- ATD Fourth World

…at the moment when he began to join up Morpheus, an idea strikes him like a hammer of light! But of course! The little sink! We have to use the little sink! He jumped for joy out of bed! Having found a solution to his problem he was in high spirits! He found a pen and a paper to write down his idea.

In the early morning, he thought over his idea as he was waking up: to use the little sink in the bathroom in order to create a second shower. Indeed, in three days the members of the European Youth Caravan will turn up in his place… they’re about twenty and there is only one shower! And, he has heard that the issue of the shower is a very sensitive one and it can create a ticklish situation in the caravans. He doesn’t want that to be an obstacle! So he decided to build a second shower in his garden! Whereas… until now… he was been struggling with the way in which he would bring hot water… but with his idea to use the little sink all the problems have been solved!

No sooner said than done! With his friend Pascal, who is also an ATD Fourth World activist, they get down to building this second shower in his garden.

That’s it, that’s the end of the story. Or rather, that’s the beginning of a fabulous story. As a matter of fact, in one week, Bernard Monnet showed us the might and the full meaning of the word "welcome".

With simplicity, joy - and determination - he reminded us of essential things during our discussions, too short, but always intense.

“Merci beaucoup” Bernard for this unforgettable week.

When we were leaving his place on Saturday night we made him read this text. Here is his reaction: “ [For me, building a second shower was important] because for certain people washing themselves, hygiene,… is a very important matter. For others it is less important. But for me it is the well-being of each person that counts, not the well-being of a whole group: that every one can be welcomed in the sense that I give it when I am welcomed. That is, in the sense that every one feels comfortable, that every one feels at home, that every one feels well. Everything goes well in every one’s head afterwards. [If we are well welcomed] we work better, we make more things together, we smile, and there is a good atmosphere in the air…

For me, to make someone feel welcomed means to see to it so that others feel good where they are. In their heads, in their hearts and in their smiles. Afterwards it’s their turn to build…

To see to it so that the other feels good that means that we respect them as they are. Behind a welcome there is trust. If we are well welcomed, there is trust. Between us, since the first day people appreciated… then afterwards, we were able to talk to each other. I spoke a lot with one and all, about their lives, about their plans, about their dreams, about their pains too, about the worries in the caravan… and it is great because every one has her or his own words. And right from the start people felt there was trust… this is where we can see how important it is to reserve a good welcome.

For me [this week] went very well despite the fact that I had to set up some rules. What stroke me was to discover each person different with what she or he is, her or his weaknesses and her or his strengths. For a group that has already made quite some journey and many things, a group in which there were a lot of tensions, well, what stroke me was the unity of the group. Inspite of the differences there is one common objective that you all carry in yourselves. I felt it in each conversation, and it pleased me a great deal.

And I also discovered a whole youth. A youth in which, whether one works or is unemployed, whether one is poor or rich… all this youth has the same worry, the same problem which is how to build this future for themselves. That is, one can feel that young people feel unease and discomfort in regards to our society. And this I felt it in each person, and this unease, each one fights it, in her or his own way, and particularly in this group which is sensitive to those who are the poorest, the weakest. Each person carries it in herself or himself. And this gave me courage. I told myself that here is the take-over, it continues but with your words, with your way of being. I felt cohesion in each person.

In our everyday life we don’t see all this anymore. We say "the youth create a mess, the youth this, the youth that…" I discovered here young people who carried with them the preoccupation to build a world more just, more beautiful. I discovered here young people who refuse to enter the existing society. But if there is one thing I want to say to each one of you is to also deal with the current society, to find ways in which you can encourage others to join you in your struggle. ”

Don’t forget that the most important for us is to exchange and share what we are experiencing. So don’t hesitate to send us an email with your comments, questions and suggestions at caravanes2@atd-quartmonde.org

Thanks. We hope to hear from you soon !