Skip over main navigation
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
L'Arche-Preston
Accessibility
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Contact us Donate
Menu
  • About us
    • What is L'Arche
    • L'Arche in Preston
    • History and spirituality
      • Jean Vanier
      • Thérèse Vanier
      • Henri Nouwen
    • News and stories
    • Contact us
  • Help and support
    • Community life
    • Services we offer
      • Shared living
      • Supported living
  • Join our team
    • Join us an assistant
    • Moses' story
    • What we value
    • Life in Preston
    • Current vacancies
    • Embracing difference
  • Volunteering
    • Why volunteer
    • Volunteering opportunities
  • Get involved
    • Walking Together
    • Why we need your help
    • Donate now
    • Leave a legacy
    • Fundraise for us
    • Pray For Us
  • Admin
    • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
  • Moses' story

Moses' story

Moses joined L'Arche Preston as an assistant after hearing about it through a friend. Through his evening prayers with core member John, Moses has deepened his understanding of faith, love and relationship.'I think L'Arche offers the world love. It shows the world how to be respectful towards people with learning disabilities and how to value every person'.

I had been having an urge to work with L’Arche for a long time, but I had kept putting it aside. So when I came to Manchester [from Kenya] and met somebody from the L’Arche community there, I had the feeling that this was really the right time to do it. I was worried initially, but I decided I would give it a chance.

At L'Arche I have learnt that people with learning disabilities have a lot of love. You see how the core members interact with each other. It’s quite amazing. The love that they show each other is pure love. They are happy to see one another and to be with one another. When our core members love, they really love.

I think we have a lot of assumptions about what we expect from people with learning disabilities. This isn’t good. When you start spending time with them, you learn new things. I have learnt that when you respect a person with a learning disability they will respect you.

I have also learnt how to tolerate some situations. I have become more flexible. And I have learnt how to accommodate people and respond to each situation that I have faced.

John is a man who is non-verbal. I have spent a lot of time with him and I have got to know him and he has got to know me. The way that I work with him is very special. When we are doing his evening routine he normally hands me a prayer book from his drawer. He opens the page where there is a prayer that he wants you to say with him before he goes to bed. To me, this feels very important in my life. It is very special and I enjoy working with him a lot.

He doesn’t talk, but when he sees you he will embrace you. When you leave he crosses his arms to show that he is happy to have spent time together. I feel that I am connected to him a lot. This relationship has made me feel at home here.

I think we take things for granted in life and thinking about John’s evening prayer routine has taught me that we really need to take time to focus on the small things that matter to us. I think it’s important for us all, as humans, to be supported to do the things that are important to us.

When I see John going to bed, giving thanks for the day, it evokes a joy in me. He is a loving, compassionate man. 

My relationship with people here has deepened and I have come to know people more deeply. Every day here you learn something new. The values I have learnt at L’Arche will be enshrined in me for a long time, I’m sure. I have learnt a lot about respecting people. People may celebrate success, but they may not have happiness. Here we celebrate life and this matters more than anything else in the world. I don’t think you can get that from anything else.

I think L’Arche offers the world love. It shows the world how to be respectful towards people with learning disabilities and how to value every person.

Published: 5th September, 2018

Updated: 11th September, 2018

Author: Joe Revell

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Latest

  • Temporary Support Worker

    Temporary Support Worker

    Temporary Contract Available (Maternity Cover) - Starts October 2020

  • Care and Support Worker

    Care and Support Worker

    Full Time Permanent Role

  • Our central community office has moved!!!!

    We've now moved our central community office to the top floor of Moor Fold. If you need to contact Gill or Megan the telephone number remains the same however access to the office is through the side door at Moor Fold

  • Fighting to Support larche international

    Fighting to Support larche international

    I am senior support worker for larche Preston and I am taking part in a UWCB boxing match on the 30th of November to raise money for cancer research, ticket sales will essentially raise money for cancer research however I can raise money for something that I wish to raise money for through sponsorship and donations.

Most read

  • Text styles

    Text styles for the site

  • Community life

    Community life

    What makes L’Arche different is the attention we pay to building relationships and creating a sense of belonging within our Communities.

  • What is L'Arche

    What is L'Arche

    At L’Arche Preston we celebrate people with learning disabilities and build circles of support around them. We go beyond supporting people's basic needs to attend to their emotional and spiritual lives, too.

  • Accessibility

    Read our policy on accessibility for our site

  • Donate now

    Donate now

    L'Arche is a collaboration of people's gifts, expertise, resources and time. We bring people together who are not prepared to accept the status quo, but instead are inspired to want more for people with learning disabilities, and for society. Please help us to transform lives today.

  • Care and Support Worker

    Care and Support Worker

    Full Time Permanent Role

  • Supported living

    Supported living

    There are several self-contained apartments within The Loom, which offer core members the space and independence they need and want.

  • Current vacancies

    Current vacancies

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.

  • L'Arche in Preston

    L'Arche in Preston

    Replace this with your content

  • Our history

    Our history

Arche UK has signed up to the The Driving Up Quality Code See our latest inspection reports from Care Quality Commission

Sign up for our newsletter

Please enter your first name
Please enter your last name
Please enter your email address Please enter a valid email address (e.g. [email protected])

Connect with us

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Useful links

  • Login
  • Logout
  • Manager
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Accessibility
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

L'Arche is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales, No. 1055041.
L'Arche is registered as a charity in England and Wales, No. 264166, and in Scotland, No. SC038493.
Registered Office: 10 Briggate, Silsden, Keighley, West Yorkshire BD20 9JT