have had this opportunity if it weren’t for the help they received. Now they see for themselves and say that if it weren’t for their diploma, they wouldn’t have a job.
There have also been changes in our community this year. Sister Adrienne left for a new mission in the Diocese of Kumbo, where she and Sister Rose have begun to establish a new community. We are very happy that they have been warmly welcomed by the parishioners and will do wonderful work.
And there is no shortage of work in our catechetical field. This year we have almost 507 students, including many adults preparing for the sacraments of baptism, first communion, and confirmation. We lack catechists, as it is responsible voluntary work, so there are not many volunteers. This year, we are also helping with catechesis in a Catholic primary school. There, we visit fifth and sixth grade classes twice a week. Sister Piotr has classes of almost 60 students—you can imagine how difficult it is for her.
We also hope to be able to flatten the land we purchased for the construction of the kindergarten in the near future so that we can fence it in. This is another investment that we trust, with God’s and human help,
we will be able to accomplish. If anyone could support us in building the fence, we thank you in advance from the bottom of our hearts for any help.
Dear friends, I send my warmest greetings to all of you. With the special Christmas season ahead of us, I would like to send my sincerest wishes to all of you. May the Newborn Jesus fill our hearts with His peace and new hope. I wish you warm family gatherings, full of joy. We assure you of our prayers, especially during Holy Masses. May God bless us all.
Sister Alina