During the afternoons, these kids work.  Really work: sweeping the walkways and roads, cleaning the bedrooms and dorms, cleaning the bathrooms, weeding the flower beds, cleaning the food prep areas and on and on.  They are assigned these duties when they arrive and as far as I can tell, go about them relatively complaint free.

This isn’t just busy work designed to tire them out either.  It is supposed to emulate the lifestyles of the brothers, who devote their life to prayer, worship and service.  Much of their time is spent in creation: stained glass windows, ceramics, paintings, music, etc.  It was hard not to buy everything in the bookshop.  Every sale goes to support the community and the brothers receive none of it.

The services have been excellent.  My pictures of them are hampered somewhat.  They ask you not take pictures during the services, so I only shoot after they are over and most people have left.  I only hope I get a few that represent the feeling there.

And before the services, they play Bach.