Abidjan (Ivory Coast). On 3 June 2023, in the Koumassi district of Abidjan, in the Ivory Coast, the celebrations ended for the 25th anniversary of the Foyer Marie Dominique (1998-2023), the work of welcoming, educating, and caring for girls in situations of hardship of Mother of God Province (AFO).
On the occasion of this event, various moments of prayer and cultural activities have taken place since January, culminating in the celebration of the jubilee on 3 June. Other hospitality structures, such as Don Bosco Foyer, Foyer of the Sisters of Charity, Holy Mary fraternity of the poor and the little ones, and Akwaba Foyer, participated in the moments of prayer and cultural activities such as competitions of reading, spelling, general culture general, and a football game.
In preparation for the closing ceremony, a triduum was held to Mary Domenica Mazzarello, with the participation of all the structures, parishioners, and friends of Foyer Marie Dominique, with the aim of thanking the Lord and making known the figure of Saint Mary Domenica Mazzarello, co-foundress of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.
The culminating moment of the day was the Eucharistic Celebration presided over by Msgr. Olivier Kesse, Episcopal Vicar of Koumassi, Diocese of Grand Bassam, who thanked the Salesian Sisters for their great educational work, which “cannot be contained in a book”. He also exhorted those present to live charity, to sustain life, to preserve it, conserve it, protect it, and give it a future.
At the end of the Holy Mass, a small plant brought to the Offertory during the Celebration was planted in the presence of all the authorities and friends of the house, as a sign of the commitment of the Sisters and the laity to continue caring for the girls’ lives.
The AFO Provincial, Sr. Yvette Badini, various religious communities, civil authorities, and former members of the Foyer Marie Dominique participated in this significant moment of celebration of the Silver Jubilee of the Foyer, in which the Save of Care for Life Association was instituted to give benefactors the opportunity to make their own contribution to help girls in vulnerable situations.
Various shows involved crowds of children and adults who came to give thanks to God for the wonderful things He is doing in Koumassi. The celebrations concluded with a lively convivial moment.
