Assumpta Ayuk
Houston, TX
If it felt hot in Houston last weekend, the heat was not fueled by the H-Town humidity alone, but by major events that happened in the Cameroonian Community. Some of these events were the SHESAN-USA annual convention and LESAN-USA fireside party that was animated by the legendary Cameroon musician Ben Decca.
When Our Lady of Lourdes Ex-Students Association (LESA) invites you to a party, you show up ready to raise the roof. The fireside party of last weekend at the West Chase Hilton ballroom was fabulous, the live performance by Ben Decca was the cherry, and the ballet san frontier line dance presentation by Houston-based LESA was the icing on the cake.
SHESAN-USA group picture after Mass
During the night long party, the Houston crowd danced to Ben Decca’s trade mark Makossa. At intermissions, when the crowd erupted in shouts of encore, encore, Ben Decca the master performer obliged and indulged his adoring fans. He went a step further by lunching his 23rd Album titled Sysmbiose or Symbiosis in English by performing a few tracks.
Sacred Heart Ex-students Association, known by its acronym (SHESA), is an alumni association of the passed student
Lesan in Church in the Golden Jubilee uniform
of the Sacred Heart College (SAHECO) Mankon, Bamenda in the Republic of Cameroon. Last weekend the Shesans from around the US descended upon Houston for their annual convention theme “SHESA for SHESANs.” This year however, things were different. Different in the sense the SHESAN USA 2013 Houston Convention followed in the heels of a major mile stone in the history of Sacred Heart College, the school celebrated its golden Jubilee November 2012. The school was opened on 8th July
Lesa Houston (Texas Cow Girls) setting for the Line Dance
1965 and in 1978 they added the second cycle (High School section).
In a trend that started over five years ago, Houston, Texas has become the convention capital of Cameroonians in diaspora. From May to September each year, Cultural and Alumni groups from Cameroon based in the United State of America converge to Houston for a weekend to network, plan, strategize, and chart a way forward on how to help improve the communities or alma maters back in Cameroon. That’s exactly what the Shesan USA did last weekend. In addition to contributing to the material well-being of Catholic Schools in Cameroon, Ex-students groups like LESANS, SOBANS, FESANS, OPSANS, SHESANS, SEASANS and BIROCOL are ambassador of their various alma maters.
The Shesan 2013 Convention and Lesan fireside celebration ended with a mass at St. Nicolas Catholic Church with the Assumption Cameroon Catholic Community of Houston. From the SAHECO class of 1963 to 2009 to the Lourdes class of 2008, members of these associations and their guests had a good time. LESA-Houston and SHESA-Houston sent their guests home with an after mass Texas-size BBQ.
Ben Decca
