Jan 2012 The Road to Daybreak A Spiritual Journey by Henri J M Nouwen

Continue from ...... Becoming Friends Nathan and I are gradually becoming close friends. It is wonderful to experience the birth of a new friendship. I have always considered friendship to be one of the greatest gifts God has given me. It is the most life-giving gift I can imagine. Since I came to Trosly, I have met many wonderful, loving, and caring people. They have been a source of great joy to me. I know that when I leave we will remember each other with gratitude and fondness but will find it hard to sustain lasting relationships of mutual love and support. It is therefore a beautiful experience to discover that out of the many, someone is emerging who is becoming a friend, a new companion in life, a new presence that will last wherever I will go. Nathan is a Canadian. His parents, who are Baptists, are the founders of "King's Fold," a small retreat center near Calgary. Two years ago Nathan entered the Catholic Church; soon after that he came to L'Arche in Trosly to live and work with the handicapped. He is a man of deep compassion. When I see him with his friends in the foyer, I am deeply moved by the generous affection he shows to men and women who are so deeply broken. It is the fruit of caring for his own hanicapped brother, who died a few years ago. Over the past few months we have gradually come to know each other. I was not aware of how significant our relationship had become for me until he left for a month to visit his family and friends in Canada. I missed his presence greatly and looked forward to his return. Two days ago he came back, and tonight we went out for supper together. I felt a need to let him know how much I had missed him. I told him that his absence had made me aware of a real affection for him that had grown in me since we had come to know each other. He responded with a strong affirmation of our friendship from his side. As we talked more about past experiences and future plans, it became clear that God had brought us close for a reason. Nathan hopes to begin theological studies in Toronto in September and plans to live at Daybreak during that time. I am filled with gratitude and joy that God is not only calling me to a new country and a new community, but also offering me a new friendship to make it easier to follow that call.

- To Be Continued - © Copyright Shalom 2012. All rights reserved.