(ANS - Monrovia)- Fr Nicola Ciarapica, SDB, Rector and Economer of the Don Bosco Youth Centre in Monrovia in the Province of English-speaking West Africa, tells how the young people and the Salesian community celebrated the Bicentenary of the birth of Don Bosco, as they prepare for this post-Ebola period and the challenges they will face in education and formation.

The forty-five young people of the Salesian Youth Movement who represented us at the SYM forum in Ghana are back after a 3000 km drive on roads made impassable by the rainy season. They return enriched by the contents of the Forum, the testimonies shared and new friendships. This is how we concluded the celebrations for the bicentenary of the birth of Don Bosco.

Most of them were young people who, during the Ebola epidemic, devoted themselves with generosity, professionalism and courage to prevention, spreading information and distributing food and medical supplies.

We have started the school year and we are concerned about children who have lost parents due to Ebola or those who took care of them, orphans and children of 'single mothers' that they may be able to go to school.

We are now planning for the year 2015-2016. We will work, everyone, big and small, to create a family. At Valdocco Don Bosco created a family environment. He brought his mother Margaret there to help him. He asked his Salesians to treat and love their children as a father and a mother would do. He wanted confidence and affection to prevail in relations rather than the fear of authority.

We are also striving to create a family environment rich in humanity so that, in this post-Ebola period, the conditions may be right for the education and training of the boys and girls of the mission of Matadi. We will be in harmony with the Synod on the Family in the World Today, as we care for our 'common home', being nourished on the gifts of 'God who is rich in Love' during this Holy Year which will begin on 8 December.

Published 13/10/2015