A Final Glance at Anafora

 Let me show you some remaining pics of this wonderful retreat...

The main building served as reception, dining hall, library, and social hub spot....



I was the poster child for R&R.

Entry veranda.

The dining hall served delicious organic meals 3x's a day.

I loved that we could sit on the floor on Bedouin mats and eat n' conversate.

Outdoor alcove in the main building.

Oft time, I'd wander up to the library...




The kiddie corner.

 

Plenty of books for leisurely reading!

French doors led to a balcony patio.

My favorite reading corner.

Isn't this farm mobile cute?



Idyllic pond.



This was the retreat's meeting center for large groups that would come down. That particular weekend, a large group of Swedes, Canadians, and Germans were visiting. The retreat was an international meeting place!




Loved the door's simple pullout handle.

 



All dome ceilings had stained-glass plates outlining a cross.

 

Group think tank.

The farm store.

A self-supporting farm.

Homemade jams. Yummmmers.

Organic soaps & other goodies made by the sisters.

Purchases: homemade candles, hibiscus tea, prayer beads, earrings. 

And then, it was time to leave.



It was  a wonderful weekend filled with copious sunshine, healthy air, and earthly labor of my own volition... but I got an enormous amount of rest and relaxation too as I read, sunbasked, swam, and meditated. Life was good at Anafora. It was my Eat, Pray, Love..... 

A Working Farm Retreat

Have I mentioned that Anafora is "a working farm retreat?" Having grown up in the South, I miss the "country air" and the feel of the "great outdoors" ... the sunshine kisses on my face and watching God's luscious bounty growing up around me. At Anafora, I reveled in helping with some of the farm chores... feeding the animals, picking olives, and weeding the vegetable gardens. When I picked olives, I had so much fun filling my wicker baskets and feeling a sense of accomplishment when they were full. When I fed the animals, I fell in love with Jojo the baby donkey.  Had there been a way to take Jojo home with me, I would have done it! But alas, he would have been miserable in my highrise flat, so I left him there wriggling in the dirt and enjoying life on the farm. Given the choice, I would've stayed there wriggling in the dirt too.  LOL.

Date Palm Trees were heavy with dates ready to be picked!

I chose to pick olives instead.

Olives were ripe for the picking!

A productive pickin'.

Bella.

Freckles.

Latte'.

Dolly and Jojo.

Wish Jojo could've come home with me!

A Coptic Christian Farm.

Little Coptic Church in the Desert

I would have been remissed if I did not do a blog post on Anafora's little chapel in the desert. I loved the retreat's Coptic Christian Church, not only because of its unique architectural attributes but its church services that were given twice a day. Notably, outside of the church were 12 different mosaic tile crosses that went all the way around the exterior.  The interior of the church was not typical of a Coptic Christian Church. Colorful handwoven Bedouin mats dominated the interior, which represented and welcomed "diversity" for all people that sought entrance.  Instead of pews, there were rows of Bedouin floor pillows and wooden sitting stools that made church services relaxing and inviting. My favorite service was the evening's, because beeswax candles and terra cotta globes were lit that made the service beautiful and dream-like.  Coptic service is similar to Greek Orthodox. Although I did not understand the prayers that were said in the Coptic language, the love for God and humanity were conveyed and spiritually moving. At the front of the church was the eye-shaped window that made me feel as if God was looking down on us. When I reflect back on that little desert church, a feeling of peace washes over me, and makes me yearn for its serene enclosure.

The front of the church had a whalebone-like archway that had terra cotta globes on both side that glowed beautifully at night.

The pottery garden in front of the church.

One of the sisters walking past the church.







The pottery garden lit at night.

The "eye of God."

Back corner of the church, which provided more seating.

Beeswax candles and terra cotta globes that encircled the front altar.

The symbolic "Tree of Life" was kept lit during the entire service.

The church smelled of incense and beeswax candles.

Back of the church.

After the evening service, I would climb the circular steps to the rooftop and continue my communion with God. So loved, loved, loved that little desert chapel....