The Peacock 22

 "What to do with this house became for our family a chronic and consuming obsession.  Mom was in no hurry to leave Switzerland or Holland.  But we didn't feel it would be time yet to sell the place.  And neither Melissa or I really felt like going back there, obviously.  Then Father Griffin came forward.  He asked if he could see the house.  We gave him a set of keys. He was already set to sell the house that he had shared with his partner, the rich banker dude, so we offered for him to stay in the house for as long as he needed.   Of course, it had been unoccupied for four years and would likely need extensive repairs as well as general upkeep and maintenance.   We were still relatively well off, but were unsure about the financial strain of continuing to keep the house going.  The family fortune had been dwindling somewhat, though Mom had managed to maintain some sound investments.  But she was also getting rather uncomfortable with having so much-I said we were still well off-when so many around us were struggling to get by.  

"Father Griffin did find the house to be in disgraceful conditions. Having done well with house equity on selling his place he offered to sink some money into the house.  He wanted to turn the house into a retreat centre as well as a site for an intentional Christian community.  He just wasn't sure how it was going to happen.  Neither were we."  

For the first time, I have something to say, "You have made this place a lovely retreat centre."

"We are also a community", Carl says.

"But I imagine this place would be an awful lot of work for you and your sister."

"We get lots of help", Melissa says.

I have not seen anyone in this place yet, apart from the occupants of this room.  "Do you bus in foreign workers, or what?"

"They are already here, the brothers and sisters of our community", she says flatly.

"Where are they now?"

"You will meet some of them during dinner."