St Elisabeth Convent, a Russian Orthodox community in Minsk, Belarus
We recently had the opportunity to buy icons from Sister Fortina who visited us last month from the convent in Minsk. She was here to raise funds for the spiritual and social help they provide for the sick and suffering in Belarus. At present the Convent houses more than 100 nuns. They are involved in a number of missions as follows:
A boarding home for children with learning difficulties
Nearly two hundred children live within the walls of their hospital. Most are orphans. Their diagnoses vary and include Down’s syndrome, birth traumas, congenital physical disorders and accompanying diseases of internal organs.
Patients of the National Psychiatric Hospital
This houses people who have various mental disorders and a damaged central nervous system (eg epilepsy, delayed psychical development, schizophrenia, depression). Some of them are inclined to suicide and suffer from drug and alcohol addiction. The sisters not only preach about our Saviour, but also provide genuine assistance for the patients.
Alcohol and drug addiction
The Convent has a settlement near the village which provides rehabilitation for those determined to get rid of drug and alcohol addiction, also for the homeless and ex-prisoners. They live under the nuns’ care and work on the farm, in the fields & gardens and on building sites.
Donations
We recently forwarded a donation from one of our parishioners and a Standing Order has been set up by one of you to make a contribution towards the work of the nuns. This is such an easy way to make a regular donation. If you would like to help the nuns financially by doing the same, details of the Nat West bank they are using in this country are as follows:
Account No: 78181895 Sort Code: 55-70-13 Account Name: Sister A Yakauleva
Address: Nat West Bank plc, 89 Mount Pleasant Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1QJ
Beneficiary’s address: 59 Wildlake, Orton Malborne, Peterborough, PE2 5PQ
When they visited us, Sister Fortina sang a beautiful song dedicated to our lady at the end of Mass. I asked her to repeat this and you can hear it below.