L'Arche Kent from the inside

Jean Vanier Some might say that L’Arche is “a haven of peace.” In many respect this is true, as at the core of our communities there is the desire to experience authentic relationships. Experiencing a relationship takes time: time to look into someone’s eyes, to listen to others with all your heart, mind and body. True relationship transcends time, stress and movement and it goes beyond the tyranny of normalcy and things to do. Yes, L’Arche can be a haven of peace where we take the time to eat together and celebrate life. We slow down to the pace of the slowest. We walk slowly together. All that is a marvellous ideal, but then there is the reality! There is housework, cooking, shopping, laundry, rules to follow, reports to write, a short- age of assistants, appointments with doctors and other professionals… and then the occasional fit of anger and conflicts in the home. There are visitors to welcome, neighbours to meet and of course, the ringing phone. In her journal, Etty Hill

Caroline Caroline Bennett is studying for her Masters in Visual Anthropology at the local university. As part of her thesis, she is currently recording a set of interviews with members of the community on their motivations for joining and remaining in L'Arche.  After her first couple of months with the community, this is what she had to say: "I wasn't really sure what to expect when I started coming to L’Arche – how would people react to someone outside the community turning up with a camera wanting to make a film about them and the community?   Luckily everyone has been brilliant and I have been welcomed into L’Arche Kent with open arms and lovely smiles. Sal "The nicest thing I’ve found out about L’Arche is the appreciation that people are people no matter who you are, and that everyone is special in their own way.   I think it’s something we tend to forget, but being in L’Arche is teaching me that it is ok just to be sometimes and to appreciate the world a

Laurie is an assistant in Cana house in Eythorne. Here, she reflects on the role of tea in L'Arche, community and world peace:  "A lot can be said about a cup of tea. Since coming to England in May from Canada , I have shared more cups of tea then at any other time in my life. I am learning a lot about the power of a cup of tea. Tea brings people together. It calms, soothes and provides comfort at the end of a day and    provides a consistent, warming start to each morning (though personally    i still need to drink at least 2 cups of coffee to get going in the morning!). When everything else seems unclear, there is a profound kind of certainty that can be found in a cup of tea. I know that no matter how many mistakes I have made in the day, no matter how tired or distracted I am, if I put a tea bag in a cup and add hot water, it   will   become a tasty beverage!  Beyond the comfort and ordinariness of tea, I have also discovered that tea has magical powers. When interperson