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| Bahá’í News | March 1982 | Bahá’í Year 138 |
Dedication ceremony held for Bahá’í Radio in Peru
INFORMATION JUST RECEIVED SIX MEMBERS LOCAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY TEHERAN TOGETHER WITH WOMAN BELIEVER IN WHOSE HOME ARRESTS WERE MADE ON SECOND NOVEMBER WERE SECRETLY EXECUTED ON FOURTH JANUARY. INFORMATION OBTAINED FORTUITOUSLY BY RELATIVES FRIENDS MARTYRS. NAMES THESE VALIANT SOULS ARE:
MR. KURUSH TALA’I
MR. KHUSRAW MUHANDISI
MR. ISKANDAR AZIZI
MR. FATHULLAH FIRDAWSI
MR. ABBAS YAVARI
MRS. SHIVA MAHMUDI ASADULLAH-ZADIH
HOSTESS: MRS. SHIDRUKH AMIR-KIYA BAQA
URGE INFORM MEDIA, APPEAL ONCE AGAIN YOUR GOVERNMENT TAKE WHATEVER STEPS OPEN TO THEM TO STAY HAND OPPRESSORS LAND BIRTH BAHÁ’U’LLÁH.
JANUARY 7, 1982
Bahá’í News[edit]
From Irán, moving eyewitness reports describe recent martyrdoms | 1 |
In Los Angeles, California, Bahá’ís present 13th Human Rights Awards | 7 |
In Chucuito, Perú, Bahá’í Radio of Lake Titicaca is dedicated | 8 |
U.S. teaching campaigns see 700 declare their belief in Bahá’u’lláh | 10 |
In Hawaii, a noted artist receives 5th Agnes Alexander service award | 11 |
A series of Chinese-language TV programs is prepared in California | 12 |
Around the world: news from Bahá’í communities all over the globe | 13 |
Bahá’í News is published monthly by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States as a news organ reporting current activities of the Bahá’í world community. Manuscripts submitted should be typewritten and double spaced throughout; any footnotes should appear at the end. The contributor should keep a carbon copy. Send materials to the Periodicals Office, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, U.S.A. Changes of address should be reported to the Office of Membership and Records, Bahá’í National Center. Please attach mailing label. Subscription rates: one year, U.S. $8; two years, U.S. $15. Second class postage paid at Wilmette, IL 60091. Copyright © 1982, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
Irán[edit]
Eyewitness accounts of martyrdoms[edit]
“The Universal House of Justice feels it is propitious at this juncture to share with the Bahá’ís throughout the world glimpses of the current events taking place in the Cradle of the Faith, which movingly depict the devotion, sacrifice, and steadfastness of the dear friends in that land.” (From a letter to all National Spiritual Assemblies dated July 19, 1981)
Summary translation of a report on the life and martyrdom of Mír-Asadu’-lláh Mukhtárí, a pioneer in the village of Andrún near Bírjand, Khurásán, written by Mawhibatu’lláh Há’í.
Mr. Mukhtari was a descendant of several generations of Bahá’ís in Khurásán. His parents, Mír-Mukhtár and Shikkar, were born and brought up in the village of Qal‘ih-Kúh. They had seven sons, and Mr. Mukhtárí was the sixth one. He was born during Ayyám-i-Há in B.E. 66 (1910), was raised and married in this village, and in the year 1325 (1946) pioneered with his family to the village of Andrún.
He was a determined, brave, well-built, medium-sized man of profound humility. I met him several times in the village. He always admonished his children to do good deeds and show forth kindly behavior so as to be an example to non-Bahá’ís. Asadu’lláh’s character and way of life were exemplary, and he was very generous.
I remember hearing several stories about him. For example, one day Asadu’lláh gave a sack of wheat to a needy person and when this poor man was taking his wheat to the mill to be ground, villagers from the neighboring town of Shírk, whose people are all well known for their aggressive and cruel behavior toward, and intense hatred for, the Bahá’ís, tried to pick a fight with this man and to snatch his wheat away from him. Asadu’lláh,
His steadfastness made the crowd even angrier ... Someone else suggested that they burn him alive. Asadu’lláh said, ‘I have some beautiful logs in my storage bin and a container of kerosene.’
upon hearing the commotion outside his house, invited them into his home and gave them a sack of wheat so that they would not take the poor man’s sack.
In the year 1339 (1960), a number of men from Shírk raided his home and demanded that he either leave the village or become a Muslim. Asadu’lláh replied, “In the first place, what harm have we done that we should leave? Secondly, as we also believe in Islam, there is no reason for you to become annoyed with us because of religion. Thirdly, others have no share in our properties, therefore, you cannot come to our house and say our partnership is now broken and I should leave.”
At this point, the mob became agitated and one of them, a man called Hasan Chúpaní, hit Asadu’lláh’s head with a club, cracking his head open. He bled profusely and had to be hospitalized in Bírjand for some time. The government arrested the culprits, but Asadu’lláh intervened, expressed his forgiveness in writing, and they were released from prison.
At another time, on the pretext that the chief of the village of Shírk wished to consult with Asadu’lláh, he was tricked into leaving his village, and on the way some men beat him severely, again injuring his head, which caused him to be bedridden for 35 days. On that occasion, Asadu’lláh did not even complain to the authorities.
It had been a regular sport for the villagers from Shírk to go uninvited to the home of Asadu’lláh and make him slaughter a sheep and prepare a feast for them. While imposing on him and his family in this manner, they would at the same time take note of the furniture and carpets in the house, and, after a few days, while the family worked in the fields, they would empty the house of its furnishings.
Asadu’lláh and his family encountered hardships in so many ways from the hands of the enemies of the Faith. At another time, for example, Asadu’lláh had hired a shepherd to tend his flock, and quite a number of times the gang from Shírk came and snatched sheep away from him. On one occasion this shepherd, who was a Muslim, went to the homes of the persons who stole the sheep, and, seeing that they had already slaughtered the sheep, protested to them saying that according to their religion, it was forbidden to eat stolen food. They replied, “Our ‘Ulamás told us that according to Islam it is not an offense to steal the property of the Bahá’ís, and that we will even be rewarded if we take and dispose of what belongs to them!”
On many occasions in recent years, representatives of Tablíghát-i-Islami (an organization dedicated to the promotion of fundamentalist Islam) would come to the village announcing that they were permitted by the government to hold religious discussions with the Bahá’ís. They would then revile and abuse them.
At the end of the month of Adhar 1357 (between November and December 1978), toward the fall of the Pahlavi régime, about 100 men from the village of Shírk went to Andrún and besieged the homes of the Bahá’ís. They collected all their Bahá’í books and documents and started torturing
[Page 2]
Asadu’lláh, asking him to recant his
faith.
His steadfastness made the crowd even angrier. They wanted to cut his throat. Someone else suggested they burn him alive. Asadu’lláh said, “I have some beautiful logs in my storage bin and a container of kerosene.” He then took from his pocket a box of matches, gave it to the leader of the mob, and said, “Even if you burn me alive, I am still a Bahá’í and will never give up my faith!”
That same night they beat him severely and started pillaging his belongings. His wife aided them by holding a lantern close by so they could attend to their looting more easily. The family was left without a single, blanket or carpet that night. Asadu’lláh, accompanied by his wife and children, left for Bírjand.
They returned to Andrún two and a half months later, and in the month of Isfand 1358 (between February and March 1979), Asadu’lláh bought a few sheep. He could not afford to employ anyone to help him and had no other means of support except to tend his flock of sheep, which at least provided food for his family. On many occasions he told his wife that one of these days it was possible he would not return home because he might be killed.
