Nuns Operate Bobcat Loader to Restore New Home

The property in Drasty has a rich history dating back to 1305, but when the sisters moved there in 2018, it was in a considerably dilapidated state. The sisters have employed a variety of techniques to restore the property, including the use of a 1997 Bobcat 773 skid-steer loader, which they have learnt to operate themselves.

The 773 loader, like many other Bobcat machines of this age, is still in good condition thanks to its robust construction and regular servicing and is more than able to be used to carry out a lot of hard work.

All the Way through

Sister Milada, a member of the order, described the construction work with the Bobcat loader: "When we bought the area in Drasty, it was clogged up with a number of landfills and overgrown with mature trees. We soon found out that we needed machines and equipment for the difficult initial jobs, so some of us learned to drive a tractor, use a chainsaw or brushcutter and to operate the Bobcat loader which helped us a lot right from the beginning when we needed to move around any heavy materials, especially large tree stumps for burning. Later, we used it to transport pallets with bricks, soil, stone, for landscaping in the meadow and to add gravel to the roads in the forest park.”

Sister Terezka as Bobcat Loader Operator

"I like the very simple, intuitive operation of the Bobcat loader and the fact that it can be used for many different tasks that need to be done here. It is excellent for transporting any heavy materials. It can be used to get to less accessible places and it is very handy for various landscaping and levelling tasks. The loader has saved us a lot of time and energy," concludes Sister Terezka, who has operated the loader the most.

From Ruins to a New Cultural and Spiritual Centre

The Discalced Carmelite Nun community in Drasty faces a difficult task. They have already achieved so much, but there is still so much more work ahead. The aim is to move forward with the construction of the complex so that it can best serve visitors and the nuns. "We believe that this place will become a very accessible spiritual and cultural centre, from where people will leave with new strength for everyday life," concludes Sister Milada.

Anyone who would like to donate to help the work on the new convent, can do so by visiting https://bit.ly/DuchovniCentrumDrasty and the nuns can be supported directly via their website: https://karmeldrasty.eu/en/shop/.