I am working at L’Arche Boston North as a new assistant and marketing intern this summer. While sharing time with the core members, I’ve grown and fostered bonds with their quirks and routines and those of the other assistants. I’ve found that at L’Arche, the assistants are a family of bubbly, bright, and beautiful people. We have each other’s backs, stand up for the core members and our coworkers, and try to have as much fun as possible doing tasks daily. We have community events where you sing, eat, dance, color, etc., while simply enjoying others’ company, which at L’Arche feels like a gift and blessing. Everyone here illustrates growth, understanding, and a shared love for caring for one another with the desire to help and be by each other’s side whenever possible.
In my time here, I’ve discovered how the core members have a sneaky way of forming a strong bond and attachment to you, finding ways to make you smile, and continuously showering you with love, hugs, and cat jokes. I’ve only been here briefly, yet I see how the caregiving and community here change lives and shine so brightly that you see it within assistants in and outside the workplace. I look forward to my future and this magical place with individuals who have gone through unimaginable struggles but still decide to be the light at the end of the tunnel.
As well as on the day-to-day, I live in L’Arche, and I am also a live-in in the Nazarene house. There, I’ve also built friendships and community with appreciation and happy good mornings and nights to one another. As a live-in, I have received a unique and wonderful experience tailored to my needs and love for L’Arche.
Regional Gathering
This past week, I was allowed to experience a regional gathering, an experience like no other where all the L’Arches in the northeast come together and present what has happened in their communities since the last regional gathering, as well as dance parties, talent shows, fairs, and reflections. It is a time when you bond with others from other locations and share a love for L’Arche. It gives the feeling of a retreat with its challenges and building of relationships. There is no better time spent than time with L’Arche, and there is no better place to experience that than regional gathering.