On 3 February, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime spent the afternoon in Matadi, to celebrate the feast of Don Bosco. In the short time available he made important gestures in all the different situations that revolve around the work. He visited a group of families living in the swampy area and blessed a well for drinking water, built for them with the help of the Salesian Cooperators. He met the young people and the leaders of the oratory and youth centre, and the mothers of the children who received support and benefitted from specific projects for prevention and treatment of Ebola. He recited the rosary with everyone present, to thank Mary for her protection during the Ebola outbreak. He presided over the ceremony of the Promise of nine Salesian Cooperators who formed a new local centre of the Salesian Cooperators at Matadi.
"With him we experienced the family spirit that Don Bosco wanted wherever Salesians are present. He won our confidence and affection. What better way than this to celebrate the Feast of Don Bosco?" asked Fr Nicola Ciarapica, SDB, Rector of the community.
"By coming to celebrate the feast of Don Bosco with us, Fr Ángel enriched us with his friendship, renewed our courage and dedication by his esteem, and infused in us the Fatherhood of Don Bosco with his testimony," he concluded.