On 18 May 1980 Asadu’lláh took his knapsack, canteen, a few loaves of bread and other supplies, and went out to the pasture with his sheep. At dusk, the sheep returned to their fold alone. Asadu’lláh’s children tried all night to find their father. At dawn, five kilometers from Andrún village and about one kilometer off the main road, his body was found soaked in blood. He had been stoned and clubbed and, according to the attending physician, he had also been choked. He was found lying face down on the ground with his knapsack still on his back.
At the office of the security guards and in the presence of officers as well as the physician, a number of people, including the murderers, had come to attend the inquest. They shouted violently that they did not want Asadu’lláh’s body buried in Andrún. They boasted that they had killed him with their own hands and added that the Bahá’ís in Andrún were condemned to death and soon all would be killed.
The policemen tried to quiet them, but these ruffians did not care and in front of the police and guards they started throwing stones at the Bahá’ís. The confessed murderers were finally subdued and taken by the police to Bírjand, where they were charged with the murder of Asadu’lláh. In their appeal to Mashhád, however, they were exonerated, and in the middle of November
Suddenly several masked men entered the room, and Shikkar-Nisá’ knew they had evil intentions since the door of the courtyard had been locked and they would have had to climb the wall to enter the premises.
1980 they returned to Shírk to a hero’s welcome. The names of the murderers are:
Muḥammad Sharqí, Ḥasan Muqaddam, ‘Alí-Ján Ghulámí.
Since the burial of Asadu’lláh in Andrún was problematic, the Attorney-General of Bírjand advised the Bahá’ís to bury him elsewhere; therefore, they chose the Bahá’í cemetery in Bírjand. It is interesting to note that Asadu’lláh had been in Bírjand at Naw-Rúz 1980 during a meeting held in the Bahá’í cemetery, and he had liked the place so much that he had told his children that when he died he hoped to be buried in that cemetery. It took only 58 days for his wish to come true. On 18 May 1980, he joined the band of martyrs and was buried in the Bahá’í cemetery in Bírjand.
Translation of an account of the martyrdom of Muḥammad-Husayn and Shikkar-Nisá’ Ma‘súmí, written by Mawhibatu’lláh Há’í and based on eyewitness accounts from letters received from relatives of the martyrs, as well as from the friends in the area. Mr. Há’í has been a traveling teacher in that part of Khurásán.
On 22 November 1980 the full moon was shining on the small village of Núk, near Bírjand. The couple, Muḥammad-Husayn and Shikkar-Nisá’, had just returned home after a hard day’s work on the farm. They washed, said their prayers and ate dinner, which that night was left-over mutton from a sheep which had been smoked on the previous day to be used during the winter.
After dinner they brought out some almonds to shell and hit them with small hammers, which drowned any sounds coming from the outside room. They continued doing this until about 9 p.m., at which time they decided to drink tea. Shikkar-Nisá’ prepared the samovar and put fire under it, and they resumed the shelling of the almonds while waiting for the water to boil. They did not know that at that very moment their enemies, who had constantly been telling the Muslims in the village that only the Ma‘súmís were not of their religion, were secretly plotting to kill them. The Ma‘súmís had had many opportunities to save their lives by seeking refuge in nearby villages where more Bahá’í families lived, but they chose to remain in Núk as the only Bahá’ís in that village.
That night was particularly favorable for the murderous enemies to carry out their plans, because the neighbors of the Ma‘súmís had gone to Bírjand. The Muslim brother of Muḥammad-Husayn lived in a neighboring house, but he had been tricked into leaving his home that night.
It was 10 p.m. and the moon was in full splendor when Muḥammad-Husayn told his wife he had to go to the stable to fill the feeding trough for the sheep. His wife said, “Come back quickly because your tea will get cold!” She was drinking her tea and had not even finished half of it when she heard the door open. Since there was a curtain in front of the door, she could not see anyone. She called out her husband’s name, but there was no reply.
Suddenly several masked men entered the room, and Shikkar-Nisá’ knew they had evil intentions since the door of the courtyard had been locked and they would have had to climb the wall to enter the premises. The kerosene lamp in the room provided only dim light, and even if the men had not been masked, she would not have been able to recognize them.
Out of fear, she dropped her half-filled glass of tea. The men, without speaking, grabbed her by the arms and hands and dragged her inside the room. She cried out her husband’s name, shouting for help, and one of the men tried to choke her to keep her
[Page 3]
from screaming. She begged them in a
gentle, low voice not to harm her husband. One man held her tightly so she
could not move, and another went out
and brought in some rope. While she
continued pleading with them not to
harm her husband, they tied her securely from head to toe and paid no attention to her request.
Then they took her into the corridor, placed her near the wall, and brought a heavy wooden door from the corner of the house and put it on top of her. She still did not know what their intentions were. Soon, however, when they put some dry wood on top of the door and brought a kerosene lamp and poured its contents all over the wood and onto her clothes, she was horrified to realize they planned to burn her alive!
Charred hands[edit]
She later told her neighbors, “My whole life, the raising of my children, and many other memories passed through my mind in a moment. But, strangely enough, my previous fears turned to acquiescence and I did not care about anything any more except reliance on God.
“These ruthless men set me on fire with matches and a lighter and stood for a few minutes to make sure the flames were high enough to reduce me to ashes in a short time. They left and I knew my husband awaited the same fate.
“The heat was intense and I cried out, ‘Yá Bahá’u’lláh!’ I was also thinking of my husband. The flames reached the ropes which were made of nylon and the intense heat melted them, enabling me to free myself, even though half of my body was burnt. I found my husband’s overcoat, wrapped myself in it, and ran to you for help.”
When her neighbors opened the door, they were horrified to see her with her charred hands burned to the bone, and their children started to cry. She told them everything that had happened and asked them to go to help her husband. The man in the household did not have the courage to leave the house, and was thinking of what he could do. After much pleading from her, he went on the roof to see if he could see what was happening in the vicinity of the stable where she said her husband had gone. Although the moon was full, he said he could not detect anything untoward occurring.
Hidáyatu’lláh Dihqaní, one of two Bahá’ís who were executed March 17, 1981, in Shíráz, Irán.
She could wait no longer, so she borrowed a hurricane lantern from them, carried it in her burned hands, and rushed out to look for her husband. After searching for a while, she saw a form in a ditch, ran to it, and found to her horror it was her husband. He had been burned to death in the path of his Beloved.
The neighbors and other villagers, who had heard the cries of Muḥammad-Husayn, had gone to their doors and windows to see what was happening and had witnessed the death of this brave man. They later related that when Shikkar-Nisá’ went with her lantern to the ditch and saw the charred body of her husband, she cried out: “This is a heartless, cruel murder, and if the murderers escape from punishment in this world, I will cling with my burned hands to the hem of the justice of God in the other world and ask Him to punish them. We have shown you nothing but love and kindness, and you
[Page 4]
have done this terrible thing!”
One of the eyewitnesses that night told a member of the family that when everyone was looking at the crime from a distance, one of the bystanders, who was thought to be the leader of the murderous gang, was fearfully surprised when he saw Shikkar-Nisá’, who was supposed to be ashes by then, standing alive near the ditch. He was afraid she might recognize him and the others and said he would go and find out what had happened. He was the only one who rushed to the burning ditch, and it is thought that he hit the skull of that helpless woman, because after he went to her she lost the power of speech.
