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Dear friends,
The news is gradually improving on the Covid front. We are regaining hope. The step with the Brussels community is possible again. The one with the community of Tecklenburg is still pending. We have arranged to meet on June 30 to decide what to do. The contrast is striking with the community in Poznań, on the other side of the German border in Poland. They write to us that the sooner the better, in case there is a wave of Covid in the fall.
We are regaining hope and continue to make contact with communities, for steps after Lviv in Ukraine. Two active communities on Instagram caught our attention: Skupnostbarka near Ljubljana in Slovenia, and Kauno Arkos bendruomenÄ— in Kaunas in Lithuania. We try our luck.
That morning we have an appointment with UgnÄ—, volunteer coordinator for the L'Arche community in Kaunas. UgnÄ— welcomes us with a smile. We adjust our English. We get to know each other. I translate a detail into French for Christine and UgnÄ— kindly corrects me almost instantly. Laughter. UgnÄ— understands a little French. Relief. The 2260 kilometers between Kaunas and Le Mans melt like snow in the sun.
We must confess that that morning Christine and I were not very comfortable. With 5 ~ 6 weeks to go, we had a particular moment where the stages were largely in question. Because of the Covid. We were prepared to have to return early, but the thought of not being able to leave was unsettling. So we were in the process of asking UgnÄ— if we could stop by his community, without being able to give him a date. UgnÄ— didn't seem worried about it. She even tried to reassure us, she was telling us that here too, sometimes things change in a few days. Just like in a classic family! And like in a classic L'Arche community!
UgnÄ— also wanted to know if we expected anything in particular from coming to Kaunas. Of course, we want to share moments of daily life with the community. Simply. Because it is the best way to get to know each other in truth. But also because these ordinary moments become extraordinary in Covid times.
UgnÄ— knows the Kaunas community well. She joined it 9 years ago, first as a volunteer, then as a workshop leader and finally as a volunteer manager. She describes the community, its 46 members including 30 core-members, its house where 6 core-members and 4 assistants live, its 2 workshops and its opening to international volunteers since 2015.
In short, a L'Arche community like any other?
Not quite! Lithuania promotes the "deinstitutionalization" of people with mental disabilities. In concrete terms, some of the members of the community constitute a department dedicated to "decision-making assistance". They work with core-members on their individual needs and goals, they advocate for them in court, they help them learn to use money, to become more independent and to make simple everyday decisions.
UgnÄ— plans to talk with the community about our project before we work together to come. What we already know:
our children are unlikely to be able to participate in classes in Lithuanian schools with kids their own age due to health restrictions,
the activity of the workshops is more important in the morning, our presence would be more logical at this time, our daily work (school for the children, neuralia.co and swiloh.com for me) should take place in the afternoon,
the house is located in the city center, the workshops are 15~20 min away by car, it would also be more logical to find accommodation near the workshops.
This is what the next stage after Lviv might look like, second half of September or first half of October, depending on what is possible with Tecklenburg.
In the meantime, we invite you to discover the beautiful ceramics produced by the community: www.facebook.com/KaunoArkosGaminiai/shop
If we are lucky enough to stop over there, feel free to place an order, we will bring them back to you in our luggage.
Thank you UgnÄ— for the time offered to get to know each other!
See you all soon,
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