eConnect May 2015 L'Arche Canada Foundation of Toronto, Ontario, Canada for Wednesday, 20 May 2015
The impact of L'Arche Assistants
This edition of e-Connect highlights three assistants in Canadian L'Arche communities. The essential part of any L'Arche community is that assistants (those who come to help) and people with disabilities (core members) share life together. L'Arche could not exist without assistants, just as it could not exist without people who have an intellectual disability. A common experience of L'Arche assistants is that they are transformed in their relationships with others in the community.
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Some assistants have known L'Arche since they were children. They represent a second generation. Here is the story of a young man, who has had a rich international experience of L'Arche and has now settled in L'Arche Comox Valley.
Manu Presad – assistant at L'Arche Comox Valley
Manu (centre) with L'Arche friends Cory Pagnoni (left) and Gary Scavarda
My name is Manu Prasad and my story begins in Kerala India, where I was born in 1983. My father was then working in L'Arche Nandi Bazar as an Assistant. When I was about 11, my father became Community Leader and my family moved into a L'Arche house. I lived in that community from 1995 until 2004.
At that point, I was twenty-one and wanted to have an experience in another community as an assistant, so I left to live at L'Arche Kolkata for three months [...].
Manu Presad – assistant at L'Arche Comox Valley
Manu (centre) with L'Arche friends Cory Pagnoni* (left) and Gary Scavarda
My name is Manu Prasad and my story begins in Kerala India, where I was born in 1983. My father was then working in L’Arche Nandi Bazar as an Assistant. When I was about 11, my father became Community Leader and my family moved into a L’Arche house. I lived in that community from 1995 until 2004. At that point, I was twenty-one and wanted to have an experience in another community as an assistant, so I left to live at L’Arche Kolkata for three months. From there, I went to L’Arche Sydney in Australia for a year, then to L’Arche Pierrefonds in France where I also lived for one year. During my experience in France, especially in the original L’Arche community in Trosly-Breuil, I knew I was called to L'Arche as a vocation.
I decided I wanted more professional training so I returned to India and studied Special Education for two years. After I finished my courses, I came to Canada. I have lived at L’Arche Comox Valley for almost five years now and this is my home. The people I live with and have come to know are like a second family to me. One of the core members, Gary, is like a true brother and is a big part of the reason I want to stay at L'Arche.
I will be getting married this summer and plan to raise my family in Comox Valley where I will continue my journey with L’Arche.
* Cory was featured in this year’s Easter letter.
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L’Arche communities often welcome short-term assistants who may come for a year or two to experience community life, or may be on a field placement or come from a volunteer organization, like Sarah who describes her experience below. These assistants bring new life and energy and they leave having grown through sharing life with people who have intellectual disabilities. They carry this experience into their future careers and family life.
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L'Arche communities often welcome short-term assistants who may come for a year or two to experience community life, or may be on a field placement or come from a volunteer organization, like Sarah who describes her experience below. These assistants bring new life and energy and they leave having grown through sharing life with people who have intellectual disabilities. They carry this experience into their future careers and family life.
Sarah Janzen – volunteer assistant at L'Arche Lethbridge
Brad Flaig with Sarah Janzen
I was looking for something different to do after I finished university so I applied to the Mennonite Voluntary Service and I was chosen to be at L'Arche Lethbridge. I have been here for just over seven months. Unlike most of the other assistants in L'Arche, I am a live-out volunteer assistant. I am very grateful for this experience [...].
Sarah Janzen – volunteer assistant at L'Arche Lethbridge
Brad Flaig with Sarah Janzen
I was looking for something different to do after I finished university so I applied to the Mennonite Voluntary Service and I was chosen to be at L'Arche Lethbridge. I have been here for just over seven months. Unlike most of the other assistants in L’Arche, I am a live-out volunteer assistant. I am very grateful for this experience. For me the best thing about L’Arche is the incredibly friendly way that people interact. I find it amazing that people are so welcoming every time we gather. I love the welcoming hugs and genuine questions. One thing that I can offer is that I play violin. I have really enjoyed contributing to the music at L’Arche prayer nights. I now believe that it takes vulnerability to truly share life together. I admire the way that Brad, one of the core members in my house, can share his joy whenever he meets someone – he makes instant friends—and the way that Brad can share his concerns when there is something weighing on his heart. Brad is helping me learn new ways to share life together by providing constant examples of ways to be emotionally vulnerable with others.
