Running head: LARCHE AND THE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE GRADUATE

LArche and the Christian College Graduate in the Allied Health Fields:
A Potential Collaboration
Christine C. Milner
Westmont College

Author Note
Christine C. Milner, Department of Kinesiology, Westmont College
I would like to thank Westmont College and the Department of Kinesiology for
supporting this sabbatical project. I would also like to express my gratitude to LArche, Portland
for warmly welcoming me into their community.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Christine Milner,
Department of Kinesiology, Westmont College, 955 La Paz Rd., Santa Barbara, CA 93108. Email: milner@westmont.edu

LARCHE AND THE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE GRADUATE

Abstract
Kinesiology and Exercise Science Departments on Christian college and university campuses are
well positioned to prepare students for careers in the allied health fields and play a key role in
advising future graduates on post-graduation career strategies. Many students, upon completion
of an undergraduate degree, seek transitional experiences between college and post-graduate
education. LArche communities, for people with intellectual disabilities, provide a unique
opportunity for these students to learn life-changing skills and redefine their attitudes about
disability. While much has been written about LArche communities in general, this paper seeks
to examine the potential benefits to be gained from this immersion experience for the Christian
college graduate. Eight adults who perform the role of assistant at LArche Portland were
interviewed over a two week period. Their comments support the literature regarding the
potential for deeply transforming experiences that can occur in this environment. These
experiences can alter perceptions, preparing young people to be role models and agents of
change in their chosen careers and communities. Thus, a case can be made for encouraging
graduates to seek such an experience as a complement to their academic preparation for careers
in the allied health fields.
Keywords: LArche, Christian, disabilities, allied health fields

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LArche and the Christian College Graduate in the Allied Health Fields: A Potential
Collaboration
Graduates going into the allied health fields of physical and occupational therapies,
medicine, adapted physical education, special education and therapeutic recreation will carry
with them important perceptions and attitudes regarding disability. These perceptions are shaped
by courses in their respective curriculums and the experiences that supplement cognitive learning.
During their undergraduate experience, fieldwork, internships and service-learning experiences
can all contribute to sharpened perspectives that will serve them well in future allied health
careers. As a next step, many graduates choose to take time off between college and graduate
school. Immersion experiences such as living and working in a LArche community can be a
valuable transitional step in pursuit of a career in the allied health fields.
Vanier (1989) writes:
young people are seeking communities not ones that are closed up and
inward-looking but communities that are open to the universal, the international
world; that are not limited to their own culture, that are not frightened ghettos but
are open to the pain and injustices of the world (p. 8).
This paper will include a general description of the LArche movement, the potential for
personal transformation through participation in such a community and an analysis of potential
benefits for graduates who might seek a future career in the allied health fields.
LArche: An Overview
LArche is a worldwide community of homes that exists to meet the needs of people with
disabilities. Many become acquainted with LArche through the writings of Henri Nouwen, such
as Adam: Gods beloved and In the Name of Jesus. The movement was founded by Jean Vanier

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in a small French town when he invited two people with intellectual disabilities to live with him
in his home (Vanier, 1989). Vanier is a prolific writer and speaker and his writings continue to
form the groundwork for the LArche movement.
LArche communities are homes where people with and without disabilities share all
aspects of daily life together. Core members (individuals with intellectual disabilities) and
assistants (individuals who provide care) share the necessary tasks of daily life such as cooking,
cleaning, shopping and personal care. More importantly, they share in the struggles and joys of
life, with special emphasis on discovering together the richness experienced by living in
community together.
But LArche is much more than a physical community of people sharing life together.
Hryniuk (2010) comments that the growth experienced together is not only personal, but spiritual.
LArche homes are communities of faith, rooted in prayer and trusting in God, seeking Gods
guidance in daily life (Hryniuk, p. 101).
Vanier (1989), in Community and Growth, provides the groundwork and vision for this
unique community:
In community people care for each other and not just for the community in the abstract,
as a whole, as an institution or as an ideal way of life. It is people that matter; to love and
care for people that are there, just as they are (p. 20).
According to Ford (2007), this love is made possible through a working out of the Beatitudes
upside down emphasis on weakness that leads to spiritual strength (p. 350). Reflecting on
LArche, Hryniuk (2010) clearly articulates the uniqueness of this community by focusing on the
demonstration of love that emerges between the care giver and the one who is receiving care in a
spirit of mutuality and reciprocity. To the casual observer, LArche appears to exist to meet the

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physical and social needs of the core members. The mystery of LArche emerges when these
needs are provided in an atmosphere of love that transcends chores and meals (Hryniuk). One
cannot separate the tenderness of a glance of recognition between an assistant and a person with
a learning disability over the dinner table or in the bathroom from the sheer physicality of
washing dishes or cleaning floors together (Hryniuk, p. 92). The dinner hour is one of the most
visible representations of this community. The conversation surrounding the nightly meal is
savored and enjoyed, representing spiritual and social renewal (Vanier, Webb-Mitchell, 2003).
Celebrations further demonstrate the intentionality of celebrating lifes joys together and
thanking God for past events (Vanier). They are an integral part of the rhythm of shared life
together in LArche homes, celebrating anniversaries (marking the day the core resident or
assistant first arrived at LArche) and birthdays with consistency and joy.
Providing hospitality to others is a unique aspect of the LArche community. Reynolds
(2008) defines this as welcoming and attending to one who is alien and thus vulnerable, who
somehow stands outside the taken-for-granted social world and is thus incapable of reciprocating
in like kind (p. 20). According to Pohl (1999), hospitality is freely offered and a reflection of
a thankful and grateful heart, not offered grudgingly. Hospitality is a virtue emphasized in
LArche communities. It is this welcoming aspect of the community of LArche that seems to
attract many young graduates. In interview after interview, assistants describe a yearning for a
community of people who share common goals and support one another. One assistant describes
what she values about LArche in this way: To learn what it is like to be in a community. To
live with one another. To accept the ups and downs of lifethat we are not in this as individuals,
but that we are in this together. (Anonymous, personal communication, September 19, 2011).

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In summary, Hryniuk (2010), reflecting on an interview with an assistant, recalls the remark that
one had to be something of a poet to really understand the meaning of LArche there is an
obscure dimension of life together with persons with learning disabilities that is difficult, if not
impossible, to put into conceptual language (p. 93).
Current Inquiry
Vaniers Seeing God in Others (1995) is required reading for students in the Special
Populations course in the Westmont Kinesiology major and serves as an excellent introduction to
the field of disabilities studies. In addition, the departments summer European program included
a visit to a LArche community in Edinborough, Scotland several years ago, creating interest on
the part of students regarding a possible placement in a LArche community after college and
before graduate school . For these reasons, a more in-depth exploration of the LArche was
deemed appropriate.. The invitation to spend two weeks at Neahkahnie House in Portland,
Oregon provided the opportunity to study this unique immersion experience first-hand.
Eight assistants were interviewed for approximately one hour each. Each assistant was
given the following four questions prior to the interview: What is your educational
background/other work experience? What led you to pursue a place in the LArche community?
How have you grown through this experience? What does LArche mean to you? Permission was
granted to use the transcript of their interviews anonymously. The interviewees were between the
ages of 23-42 with varying years of service (ranging from 2 weeks to 12 years). Some of the staff
at this LArche community, as well as other communities around the country, secure a placement
in LArche by joining AmeriCorps, a national volunteer program. AmeriCorps provides a modest
living stipend and a loan forgiveness program for those who qualify. Colleges must be an
approved partner with AmeriCorps for students to receive benefits. This is helpful information