The man returned to where the bystanders stood—men, women and children—and all of them returned to their homes. None came forward to help this half-burned woman and offer her refuge. None went to inform her son-in-law who lived in the neighboring village of Zirk, only one-half mile away. In the middle of the night this wronged soul, with her burning heart and body, left the charred remains of her husband in a ditch in the bitter cold of the desert, and returned home and locked herself alone in the house.
At sunrise on Sunday, 23 November 1980, Ghulám, the son of ‘Alí-Ján, who himself was accused of being one of those who participated in this heinous crime, went to Zirk to inform the son-in-law of Mr. Ma‘súmí, ‘Ali Muḥammad Muḥammadi, that the house of his parents-in-law had been burned the night before.
‘Ali Muḥammad left his work immediately and rushed to Núk. Since he found the door of the Ma‘súmís’ house locked, he climbed onto the roof and went down the staircase. When he saw that the door of the room had been burned, he was relieved, thinking this was a small incident and had not endangered the lives of his parents-in-law.
As he entered the room, he found ashes in the corridor and some of the curtains and carpets burned, and almonds and shells were mixed together in soot and ashes. One full glass of tea was sitting intact on the table, and another was on the floor with its contents spilled. The samovar was full of water and the pot still contained tea.
He then saw something moving under a blanket in the corner of the room, and when he removed the blanket he found his mother-in-law in serious condition. When he asked her what had happened, he saw that she had lost her power of speech. The only language she used was the tears she shed from her sad eyes. Although her son-in-law enquired, she did not even point to the
Seeing his father-in-law lying in the ditch with ashes and soot on his face, he could not believe his eyes. The body was totally burned except for the chest and head. He felt faint and had to sit on the ground for a few minutes ...
places on her body where she was burned. Instead, she pointed to the door of the room as if she wanted to tell him about her husband. ‘Ali Muḥammad understood and rushed out in search of his father-in-law. He found blood on the street near the house. With great anxiety, he knocked on the door of one of the neighbors and asked where his father-in-law was. They told him he was in front of the carpet-weaver’s shop.
‘Ali Muḥammad ran out, and when he reached the place he was shocked at what he found. Seeing his father-in-law lying in the ditch with ashes and soot on his face, he could not believe his eyes. The body was totally burned except for the chest and head. He felt faint and had to sit on the ground for a few minutes to regain his composure. He knew it was too late to do anything for Muḥammad-Husayn, but he realized that his mother-in-law required medical treatment as soon as possible. He found it difficult to stand up, and he actually crawled for a few yards until he regained his strength.
He planned to take his mother-in-law to Bírjand by bus, and one was about to pass through the village. With great difficulty he was able to get a number of people to carry her in a blanket to the road where the bus passed.
At this time ‘Ali Muḥammad’s wife (daughter of Shikkar-Nisá’), Havvá, appeared on the scene and was hysterical and crying bitterly. When she saw the condition of her mother, her crying became more intense. She asked about her father, and since her husband thought that in her condition, especially since she was expecting a child, it would be best not to tell her of her father’s death, he merely said, “He does not require medical treatment.” Havvá accepted this and went with her mother to Bírjand. When they reached the hospital, Shikkar-Nisá’ was in a coma, and after six days her soul took its flight to the Abhá Kingdom. She had a Bahá’í funeral with her martyred husband and was buried by his side.
Translation of extracts from a letter dated February 14, 1981, written to a friend by Mr. Yadu’lláh Vahdat from ‘Adil-Abád prison shortly before his martyrdom.
“My dear and precious brother. It has been a long time since I have had the opportunity and honor of writing to you. I am sure that the beloved of God, wherever they are, are supporting these prisoners and wronged ones. We are all certain that the friends all over the world are clinging to the hem of the robe of the Blessed Beauty, praying for us.
“Today marks the ninth month of our imprisonment, part of which was in the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds of Shíráz, now turned into the Komiteh headquarters and called Mihdíyyih. The rest of our confinement has been in ‘Adil-Abád prison ...
“My trial took place three days ago, from 8-10 February 1981. Each day the trial lasted for five grueling hours. I have been accused of being a spy for Israel and the focal point of relationships with Zionism, corrupt on earth, etc. I lay all my affairs in the hands of God. The very first day I came to this prison, I happily accepted everything that was happening to me in the path of Bahá’u’lláh ...
“My dear friend, I know how much you and the other friends outside prison are worrying about us. I know that your suffering is not less than ours, but my beloved, I am over 71 years old and have already lived longer than the other men in our family. Suppose God—exalted be His Name!—grants me through His Grace four or five more years? What would that matter? Old age is often more of a burden than a comfort; therefore, wouldn’t it be wonderful if my blood were worthy to be shed in the path of
[Page 5]
His Faith? Would it be better if I took
my last breath in a comfortable bed?
God forbid! I should not say what is to
my liking. Whatever is the Will of
God, I accept with humility and gratitude.
“You have sent a message that the Bahá’ís are grateful to the prisoners in Iran, that by accepting hardships and imprisonment in the path of God, the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh has been strengthened beyond our imagination. You have said this, my dear friend; therefore, why worry about a few months of imprisonment which has bestowed such honor upon us. If it has spread the fame of the Cause, it is my dearest wish that I remain in prison the rest of my life ...”
Translation of a letter dated April 8, 1981, from a knowledgeable friend in Iran.
The martyrdom of the two friends from Abádih in Shíráz, Hidáyatu’llah Dihqaní and Mihdí Anvarí, has created quite a stir among Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís alike. Until the last minute of their lives, the Revolutionary guards tried to make them recant their faith in order to stay the execution; however, this inducement bore no results. They even staged a mock execution, firing into the air, again demanding that the prisoners deny their faith. In reply, one of the dear souls said, “Our Beloved has received 750 bullets. We are looking forward to three or four!”
A ‘new creation’[edit]
Mr. Anvarí had expressed in his last will and testament that his family should distribute sweets among those who had executed him. The family took some money to the authorities and stated that in accordance with the will of Mr. Anvarí, they should take the money and buy and distribute sweets to those who had executed him. They specifically stated that they did not wish to know who the executioners were; this is why they brought money instead of the sweets.
In reply to a message of sympathy and love, the family of Mr. Dihqání said, “We still have some drops of eager blood in our family and are ready to offer it whenever necessary for the Faith.”
Mihdí Anvarí, who was executed with his friend, Hidáyatu’lláh Dihqaní, in Shíráz, Irán, on March 17, 1981.
On the day after the execution I tried to express my sympathy and condolences, but I was ashamed of myself because the voices of the children of these two martyrs were stronger and happier than my trembling voice. With this broken pen I am unable to express adequately the love and spirit of sacrifice of the believers in this country. The least one can say is that they are a new creation, and they are demonstrating the return of the souls of all the past saints and martyrs. They raise such a sweet melody, intoxicating all who hear. They have shattered all human standards and have no fears; in fact, they are looking forward to receiving more adversities.
The people of Tabríz say that they have “seven angels” in prison. In Shíráz, Mr. Anvarí was so loving to the prisoners that after his execution all of those in his ward were literally mourning. Our Beloved has said that whatever happens to the friends is for the good of the Cause. It is actually true!
[Page 6]
When in prison the friends shine like
the sun and give light and warmth to
those around them, while those outside
of prison give life and vitality to their
surroundings like a refreshing breeze.
We cannot measure such heroic deeds
with any known standards. It is extraordinary! These deeds have given a
new dimension to the Faith among the
people of this country.
