May 2009
2 posts
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.
April 2009
5 posts
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...
August 2008
8 posts
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 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...
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...
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...
March 2008
5 posts
Korea
I visited the project in Seoul in South Korea from the 14th to the 16th of March. I was able to meet with the Board, who are planning to form a Social Welfare Corporation in order to provide a legal structure for the community when it begins. The day fell on the day that the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of St Joseph and so it seemed appropriate to offer formation on the similarities...
The International Board and Mission Council
The International Board and Mission Council meeting was held in Lviv in the Ukraine in March. Lviv is a city which has experienced foreign domination at various times in its history. Because of this, it appears as a bridge between many different cultures. L’Arche and Faith and Light are flourishing there and a community exists that is based on four workshops. They hope to be able to begin a...