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for undergraduate departments who might encourage a placement with LArche for students
upon graduation.
Transformative experiences
It was found through these interviews that this shared experience had tremendous growth
potential for assistants. Assistants, often young college graduates, come to LArche to serve
those who are considered weak by the worlds standards. But, as they confront their own
brokenness and vulnerability, they discover a shared humanity with those they serve (Reynolds,
2008). According to Hryniuk (2010), as they drop barriers and defenses while working with
those who need their care, a deep transformation of their own personality (p. 5) occurs. They
discover in this relationship a radical acceptance by the other that frees them to be more fully
who they are (Hryniuk, p. 141). The mutuality and growth that is embedded in these
interactions between core members and assistants through self-discovery leads to greater
maturity. It is a deep experience, knowing that we are loved and held by God in all our
brokenness and littleness (Vanier, 1989, p. 36).
In interviews with assistants, they described how the vulnerability and mutuality they
experience with the core members changed them forever. One assistant described his
transformation in these words: But ultimately, somehow mysteriously and in new and profound
ways, I have discovered my own acceptance. That is, I am fully loved and fully accepted and
fully worthy (Anonymous, personal communication, September 16, 2011). Another described it
this way: I have a place of belonging. I am accepted no matter what. (Anonymous, personal
communication, September 14, 2011).
Cultivating Patience and Gentleness.

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Patience and gentleness are emphasized and practiced in LArche communities. Swinton,
in his introduction to Living gently in a violent world: The prophetic witness of weakness by
Hauerwas and Vanier (2008), reminds us that gentleness, as described in Scripture in Matt. 11:
28-30, is a kingdom virtue and a skill learned over time. From this experience, watching
assistants lovingly and gently help core members with self-care tasks is akin to watching the
hand of God with us, his children. Patience is required and demonstrated as core members are
slowly prepared for the days activities.
One assistant described his experience in this way:
So another way I have grown is being patient with myself and being patient with others.
And Im still growing in this, but I definitely am aware that I am growing. But they [core
residents] really call me to slow down. And Brent literally says sit down or Robert says
that too, sometimes, sit down and why dont you have some lunch? I grew up in a
culture of do, do do do do. You will be recognized for your work. But what they call me
to and what I have learned (and some times/days better than others) is that there is so
much richness in just sitting down or taking time to play a little game with Brent for
awhile or go outside and rake the yard with Rachel a little bit. (Anonymous, personal
communication, September 11, 2011).
Developing Deep Mutual Relationships.
These kinds of transforming relationships can result in reciprocal relationships and, in
fact, rare and deep friendships with core members. (Kearney, 2000; Reinders, 2008). This is one
of the mysteries of LArche that only can be understood by listening to accounts of profound
personal connections made between assistants and core members.
In the words of one assistant:

LARCHE AND THE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE GRADUATE

I love doing morning routines where I am spending time with them and its just me and
them and the rest of the world could be gone. I grow in relationship with them. Robert is
like my dad [speaking of a core resident who is 81 yrs. old]. I am really close to him.
Weve been angry with each other and have worked through forgiveness by saying, Im
sorry, I was scared. He says, I know and we get deeper. I also have some other people
in my life that I am pretty close to for support systems, but Rodney and Brent and Rachel
and Claire are right there too. They are people I count on to support me. I have really
grown to like them a lot. I want to be attuned to what kind of needs they have and want to
contribute to their happiness and or their wellbeing. (Anonymous, personal
communication, September 11, 2011).
Another stated:
LArche is a place where I get to be in relationships-really intentionally. I could do that
anywhere. But what I think what it special about LArche is it is really a place where I
get to be in those relationships on purpose with some other people who are doing it on
purpose and to share that call. (Anonymous, personal communication, September 16,
2011).
A third assistant reinforced this experience of mutual relationships by stating: The idea of
sharing in life together is that sense of mutuality. We as assistants are really getting just as much
out of it if we open ourselves up to it as the core members are getting. (Anonymous, personal
communication, September 19, 2011).
Clearly, these relationships benefit both assistants and core members. Despite the
success they have found in strengthening their status in the public sphere, people with disabilities
- particularly intellectual disabilities - experience loneliness and isolation in the sphere of their

