N° 25 - May 2012

My new passport’s come, my ticket’s bought, and I now beginning to wonder what to wear because I am having to go from a spring that is slow to arrive to a summer that is already in full swing! As you make your own preparations, I am thinking of each of you whom I am soon going to be meeting again!

Christine and I are getting ready for our final Assembly, which takes its place after those of Paray le Monial, Swanwick, Assisi and then Kolkata. A long pilgrimage! L’Arche has changed so much over the last 13 years, and we too have changed so much!

I rejoice, as we all do, at the journey we have made together: this journey has been guided by the individual experience of each person, and by the Spirit which has spoken through your words and actions: a Spirit that cares, that listens closely, that provides what is needed in its due season. The Federation meetings are both a high point where we acknowledge all the life of the Federation, and also moments when we celebrate and give thanks that life has been given in such abundance.

There is yet another reason to celebrate: it will be an opportunity to pass the baton over to a new team, to the International Coordinators and to a new Board, as well as to approve a new Constitution and set out together in a fresh direction. All this has been the result of our conversations the last few years, so it won’t be totally new: but it is still so important to recognize it together.

Over the last few years, slowly and with a certain timidity, we have been discovering how to enable each person, with or without a disability, to participate more fully in various international bodies. The style and the animation of our meeting in Atlanta will build on this experience, which is still quite new to us: so prepare yourselves to enter into a format, a

A Journey Leading Into An Encounter With Difference

Jean Christophe Pascal, International Coordinator

rhythm and style that will be a little different!Another thing that gives me great pleasure is that this meeting is taking place in Atlanta, because in 2005, it wasn’t possible for us to hold our Assembly in the United States. There is so much to learn about this country, which has struggled so hard for the freedom and equality desired by its founding fathers! Martin Luther King’s incredible inspiration, ability to dream, and sheer tenacity will be a source of inspiration to us all!

In short, this is a journey that will take us into new territory, and for most of us into a new culture: it is a culture that perhaps will be strange to us, an environment that will offer us its own unique history, tradition, values and lifestyle. We will experience that especially in the families that will welcome us at the beginning of the meeting. A journey leading us into an encounter with difference also calls us to let ourselves be displaced, surprised, challenged, disturbed and amazed!

My wish is for each of us to let ourselves be touched and transformed by the contact with other people: this contact will be a source of life for each individual person, as much as for the body that we are creating together, the living body which all these contacts between us will enrich and renew.

In the joy of seeing you soon,

Jean-Christophe et Christine with Jean Vanier, in Washington in 2002

Look on page 4for the latest news on Atlanta

Don’t forget to come and join us every day on the international Meeting Ground of L’Arche, at this address: http://inter.larche.org We will be there beginning the 3rd of June, for an amazingly colorful week!

Befriend us on Facebook!www.facebook.com -> L’Arche International

Worth reading

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On 23-24th April, 2012, 140 members of French speaking L’Arche-Belgium met at La Marlagne Centre outside Namur. It was a momentous event, the first of its kind, and billed as a formation on the identity of L’Arche today. A great spirit of celebration, fun and hard work were present throughout, as old friendships were renewed and new ones forged. But, according to Gery de Radigues, the Regional Coordinator, what stood out most of all was the spirit of encouragement that was felt and offered by all, whether community members, friends or Board members with and without disabilities.

Nathalie Danhier, new to L’Arche since last summer and one of the organising team, said this: “I have never seen anything like it! It is truly amazing how well people with a disability can express themselves, if given the time the skills and the encouragement.” The formation, which benefited greatly from the experience of Anne Chabert from L’Arche in France, included many creative workshops, such as dance, mime, music, theatre and painting. Each workshop focussed on a different key theme of L’Arche, such as ‘welcoming our differences’ ‘celebrating life’ and ‘opening ourselves up to the world’. At the end of two days there were only two questions on everyone’s lips: first, how can we bring all the richness we have lived back to the daily life of our communities? Secondly, and not surprisingly given the life that came out of it: when can we have another event like this one?

A pilgrimage with a difference

The L’Arche communities in Germany and Austria have taken part - with members of Faith and Light from Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Germany and Austria – in the pilgrimage to the Holy Tunic, to which pilgrims were invited from April 13 to May 13 in the city of Trier.

