Birds fly in the sky and people walk on the ground. Clouds float high in the sky in a silver haze – large white birds. Even if you rose into the sky, you couldn’t see the end of the path.

For now we see through a glass darkly, (1 Cor. 13: 12). The grime is washed away, the characteristics become more defined. The struggle for every soul intensifies because, even when sick and spiteful, it is more precious than all the earthly treasures.

30 km from Minsk surrounded by hills and forests is a small village called Bald Mountain. By God’s Providence this land was given to the convent for use as a part-time farm. That is how the farmstead was born. The Lord gave the land and called its inhabitants…from gateways, train stations, hospitals, foster homes. While souls wander in this world and earthly paths form circles…how did these people get here?

They were looking for a safe harbor, a refuge, food. They found a new life, encountered God. Acquiring faith, a person begins to realize, where he is going. At first the path is not seen clearly. I see men as trees (Mark 8:24). But the Lord takes you by the hand and leads you. You must simply make the smallest movement towards Him.

It is a miracle, when human paths converge into one road. It is not easy to walk together, especially when the past was marred by an unstable life, drugs, prison.

Rejected lands are made useful again, hardened hearts are returned to life. One person builds a house, another bakes bread and another cuts grass. The work day begins and ends with a prayer. Every day the brethren read the akathist before the icon of the Mother of God “Inexhaustible Cup”. By God’s mercy a church has already been built in honor of this icon – internal works are being conducted and construction of a beautiful fraternity hall and dining hall is being concluded.

The end of the way is unknown. Perhaps, it is a sudden precipice. Or a long walk and a crawl. What is needed is to not fall from the path, not to be left by the wayside.

Naturally, not everything is easy and smooth at the farmstead. There are and will always be difficulties. Sometimes somebody becomes angry and leaves, sometimes somebody is asked to leave. But through it all a common house is being created, the family is growing and people are being transfigured.

A nun from a convent in Gomel discovered at the farmstead a person whom she had formerly considered lost without hope.

The brothers labor under the direction of the monastery sisters. Of course, it is not easy. Some sisters say that the farmstead is a constant pain for the heart.

Once a week a priest comes and all the residents make confession and in the morning the Liturgy is served – presently in the home chapel.

It this chapel the brothers continuously read the Psalter by taking turns.

Despite difficulties, life moves forward. A church has been built, a beautiful living space, a dining hall, the farm has been established and the garden planted. Even a kennel for dogs: Central Asian sheepdogs have been brought from Kolomna. It sometimes seems that the Lord is building everything, that one needs only to be patient and not give into depression, when thoughts tell us that the result is small, that there is no point in working for such small fruits.

For the future, the construction of a children’s village for orphans, some of whom formerly lived at the farmstead, and a recovery home for drug-addicts is being planned.

Probably, if just one person in a thousand is saved and receives eternal life, all the work will be justified.