This is just to get me started again – for over a month now, I imagine this beautiful post, which would do a lot of things at the same time:
1. it would tell you how difficult these silent weeks have been, and how terribly swamped I’ve been in all sorts of things concerning the monastery;
2. it would have this wonderful power to magically express all the love and gratitude I feel for your generous support of the monastery;
3. it would also be able to summarise (in a highly efficient manner, of course) all the main things that have happened since I left the US at the end of May.
And so on, and so forth.
Thank God, it has become painfully clear to me that I shall never write such a post. Instead, I should just write anything, to let you know that I’m still alive (yes, I’ve survived the Vikings, the sharks around the islands and my very bad back) and that we’re getting very close to having raised all the money we need to buy the land this September.
I cannot promise anything (because I have hardly any control over my life anymore), but I shall do my very best to write as often as I can, no matter how brief these posts may get. You deserve to know what’s going on, because you are a part of this monastery as much as I am. Thank you to all who’ve kept me in your prayers; I need your support more that I can say.
Father Serafim Peace and rabdare! Glad to hear that the funds are almost overflowing! ABN
I haven’t laughed so loudly in a long while, Your Eminence! The funds are definitely NOT overflowing, but – glory be to God – we are very close to having raised the money to buy the land in September. We’re still 8 thousand pounds short, but I have about two months to raise it. God will take care, I have faith.
Thank you for everything – if anything is overflowing, it is my gratitude to you!
It is (almost) enough to know that you continue at your assigned task.
In Christ
Barbara
Sent from Windows Mail
I do continue, dear Barbara; it’s precisely because I do (and because the task is getting more demanding as we get closer to seeing some results) that I can hardly find the time to do anything else.
Glory to Jesus Christ!
Delightful to hear from you. You remain in my prayers , that and shark repellant should help to see you through. The faithful at St. Phillip will be kept informed that you are very close to your goal and God willing we can help you achieve your worthy goal. Yours in the Risen Saviour, Athanasios
Thank you, dear Athanasios. St Philip’s support has been so important for us, especially as it came right at the very beginning, when no one believed in us! Please thank everyone, and I shall keep you updated with what is going on. God willing, this September I’ll return to the US (the West Coast, this time) for a second (and final) fundraising trip. After this autumn trip, I shall focus on the UK and Europe.
Dear Father Serafim,
Courage my brother, the hardest part of the race is the last mile. Prayers for strength, courage and wisdom for you and the new Monastery. Kind regards, Fr. Philip
Thank you, Father. I really am not complaining, I feel things are happening almost despite me, rather than through my efforts. I don’t know how to express this better. I feel all I have to do is go through the motions: put in the tiredness, the lack of sleep, the worry, the travels, the talks etc etc; and yet, the energy, the power that makes this monastery go further comes from somewhere else, and has very little to do (if anything) with all of these.
Anyway, please keep me in your prayers. We’re still very much at the beginning of a long path.