Seattle

June 16-24 we took 5 high school youth and 2 young adults to L'Arche where Laura lived and worked for 3 years. It felt a bit like a blind date: L'Arche Seattle meets New Covenant Fellowship/ Urbana community. I hope they like each other. I hope we aren't a burden..... I hope Amelia doesn't cry her head off on the plane... Everything worked out so well. L'Arche was welcoming as usual (check out our sign!). Amelia was a complete angel. The kids "got" what L'Arche was about. We had a great time and even got to see Jean Vanier (founder of L'Arche, friend of Mother Theresa, major saintly dude). I didn't know what to say to him but one of the youth merely invited him to sit with her to fill out an evaluation of the week. She even offered to let him copy off of hers. Lots of laughter with some meaningful experiences. We were really blessed.














Amelia with Christine who used to care for babies with down syndrome in the institution where she lived before L'Arche.














Our dear friend Ellen led the group in an art exercise. She encouraged us to let go of our judgements and embrace a freedom the core members (people with developmental disabilities) model to us. Ellen (yes she looks a bit like Laura) has been our friend for years and is now in her 6th year at L'Arche. Anthony (the young man on Ellen's left) came with our group and ended up signing up be a live-in volunteer for the next year (but knowing L'Arche it will be at least 3!).



















We Spent an afternoon making candles in the L'Arche candle shop. Everyone got to take one home!




























Paul (one of the core members who is deaf), a man of wisdom , signed to Amelia that if she smokes or drinks beer or she may throw up. I will remind her of this in a few years.














Carol always had a smile for Amelia and she would say, "sweet baby! kiss!"














Amelia instantly liked David. He could always make her laugh. She enjoyed showing him her new trick of blowing raspberries.














The kids were all so great with our baby. The car ride up to chicago at 3 in the morning to get the plane involved a lot of crying and left one of the youth wondering if it was going to be a horrible trip. After that Amelia was great and won everyone over. On the plane ride home the woman behind us didn't even know we had a baby since she didn't cry once the whole time.