Today I had the most fruitful and beautiful conversation about chaplain work in France. The Lama I met with was so wonderful, curious, exciting, and dynamic of all the people I have spoken with.
Our meeting was set for 1700 however because she was attending a funeral of the husband of her mother she asked if we could move the time to 1800. If course I agreed and even offered to hold our meeting next year when I return. Then the day turned rainy, and not light rain either, it was torrential rain by the barrel full.
In order to protect the safety and security of the Lama we agreed not to name her nor show any photos.
We had a much too short a conversation and what we had went right to the core of the issues. There was great interest in hearing the nature of the work we do and how the challenges are similar.
The Lama said that they are just now increasing the involvement i prison reform and creatures strategy for organizing and communicating with others. There was agreement that prisons are increasingly harsher and cutting costs to increase profusely French prisons are slowly becoming more privatized.
There was genuine interested in creating retreats and lengthy training schedules for prisoners, and was curious about some models used in the US.
Our time together concluded with a general plan for me to visit the monastery in central France sometime early next year along with perhaps a drive around of the large territory this Lama personally covers.