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personal lives (Reinders, 2008, p. 6). The constant interaction between assistants and core
members in LArche homes provides a vibrant environment that can help to mitigate these
tendencies.
Learning Unconditional Acceptance.
Learning to accept another who is radically different is a lesson reinforced time and again
through the everyday life at LArche. This is perhaps the greatest lesson learned in LArche
communities. In the words of Young (2007) welcoming difference is never easy, but it is
wonderfully enriching (p. 94). According to Reynolds (2008), attitudes regarding difference can
lead to stigma, or an undesirable difference that characterizes an individual. First, the
stigmatized person is reduced to his or her stigma. The stigma becomes the defining feature of
that persons being, thus enabling society to manage and marginalize the undesirable difference
it represents (Reynolds, p. 64). This acceptance of difference, thereby reducing stigma, was
reinforced by interviews with two assistants: I guess not letting the fears of Oh that person
looks different from me or acting differently stop me from engaging with them. (Anonymous,
personal communication, September 19, 2011). Another stated: We are all united. None of us
are that different. We really are one (Anonymous, personal communication, September 14,
2011). Clearly, experiences at LArche help assistants move from a position of seeing people
with disabilities as the other to a perspective of shared humanity. Creamer (2009) reinforces
this idea by pointing out that differences are between the disabled and temporarily able-bodied
and reminds us that we all are likely to experience disability at some point in our lives (p. 3).
Challenging Cultural Norms.
Finally, Reinders (2008) discusses the pervasive cultural belief that personal worth is
based on accomplishments. Children learn this early on and gain acceptance through athletic and

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academic successes. Adults receive validation through successful careers. People with
intellectual disabilities fall far short of this standard in the worlds eyes. If the point of our lives
is what we are capable of doing, the implication must be that a human life lacking in the capacity
for purposive action will be pointless (Reinders, p. 8). Reynolds (2008) further contributes to
this discussion by introducing the concept he calls the economy of exchange, which is a
system of reciprocity that regulates interactions in a community (p. 56). In other words, this
economy dictates what is perceived as valuable in our society. For example, in North America,
being young, strong, athletic, smart, and attractive provides the exchange power for belonging
and acceptance. It is not surprising that the body is the primary focus of this exchange. Therefore,
bodies that do not conform to the norm lack this capital. (p. 58).
In the richness of community life with core members, assistants learn to value others who
lack this capital and in turn, accept themselves.
In the words of one assistant:
To accept another you discover your own acceptance, right? I can go out and try to get
accepted by others and be certain ways and act certain ways and try to look certain ways
and get others to accept me and have some success and have some failures but never
really obtain what I am trying to do there. Its a losing battle. Or I can go out in the
world and actively accept other people, not based on any of their merit, anything that they
do good or bad, but based on the fact that I think my identity, my reason for being here is
to love and accept people. Thats the whole concept of unconditional love. (Anonymous,
personal communication, September 16, 2011).
Graduates from our colleges and universities are steeped in the culture of body beautiful
(Murphy, 1987, p. 114). It is a refreshing change to find oneself in an environment like LArche

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that places value not on external features, but on unconditional acceptance. In short, in these
communities an economy of exchange is replaced with an economy of grace (Reynolds, 2009).
Potential Benefits for our Graduates
How disability is perceived and defined matters greatly. Communities like LArche have
the potential to impact how graduates in the allied health fields view disability. Scholars in the
field make important distinctions between impairment and disability, viewing impairment as a
loss of function while disability represents the consequences of that loss (Creamer, 2009;
Eiesland, 1994). For example, if a person in a wheelchair is invited to a vacation home with
doors wide enough for entry, bathroom facilities that can accommodate personal needs and a
kitchen that can be accessed from a seated position, one might say that in that environment, the
individual experiences impairment, but not disability. There is a need for allied health
professionals to help reduce these barriers.
Medical environments such as physical therapy appropriately place emphasis on
rehabilitation and restorative function. According to Creamer (2009), this medical model of
disability views the body as a machine that exhibits the presence or absence of function, putting
focus on diagnosis and treatment. Little or no attention is given to the attitudinal or physical
barriers that help to define disability. In contrast, the socio-political model assumes societal
responsibility for disability (Creamer; Reynolds, 2008). This model highlights the fact that
individuals are often more handicapped by the physical and attitudinal barriers in society (e.g.,
lack of access to employment, education, and health care) than by their own abilities (Creamer,
p. 25). Training in the therapies and other allied health fields most likely focuses on the medical
model. This can serve individuals well if there is the potential for cure. When cure is not an

