Community workshop

“One of the marvelous things about community is that it enables us to welcome and help people in a way we couldn't as individuals. When we pool our strength and share the work and responsibility, we can welcome many people, even those in deep distress, and perhaps help them find self-confidence and inner healing.”

― Jean Vanier, Community And Growth, founder of L'Arche communities

Last week I entered the door of a L’Arche community for individuals in Jacksonville, Florida. This is where I gave an art workshop to its members to learn what makes this community a community. By creating art together I found certain expressions and examples that illustrated what community is for them. With these artistic expressions revealing themselves throughout the workshop, I was able to discover what was needed on my door to exemplify this community.

Individuals shared their stories and artistic visuals that gave a strong impression of what community is to them. For example, a gentleman drew himself and his friends and wrote under the drawing: “ZUMBA” which represented his love for dancing and music with friends. Other members drew pictures of the community sharing meals together, singing, praying, going for walks and being outdoors by the ocean.

Taking from their collaborative ideas of what community is we settled for a picture that exemplified their community the best. They all concluded that the image of a boat and all the members inside depicted who they are and what the community means to them individually. This image is also the symbol for all L'Arche communities through out the world.  Since I could not bring a door with me from Texas, I had them paint on a canvas so I could stretch it onto a doorframe when I returned to Texas.

 The greatest impact this community had on me was their open arms of welcoming and acceptance. Entering a community such as this one was very grounding for me, which helped me to put things in perspective about being present with those I love and building relationships. An example of this occurred on Thursday evening when all of the community gathered together to celebrate the life of those community members who had died. During this celebration, we gather around in a circle and in the middle were the pictures of these past members and a candle. We had the opportunity to view a picture of these beloved individuals and pass it around the room along with shared stories of laughter and tears. It was a beautiful remembrance of those who will never be forgotten.