Happy Easter from us all! Here are a few pictures from some of our celebrations. Easter is always a busy but very special time in the Community. On Maundy Thursday we gathered, as usual, at Ness Bank Church Hall, for our Passover Meal followed by a simple, but beautiful time of footwashing, as we followed Jesus' command for us to love and serve one another.

On Good Friday we were very blessed with beautiful weather - it was snowing in Inverness earlier in the week! We walked around the garden of Braerannoch to walk with Jesus on his journey to the cross. Syd took the role of Jesus with great dignity.

On Easter Sunday it was time to celebrate the Resurrection, agian at Braerannoch. There was some great singing followed by a mime telling the story of the road to Emmaus. Then...the games commenced! Chocolate egg hunting, egg and spoon races, throwing the 'egg' (a specially decorated rugby ball!), rolling eggs, rolling wooden 'tombstones' and more...it seemed like no-one wanted to go home! We were kept going on hot cross buns and wonderful home-made simnel cake. The sun shone and it felt like we had been all given new life after such a long, hard winter! It has been especially nice to welcome back previous assistants/friends/members, Sophia, Petyo, Baska and Ien Tchov.

Can there be anything more exciting in the life of the community than the arrival of a baby?! With growing excitement we are awaiting Philene and Paul's baby. Philene, from the Netherlands, has been involved with the community for many years, first as a young assistant, then as an often returning friend, and finally as a nearby neighbour, coming regularly for meals at Braerannoch, and deepening her friendships there.

Today, the women of the community got together for a surprise Baby Shower! We lured Philene to the Workshop under false pretences, and then spent a lovely afternoon eating cake, making a book, playing games, giving gifts and praying blessings.

The sun shone, the baby kicked obligingly for us and the baking was wonderful! It was a sweet moment in L'Arche life. If you want to see more pictures of the event, click here. Oh and by the way, the women of the community are sure it will be a boy...so watch this space to see if we are right!

Burns Night Supper

Oh dear, better late then never! Burns Night was a wee whiley ago, and this didn't get posted! Life's like that sometimes...Our 'Pal' Angus recently turned 60 and we thought that it would be good to get together and celebrate him, and Burns Night in one big party!

We all gathered at MacTalla, which had been decorated in tartan, and tables laid out with candles, cloths and flowers, for a slap-up meal of haggis, neeps and tatties! Some folks wore their kilts, or a spot of tartan. Others recited Burn's poetry, and we all sang together 'Angus is our Darling' (a lesser known Burns song...ahem!), and of course, Auld Lang Syne.

Rabbie Burns himself came to pay us a visit, complete with his red, red rose. No doubt he wanted to see if the reputation of the lovely lassies of L'Arche is really true. He wasn't disappointed, but he was rather too keen to meet them!

The address to the haggis given in fine dramatic style by (Frenchman) Thomas Lacroix, and the big pudding duly stabbed by Syd Fraser, ably assisted by Mark Mitchell and Graham Gall.

Our resident bard, David, no doubt inspired by the evening...

Naturally, in good Highland style, we all finished off with a bit of dancing, led by the fitness group from the workshop. They eased us in gently but we were soon whirling and birling! Yee hah!