L'Arche Asia West Pacific

Japan

It was great to be part of the official opening of the new Tsu doy in March. I was also very lucky to be in Japan for Sakura - the Cherry Blossom festival.

Brittany

The Internatonal Board met in a seaside fishing centre in early March.

Hong Kong

In February I gave a retreat to a group in Hong Kong who had became interested in L’Arche.  Hazel was the organiser for the retreat.  She had come across the work of Henri Nouwen andhad been inspired by it.  We stayed in Hong Chi Lodge which is a hotel run by people with intellectual disabilities.  Each mealtime we were served by men and women who were very proud and smart waiters and waitresses.  I visited the centre of which Hong Chi Lodge was a part.  They had made a deal with one of the major hotels in Hong Kong.  The Hotel built two rooms, replicas of the Hotel’s rooms, which could become training rooms for the people with intellectual disabilities.  Once cleaning and the re-stocking of the room was at the standard required by the Hotel, the people with intellectual disabilities could move into employment with them.  The retreat went well and the group will remainin contact with L’Arche

Taiwan

I visited the community of Ai Jia in Taiwan.  The community has grown since last year.  They have opened the work project and now what was an empty building at my last visit, is a building that is humming with activity.  The Community leader, Shu Chun, took me to see a number of local institutions.  What was particularly interesting for me was that many had received  or sought inspiration from L’Arche at some point in their history.  One revered Founder - a Jesuit priest - had told his co-workers ” If you want to know in what Spirit we should work in this institution, go and visit L’Arche”.  Another institution was run by Sr Teresa Huang, who e mailed me some 18 months ago wanting to visit Daybreak.  She did so and now is inspired to begin a new model of care for Taiwan and wishes that it can be modelled on L’Arche.  I was also very happy to visit a group home that was run by Chen Kow Chu who stayed for a year in L’Arche in Ireland.  Ai Jia is a wonderful community.  There is a very talented and experienced team around Shu Chun.  Buni, who is an exceptional houseleader and Mathieu and Ibu who moved last year from Aigrefoin.  Currently the community is looking at opening a second house.

L’Arche Kapiti

In May I was with the community in Kapiti for just under two weeks.  The community undertook an evaluation of its life with reference to the Fundamental Principles of Community Life (L’Arche International 1998). The results of the evaluation showed the community where its strengths lay, but also the areas that needed attention.  The community has embarked on two major projects over the past year: a Community Participation scheme and a 3rd house which was in its foundational stages when I was visiting.  There have been some major changes for the community, Fr Rod Milne who called together the people who would start L’Arche Kapiti and who has been the Pastoral Minister for the community for 10 years, has stepped down.  He is greatly missed, but I hope enjoying a sabbatical in Australia prior to returning to his post at Silverstream in palliative care.  Also, two long term stalwarts Brother Des  (10 years) and Laura Buist (4 years)  have moved on from the community.  Thir departures have been significant losses for the community so please pray for Michele as she leads the community through this time of transition.  While visiting, I was also able to attend the AGM of L’Arche New Zealand.  Dr Pat Neuwelt has accepted to become the Chair of L’Arche NZ. 

Japan

Maebashi

From Kana no ie, I traveled on to Maebashi in Gunma Prefecture.  There I met with a group that has been praying and hoping for L’Arche for some time.  It is a group that is full of hope and many good questions about what form L’Arche should take in their area.  I was very privileged to stay with a family who had adopted four adults with intellectual disabilities.  They are very supportive of the group.

Kana no ie

In April I visited Kana no ie.  There the communiyty worked on producing a mandate for the next four years.  It was a very intensive piece of work with every person contributing their thoughts and hopes for the community. Creating a mandate while working through two different languages can be quite a challenge!  The mandate has now been finalised and the community is in the process of selecting a leader who can enable the community to achieve its mandate.  The community has opened its new workshop and now has three work teams, Megumi, Daichi and Mebuki,  It was wonderful for me to meet the Social Welfare Corporation Board and also to meet briefly with the parents association of the community.