Douala, Cameroon: The Joy Is Mine

When we come back to say thank you to someone who has done something to us, we gain more chances of being blessed in future.

We live in a society where many things have become normal and with this way of seeing reality, we lose the sense of gratitude and appreciation. In the world of the youths this is just the order of the day, youths find it very difficult to appreciate. I hear this complaint mostly from the parents, that their child (children), don’t appreciate their efforts. I share this same feelings of most of the parents. This is simply caused by a lack of satisfaction with the little they have or the little they own.

However, it is not the experience of complaints I wish to share but the joy which, the person feels when you help someone and he/she comes back to appreciate the help or the support you have given them.

Working with youths here in Douala over 4 years many of them have been grateful for the little time and resources I am sharing with them. Many of them being IDP’s  a little gesture of kindness they appreciate, and you feel that your help has not gone in vain. And in this, I now appreciate the transforming power of a little smile from the heart. The little smile we cause on someone to have on their faces can change many hidden feelings in them.

Of course, not just a smile because I have shared some sweets with them but somethings which will sustain the person for the rest of their lives. This short experience is of one of our youth who graduated yesterday. He was supported with the school fees I get from Fr. Adolf and Caritas Brixen. We have been receiving a lot from Father Adolf and Caritas for the last 4 years and now, the fruits are coming out. It has been a great moment to see the little smile and effort we share with Steven bearing this kind of fruit. Steven is the beneficiary of Fr. Adolf’ support.

Steven comes from a family of 4 siblings. He is the first born followed by 2 brothers and one 1 sister. They lost their father a long time ago before the crises and the mom was everything for them. When the crises started it made things worse and they had to get out and come here to Douala. It has not been easy for them to make the ends meet. They have done almost everything on the street. They have sold almost everything they could sell to support their mom to put something on the table. Steven was introduced to me by one of the catechists where I was in St. Louis. And he shared with me his story and I shared it with Fr. Richard Njoroge and Fr. Adolf and they advised me to see how we can help him. Steven has been struggling with his education and yesterday we were ready to sing Alleluia with him for his success. The pleasure was mine to see the efforts and sacrifices of other people elsewhere bearing this kind of fruit. He and his entire family were grateful and the smile which was put in their faces cannot to removed.

I wish to share this story to many people out there who might be feeling like giving up or thinking it is over for them. God’s time is always the best. I did not know Steven. Fr. Adolf, Fr. Richard or people of Caritas do not know Steven, even Steven himself does not know all these people but he has benefited from them. Maybe there are some youths out there who have lost hope, they need just a smile of hope, and the Lord will send someone to change their situation.

The joy is mine to see others being happy and feeling blessed.

Placid Elia MHM