A few days ago I was at a party with a number of Muslim friends and one of the guests, as soon as he found out that I was a Bahá’í, spontaneously said, “Undoubtedly you now have obtained greater prestige and command much more respect.” I thought that he was being sarcastic and was referring to the persecutions, but he explained that the Bahá’ís have endeared themselves to the people, and “the masses now have an opportunity to compare your conduct and behavior with theirs and they can see the difference.” I was greatly astonished and thanked God for hearing this.
Translation of a letter dated April 8, 1981, written from Shíráz by a knowledgeable friend.
These dear ones of “both worlds” (martyrs in Shíráz), as if their hearts had been inspired, or were moved by an inner urge, each wrote a letter, the contents of which could be regarded as wills and testaments.
Mr. Vahdat, addressing all the friends, wrote on the last day of his earthly life: “Whatever happens in the Bahá’í world is an expression of God’s Will, the very purpose of Bahá’u’lláh. Other matters are of no consequence.” Mr. Khushkhú wrote: “I know I am living my last day here. I have nothing of worldly possessions, but my heart treasures my faith and my love for the Blessed Beauty.” Mr. Mihdí-Zádih wrote: “Beware lest you pray for our release. Rather pray that when we bid farewell to this transient world, our end may be good and acceptable in His sight.”
An eyewitness was present on that fateful day. He reported that when Ihsán (Mihdí-Zádih) was brought to the scene with his two companions, he fell on his knees before the guards, saying: “I am at your disposal. As you see I have no means of defending myself, nor do I have the intention of doing so. It is my last wish, however, to know which one of you is to fire the bullet which would cause my death.”
None of the guards responded to his plea. He repeated his entreaty, and then sorely wept as he redirected his plea to them. Finally, one of them said, “I.” At this point Ihsán knelt before the man who spoke, and kissed his feet, and cried out: “Praise be to God,
‘On the day after the execution I tried to express my sympathy ... but I was ashamed of myself because the voices of the children of these two martyrs were stronger and happier than my trembling voice.’
that in the last moments of my life I succeeded in carrying out an injunction of the Blessed Beauty. I am now ready and at your disposal. I do have, however, another request. Could you not blindfold me? Could you leave me free so that with my open eyes, as you fire, I may see my end?” Mr. Vahdat immediately made a similar request, saying: “It is my wish to welcome the bullets with open eyes.” These events took place on Thursday, 30 April 1981, at 7 p.m. in Shíráz.
The following day in the morning, the three bodies were transferred by the guards, without informing the members of their families, to the Bahá’í cemetery. The keepers of the cemetery then informed the families of what had occurred. However, only close relatives of the martyrs, upon producing their identity cards, were permitted to participate in the burial ceremonies. Soon a storm suddenly burst out, which obscured and darkened the horizon.
All the friends in Fars province were informed quickly of these events. Courageously, without regard for their own safety, and quite often in the names of Local Spiritual Assemblies, the friends sent countless wreaths, and these were placed on the resting-places of the martyrs. Some wreaths were even received in the names of the bereaved martyr-families of Yazd.
At the meetings the friends congratulated one another, and many wonderful talks were given in praise of the heroism of the martyrs. The brother of Ihsán, with a loud voice, said in one of these meetings: “If our Ihsán is dead, a thousand Ihsáns will rise to their feet from the ranks of Bahá’ís throughout the world, and will raise the cry of ‘Ya Bahá’u’l-Abhá!” The daughter of another martyr said: “On the last day I assured my father that my mother and I will carry out his high aspirations to the very end.”
How mighty is the hand of the Blessed Beauty! It is about one year that our meetings can be attended by only three to five of the friends. However, today, which is the seventh day after the martyrdoms, another gathering was held at the Bahá’í cemetery, with some three thousand believers attending. The dignity and beauty of the proceedings are beyond description. Likewise the doors of the homes of the martyrs are open, and throngs of believers and non-believers visit these homes, where Bahá’í prayers are chanted.
On behalf of the local “Komiteh,” a representative visited the home of Ihsán. The little son of Ihsán, at that moment, started chanting a prayer, and the “Komiteh” representative, upon hearing the prayer, burst into tears. What more shall I write to disclose for you the inner wisdom of God’s providence, or to describe the heroism of the beloved friends!
United States[edit]
Los Angeles gives 13th ‘Rights’ awards[edit]
More than 450 people were present December 13 at the Sheraton-Townhouse Hotel in Los Angeles as the Bahá’ís of Los Angeles County held their 13th annual Human Rights Awards program.
This year’s honorees were:
- Actress Tippi Hedren, cited for her role as international relief coordinator for Food for the Hungry.
- The Christian service organization MEND (Meet Each Need with Dignity), honored for its dedicated work in helping families and individuals who have immediate emergency needs for food, shelter, clothing, furniture or medical aid.
- Barrie Levy of Culver City, California, who has worked tirelessly for the prevention of violence to women.
- Sugar Ray’s Youth Foundation, founded by former world boxing champion Sugar Ray Robinson to guide, direct and encourage young people through sports.
Dedication, love[edit]
The awards program was chaired by Muhtadia Salaam, a Bahá’í who is a television performer. Entertainment was provided by Dash Crofts and other Bahá’ís from the Los Angeles area.
Miss Hedren, best known for her roles in the Alfred Hitchcock films “Marnie” and “The Birds,” has devoted much of her time in recent years to the worldwide Food for the Hungry program.
Her dedication was summed up by Dr. Larry Ward, president of Food for the Hungry, who wrote:
“Actress Tippi Hedren leaves the cameras far behind and follows her heart to places like Bangladesh, Haiti and Nicaragua, walks through drab refugee camps in the disaster areas and somehow leaves them brighter through the light of her love.”
An obviously pleased Tippi Hedren receives her award from entertainer Dash Crofts during the 13th annual Bahá’í Human Rights Awards program December 13 sponsored by the Bahá’ís of Los Angeles County. Miss Hedren, an actress, was honored for her work as international relief coordinator for Food for the Hungry.
The all-volunteer MEND organization, based in Pacoima, California, is of particular service to communities in the San Fernando Valley.
Ms. Levy is vice-president and director of the Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women and serves as program coordinator of the Southern California Rape Prevention Study Center.
In 1973, she was co-founder of the Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women, which evolved into the Los Angeles County Domestic Violence Council.
Sugar Ray Robinson himself accepted the award on behalf of the Sugar Ray Youth Foundation, whose motto is “Imparting Values Through Sports.”
The Foundation helps children in general, and disadvantaged young people in particular.
Participation in its programs is not restricted on the basis of race, religion or sex.
The Human Rights Awards program, begun in 1969 by the Bahá’ís of Los Angeles County, commemorates the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Perú[edit]
Bahá’í Radio of Lake Titicaca dedicated[edit]
Bahá’í Radio of Lake Titicaca, planned by the national Bahá’í communities of Perú and Bolivia to promote the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh among the indigenous peoples of the Altiplano region, was Officially inaugurated last November 26, the Day of the Covenant, with a Folklore Festival that resulted in mass proclamation of the Faith over the entire plateau area surrounding Lake Titicaca.
The festival, sponsored by the National Spiritual Assembly of Perú, presented music and dancing to an audience of around 6,000 Aymara- and Quechua-speaking people.
Among those who participated in the event were Continental Counsellors Mas’ud Khámsi and Athos Costas, four members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Peru, one member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Ecuador, several Auxiliary Board members, and representatives of the Radio Commissions of Perú, Bolivia and Ecuador.
