The Nicolenas at the Heart of Tenderness: A Solidarity Outing for Chloé, Olivia, and Claude-Désiré

“Nicolenas” is the name of the members of the “Nicole School” group, which accompanies young women who wish to find meaning in their lives by deepening their understanding of the values ​​that emanate from the life of our foundress, Mother Ascension Nicole. This is the main mission of the group called “Nicole School,” which meets once a month in our community, either in one of our houses in Simbok or Mendong (Yaoundé, Cameroon). Our activities take place in parishes, in accordance with diocesan programs, such as the Diocesan Youth Day and those of our Congregation.

We went to share moments of joy and friendship with Chloé, Olivia, and Claude-Désiré, three children with disabilities, the children of a young and admirable couple, Christian and Raissa.

Life has been particularly hard for this family, as we say in Cameroon. Claude-Désiré, 9, is hyperactive, paraplegic, and nonverbal. Olivia, 6, is autistic and often bangs her head against the wall. Chloé, the youngest, 3, is also autistic and cries constantly. Since we met them in 2022, this is their third home, as neighbors complained about the noise from the children’s screams. Thank God, they now have a small house of their own in a more secluded location, hoping to live in peace. Christian, the father, is a teacher at a school in the city and spends almost entire nights without sleep trying to care for his children, who are especially awake at night. His wife cannot work during the day, as the children require constant attention. They live under constant stress, exacerbated by the rejection of their respective families, who still do not accept their interethnic marriage.

The entire family is part of the “Friends of Bernadette” group, a support group for parents and children living with disabilities, which we accompany. With the desire to share with the young women the compassion that characterized our Mother Ascension Nicole, we visited this family, each of us bringing the fruits of our generosity. With dancing, games, joy, and moments of fellowship, nothing was lacking in Raissa and Christian’s home to express this message to them through gestures: “We are with you, you are not alone, you can count on our friendship.”

For the Nicolalinas, this experience was profoundly moving. It allowed them to discover another dimension of human poverty and to understand how much a simple gesture, a smile, or a little joy can contribute. The return journey took a different route, and as we crossed the bridge that led us away from the Raissa neighborhood, we were able to recall the special moments that our Mother Ascensión Nicole experienced in Maldonado.

Sr. Carine Wanko

Yaoundé, Cameroon