Saturday, May 28, 2011

Building Foundations, Calling This Home.

So, the story continues. I have inhabited the L’Arche home for a few weeks now, along with Damon, Janet, Marie, and Maria. Damon is another founding assistant. Janet is the community leader. Marie is a summer intern/student from France, here to help with administrative tasks. Maria is the house grandmother for a couple months, having helped start and lead a number of L’Arche communities. All of us and often Heather, a live out assistant for now, share several dinners and prayer times a week.


We have been preparing to welcome Kim and Wayne into this L’Arche community and dates are becoming solidified. I am so happy to say that I have been able to meet on several occasions with our founding core members and am feeling more comfortable around them. It’s nice for me to get to know who it is I am going to be living with! I imagine it’s nice for most people.


Part of the preparation has also included trainings, connecting with nearby churches, cleaning, moving things around, and a diversity of household to-dos. So much of the work needed to be done is in fact done by friends in the greater St. Louis L’Arche community. I feel called now to make it clear that the St. Louis L’Arche community extends far beyond the 5 people currently living in the house, and even beyond the incoming core members. It’s kind of like we’re a big pomegranate, and the household members are seeds near the middle of the fruit. We all make different contributions, we all satisfy different roles. We are all tasty. And the web of white skin inside is the collection of bonds between all of us “separate” entities. Yessss.


At the house, we try to stay conscious (thanks to Maria) of the reality that we are building a foundation every day. The genetic makeup of the seeds we sow here will show up as phenotypes as the future becomes the present. I feel responsible with the others for bringing loving traditions into this home. It’s a relief to remind myself that we will never become a perfect community. And conflict is an opportunity for growth if we have openness.


In other news, Maplewood is growing and thriving and being developed. Our location near the downtown makes it easier for us to integrate into the town here. I am very excited about the prospects of this! Personally, I’m loving the library, 2 cool coffee shops, one of which has an open mic night, restaurants, bars, and connecting with the churches.


For several days, an exploratory retreat occurred in St. Louis for newer L’Arche assistants around the country. This was a time of making relationships, reflecting, creating, reading, getting inspired by the lives of the saints, and allowing myself to be vulnerable. I thank everyone who was involved in making it as excellent a time as it was for me.


In just a few days, we embark for the L’Arche Central Region Gathering in Memphis which will include almost everyone (core members, assistants, admin, friends) from the Chicago, KC, Jacksonville, Mobile, Clinton IA, and STL and ATL communities. It seems to me like it will be a big vacation/party. A gathering with all our communities together has not happened for years.


Of course, this is a limited update, and I’ll be reflecting soon on how I want to continue with this blog in terms of what I will include in it (personal events and musings? Only STL L’Arche updates? Share more or less?). If you have any feedback or advice on the issue, I’m open to it. I often feel guilty for not including the names of all the people who have contributed to my welfare in recent times. So “Thanks.” Know I am nothing without the gifts/love of you/others. Whether you gave me a hug yesterday or did anything with love at all to anyone or anything, I want to say thanks.

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