Above: Don (right) shares a warm greeting with Eke van Oorschot (left) at L’Arche Saint John’s 20th anniversary celebration.
I hope that everyone had a chance to take in some of the exciting action during the Olympic Games. It is a thrilling opportunity to see so many sports that we do not normally get to watch, and to see the very best in the world at what they do best. Sailing down a track on a skeleton sled at 150 kilometres per hour or weaving a curling stone through guards to land precisely on the button takes ability, skill, determination and courage.
We all have gifts that make us good at what we do. It is also just as important that we create opportunities for all to be part of and contribute to society. I recently had a conversation with someone who stepped up and was helping a person with an intellectual disability, not because they were obligated to, but because they saw a need and stepped in. I said, “How lucky they are to have you in their life.” The reply was, “Oh no, I get much more joy out of helping than the work I put in.”
Each athlete is finely tuned to be the best at their particular sport. But they cannot do it on their own. It is through support from sponsorships, government funding and professional contracts that they are able to succeed. They are supported by a community of coaches, therapists, psychologists and supporters who allow these individuals to be their best.
We are no different from these athletes. We all have abilities that make us good at many things. Nevertheless, we cannot do these things on our own. We need the help of our community — our friends, mentors and donors — to be our best. Being included as part of a community not only makes us better, but makes the community better as well.
Take a moment to stop and think about the communities that you are a part of. How could they be made better by inviting more people with differing abilities? How can you better use your skills to support the people in your communities to be their best?
At L’Arche Saint John, we believe in a world where everyone belongs in community and the community is stronger for it. Our mission is to make known the gifts of people with intellectual disabilities, revealed through mutually transforming relationships.
Don Dickson
L'Arche Saint John President