Also present were Dean Stephens, technical assistant for radio to the Audio-Visual Department at the World Centre in Haifa, and engineer Zabiollah Mohedi, a Persian pioneer to Bolivia who collaborated on the project.
Publicity campaign[edit]
Among the dignitaries attending were the prefecto of the Department of Puno, the sub-prefecto of Chucuito, the provincial mayor, the district mayor, the chief of the Development Organization of Puno, the chief of the military base, and representatives of the National Technical University of the Altiplano and the Ministry of Education.
Prior to the festival, Bahá’í Radio launched an intensive publicity campaign to inform people in the area of the inauguration of the station and to invite them to present their music and dance at the festival.
As a result, some 45 native groups, representing even the smallest and most remote populations, expressed their enthusiasm for the festival and began arriving at the site to ask for more information or to register their bands and dancers.
Simultaneously, an effort was being made to contact and invite the most prominent and outstanding people in the region. Civil, cultural and military authorities of the Department of Puno were invited.
In Chucuito, where Bahá’í Radio is located, the mayor and other officials offered their support and help in organizing the festival. Early on the morning of November 26, the Bahá’í property—radio building, antenna and future teaching institute—was colorfully decorated with large flower arches and Peruvian flags by the local people who are proud to have Bahá’í Radio in their town.
From early morning, trucks and buses filled with people in lovely native costumes began arriving at the station site. Within a few hours a large crowd had assembled and was seeking the best vantage points from which to see the festival and applaud the many talented groups who would perform.
More than 40 music and dance groups performed at a Folk Festival last November 26 that helped inaugurate Bahá’í Radio of Lake Titicaca at Chucuito, Perú. Prizes were awarded to the top three groups who were judged on the basis of originality, interpretation and costume.
In Puno, the event was given ample coverage in newspapers and on radio, and dozens of posters were placed in several smaller towns.
The official ceremony began with prayers in Aymara, Quechua and Spanish, followed by speeches by the local dignitaries.
The prefecto of Puno, Dr. Federico Cuba, said Bahá’í Radio is an important element in the diffusion of culture in the region, adding that it is
[Page 9]
presently the only culturally-oriented
radio station in the area.
Dr. Jaime Ardiles, the mayor of the province, said that never before had a radio station been devoted exclusively to serving the indigenous people of the region.
Bahá’í Radio, he said, is helping to spiritualize the people of the Altiplano.
Serving the people[edit]
All of these dignitaries, including the district mayor and assistant governor of Chucuito, offered their help and expressed their respect for the Teachings of the Faith.
Counsellor Khámsi stressed in his remarks that Bahá’í Radio has as its primary purpose serving the needs of the native people. The people themselves, he said, should come to the station to express their needs and desires.
Auxiliary Board member Andrés Jachakollo, the first indigenous Bahá’í in Bolivia, spoke forcefully about the meaning of Bahá’í Radio to the people of the area.
Other speakers included Marcelo Quinteros, manager of Radio Bahá’í in Otavalo, Ecuador, and Mario Laón who spoke on behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly of Perú.
The ceremony ended when the governor of Puno, accompanied by the Counsellors and other dignitaries, symbolically cut a ribbon at the entrance to Bahá’í Radio, thus declaring the station officially open.
This was followed by loud applause and lively music. Quickly, music groups took their places and began to present their songs, accompanied by men and women dancers in colorful costumes.
The festival continued until late afternoon. Traffic along the highway was stopped many times as travelers and tourists paused to see what was happening. Many of them decided to stay and enjoy the festival.
On November 26, Bahá’í Radio transmitted in Aymara, Quechua and Spanish. It is now broadcasting six hours a day, from 4 to 10 a.m., in a gradual process of growth.
Members of the Peruvian Bahá’í community who attended the inauguration last November 26 of Bahá’í Radio of Lake Titicaca at Chucuito are shown with Continental Counsellor Mas’ud Khámsi (standing at left).
A part of the crowd of 6,000 who witnessed the official inauguration last November 26 of Bahá’í Radio of Lake Titicaca in Chucuito, Peru. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was followed by a Folk Festival in which more than 40 music and dance groups participated.
United States[edit]
Teaching campaigns see 700 declare[edit]
More than 500 residents of several communities in eastern South Carolina declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh during the first week of an ongoing teaching campaign that began December 26.
By January 6, according to Dr. Alberta Deas, secretary of the sponsoring South Carolina Regional Teaching Committee, the number of new believers in eastern South Carolina had grown to 550.
Meanwhile, 151 residents of several towns in southern New Mexico, west Texas and the border area of Mexico embraced the Faith during the fourth annual Winter Teaching Project held December 19-January 3.
That campaign was sponsored by the District Teaching Committee of Southern New Mexico/West Texas.
The teaching effort in South Carolina, dedicated to the memory of the Hand of the Cause of God Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir, is unique in South Carolina, says Mrs. Deas, in that the new believers include many upper and lower middle-class residents such as ministers, college students and school principals and faculty.
In the past, she says, such large-scale enrollments in the state have taken place primarily among its poorer residents.
Martyrs honored[edit]
The 30 or more Bahá’ís who participated in the first week of the “Nine Day Teaching Project,” as it was called, were mainly Bahá’í youth from South Carolina including members of Bahá’í youth clubs in Lydia, Hemingway and Darlington.
The campaign was planned and launched at the Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute near Hemingway. The first teaching teams to go out were named in honor of recent martyrs in Iran who were close associates of Dr. Muhájir.
When news was received of the martyrdom of eight members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Iran, the teaching work was then carried out in their honor.
Declarations were reported during the first week in Hartsville, Florence, Darlington, Lydia, Lamar, Society Avenue, Dovesville, Cheraw and Spaulding Heights.
In Lydia, a town of 350, one hundred declared themselves Bahá’ís, while more than 30 percent of the people in Dovesville have embraced the Faith.
Two of the newly opened localities, Lamar and Spaulding Heights, have enough believers to form Spiritual Assemblies.
The group of Bahá’í teachers, which included Dr. Ali Danesh, his wife and three children from Norman, Oklahoma, spoke with many families.
In some instances, says Dr. Deas, four or five members of a family, and sometimes entire families including the children, have declared. However, she says, children were not included in the declaration statistics.
The success of the teaching, she says, seemed to be limited only by the time available for carrying it out.
“These most recent victories in South Carolina,” says Dr. Deas, “are only an indication of what is to come.”
She and others, she says, feel that there will be “entry by troops” in that state in the near future.
Twenty Bahá’ís including four from the Navajo Indian Reservation, one from Oregon and another from Illinois participated in some part of the Texas-New Mexico teaching campaign, according to coordinator Richard Gurinsky of Mescalero, New Mexico.
The primary goals of this year’s campaign, planning for which began in August 1981, were to visit Bahá’ís who had been enrolled during past projects and to help strengthen Assemblies that were either in jeopardy or near jeopardy.
Many families[edit]
“We accomplished nearly everything,” says Mr. Gurinsky, “except for one or two minor goals of the approximately 20 objectives set by the District Teaching Committee.”
The new believers, who are mostly Spanish-speaking Mexican-Americans, reside in towns that range in size from about 100 to several thousand.
There are now enough Bahá’ís to form Spiritual Assemblies in La Union, New Mexico; Marfa, Texas; and, if approved by the National Spiritual Assembly of Mexico, Las Palomas, Mexico, where, says Mr. Gurinsky, some 25 people embraced the Faith.