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option, individuals with disabilities need help in discovering how to live a full and meaningful
life. The socio-political model places the responsibility for change on all of us.
Perhaps the greatest lesson learned by assistants at LArche communities is how to
reduce these physical and attitudinal barriers. As Christians, we all can play a role in helping
people with disabilities enjoy life. This can be accomplished by removing physical barriers such
as steps, curbs, and narrow doorways that create daily obstacles. More importantly, though, we
need to be mindful of attitudinal barriers that bring great pain to people with disabilities. How we
speak and generally relate to people with disabilities reflects our attitudes about their value and
worth. For example, Murphy (1990), in his book The Body Silent, tells us that people avoid
making eye contact when they encounter someone with a disability. This is called the aversion
of the eyes and is universally reported by people with disabilities (Murphy, p.119). Disability
scholars reflect in the literature the need to use person first language when referring to people
with disabilities (Eiesland, 1994; Reynolds, 2008). When referring to that blind person or that
intellectually disabled person, the focus is on the disability and not their personhood. People
with disabilities deserve to have their identity rooted in their individuality, not in generalizations.
This [distinction on] usage underscored the conviction that an individuals disability is just one
of many personal characteristics, rather than being synonymous or coextensive with that persons
self (Eiesland, p. 27). Assistants learn the valuable lesson of not only using person-first
language, but seeing beyond the disability and discovering the true person. Professionals in the
allied health fields can play a pivotal role in advocating for and modeling the responsibilities we
all have to create a better world for those with disabilities. This change of perception can help to
position future allied health field graduates as agents of healing when appropriate, but more
importantly advocates for societal change regarding attitudes about disability.

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Finally, although the focus of this paper has been on application to careers in the allied
health fields, Reynolds (2008) points out that church members tend to adopt the medical model,
viewing disability as a flawed human condition that needs to be fixed (p. 25). In addition, a
pervasive view of disability as a result of sin has dominated the church for centuries (Creamer,
2009; Eiesland, 1994; Reynolds). These perceptions have led to painful experiences for some
people with disabilities who desire to be more fully welcomed in our churches.
Creamer (2009) reminds us:
When people with disabilities have been considered at all, they have historically been
looked at as symbols of sin (to be avoided), images of saintliness (to be admired), signs
of Gods limited power or capriciousness (to be pondered), or personifications of
suffering (to be pitied)-very rarely are people with disabilities considered first as people
(p. 36).
The LArche experience provides a unique opportunity to experience people with
disabilities as not only people first, but friends. Attitudes learned from a LArche immersion
experience can not only help equip future allied health care professionals, but prepare young
people to be role models in all aspects of community life, including the local church. As a result,
becoming a welcoming presence to people with disabilities not only embraces all of Gods
beautiful creation, but it nourishes our own spirituality and worship (Young, 2007).
Conclusion
Assistants report a deep sense of appreciation for the LArche community. The
vulnerability and mutuality experienced in relationships with core members is life changing.
They learn how to live patiently in their everyday interactions with core members who encourage
them to slow down and listen carefully to the needs of others, as well as their own needs. Deep

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friendships are formed and appreciated by assistants and core members. The unique ability to
approach people who are different from them with confidence is developed. Most importantly,
they learn to accept others who might not measure up to the worlds standards and in the process,
gain their own acceptance. These are highly transferable skills for the allied health fields.
Nouwen (1997) reminds us of our lifelong responsibility as Christians and as professionals to
choose to give our love when we are strong and to receive the love of others when we are weak,
always with tranquility and generosity (p. 90-91). The LArche communities provide a unique
opportunity for graduates from our programs to develop the personal characteristics to both give
and receive those Christ-like qualities that we, as Christians, seek to bring to this world. As
Vanier (1989) states: people are called always to become more (p. 23).

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