By Asp. Gilbredt Steven

Sumba, Indonesia, 2 February 2024 -- January is a very important month for the Salesian family. This month of January is filled with various important celebrations of Salesian saints, especially St Francis of Sales and St John Bosco. In order to celebrate and commemorate the Feast of St Yohanes Bosco, the SDB Community in Sumba created an important event that involves many young people. This event was prepared long ago with full appreciation and preparation. The waiting period begins with a sermonet carried out by Aspirants and Pre-Novices in the Sumba SDB Community. This is a form of appreciation for the various stories of St John Bosco. Then the Aspirants were also involved together with the youth of Weepangali’s station to be a part of the choir at the Eucharist Celebration at the peak of the feast of St John Bosco. This exercise was greeted with joy and thorough preparation, which made the enthusiasm for mission service for young people even brighter.

The SDB Sumba community welcomed with great enthusiasm the Feast of the founder of the Congregation and protector of young people who is a figure of father, teacher and friend to young people. Therefore, to enliven this event, many activities were created to involve young people in the area around the community. This activity is a mini-soccer competition held on the SDB community mini-soccer field. This competition was attended by all students of Don Bosco Vocational School and the training center, the teachers of Don Bosco Vocational School and the Training Center, course, as well as Salesians along with Aspirants and Pre-Novices who participated in the competition. This competition is an opportunity to foster brotherhood among young people. This activity lasted for more than a week, from January 21 to January 30. The enthusiasm of young people in taking part in this competition has become an enthusiasm for the Salesians in carrying out mission services for young people in the land of Sumba.

The event also doesn't stop there. Aspirants and Pre-novices were also asked to animate a mini-game activity for DON Bosco Vocational School students and teachers. This event was held on January 30 with the game name "Search for Treasure". The students were invited to think using the clues given to find the name of their playing post and also tested their cohesiveness as students in the game given at each post. The enthusiasm of the students and girls in playing amidst the hot sun of Sumba is one of the enthusiasm that they want to welcome the Feast of St. Jhon Bosco with endless joy and enthusiasm. Then on January 31, precisely in the morning, all students, staff and employees, as well as teachers, carried out a social activity, namely cleaning up rubbish on the edge of the beach. This is done as a form of love for students, staff and employees, as well as teachers in protecting the natural environment. The enthusiasm expressed when carrying out this social action certainly deserves to be greatly appreciated, especially in welcoming the Feast of St. John Bosco.

This series of activities closed with a Eucharistic Celebration at 17.00 with the main celebrant, Fr Ignatius Herianto, SDB, who is familiarly called Father Igan. The celebration was attended by many people both around Weepangali and outside Weepangali, young people, Weepangali Oratory children, members of ADMA Sumba, FMA sisters and all the children who took part in this Eucharistic Celebration, students/ Don Bosco Vocational School students, as well as teachers and staff of Don Bosco Vocational School and Don Bosco BLK. The Eucharist celebration is a thanksgiving that will be offered to celebrate the Feast of St. John Bosco. An interesting point conveyed in the homily is that all people should not be easily tempted by things that always provide pleasure but can actually lead to error. The event then continued with eating together and then closed with a performance from the Weepangali Oratory children and continued with dancing and dancing happily together.

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