‘You of Little Faith!’

People have been saying that with faith, anything can happen and everything is possible.

Inspired by the faith and spirit of Father Paulo and the local community on restoring the monastery since 1980s, I decided to experience it by carrying rocks with my hands to build up some garden terrace along the steep and winding uphill stone path. Together with Andy from Unites States of America, we carried rocks from the piles accumulated on the first step of the staircase all the way jumping down to the location where we designated for the terrace garden, before climbing up again, while Rok, a Slovenian guy built up the terrace, without using any cementitious paste. Dada and I have been collecting the rocks since morning time in the valley right behind the poorly constructed stone dam.

I never counted how many steps each time I climbed up and down

A small crowd of visitors began to accumulate to make their way up to the monastery. People nodded their head and smiled at us while wheezing for oxygen. Some even helped to carry one round along their way up. I took it as an appreciation for our good deeds. It’s strange to learn that if you do this in somewhere else, people will think that you are a nut (Today is April Fool!). However, everything will be rationalized if you are doing something for a monastery. Again, with faith, everything means something.

It was almost the time for the evening mass when I almost succumbed to the hardship and nearly gave up in the teetering on the verge. Suddenly, voices out of nowhere were echoing in the mountain.

‘You of little faith!’ ‘Why did you doubt?’

Was that from an angel? Angel Gabriel?

Oh, Lord! Please forgive me. I’m not of little faith. And I didn’t doubt. It’s just…

I have no faith at all.

This is my confession to the God.