Rofida’s Trip to L’Arche GWDC – A Life Changing Impact
When I visited L’Arche GWDC (Greater Washington D.C.), I hadn’t expected to find my life’s calling. In fact, I hadn’t expected to see L’Arche GWDC at all. A string of coincidences led me there, starting with my trip to Washington D.C, organized by Johnson Service Corps (JSC), the organization that has connected me to L’Arche NC this year for a year of service.
As part of JSC, this year I’ve gone on several trips to explore spiritual understandings, and at every one I’ve been asked to introduce myself – names, pronouns, hometown, and job description. And nearly every time, I’ve had to explain what L’Arche NC was. But, my trip to Washington D.C. was different.
As soon as I mentioned L’Arche, our host gasped. “L’Arche?” she asked, giving me no time to reply. “That’s great! I work with L’Arche.” From there, the introductions derailed; she and I swapped excited smiles and stories. I don’t have the words to describe how happy I felt. It wasn’t just a matter of being recognized; it was knowing that there were people who believed in the same mission and not only that – but that L’Arche was so well known in a place so foreign to me, its community so well established.
Two minutes after the introductions were finally done, I asked for her number.
That was only the first coincidence. The next coincidence was the next room over, in the lobby. On every wall were paintings, and I was shocked to see who the artists were. They were all L’Arche GWDC members! Scanning the descriptions, I found the name of someone I knew from “Y’All Belong Here” on Zoom (our monthly interfaith prayer and meditation gathering). I had never met him in person due to the distance, never expected to, and yet – here his work was, displayed in a place of prominence, valued.
With great joy, I immediately texted my L’Arche NC coworkers a photo.
That was only the second coincidence. The third was on our neighborhood tour. You must know that L’Arche houses’ addresses are usually not published online. That’s because they are people’s homes and the residents deserve privacy. It’s only right. However, it does make visiting difficult, especially if you are out of state and haven’t followed any of the proper communication channels. So even though I had hoped to visit one of L’Arche GWDC’s four houses, I also had no real hope of accomplishing read more
Letter From L’Arche: Giving Tuesday
Dear Reader, In the midst of the changing seasons the community of L’Arche North Carolina continues to see new life, growth, and hope ahead of us. In these past months we’ve shaped our spiritual identity through prayer nights with local congregations. We’re thankful for our hosts, Duke Memorial UMC and St Francis of Assisi in Raleigh, for holding the space for diverse and beautiful gifts. In addition, members of our board shared the good news of L’Arche’s sign of hope in our local area. I had a chance to visit with the PossAbilities group at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Cary and our dear friends, the Whitehouses, hosted a “get-to-know” L’Arche party in their home. After a year of Skype and phone call communication, we were delighted to meet our regional L’Arche accompanier, Thomas Marquis, who joined us for a prayer night and a L’Arche board meeting. We were excited to hear updates on the work and growth of other founding communities, as well as the work of L’Arche USA. The relational thriving of our community is reflected in our organizational stability and fundraising successes. We continue read more
Reflections from a Former Assistant
One of the many things I appreciated about my time in l'Arche is the emphasis on reflection. As a community member, you are encouraged to reflect through accompaniment, retreats, and personal time. You are called time and time again to remember. You remember the anxiety and excitement of first moving in. You remember the time when, in crisis, everyone dropped what they were doing to support one another. You remember the spontaneous moments of joy, like dancing in the kitchen or laughing in the living room. You remember our collective story: where we have been, where we are now, and where we are going. Memory is essential for our life together in l'Arche.
Prayer Nights in 2019
L'Arche North Carolina hosted our first prayer night in May at Duke Memorial United Methodist in Durham. The theme was "New Life." We reflected on the Easter story and decorated bare tree branches with flowers and ribbons to represent the Spring season. In September, we co-hosted a prayer night with St Francis Catholic Church in Raleigh. Over 40 people came to sing, pray and fellowship. Our L'Arche USA manager, Thomas Marquis, gave a short presentation on the structure of L'Arche. We used arts and crafts, movement, and dance to reflect on the Psalms. It was a joyous gathering of friends, old and new! [modula id="576"] Is your church or religious organization interested in co-hosting a prayer night with us? Send us a message!
