He knocked softly on the door, and a feeble voice from inside invited him to come in. Entering, he saw an elder sitting on a wooden bed and making prayer ropes. The guest glanced at the poor conditions of the kaliva and finally began to consider the elder dressed in coarse wool clothes. Poor knowledge of the language prevented him from talking to him, but without words it was clear that the elder lived in poverty and contempt from people. He did not play with divine things to appear to anyone.
He therefore remained unknown to anyone. The guest took out fifty dollars from his wallet to give to the elder. "No, I will not take it. Not long ago, one person gave me twenty dollars, that will be enough for a long time."
Winter came, and the foreigner remembered the elder. By mail, he sent him a hundred dollars for wood and food. The elder, having received it, immediately sent it back, since someone had already sent him money. The foreigner sent it again, so that he could give it to his poor brethren. The elder again returned them with a request: "Here you distribute it yourself. It will not be good if I look gracious at your expense. "
In the summer, the Swiss became Orthodox and was baptized, having learned from the elder that "it is more blessed to give than to receive" and "do not take anything without need."
This story is like transparent water in a mountain spring, a kind and a murmur which refreshes a person.
Stories of the Elder: Archimandrite Grigory (Zumis)
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