Compassionate Care – Henri Nouwen

Have you discovered Henri Nouwen’s writings?

Henri Nouwen was an internationally renowned priest and author. After leaving his professorship position at Harvard University, he worked with the L’Arche Daybreak community near Toronto, Canada. It was there that Henri served those with development disabilities, most notably Adam who became his dear friend and gateway to understanding the Jesus Story.

Henri says this to caregivers (and the rest of society, too)…

Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter into the places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion, and anguish.

Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears.

Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable and powerless with the powerless.

Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being human.