"Above all, trust in the slow work of God." This phrase - the first line in a prayer by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin SJ - has been turning over in my mind lately. It has brought me immense comfort in uncertain times, so you can imagine how often I have turned to it during the pandemic! This prayer reminds me to slow down, tempers my impatience, and calls me to hope. Our community of L'Arche understands this well. In particular, Jeanne Kuhn, who has had an integral hand in our development from the beginning, often reminds us to trust in God and one another. I am grateful to Jeanne and every member of our board & team who contribute their gifts, remaining hopeful and trusting. Their leadership and your generousity have led L'Arche to this joyful moment...
On Wednesday, we closed on our first home! We are overjoyed and incredibly thankful! The house is located in Amber Meadows and has been well loved by a wonderful family for many years. With a wheelchair ramp and several accessibility features built-in, the house is ideal. We look forward to growing roots in the neighborhood and making the house into a home. Our path forward begins with renovating the basement and master bedroom to create enough bedrooms to meet L'Arche's need. Our DDA licensure remains in process and we are encouraged by their support. There are many reasons to be thankful!
We owe a great deal of gratitude to Bob Marsh and the Marsh Realty family, the kindhearted Dollars, the wonderful team at Salisbury, McLister & Foley, LLP, and our friends at Woodsboro Bank. They understood L'Arche's vision and worked with us to see this purchase through. We're proud to work with so many local Frederick businesses. This home is a dream realized for our community and we are so grateful to the faithful friends who made this purchase possible. With the continued support of our friends in Maryland, the three core members, assistants, and countless neighbors in our community will know the hospitality & joy of a L'Arche home. There is a need for more community-based housing in Frederick and a sincere desire for inclusive environments where people with disabilities find belonging & lead with their gifts. We know L'Arche meets this need. Let's continue our good work to open the doors of the new house - so that the first core members can call it home.
With gratitude, Megan
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