August 2008 The Road to Daybreak A Spiritual Journey by Henri J M Nouwen

Continue from ...... Joy in Small Corners Nathan, a Canadian assistant, invited me for supper at his foyer, Le Surgeon. Le surgeon means "the shoot". It is also the French word for "the branches of the vine". Le Surgeon in Cuise, a neighbouring village, is a foyer for severely handicapped people like those at La Forestiere. There I met Philippe, Sylvienne, Michelle, Jean-Luc, and Gerard, all people who need total care. Alain was temporarily in the hospital. Nathan told me a little about the daily schedule, much like a monastic schedule, in which every hour is carefully planned. The days have a strict rhythm: dressing, bathing, eating, breakfast, cleaning the house, shopping, cooking and eating dinner, quiet time, Mass, supper, getting ready for bed and evening prayer. During the morning and afternoon the handicapped men and women spend a few hours in the "workshop," where other helpers do exercises with them to keep them as alert as possible. During these hours the assistants do housework and shopping and have their quiet time. During the night, one of the assistants sleeps close to their six handicapped companions to help them if needed. All the handicapped need different types of medication to maintain their physical and mental balance. The assistants hold frequent meetings with a psychiatrist and psychologist to discuss various complications in this small community. Living in Le Surgeon requires great discipline and much commitment. It is a humble life in which joy is hidden in small corners, always there to be found but never separate from much pain. The atmosphere in Le Surgeon is peaceful and quiet with no great events or great debates, just simple, steady service, day in and day out. The rewards are small but very real: Philippe smiles, Jean-Luc looks you in the eye, Gerard gives a hug, Michelle sleeps a whole night, Sylvienne says one more word. Nathan shows me pictures: "Look, this is Gerard when he came out of the institution, and here he is a year later. See the difference? Isn't that wonderful? Look how happy he is!" Indeed, Gerard is happy. He cannot walk, speak, dress, or undress himself, but with his smile he gives you all you could ever want. During the evening prayer one of the assistants reads a passage from Jean Vanier's Book, I Walk with Jesus: "There is an intimate connection between the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and the presence of Jesus in the deprived person. The deprived person sends us back to Jesus in the Eucharist. To receive the Body of Jesus is to have his eyes and his heart to see him in the poor." As Nathan drove me home, he said, "Dominique, one of the assistants at Le Surgeon, has decided to enter a contemplative monastery, and another of us is considering doing the same." After my visit, I could well understand why.

- To Be Continued - © Copyright Shalom 2008. All rights reserved.