(ANS – Freetown)– In a message from the Rector of the community in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Fr Ubaldino Andrade, concerning the Ebola virus, he states that ”even in such a serious situation there are times when we have a profound experience of God. When we took in a group of street children we are living and working with in our house, the house was full of life and happiness ...”  The remainder of the message from the Salesian missionary brings together everything that the various Congregations are doing for the sick.

These dayswe feel like the disciples of the Lord in the midst of the storm, in the midst of a constant fear of being infected with the Ebola epidemic, which has spread rapidly throughout the country; even in Freetown, where in recent days were found the remains of people who died with the disease, hiding in their homes. Some cities have been blocked, preventing the exit and entry of people; several doctors and nursescontinue to die trying to help the sick (many of them are completely tired and among the nurses that died were some who had not even completed their course; they died fighting something completely unknown to them); in the markets places, the prices of food are rising and some cannot been found. Many people are afraid to go to hospitals, when they get sick, and some prefer to look for traditional doctors; some people continues to say that the disease is related to magic, superstitions, or even that it is fruit of a conspiracy to kill innocent people or that they the hospital are killing then and collecting their blood or organs for transplant; despite the efforts the disease seems to be out of control and there is a strong rumour that the entire population will be forced to stay in their home for a period of 21 days, but how can this be possible when the majority of the population lives every day with the little they can get on the street (2 or 3 dollars per day)? Some religious congregations have moved their personnel outside the country and others have withdrawn them from the areas most affected.

But in the midst ofthis situation there are also profound moments and experiences of God.

A group ofstreet children with whom we live and work in our house just arrived: their presence fills the house; the joy of  life now can be felt with the sounds of the drum, flute, trumpet, keyboard, singing, dancing and bouncing balls in the small place ground. They are our boys who have returned back home with  a group of social workers, collaborators and friends who attend to them and many others with the same motivations that inspired Don Bosco to devote his life to the young, especially the poor.

In the parish, every day about 230 young hearts come together, they are the Salesians, animators members of the Salesian Youth Movement and the participants in the holiday summer camp; it is a beautiful experience, young people serving others young people; th involved themselves in classes, dynamic and recreational experiences; they educate and accompany the little ones in the assimilation of habits and action that can prevent the spread of the epidemic among them, in their families and in the community in which they live. It is one way to help the people. We need to reduce the feeling of fear and panic among the people and try to educate them through their children. During the experience the children receive a good plate of food every day, and in some cases lunch and supper.

Also with great joy we shared of the experience of people who have survived the disease, it is good to know that not all is death; some have been able to look for help in time in the medical center and have survived.

The Brothers of St. John of God continue their fighting against Ebola in their hospital in Sierra Leone – Lunsar and the Holy Rosary Sisters have shown us a act of heroism when their returned by all means to Kenema a city close by the military. We are trying to share the rice that the Mission Procure sent to Freetown few months ago with others religious congregations who are working in more affected areas.

In these moments there are a lot of children and young people who have lost their parents or guardians due to the disease, the danger is that they can be stigmatized by other people and have been abandon of the streets or reject for fear that they have been infected with the disease; in our Salesian community some of us are feeling a strong call to do something for them, please pray for us, that we can know and do the will of God.

I thank Papa God, because I notice that during these days there is great efforts in the community to preserve our moments of prayer. Our dinners are longer, they are good time for sharing our joys, fears and sorrows in a nice atmosphere of fraternal life.

We also thank our friends and benefactors who constantly encourage us and pray for us, and for those who are work in these beautiful land, we are 16 Salesians in Sierra Leone, in three communities (Salesians from America, Belarus, India, Spain, Ghana, Germany, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Venezuela); there are also a good number in Liberia and Guinea. Please continue to pray for us and for all those who are in the battle against this terrible epidemic.

We are deeply grateful to Fr. Mark Hyde who, with his team, is always close to  us in the Mission Procure of New Rochelle, to Peli and the beautiful people of Atabal Foundation in Spain (Extremadura); to our friend Alvaro and the beautiful people of Malaga in Spain, for their support given to us and that make possible many of the activities that we are carrying on in our Parish, youth center, in the prison… for the weak and the small.

I am sorry to say, but I think the situation in Sierra Leone can get worse, therefore, I take this opportunity to ask to all our friends and benefactors, to join efforts and help the Salesians working in difficult situations and any institution who are fighting for the eradication of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.

Please give our greetings to all and May Papa God bless you and may our beautiful Lady Help of Christians continued to guide us, so that we can be good witnesses of God among the poorest and needy.

Fr Uba