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Every L'Arche community hopes to have a few very long-term L'Arche assistants who carry the history of L'Arche and contribute the wisdom of their substantial experience. Kathy McCarthy is one such assistant. L'Arche exists around the world, and often these assistants have had the enriching experience of living in more than one L'Arche community.
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Every L'Arche community hopes to have a few very long-term L'Arche assistants who carry the history of L'Arche and contribute the wisdom of their substantial experience. Kathy McCarthy is one such assistant. L'Arche exists around the world, and often these assistants have had the enriching experience of living in more than one L'Arche community.
Kathy McCarthy – assistant at L'Arche Calgary
Kathy McCarthy with Mary Ayoung, who passed away on January 1, 2009
I have been an assistant in L'Arche for nearly 40 years. At present, I am an assistant in L'Arche Calgary's Supported Independent Living Program. Since I came to L'Arche Calgary in 1996, I have held various roles-- house and day program assistant, house leader, and interim day program leader [...].
Kathy McCarthy – assistant at L’Arche Calgary
Kathy McCarthy with Mary Ayoung, who passed away on January 1, 2009
I have been an assistant in L’Arche for nearly 40 years. At present, I am an assistant in L’Arche Calgary’s SupportedIndependent Living Program. Since I came to L'Arche Calgary in 1996, I have held various roles-- house and day program assistant, house leader, and interim day program leader. Before Calgary, I was an assistant in L'Arche Erie, PA, for 16 years. During those years, I spent 6 months at La Forestiere, a house for people with multiple needs in L’Arche in Trosly-Breuil, France, and a year supporting L'Arche Clinton, in Iowa. In 2007, I spent a month as an assistant in our community of Asha Niketan in Chennai, India. It was a great gift to be able to live daily life there -- cleaning, meals, work and activity programs, walks to the beach, celebrations, andprayers three times a day that included Hindu, Muslim and Christian religions.
I came to L’Arche after some volunteer experiences and working in a very large institution. After college, I was looking for an environment where it is recognized that everyone has gifts and that we each have things to teach and to learn from others. In L'Arche, we're called to be open and to strive to have mutually transforming relationships with everyone. After many years in L’Arche, I still feel that I'm able to give of my gifts and to grow. I have been greatly blessed by many people and experiences. I see it as a privilege to share daily life and major events with individuals and as community. I have had the privilege to walk with some friends to their death. I've learned much about God, love, forgiveness and letting go. Each relationship transforms me in different ways. I am inspired by one person’s compassion, another's patience in helping me understand their ways of communicating, another's creativity, or their love of nature, or their faith life.
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Thank you for your commitment!
Your donations are an investment in the lives of the core members and the assistants. The journeys of Manu, Sarah and Kathy have resulted in immense personal growth and transformation. Your ongoing commitment helps to transform the lives of core members and assistants, as they strengthen L’Arche communities.
Do you have any questions or comments about this issue of e-Connect? Feel free toe-mail us. We’d love to hear your feedback!
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Thank you for your commitment!
Your donations are an investment in the lives of the core members and the assistants. The journeys of Manu, Sarah and Kathy have resulted in immense personal growth and transformation. Your ongoing commitment helps to transform the lives of core members and assistants, as they strengthen L'Arche communities.
Do you have any questions or comments about this issue of e-Connect? Feel free to e-mail us. We'd love to hear your feedback!
The L'Arche Canada Foundation is a not-for-profit charity that raises funds on behalf of L'Arche Canada and is committed to transforming the lives of intellectually disabled people in communities across Canada.
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