There were 20 declarations in Deming, New Mexico, 19 in Marfa, Texas, and 10 each in Rincon and La Union, New Mexico.
Other declarations were reported in Socorro, New Mexico; Van Horne and Presidio, Texas; and Juarez, Mexico.
Many of the new Bahá’ís are members of the same families. One of them (in Tortugas, New Mexico, just outside of Las Cruces) is a Yaqui Indian.
Hawaii[edit]
90-year-old artist receives 5th Agnes Alexander service award[edit]
The Bahá’í community of Hawaii celebrated its 80th anniversary last December 26 with the fifth annual Agnes Baldwin Alexander Award banquet.
Some 175 people including many distinguished guests were present at the Princess Kaiulani Hotel in Honolulu for the presentation of the award for service to humanity to Juliette May Fraser, noted Hawaiian artist and muralist.
The banquet was sponsored by NAHBOHR, the National Spiritual Assembly of Hawaii’s Bahá’í Office of Human Rights.
The award, named in memory of the Hand of the Cause of God Agnes B. Alexander, a descendant of one of Hawaii’s missionary families, who introduced the Faith to Hawaii in 1901, was presented by Mrs. Gladys Johnson of Waianae, director of NAHBOHR.
The award citation read in part: “Juliette May Fraser has distinguished herself by her many and diverse contributions to the field of art and for an outstanding life of devotion to her work.
“As an artist she is best known for murals and illustrations, but her talents extended also to those of print-maker, writer, and art critic. Truly she has been blessed in being able to bring a sense of beauty and meaning to mankind through her art ...
“May Fraser is nearing her 95th birthday and yet she looks forward to work that would daunt persons many years younger ... she is clearly one of Hawaii’s living treasures ... her life has been and continues to be one of creativity and of inspiration to younger artists, that in all she does there is reflected an absolute sense of integrity, and finally that she is more than a great artist, she is a great person ...”
Albert Sing and Mrs. Gladys Brandt, previous recipients of the Alexander award, assisted Mrs. Johnson in making the presentation. The award itself was designed by Louis LeClaire, a Bahá’í wood sculptor.
The principal speaker at the banquet was Dr. Peter J. Kahn, a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Australasia who is professor of electrical engineering at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, and a research scientist on microwave solid-state circuits and in optical communications.
Dr. Kahn was accompanied by his wife, Dr. Janet Kahn, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia.
Among the special guests at the banquet were Jean King, the lieutenant governor of Hawaii; Admiral and Mrs. Alvey Wright, representing U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye; Mr. and Mrs. George Yuen, representing Gov. George R. Ariyoshi of Hawaii; Ms. Marsha Petersen, representing Mayor Eileen Anderson of Honolulu; Bishop Yoshiaki Fujitani of the Honpa Hongwanji Mission; the Rev. Stanley Kain, executive director of the Hawaii Council of Churches, and Mrs. Kain; and Zohmah Charlot, the wife of artist Jean Charlot.
Other agencies represented were the Jean Charlot Foundation; Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and Arts; Honolulu Commission on Culture and the Arts; Arts Council of Hawaii; Queen Emma Gallery; Art Program, State Department of Education; Hawaii Watercolor Society; Art Department, University of Hawaii; United Nations Association, Hawaii Division; UNICEF, Hawaii; NAACP; and radio station KNDI, Honolulu.
Mrs. Elizabeth Habermann of Koloa, Kaui, who is recording secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of Hawaii, was mistress of ceremonies at the banquet.
Tracy Hamilton, chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly, welcomed the guests and gave a brief summary of the Bahá’í Faith and the work it is doing in the field of human rights.
Entertainment was provided by pianist Carl Wakeland and by the Hawaii Bahá’í Chorus directed by Rick Wood, a member of the National Assembly of Hawaii.
Juliette May Fraser (center), a Hawaiian artist, receives the 1981 Agnes Baldwin Alexander Award for Service to Humanity at the 80th anniversary celebration of the Bahá’í community of Hawaii last December 26. Making the presentation are Mrs. Gladys Johnson, director of NAHBOHR, the human rights agency of the National Spiritual Assembly of Hawaii, and Tracy Hamilton, chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly.
United States[edit]
Chinese-language TV programs readied[edit]
Responding to a directive from the Universal House of Justice to teach Chinese-speaking peoples during the Seven Year Plan, Light Years International—a Bahá’í production company composed of media professionals in the Southern California area—is developing on behalf of the U.S. Office of Public Information a series of television programs in Chinese.
Believed to be the first religious TV series produced by any organization in the Chinese language, the 10 half-hour programs will use a basic “talk show” format, implementing visuals and special segments that are being produced by Chinese Bahá’ís in Taiwan.
The programs will cover various aspects of the Faith, utilizing the many similarities between traditional Chinese thought and the Bahá’í Teachings.
The dialect used will be Mandarin, and all shows will be subtitled with Chinese characters to assure the widest possible use.
The Light Years production team, composed of Chinese believers, media professionals, and a pioneer from Taiwan, is working toward completion of the series by early this year.
The immediate and energetic response to and support for these programs by Chinese-speaking Bahá’ís all over the world has lent a special impetus to the effort to complete the series.
Help from Taiwan[edit]
For example, on hearing of its development in the U.S., the Bahá’ís in Taiwan raised the money to send a pioneer from that country to Los Angeles to help, and within 72 hours had produced and sent with her a 45-minute video tape with segments on progressive revelation, Bahá’í marriage, and Bahá’í education. They also collected visuals and music to aid in the production.
Members of the committee that is producing Chinese-language television programs in Southern California are shown with Parks Scott (right), director of the U.S. National Spiritual Assembly’s Office of Public Affairs.
This was done without any prior knowledge or experience in television production, and now, at the request of the production team in Los Angeles, the Taiwanese believers are producing segments on various topics that will be incorporated in the shows now being taped in the U.S.
The Los Angeles team also has turned its attention to producing radio programs in Cantonese.
The Office of Public Affairs was approached recently by the owner of several radio stations that broadcast in that dialect. Impressed with the Bahá’í Teachings while on a visit to the House of Worship in Wilmette, the station owner offered to broadcast programs on the Faith in Cantonese.
These programs are expected to be on the air in a matter of months in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Boston and Houston.
With the production of these Chinese-language radio and television programs, Light Years International has begun to realize its goal of stimulating the increased production and use of Bahá’í media throughout the world.
The world[edit]
House establishes Audio-Visual Centre[edit]
The Universal House of Justice has established an International Bahá’í Audio-Visual Centre in Toronto, Canada.
The Centre serves as a focal point for the exchange of information about audio-visual materials, programs or projects, equipment and materials pertaining to teaching and consolidation needs, according to Gerald Filson, secretary of the Centre.
The Centre is interested in hearing from individual believers and Bahá’í communities and committees involved in the creation, production, distribution and utilization of audio-visual materials.
Bahá’ís who are professional broadcasters also are encouraged to write to the Centre if they are interested in contributing to the audio-visual work, says Mr. Filson.
The address is: International Bahá’í Audio-Visual Centre, 7200 Leslie St., Thornhill, Ontario L3T 2A1, Canada.
Sudan[edit]
Bahá’ís in the Sudan report teaching successes in that country’s southern sector. The formation of an Assembly in Upper Talanga became possible with the recent declaration of 14 new believers, fulfilling a goal of the Seven Year Plan.
