Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Sensing the Breath of God in L'Abri

Donovan pointing out the steeple of the lille church in Huemoz where he and David attended a short service on Saturday.
The boys have made fast friends with Adam and Coal who live here year round.

We are now in Huemoz Switzerland, on the side of a mountain at L'Abri Fellowship.  http://www.labri.org/swiss/  We are staying in the basement of Melezes Chalet, which was once the home of Francis and Edith Schaeffer and their family.

Often the valleys far below and the mountains surrounding way up high, have been swallowed in fog and rain, but there have been a few glimpses of the splendour all around, and it is breathtaking.

You wouldn't know if from my description or the photos, but there is also a narrow highway and some construction happening right in front of L'Abri, which keeps the modern world right at our doorstep, with a tricky super narrow driveway to get up and down.

The cars whip around the curves and switchbacks, zinging their way up the mountain with inches to spare on either side of the narrow road without shoulders.  Dave loves driving it, especially with our tiny VW Polo being a manual, but I... let's just say it is an effort for me to stay calm.

     Part of our goal for this whole journey was to surround ourselves in another culture where English was not the first language, and where we could experience a culture different than our own.  This was certainly true to some extent in Italy, and the few times that we have been outside of L'Abri and in the small Swiss villages, have been a good opportunity to learn the ways of shopping and communicating in French, -- but communing and eating and conversing with the folks at L'Abri, has been like dropping back into North America. In fact, it totally reminds me of living at the McKenzie Study Centre over 20 years ago.  Some of the same conversations, the shared meals and chores, and the emphasis on critical thinking regarding God, what it means to be human, and the Christian life.  
     I appreciate this emphasis, and although we are totally off the hook culturally, it is a comforting place to be for this time in our travels.
     Tomorrow David will present a lecture to the students and I will do the same next Wednesday.
The rest of our time is spent in shared conversation, meals, clean-up, reading, and walks.  Oh, and groceries and making some of our own meals as well.
    It's so nice to have our own little apartment with a shower and a kitchen.  In fact, today I made bread and we had a little picnic with the Friedrichs, our upstairs neighbours.

This little waterfall is not far from L'Abri, and even in the rain, the sights are beautiful.  There are so many lush green fields spotted with clover and crocuses, just like April in Rosebud.
     The boys seem to really fit in here and have enjoyed connecting to the students and staff as well.
     I have been struck with the history of this place.  Today I pulled a book from the shelf and read about an opera singer from Virginia, Jane Stuart Smith, who visited here in the 1950's and had tea right here in this chalet by this fireplace while visiting the Schaefers.  And I was sitting right in front of the fireplace as I read her remarkable story from the opera houses of Milan to this very spot.
     Today we went on a nice walk around the side of the mountain, but we are longing to go higher up and see the vistas from on top of the mountain too, so we will have to wait until the clouds clear for us to get a good view.
     In the meantime, we are enjoying a slower pace which allows for some good connection and contemplation.
     Many people come and go here, all with a story of previous visitation or pilgrimage, or quest for clarity and rest.
     And so it is that we are experiencing the essence of L'Abri, which means "shelter" and are sensing the breath of God in this unique place.

No comments: