Novices in project of religious life, at the novitiate in N’Gaoundéré – CAMEROON, we lived, from October 19 to December 19, 2025, our first internship of 2 months of community life, in different places: in Touloum, Monique, in Koza, Anne, in Galdima in Maroua, Sylvie and in Maroua, neighborhood of Makabaye, Estelle.
We received a warm welcome from the sisters, parishes and populations: the love and generosity shown to us seduced us and facilitated our integration.
Sent to the Young Girls’ Promotion Center of Touloum, the ‘Marie Balavenne’ Center of Koza and the Training Center for the Young Girl ‘Jeannette Horbaita”, we worked with young girls in collaboration with the companions, Others have worked as interns with the sick in the Health Center ‘Marie Balavenne’ from Makabaye to Maroua and the Diocesan Hospital Center of Touloun trying to bring relief to the pains and sufferings by small gestures and words of encouragement. We discovered the vulnerability of Man and our own poverty in the face of the realities of life, reminding ourselves these words: “Poor before the distress they encountered, they entrusted themselves to Mary, the woman totally surrendered to the Spirit.” Rule of Life, art1. One of us was at the Sainte Marie Catholic primary school, in Koza, collaborating with the teachers to provide classes in gentleness and patience. Another was sent to the foster home ‘Renée Burel’, where she learned to serve with joy and simplicity.
We also made ourselves available for pastoral activities such as choir, catechesis, COP World Movement, etc… where we admired the dynamism and commitment of the faithful, especially the young.
We cannot benefit from these experiences without the support of our sisters, models for us through their openness, simplicity, perseverance in mission and prayer. At the end of our stage, we want to thank the Lord for his Spirit who has always renewed us and given us inner strength in order to be able to welcome and accept all the experiences and realities of every environment. We also express our deep gratitude to the Congregation and more particularly to the Vice-Province of Cameroon for its multiple supports. We thank the sisters of our different communities: may the Holy Spirit strengthen them in their missions. May God bless our congregation and always keep us in his fatherly love.
Testimonies from each of us.
– Estelle: “Although I have had great experiences during my internship, I also remember the difficulties encountered in my mission, which break my heart: – the poverty of the population… Because some patients, due to lack of financial resources, do not go to the dispensary or are unable to perform all the requested examinations. The evil is then treated but superficially, which does not guarantee effective recovery. Then, – the ignorance of some who only go to the dispensary when the patient is in agony and – the excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, destroying the lives of several young people.
– Sylvie: “I did my internship at the Galdima Reception House in Maroua: I had a lot of joy, because the simplicity of the clients, their patience and their open-mindedness were for me appealing and very rich.”
– Monique: “At the Touloum Hospital Center, I had the opportunity to visit almost all the services: reception, medicine, maternity, pediatrics, surgery, imaging, laboratory. Thanks to the open-mindedness of the nursing staff, I was able to learn many things such as: how to welcome a patient so that he feels better. Every morning, I made the effort to visit the sick and it gave them joy; during these times of visit, I felt for their suffering. I also had the immense joy of spending some time at the Promotion Center for the young girl from Touloum where I learned a lot about sewing, embroidery, cooking… of these simple, open, and dynamic girls. As a difficulty during this internship: the language… whether at the hospital or at the Center with the girls, I had trouble getting into communication! Moreover, I faced certain deaths of patients for whom I had participated in the care or visited in the morning… It was a shock for me.”
– Anne: “How beautiful are your works, great are your works, Lord you fill us with joy’’ : it is with this refrain that I would like to thank God for my life and express my deep gratitude to my internship community in the Mafa environment in Koza where it took place under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, it was for me a brief time rich in experience, grace, enrichment and compassion for the population. I was first of all amazed by the beauty of nature, of the landscape -shapes and heights of mountains which are for me places where God himself manifests through his works-. I was touched by our life together: it was a place of joy, peace and sharing despite the prevailing insecurity; no one went back home without drinking or tasting something. Life in Koza marked me and changed my way of entering into a relationship with God. There are many poor families who welcome the displaced and share with them their daily food. I thank God for these realities that I discovered thanks to him.
The novices of the 2nd year: Estelle, Sylvie, Monique and Anne
Novitiate of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit. N’Gaoundéré – CAMEROON. Published on 15 January 2026
Photo 1: Monique with some children Cop world in Touloum
Photo 2: Monique at the Diocesan Hospital Center of Touloum
Photo 3: Sylvie having a meal with Sr Julienne and Sr Marie in her internship community in Galdima. Maroua.
Photo 4: Sylvie in front of the reception house in Galdima
Photo 5: From left to right, Monique, Estelle and Sylvie
