Hi everyone,

Got the date wrong yesterday..what else is new?  Here is Oct 23rd's entry.

Growing up, I would watch for my dad coming around the turn at 5:10pm as he made his way home from Fraser's mill for supper.  Before long we gathered in our small kitchen after my Mom making up a meal for 7 of us.  It was a time to share of the days events.  It seems that today those days are gone.  Everyone is working shifts, young people are working now, school activities, rush rush rush.

L'Arche has as its center, the home and the meal time.  It is a time after we have spent the day in various programs, work places etc. to share our day and a common meal.  Some times we are alone just the gang from Center street, other days we welcome support workers like Toni, Allan.  Then there are the special times we welcome other core members from the houses around here (such as Church Street and Corner House).  It is a time of connection, of friendship.  By times there is tension between core members, even assistants, etc. But the supper meal is one of laughter, food and shared stories.

The picture above is from Corner house at Thanksgiving.  Most of the core member ladies from this home cannot get to their home due to their disabilities.  So we go to them.  This night it was a Turkey supper with all the trimmngs.  I brought my guitar and we ate and sang, and shared stories.  It was a time of great love, of great comunion, of reaching out and being reached out to.  The ladies of Corner house are special (that includes the assistants that live and offer care). Our communion with them is a sign of our love for them.

After the meal, a candle is lit, the lights are dimmed and we take time for prayer.  It is simple as people offer names from their lives they wish to pray for.  We would often think that these core members did not have that capacity.  But their prayer is deep and rich and based on friendships, hopes and dreams.  It is about family, friends and their deep love.  It is a quieting down and a reaching in and out.  Our prayer at our table is wonderful.  It keeps me in touch with the need to pray and be prayed for.

May your meal be one of deep communion, friendship and prayer.  Until the next time.

Jeff