On that day, at about 3:50 p.m. local time, the sky began to threaten rain, and within a quarter of an hour a heavy thunderstorm broke out. The children present at the work, engaged in recreational activities and sports, had to stop to take shelter from the weather. In a short time, the storm broke, shook the entire building of the boarding school to the point of tearing off the building’s roof. The impact of the entire metal structure and metal sheets with the ground was very strong, and also caused many bricks to fall from the wall and several doors and windows to break.
Fr Serge Mwaka, Rector of the work, and all the Salesians present there, were extremely concerned after this unpleasant incident. It should be remembered, in fact, that the boarding school of the "Cité des Jeunes" welcomes every year about 100 young people, 80% of whom are among the most indigent and needy, youths who do not know where to sleep after this disaster.
After what happened, Fr Guillermo Basañes, Provincial of the "Our Lady of the Assumption" Province of Central Africa, promptly went to inspect the Salesian house and evaluate the damage, and invited the whole provincial community to thank Mary Immaculate, who placed her maternal and powerful hand on the religious and on all the young people and, despite all the serious damage suffered, safeguarded their lives, preventing any victims and injuries.
"We must give thanks to our God who saves and protects us. From this unfortunate event, the Lord will raise up people of good will to rebuild the 'Cité des Jeunes'," say the Salesians of Lubumbashi, moved by hope.
Frédérick Shula, SDB
