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hiit

I like your fantastic web site, I was searching for this all over.best regards

Pat Montesano

Colorado Springs, CO USA

I sent a copy of my new book, A NEW SONG, THE LAST YEARS OF CHRIS'S LIFE, to Jean Vanier. My son was a member of Faith & Life for 15 years and those parents had asked me to write a last book about my son's life and its value. I was surprised and honored to receive a note from Jean Vanier, in his handwriting, thanking me for my book and commenting on my son's value. Such a famous and inspirational person taking the time to write to me means so much! He touches our lives from afar. He is a blessing to so many!

Melanie Voets

België

I am a school teacher. My students are 10 or 11 years old. Tomorrow I will tell them about your live and work, as I have been doing now for a few years. I would like to thank you in their name.

Lock Mawhinney

My first exposure to Jean Vanier occurred at a Faith & Sharing Retreat in Victoria B.C. in 1983. It was for me, a transforming experience, one in which the words of the Gospel took on flesh and opened up a path in my life that I felt personally invited to follow. The mystery of the Gospel, the Mission of Jesus and the discovery that spiritual strength lay hidden in weakness, woundedness and rejection were revealed to me that week through the gently, yet probing words of Jean Vanier. “Who can believe? Who can believe this message?” he would cry out. I felt an inner urge to cry in return that “yes, I can believe but.....?” I believe the Holy Spirit, through the words of Jean, changed the direction of my life (and that of my family I dare say) - an experience of a true metanoia - a change of heart.
I have lived long enough to reflect back over those now distant years and continue to give thanks for those five days in the late summer of ’83. In fact I believe a seed was planted then, a very small seed but very full of life’s potential. The seed was a vision, a vision of a treasure laying hidden in a field. The field was my everyday life and the lives of my close friends. And the treasure was L’Arche.
From this initial “Inspiration” developed a journey, albeit a zig-zag one, one who’s lengthy destiny was to “bring L’Arche home to the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island.” March 16th of the Jubilee Year 2000, some seventeen years since Jean called out “Who can believe?”, saw the doors of Jubilee House swing open to warmly welcome our founding core member, a gentleman by the name of Cory Pagnoni, birthing us as a new Canadian Probationary Community. Indeed, a Treasure in a Field had been discovered as I quietly mumbled to myself, “Yes, I can believe.”

Lock Mawhinney
L’Arche Comox Valley

Collette

Ireland

I first met Jean Vanier in Trosly in the summer of 1975 when worked there as an assistant in the garden. One day at a gathering of the community Vanier read the Parable of the Mustard Seed. He asked 'how can we build this kingdom for Jesus.' One of my friends from the garden team jumped up excitedly and said 'we will plant mustard seeds'. We smiled and clapped our hands. It was a moment of joy and understanding . Thank you Jean for planting mustard seeds.Collette

Judy DInnen

Hereford UK

I read a message from Jean Vanier every day. As a minister in rural parishes, I am very focused on community in its many forms and constantly find wisdom in Jean Vanier's words.

Marilyn Alfano

mississauga

I am a mother of 6 who had seen several poignant interviews of Jean Vanier and have been touched by his words. I used to read to the children from many of his story books like "Walk with Jesus," much prior to even knowing who he was, and his words always took me to that place of "stillness." I am currently reading Kathryn Spink's book "The Miracle, the Message, the Story. It is so powerfully rich and revealing of the interwoven relationships between Jean, Pere Thomas and the several, necessary others whom God strategically placed at the right place and at the right time in Jean Vanier's life. There's something about his story that I so desperately want to be a part of mine...but not sure how or when...until then I keep going towards the message of Jean Vanier...layers and layers of truth.I thank God for all that he's gone through and done.

Pierre Epiney

Genève/Suisse

Je connaissais Jean depuis longtemps déjà, mais il n'avait jamais rencontré ma mère. On invita Jean à Genève pour une conférence. Mes deux bien-aimés, Jean et ma mère donc, se sont vus juste un moment, alors que le flot d'auditeurs entrait dans la salle. J'étais très heureux qu'ils se voient au moins une fois. La rencontre n'a pas dû durer plus d'une minute; c'est déjà long pour bien faire ! Le lendemain, ma mère, déjà âgée, m'a dit quelque chose de complètement surprenant :"Personne ne m'a jamais regardé comme cela !" Elle voulait dire l'intensité du regard de Jean, mais surtout qu'elle s'est sentie importante, aimée ! Faut le faire, non ? Cordialement.

chevrel

Nantes

bonjour Monsieur Vanier,depuis que j'ai entendu votre message,j'ai su qu'il y a un espoir!j'ai beaucoup souffert,je porte encore les traces d'une maladie qui ne m'a pas fait de cadeau,malgré tout, j'aime Jésus et ma Sainte Vierge,je vous embrasse,Rodolphe

Sandra Ricketts

Toronto, Canada

I am so thankful for the life, teachings, and writings of Jean Vanier. I am also grateful for the opportunity to volunteer and now be an Associate Member of L'Arche Toronto. This has indeed been a transforming part of my journey as a follower of Jesus. Jean Vanier has helped so many of us live out more fully the life God calls us to: a life of love, compassion, patience, respect, forgiveness and so much more. It is a great strength to journey together.