Today.com: How L’Arche Helps Special Needs Adults Thrive
Not too long ago, Today.com published is great feature about our friends at L'Arche Atlanta. In the video, you'll meet Terry, a resident with intellectual disabilities who is thriving thanks to the L'Arche Atlanta community. L’Arche provides homes and workplaces for people with and without disabilities to work together and form relationships. L'Arche is different though, more than a group home, this piece shows how the center of L'Arche is about being with others in our vulnerability, and loving the beauty of relationships. https://youtu.be/vmSz1zAsFe0 We are working towards establishing a similar community in central North Carolina. Learn more here, come to an event or give to join our journey. You are always welcome to contact us to learn more.
Opinion: A Future Without the Disabled
This week I learned that the first genetically modified children were born. Chinese scientist He Jiankui made the announcement on a video that the “gene surgery” he performed on two embryos resulted in twin newborns who are immune to HIV. As this announcement washes over the news cycle my thoughts turn to my friends with disabilities with whom I shared life in L’Arche Portland, OR. L’Arche is an intentional community rooted in Jesus’ beatitudes, homes that that offer a place for people across the spectrum of disabilities to discover and share the gifts of eating, mourning, celebrating, laughing, and worshipping together. L’Arche began as a movement in France in the 1960s. Our ecumenical communities now spread across the globe from Bethlehem in the West Bank to Belfast in Northern Ireland. Erin, Ben, Marilyn, and Joni were my housemates in L’Arche, “core members” as we call them because they form the center of common life in our home. They have called me out of life of perfection and busyness, from getting ahead and climbing the corporate ladder into slowness, stillness, and into peace. This week I let myself imagine read more
As I Am: Santos and Pipe’s Story
When Santos was born, doctors described him as hemiplegic, epileptic, and intellectually disabled. By the age of 9, Santos described himself as a cowboy, magician, and innovative fisherman. If you can relate to wanting to write your own story, and wanting to not be labelled by others, check out the first chapter of a very long and unremarkable journey.
The Journey, by Boat
L’Arche means “the ark,” and I’ve discovered, in my time here, many of the ways that L’Arche is like a fantastic trip on a boat. In a recent homily I presented at one of our regular community chapel services, I asked everyone to think about a journey on a boat. Many of the responses were (excuse the nautical pun) “deeper” than they were at first glance. This seems to be a common theme at L’Arche. Most of the thoughts shared had to do with the people on the boat with us. Not everyone was happy about being cooped up on a boat in such close quarters for such a long journey. “We’ll have fun—if we don’t all kill each other first!,” one core member told me. My journey, and, I think, the journey of most people who spend time at L’Arche reflects this truth. Those we make relationships with on this “boat” do not always rub us the right way—and my time here at L’Arche was not been perfect. I arrived a basket of nerves, given responsibilities like helping people care for themselves, giving medications, cooking, cleaning, and read more
Letter from L’Arche
Dear Friend, It’s hard to imagine a life fueled by vulnerability. It seems that no place in our world is free from the drive of competition and perfection. But Joni can tell you a different story. Joni contracted encephalitis as a child. The fever led to irreversible brain damage. She was left unable to speak and finds it difficult to physically navigate her world.Because Joni lives in a L’Arche community, the limitations on her body and the way her mind works are part of her gift. When I was an assistant, living in the daily rhythms of life with Joni and the other “core members” of our home, I learned how to slow down. If we rushed through routines or meals Joni could sense my irritation. Like all of us, Joni wants a life where she is seen as beloved, not someone to rush past on my way to better things.L’Arche is a place where attention to gentleness thrives. Since its founding in 1964, L’Arche has steadily grown as a “sign of peace” around the world. From Uganda to Hebron to Northern Ireland, homes that thrive on the mutual gifts read more
