What is L'Arche?

L'Arche is an international faith-based organization which provides home, care, and a high quality of life to persons disabled both mentally and/or physically. Jean Vanier, a Canadian transplanted to Trosly-Breuil, France (not too far from me) started L'Arche communities by initially inviting two mentally disabled men to live in his home rather than remain institutionalized. From such simple beginnings, the ministry of L'Arche spans the globe today offering safe homes to many individuals who would otherwise be left in institutions or uncared for. Believing that within each individual lies the capacity to contribute to the lives of others through love, service, and presence despite appearances, Vanier encourages the formation of communities which draw upon everyone's gifts and abilities. His theology most clearly takes root in the love of God and the call of Jesus to live fully with those many would consider "broken," for by living alongside apparent brokenness, one can discover their own brokenness as well as the redemption for it. He also profoundly addresses the need for Christian community to be sought and formed in response to the great losses individualized and privatized faith incurs.

I first became aware of L'Arche during college through reading many of Henri Nouwen's works. Nouwen became one of the most influential authors, thinkers, and Christians I read during college. His books Wounded Healer, In the Name of Jesus, Out of Solitude, Reaching Out, The Way of the Heart, and excerpts from Life of the Beloved particularly shaped the way I think of ministry, of being and doing, of community, and of living in general. An academic worn by the culture of competition and intellectualism in the Ivy League seminaries, he found a place as community member and priest at Daybreak, a L'Arche community in Toronto, Canada. He often traveled and spoke at conferences, always insisting that a member of Daybreak accompany him that the life of Christ and community in their midst would be testimony to all that he would teach.

My second brush with L'Arche occurred while I lived in Washington, D.C. and participated in the Servant Leadership School's Discipleship Year Program. While I visited a L'Arche community only once, I benefited from Jean Vanier's writings as well as enjoyed art created and displayed by the D.C. L'Arche community members at Potter's House, my favorite bookstore and home away from home in DC.

L'Arche around the world takes on different cultural, religious, and organizational flavors depending on its location. However, its network is administratively tied together between all 130 locations. Most often, L'Arche communities are configured as a home wherein live an assortment of residents both developmentally handicapped and assistants. Assistants normally commit one or more years to a community, volunteering to help with daily life, chores, running everyone around on errands and appointments, and learning to live in a different than usual context. Developmentally handicapped residents contribute just as fully to the life of the community and often may be engaged in day programs outside the house.

For my time in Compiegne, I work in a rather large and well-developed leg of L'Arche which facilitates several communities in Compiegne as well as offers day programs for developmentally disabled adults. Within this day program called Le Moulin is where I help. Each day a range of activities have been developed and are offered for a regular number of enrolled participants. Time together throughout the day is spent in a variety of ways--preparing lunch, arts and crafts, sharing and prayer, swimming, cleaning, exercise, outdoor photography, taking a rest, talking, spa treatments (or at least this is how I translate the word), educational trips in the community, etc. As I help out, it is a growing and stretching time, as this is not necessarily my heart or life's call nor am I known for my patience. However, I enjoy getting to participate in the activities alongside people and one can truly see that help is needed as well as I need to learn much from program participants. I have to be honest--last Friday I got to lead the exercise session at Le Moulin and it was such a blast. We rotate men and women going to a dance studio to work with a professional dance teacher, and for the rotation when the women remain at Le Moulin, Martine and I facilitate the time. So when Martine was out of town, I got to choose the music, what sorts of exercises we did, I even pulled out the percussion box and we worked on motion/sound coordination. I am fascinated by the way I see the arts in various forms aid developmental progress, and it is such a joy to be able to contribute in an area where there is limited ability...and see those abilities grow and as a group share a few laughs and kicks. Yes, there were kicks. I put on club dance music and we practiced moving in time. :) What can I say? Spreading the gospel of dance one person at a time.

If you are new to hearing of L'Arche, Nouwen, or Vanier, I recommend you find a couple of their short books and learn more. Vanier's From Brokenness to Community is a quick read which will provide a glimpse into the heart and work of L'Arche. For a quick but meaty Nouwen read I recommend In the Name of Jesus. Of course, I also dare you to read only one Nouwen book. I couldn't. As well, if you are experiencing a time of wondering "what am I doing with my life?" many of the L'Arche communities provide a wonderful space in which to flesh out responses to that question in wonderful ways that might not ordinarily happen just doing life on your own. A certain interdependency is cultivated at the center of each community and it would be well worth giving time to both learning and growing in a place so that these principles can be taken on and outward with you for life. Besides being a space to answer such a question, L'Arche is a wonderful and well-established network of communities that is well worth checking out if you are interested in community life, service, and/or developmentally disabled needs and resources.