L'Arche Avalon

 It’s about the journey and the Friends

I have been involved with L’Arche for just over 10 years.  In all that time our goal has remained the same: to build the first L’Arche homes in this province and to build a supportive community. We have been on that journey all this time, facing obstacle after obstacle, one regulation after another, a bit like Sisyphus rolling the rock up the hill only to have it fall back down just as it gets to the top.  That’s us in our slow persistent struggle for over ten years now.  Lately, I’ve been getting more and more discouraged.  When is someone in government going to understand that we have a great model for caring for adults who have intellectual disabilities, the experience of nearly 60 years of L’Arche communities across Canada, and that ours is a project worthy of support and appropriate funding? 

When I rouse myself from my discouragement, I know that this project is more about the journey than the final goal.  Over the past decade, my son Paul and I have made some wonderful friends.  We are friends who understand the immense challenges of living with complex disabilities, and support and care for each other.  I would never have met them without this community.  It’s a cliché, I know, but I’m trying to focus more on the journey than the destination.

~ Lorraine

spiritual expressions

What is Spiritual Expressions? 

Spiritual Expressions is a time for the L’Arche Avalon community to gather and celebrate each other. Everyone is welcome. The program is interactive, multisensory, casual, and inclusive. We meet on the first Sunday of each month to reflect, sing, and speak about how we are growing and connecting together to support each other and our core members.

 What is spirituality?

Spirituality is the capacity that each person possesses to discover and create meaning in life, whether individually, in relationship to others, to our world and/or to a higher power.

 Why is spirituality important to L'Arche? to L'Arche Avalon?

Why is spirituality so important in the caring of individuals?

L’Arche believes that each person, regardless of ability or disability, is of significant value. It’s not what we do, but that we are being true to who we are. It is in learning to appreciate the gift of each person, understanding new ways of living and relating to each other, that we become stronger and give ourselves and others greater meaning and purpose in life.

 How is spirituality expressed? 

The first L’Arche community in 1964 was an initiative of a small group of Roman Catholics. Since then, L’Arche has grown around the world to about one hundred and fifty communities, all with very different spiritualities, but a basic core meaning and purpose. While some are completely Roman Catholic, there are others in which Christians, Hindus and Muslims share their lives and celebrate the festivals of the individual religions together. Each member of the community is encouraged to live intention, and to deepen their spiritual life within their religion or expression of faith as they define it. Those who do not have an identified,  specific expression of faith, are accepted, and their freedom of conscience is honoured and respected. L’Arche celebrates everyone for who they are, and fosters the message and practice of inclusion, acceptance and appreciation of one another.

Crafts for sale

Example pictures below. There are many more cards available. Please contact Andrews.Marilyn@gmail.com for questions or to purchase any of the items below.

Greetings from the Chair

Dear friends,

My garden is like a winter wonderland as I sit to write this evening. It is November 22nd and less than a month before Christmas. It is a time when our thoughts turn to loved ones and friends, a time for sharing and for giving to others, a time when we give thanks for the things we have, and if our year has been a rough one, we look to the new year and hope for better things.

For our family when I was growing up, two things signaled the coming of Christmas. For the children, it was the arrival of the Eaton’s or Simpson-Sears Christmas catalogue. Oh, we were so excited! We couldn’t wait to pour through the glossy pages and see all the beautiful toys. Some of us even circled the things that we especially like and hoped we would receive. We did not give much thought to what we would give to others. 

For our mother, it was what she called Stir up Sunday which was the Sunday next before Advent when the church’s collect begins, “Stir up…” That was her reminder to get the Christmas cake made. This year it falls on November 26th and I do not have my cakes made yet. I’d better get cracking!

🎄Christmas is about giving from the heart - not just giving of money, but of ourselves, of our time, and of kindness to others. For those who live alone and have no family close by, it can be the loneliest time of the year and the gift of our time might be the positive difference in their lives.

As you think of where you will give your gift of money this year, we hope you will include L’Arche Avalon. Anne Frank said, “No one has ever become poor by giving.” Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Your giving will help us as we work year-round to help our core members become more included in the life of the community and lead happier lives.

Whether you celebrate the Christmas tradition or have other celebrations during this time of year such as Hanukkah, Rohatsu, Zartosht no-diso, Winter solstice, or Kwanzaa, I wish you all, from my house to yours, the happiest of days and hope you join us whenever you can. Our schedule of get togethers can be found on the L’Arche Avalon Facebook page or from office@larcheavalon.ca.

Merry Christmas to one and all,

Sheilah

Adventures on the Gobus

AbleSail

Three of L'Arche Avalon's present core members recently had a fantastic 'first': a sailing outing on Quidi Vidi Lake!

It was a calm sunny day on the lake when Mitchell, Adam and Anton boarded the AbleSail boat. AbleSail is a new local non-profit organization that offers persons living with disabilities to be in a sailing boat. There is at least one certified sailing instructor present as well as volunteers. 

Some in the community became members of AbleSail NL and off we went.

Mitchell and Adam were excited beforehand, Anton very suspicious, so he had to be carried onto the safety boat in his stroller. But then had the biggest smile on his face the whole time sitting near the steering wheel. 

We look forward to next summer, when hopefully Mitchell, Adam, Anton and others will join up for this exciting activity.

Thank you very much to AbleSail NL, Matt, Haley and other volunteers. 

We like to have fun!

Come Join Us!

Become part of our community And make the lives of all of us richer

L'Arche Avalon is a community of fellowship and belonging for people with and without intellectual disabilities, not just at Christmas but throughout the year. There are many ways that each one of us can help to make the lives of all of us richer.

Please go to our facebook page to read the details about several ways in which you can be part of our community or can become more involved in the community. These include: becoming a member; giving of your time; taking things to the recycling depot - our number is 3680624; and becoming a donor.

🎄 Christmas is about sharing time with family and friends and giving from the heart. Some people like to give gifts to their favourite charities once a year but for others, the easiest way is to commit to an amount each month. Small monthly donations can have just as much impact as a large, one-time donation and is an easy way to donate, especially if you go through Canada Helps; they’ll even send your tax receipt directly. Just as mighty oaks from little acorns grow, so your monthly donation multiplies 12 times by the end of the year.   

Merry Christmas Everyone! 🎶🎶🎶🎶