Marida has been opened to the Faith with the enrollment there of six people. There have been 13 declarations in Pajok, making it the country’s largest Bahá’í community. Enrollments also have taken place in Nzara and Yambio.
The Bahá’í community of Pajok has announced plans to build a Center for meetings and classes. Improvements are being made to the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds in both Juba and Gumba.
In the northern district of the country, the women of Three Towns expressed the importance of establishing children’s classes during a recent meeting at the local Bahá’í Center. Books suitable for children’s classes have arrived, and classes are in the process of being arranged.
“Operation Olinga,” a teaching plan aimed at increasing the number of believers in Three Towns and making Assemblies more secure and active, was begun last August under sponsorship of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Sudan.
Botswana[edit]
Justice Mokoto, a Bahá’í from Khudumalapye, Botswana (center), and Monamodi Gobtsetshe, a member of the Botswana Teaching Committee (right), present an information folder of Bahá’í materials to the chief of the village of Mookane, Botswana, during a proclamation campaign in that country last April.
Nepal[edit]
Shown here are the 45 Bahá’ís from various localities in Nepal who attended a conference last May 22-24 at the national Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds in Kathmandu. Speakers at the conference, planned to discuss the goals of the second phase of the Seven Year Plan in Nepal, included Counsellor S. Nagaratnam (fourth from left in first row wearing dark glasses) and Ramnik Shah, secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of India (standing fifth from left in first row). A highlight of the weekend conference was the first showing in Nepal of the film ‘The Green Light Expedition.’
Mexico[edit]
The anniversary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh was proclaimed in Oaxaca, Mexico, on two radio stations and in three newspapers.
The newspaper articles announced the local Bahá’í community’s observance of the Holy Day and proceeded to give a brief description of the Faith, mentioning Bahá’u’lláh’s proclamation to mankind and the basic principles of His Teachings.
In one newspaper, the article about the Holy Day observance appeared on the front page, and in another newspaper a photo of the Shrine of the Báb accompanied the article.
Since Naw-Rúz 138, all of the Bahá’í Holy Days have received coverage in at least one of Oaxaca’s newspapers. In addition, several articles have appeared in various newspapers in Oaxaca concerning the plight of Bahá’ís in Iran.
Increased use of the media to proclaim the Faith is among the goals assigned to Mexico for the second phase of the Seven Year Plan.
The Gambia[edit]
Woman of Lamin Village in The Gambia are shown with traveling teacher Ada Williams (second from right) who met with them during her two-week visit to that African country last April. Miss Williams lives in Wales, United Kingdom.
Faeroe Islands[edit]
Eighteen Bahá’ís from Denmark, Iceland and the United Kingdom attended a teaching conference last August 8 in Thorshavn, the largest town in the Faeroe Islands.
Among those present to help formulate teaching plans for the islands was Dr. Agnes Ghaznavi, a Continental Counsellor for Europe.
Although politically a part of Denmark, the Faeroe Islands, located between Iceland and the Shetland Islands, are, for purposes of the Seven Year Plan, a goal of their nearest large neighbor, Iceland.
Iceland’s goal is to help increase the number of Bahá’í localities in the Faeroes to three with one Spiritual Assembly to aid in consolidation work there.
The goal of “assisting in the provision of literature in Faeroese” has been assigned to Denmark.
Pakistan[edit]
United Nations Day was observed last October in several cities in Pakistan with public meetings that attracted large audiences and received wide coverage on radio and television and in the press.
More than 100 Bahá’ís and their guests attended a public meeting in Karachi on October 30 that was organized by the local Teaching Committee of Karachi.
The program included talks by non-Bahá’ís including the acting vice-chancellor of Karachi University. Bahá’í youth sang songs during the program, which was reported the following day by Radio Pakistan, Karachi.
Speeches at the successful public meeting in Islamabad focused on the reduction of armaments, the UN charter, and universal peace.
More than half of the 150 people at the UN Day observance in Quetta were non-Bahá’ís. The believers who attended the program had come from all parts of Baluchistan province. Reporters from television and the press also were present, and reports of the meeting appeared the following day on TV and in newspapers.
The Spiritual Assembly of Hyderabad sponsored an essay contest for students in the 50 Hyderabad district high schools. The topic was “World Peace and the United Nations.”
Prizes were given to the three winners during a public meeting October 30 at the Hyderabad Bahá’í Center that was attended by more than 200 people. The event was reported on Radio Hyderabad and in local newspapers.
Meanwhile, the Spiritual Assembly of Abbotabad sponsored a UN Day meeting October 31 especially for women. Topics discussed at the well-attended gathering included universal peace and world disarmament.
The public meeting held October 28 in Nawabshah also was notable for the large number of women present among the more than 100 guests at the Bahá’í Center there.
Ecuador[edit]
Border teaching, a goal of the Seven Year Plan for Ecuador and Colombia, has begun with vigor along the border between the two countries.
A team of seven Bahá’ís from both countries undertook a teaching trip last August following a meeting with the Spiritual Assembly of Tumaco, Colombia.
That team, which included the secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of Ecuador, visited believers, conducted deepening classes and public meetings.
After teaching in Tumaco, the team traveled to San Lorenzo, Ecuador, where four children’s classes were begun and 35 new believers enrolled.
Most important, say participants in the border teaching work, is that Bahá’ís from the two countries have “erased the physical frontier and have become firm friends ... as if they were citizens of the same country.”
Nigeria[edit]
Among the participants in a Bahá’í teaching institute last June 27-28 at the Bahá’í Center in the village of Ikot Uba, Nigeria, were (left to right) Don Addison, a pioneer from the United States; Ma Atim Etim Efiom of Ekpri Ikot Efanga; and Oscar Njang, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Nigeria. According to Mr. Addison, Ma Atim Etim Efiom is the woman mentioned by the Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum on Page 105 of A Manual for Pioneers when she mentions an old woman in a remote Nigerian village who, on hearing of the construction of the Temple in Panama, brought three eggs as her contribution to that project.
Don Addison, a pioneer to Nigeria from the United States who teaches ethnomusicology at the University of Nigeria in Nsukka, participated last October and November in proclamation activities sponsored by the Bahá’í communities of Jos and Bukuru.
Mr. Addison gave several public talks on the Faith, including one at the University of Jos. At a secondary school there, he and Auxiliary Board member Nariman Khayltash addressed an audience of about 800 students.
Three radio and two television interviews were arranged for Mr. Addison, each of which lasted for 30 minutes and all of which included some music and many questions about the Faith.
Mr. Addison illustrated the principle of the oneness of humanity by playing music from around the world. He answered questions about the Faith, the persecution of Bahá’ís in Irán, and the International Bahá’í Conference to be held in August 1982 in Lagos.
Two newspaper articles about his visit were published in Jos including a full-page article that included a photo and informative introduction to the Faith.
United States[edit]
More than 300 Bahá’ís from 26 states attended a four-day Regional Youth Conference last December at Disney World near Orlando, Florida.
The conference coincided with a month-long teaching campaign sponsored by the District Teaching Committee of Central Florida.
Most of the participants wore special conference T-shirts on which was printed the slogan: “The Bahá’í Faith: Uniting the World ... One Heart at a Time.” The bright red shirts caught the eyes of many of the 84,000 visitors to the Disney World amusement park, some of whom stopped to talk with the Bahá’ís.
Speakers at the conference, which was one of five regional gatherings planned by the National Youth Committee this year to meet a goal of the second phase of the Seven Year Plan, included a member of the National Spiritual Assembly, the secretary of the Race Unity Committee, and members of the National Education Committee and National Teaching Committee.