The pilgrimage to the Holy Tunic, which is traditionally regarded as the tunic of Jesus, takes place very rarely, the last time in 1996. This year this important Catholic event, to which half a million pilgrims were expected, had a particularly ecumenical dimension with the motto «bring together what is separated.» The Protestant church had also recommended to participate in the pilgrimage.

For L’Arche Germany, it was a good opportunity to be present

for more than four weeks in Trier. Five teams of 15 people each – people with a disability, assistants and friends of L’Arche and Faith and Light - were present in the Parish of the Deaf of Trier.

La Marlagne - moving forward together

Jim Cargin, L’Arche Brussels

Jean Vanier wrote a meditation for each day of the week.

Worth reading

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Join the revolution! Yes, L’Arche International has installed on their websites (http://atlanta.larche.org and http://inter.larche.org) an iWebReader. This system is offering you a brand new way to change the world! How? No more struggling to read web-pages- let Web Reader do the job for you! Just sit back and listen!

If any country wants to install the iWebReader on their own website, please contact Robert Laskowiecki at the International communication service (robert.laskowiecki@larche.org). Once several countries are on board, Robert will negotiate a fantastic

Web-Reader

Jim Cargin and Robert Laskowiecki, L’Arche International

Change the world, one computer at a time – the first could be your own!

Christiane Ménardinterim Vice Regional Coordinator, Quebec

Gerry FlanaganBoard President of L’Arche Liverpool, UK

Susan Burns McIntyre, interim Community leader of L’Arche Arnprior, Canada

Marie Fréchette, interim Community leader of L’Arche Beloeil, Canada

Perrine Forgeot-D’Arc, interim Community leader of L’Arche Agapè, Canada

Elisabeth Richard, Community leader of L’Arche Joliette, Canada

April MacConnell, Community leader of L’Arche Toronto, Canada

Sonia Smith, Community leader of L’Arche Queretaro, Mexico

Valerie Spenser, Community leader of L’Arche Canberra, Australia

Cécile de Quay, Community leader of L’Arche Gouda, the Netherlands

This list is not exhaustive; we welcome updates you are aware of at the address bdd.international@larche.org(database managed by L’Arche International in Paris).

Tadeu Roveri Board President of

L’Arche Brazil

Peter HarrisonBoard President of

L’Arche Manchester, UK

François Feyens Community leader of L’Arche Brussels,

Belgium

Mary MacDougall interim Community

leader of L’Arche Cape Breton, Canada

Erik PilletCommunity leader of L’Arche en pays toulousain, France

New Appointments:

Elizabeth CarcamoDelegate Coordinator, Mexico

and Dominican Republic

price with the supplier. Available in French, British, American

and Australian English, Castilian and Latin-American Spanish,

Polish, German and Italian.

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At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.

Martin Luter King

Actually, it’s Decatur!

Tina Bovermann

In a couple of days you will, physically or in spirit, travel to the American South. Ready? In the past months, we have prepped you for your trip to Atlanta. The news today is: you will actually be traveling to Decatur. And that’s not at all the same thing!

Decatur is older than Atlanta. As a matter of fact, Atlanta was founded, because Decatur’s citizens rejected the new railroad terminal that was to be built in the midst of their neighborhood. Eventually, the terminal moved several miles further west and helped found what would become Atlanta.

Today, Decatur is pocket-sized compared to sprawling Atlanta. It has a small-town flair and its little center is full of shops, bars and restaurants -- that you won’t hesitate to explore, I am sure. In the 60s, Decatur experienced what sociologists call “white flight”, an odd-sounding term that describes the departure of white and mostly wealthy Americans from racially mixed urban areas to the more homogeneous and well-off suburbs. Some 40 years later, the trend has changed. As suburbanites moved back into the city, Decatur has undergone heavy

gentrification and has in the last decade become a thriving and prosperous little city.

Decatur seems to have a knack for its own distinctiveness: it fancies its Arts and Book festivals, it enjoys

its own diversity, it is peaceful and walkable, and it is generally and genuinely known as

an open and welcoming place. Not a bad setting for our General Assembly.

Safe travels to all who will soon pack their suitcases. Stay tuned if you will follow the Assembly from far-away-land.

For participants

Flight information: we are more than happy to organize the logistics of your arrival on June 1st. In order to do so, we need to know your travel plans. Please complete your registration form online at http://inter.larche.org ASAP!

For early-birds: if you arrive in Atlanta before June 1st, you will make your own way into the city and you have organized your own accommodation. Make sure that you contact us before your departure to find out where and when we expect you on June 1st!

Logistics of June 1st: after your arrival on June 1st, there are a number of itineraries that participants will take. Most of you will meet your host families in Decatur. Some of you will travel up North to Simpsonwood Lodge. Atlantans who cannot host you in their homes will take you on a day outing on Saturday, June 2nd. A small group of people will be driven to a retreat center south of Atlanta. Whatever your final destination is: all participants who arrive in Atlanta on June 1st will be welcomed by our team at the airport. We will then assist you for the last stretch of your journey.

Workshops: every participant will follow one workshop during the week. Choose your workshop online (http://atlanta.larche.org) before you come to Atlanta.

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Music in the South

Carolyn Smoke, music team Atlanta ‘12

Music in the south has its own flavor or sound. It is different from the music of the north. The music in the south consists of several types of genera depending on what area of the south your are located according to you cultural background.

In some parts of the South there are various folksongs, ballads, and spirituals, which are important, because the songs tells a story about a particular area and a group of people that live in certain regions of the south. Some songs give various descriptive narrative details through verses as to what life was about during a particular time and how the people made their living as well as how they felt about certain things.

In order to get the message across, they would sing certain songs about their struggles and their oppressions. By singing these songs it gave them determination and the courage to continue to fight for various injustice which was denied to them according to the law. These songs were sung as they marched to get their message across to the entire country and the world.

In singing Civil Rights Songs, the battle would not have been won without the songs of the blues, gospels, folksingers and many song writers and the participation of the musicians and their effectiveness of the sing a-longs that helped a great deal. These Civil Rights Songs such as “We Shall Not Be Moved” was a song about a refusal to bow to the powers that be and the

importance of standing up for what you believe.

“This Little Light Of Mine” talks about the importance of unity in the face of adversity and that each little bit of light can break the darkness.

“Keep You Eyes On The Prize” talks about endurance while struggling towards freedom. However, there are many, many more but we always remember “WE SHALL OVER COME”, which was taken from a

Negro spiritual titled “I’ll Be Alright”. This song is very powerful because it’s the goal to overcome any struggle in our lives and for all of us as BROTHERS AND SISTERS to WALK-HAND-IN-HAND.

During the Civil Rights Movement (1950-1968) the music tells the story of a particular group of people who experience various injustice in their workplaces, schools, neighborhoods, thru the Federal government, State and Local levels. This movement was in reference to the social movement in the United States aimed at racial discrimination against African Americans and restoring their voting rights.

© http://dcgospelnewsupdate.com/

Commitment and Belonging in Atlanta – Come and see!

Tobias Gerken

During the General Assembly in Atlanta, we will present the results of the Commitment and Belonging process. We look forward to sharing our Vision and Action statement with you. Then we will invite you into an experience of commitment and belonging. Enough reflection, it’s time for action!

There will be 3 pavilions where you will come to discover three fundamental elements of our vision for c&b:

- A personal response to our mission – participate in a mime- Partners in the mission – engage in trust-building games- Our shared story and common journey – connect to personal witnesses

Together with around 60 other participants with and without

learning disabilities you journey through these pavilions. They will take place outside in the compound of Agnes Scott College.

This experience is a starting point for the action that we need to do in order to strengthen commitment and belonging for individuals, communities, countries and L’Arche International. Besides the vision on commitment and belonging, we will present actions that emerged from the last stage of the process. You are invited to have a look at the document “Vision and Action” and the easy read document, both available under http://inter.larche.org/.

Commitment and belonging and its implementation are part of the next international mandate which will be voted on during the Assembly. We need to engage together as partners in our mission to help our vision and actions become reality.

Come and see – and bring the experience back home!

International Newsletter from L’Arche - A publication of L’Arche InternationalEditor: Arno Thijs - communication@larche.org

Translation: Jim CarginPDF: Robert Laskowiecki