Other highlights included a talent show presented by conference participants and a musical presentation by a group of Bahá’ís known as “Live and on Stage.”
Prior to the conference, more than 50 people in that area had declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh. Many of the Bahá’í youth arrived early and stayed after the conference to help with the teaching work.
In Los Angeles, California, more
than 2,500 Bahá’ís including many exiled Iranians attended a memorial service January 10 for the 15 believers
most recently martyred in Iran.
Among those executed were eight members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Iran (December 27) and six members of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Tehrán (January 4).
At the memorial service, photos of some of the recent martyrs were projected on a large screen as Bahá’ís in the audience prayed and wept.
Bahá’í entertainers Jim Seals and Dash Crofts performed at the service, leading a rendition of their composition “The Prisoner,” a moving account in song of the imprisonment of Bahá’u’lláh.
Reports of the service were carried in many newspapers including The New York Times.
Mickey Mouse, the star attraction at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, receives a Bahá’í T-shirt from Cap Cornwell, secretary of the U.S. National Youth Committee, during a Regional Youth Conference held early last December at Disney World, one of the country’s most popular amusement parks. The T-shirt displays the slogan ‘The Bahá’í Faith: Uniting the World ... One Heart at a Time.’
The Bahaa Esperanto-Ligo (Bahá’í
Esperanto League) has published its
second major book in Esperanto:
Kaŝitaj Vortoj de Bahá’u’lláh (The
Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh).
Members of the Ligo from three continents collaborated in the translation of the new volume, which was printed in Brazil.
The 82-page book that features the Bahá’í ringstone symbol on its green and white cover may be ordered for $1.75 plus 10 percent for postage from Roan Orloff Stone, 627 N. Fifth St., Gallup, New Mexico 87301, U.S.A., or from Paul Amorim Cardoso, Poŝtkesto 1221, 6000 Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
The Bahaa Esperanto-Ligo, approved in 1973 by the Universal House of Justice, has members in 22 countries and will observe its 10th anniversary next year.
Nicaragua[edit]
Artemus Lamb, a Continental Counsellor for the Americas, visited Bahá’ís in Nicaragua last October 7-10, beginning his visit by meeting with the National Spiritual Assembly of Nicaragua to review progress on the achievement of Seven Year Plan goals in that country.
On October 8, Counsellor Lamb met with two members of the Auxiliary Board. That evening, he spoke to an audience of about 80 people, some 60 of whom were socially prominent guests who were invited because of their interest in learning more about the Faith.
The next day, the Counsellor spoke for an hour with local government officials in Jinotepe, a meeting he later described as positive.
That evening, he spoke at a public meeting in Jinotepe that was arranged by the Spiritual Assembly of that city and was attended by about 40 people including 25 non-Bahá’í youth.
New Zealand[edit]
Amateur radio operators in New Zealand have learned about the Faith from Radio Bahá’í, located half a hemisphere away across the International Date Line and 10,000 feet up in the Andes mountains at Otavalo, Ecuador.
The surprised ham operators heard Radio Bahá’í’s short wave broadcasts in English and Spanish at 4 o’clock in the afternoon last July in Invercargill, at the very tip of New Zealand’s South Island.
The operators wrote to Radio Bahá’í and received information about the Faith along with expressions of delight that the 1,000-watt station had been heard so far away.
The unlikely happening, described as “possibly a one-time occurrence,” also delighted the Bahá’í community of Invercargill, which reported it in its local newsletter.
Three factors made the reception of Radio Bahá’í in New Zealand the more amazing.
First, it can only happen when there is darkness in the path between the radio station and reception point. Normally, short wave listeners in Invercargill begin listening to Radio Bahá’í’s frequency range after dark in New Zealand, but on this occasion they happened to be listening earlier than usual.
Second, Radio Bahá’í’s frequency (2340 KHz) is one that is normally heard only in equatorial zones of the earth’s other hemisphere, and the Radio Bahá’í transmitter is relatively low powered.
Finally, it has been five years since any station on the Radio Bahá’í frequency has been heard in Invercargill. Ham operators have not been able to hear Radio Bahá’í again since they first received its broadcast from Ecuador last July.
Ghana[edit]
An “entry by troops” teaching campaign held last September and October in Ghana and dedicated to the persecuted believers in Iran resulted in the enrollment of more than 1,000 new believers from 30 tribes in the Afram Plains area of the country. At least 17 of the new Bahá’ís are tribal chiefs.
Fifty new Local Assemblies have been formed, surpassing by one the number called for in the second phase of the Seven Year Plan. Five of these Assemblies are on the islands of Volta Lake.
The coordinator of the teaching project has now settled in the Afram Plains area as a homefront pioneer.
Zimbabwe[edit]
Twenty-seven women from four areas of Zimbabwe attended the annual Bahá’í Regional Women’s Conference last September 20 at the newly completed Stokesay Bahá’í Center in Mondoro, Zimbabwe.
They heard talks that focused on children’s classes, Bahá’í marriage, the Fund, Bahá’í teachings on health, and family participation in Bahá’í activities.
To the delight of those present, the conference was interrupted by school children, dressed in uniform and accompanied by their teacher, who performed a dramatic skit and sang songs.
The new Bahá’í Center is used on weekdays as a school for the local children.
United Kingdom[edit]
Two young English Bahá’ís have received awards for distinction befitting the definition given by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in his well-known Tablet on the subject.
Stephen Lambden has been given the “Stephenson Prize” at the University of Newcastle. The honor is bestowed on the two students with the highest first-class degrees.
Mr. Lambden’s doctoral dissertation is entitled “Bahá’í Doctrine and Judaeo-Christian Religious Tradition,” with special reference to the Bahá’í investigations of biblical texts.
William Eyton, a Bahá’í from Hereford, won five gold medals in a recent sports competition for disabled persons that was held at Stoke Mandeville.
Simple but successful entries in two
recent carnival parades helped Bahá’ís
proclaim the Faith in the towns of
Stowmarket and Aldeburgh and surrounding rural areas. Hundreds of
pamphlets reached audiences that totaled 15,000.
Having only a small group of believers, the Bahá’í community of Stowmarket entered the parade with a group of five men and five women, representing all ages, eight cultural backgrounds, and a variety of races, all carrying a banner that read “One Universal Cause, One Common Faith.”
In Aldeburgh, the standard-bearer was a Malaysian girl wearing a sari. Nine other Bahá’ís from a variety of backgrounds all wore the same dress to express their unity.
This parade entry drew enthusiastic applause from the audience and the attention of other ethnic minorities who were present.
Brazil[edit]
Since May 1981, Brazil has accepted some 3,000 new believers into the Faith in many parts of the country. Nine new Indian tribes are represented by 21 persons who have entered the ranks of the Faith in recent months.
Malawi[edit]
Forty-seven people from Malawi’s southern districts of Balaka, Ntchewu and Blantyre, and from the central region of Lilongwe, attended the Malawi Bahá’í Summer School last August 7-12 at the Amalika Bahá’í Institute in the Thyolo District.
Classes in English and Chichewa focused on prayer, life after death, the Bahá’í Fund, and living a Bahá’í life.
Auxiliary Board member G. Melendy presented slides from the Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum’s “Green Light Expedition” to South America.
The youth offered musical entertainment with guitars and singing. One evening during the summer school, a group of Christians who live near the Bahá’í institute joined the friends for songs.
[Page 18]
Kitáb-i-Íqán, The: The Book of Certitude
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