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| Bahá’í News | May 1986 | Bahá’í Year 143 |
Radio Bahá’í—Liberia
On the cover: Counsellor Zekrollah Kazemi turns the first spadeful of earth during a ground-breaking ceremony last October 13 for the first Bahá’í-owned radio station in Africa, station ELRB in Monrovia, Liberia. By mid-November the foundation was completed and the flooring was ready for installation. A provisional production center, in use during construction, includes an office, sound-proof recording studio, equipped control room, and a general working and meeting area for classes and other activities. Mrs. Elizabeth Gibson has been conducting workshops for future staffers of ELRB which cover basic principles of broadcasting and the philosopy of Bahá’í radio.
Bahá’í News[edit]
The annual Riḍván message from the Universal House of Justice | 1 |
Australia’s 10-day Peace Exposition highlights Year of Peace activities | 2 |
Mayor Tom Bradley of Los Angeles given peace statement at banquet | 3 |
Former Counsellor Angus Cowan dies in Canada after a long illness | 4 |
More than 300 at conference to kick off Hawaii’s Peace Year events | 5 |
Nations seek new approaches to head off future famines in Africa | 6 |
Some notes from a Counsellor on the Bahá’í concept of spirituality | 8 |
Around the world: News from Bahá’í communities all over the globe | 12 |
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 within the U.S.: one year, $12; two years, $20. Outside the U.S.: one year, $14; two years, $24. Foreign air mail: one year, $20; two years, $40. Payment must accompany the order and must be in U.S. dollars. Second class postage paid at Wilmette, IL 60091. Copyright © 1986, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
World Centre[edit]
Riḍván message to Bahá’ís of the world[edit]
To the Bahá’ís of the World
Dearly-loved Friends,
The Divine Springtime is fast advancing and all the atoms of the earth are responding to the vibrating influence of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation.
The evidences of this new life are clearly apparent in the progress of the Cause of God. As we contemplate, however momentarily, the unfolding pattern of its growth, we can but recognize, with wonder and gratitude, the irresistible power of that Almighty Hand which guides its destinies.
This progress has accelerated notably during the Seven Year Plan, witnessed by the achievement of many important enterprises throughout the Bahá’í world and vital developments at the heart of the Cause itself.
The restoration and opening to pilgrimage of the southern wing of the House of ‘Abdu’lláh Páshá; the completion and occupation of the Seat of the Universal House of Justice; the approval of detailed plans for the remaining edifices around the Arc; the expansion of the membership and responsibilities of the International Teaching Centre and the Continental Boards of Counsellors; the establishment of the offices of Social and Economic Development, and of Public Information; the dedication of the Mother Temple of the Pacific, and dramatic progress with the building of the Temple in India; the expansion of the teaching work throughout the world, resulting in the formation of twenty-three new National Spiritual Assemblies, nearly 8,000 new local Spiritual Assemblies, the opening of more than 16,000 new localities and representation within the Bahá’í community of 300 new tribes; the issuing of 2,196 new publications, 898 of which are editions of the Holy Text, and the enrichment of Bahá’í literature by productions in 114 new languages; the initiation of 737 new social and economic development projects; the addition of three radio stations, with three more soon to be inaugurated—these stand out as conspicuous achievements in a Plan which will be remembered as having set the seal on the third epoch of the Formative Age.
The opening of that Plan coincided with the recrudescence of savage persecution of the Bahá’í community in Iran, a deliberate effort to eliminate the Cause of God from the land of its birth. The heroic steadfastness of the Persian friends has been the mainspring of tremendous international attention focused on the Cause, eventually bringing it to the agenda of the General Assembly of the United Nations, and, together with world-wide publicity in all the media, accomplishing its emergence from the obscurity which characterized and sheltered the first period of its life. This dramatic process impelled the Universal House of Justice to address a Statement on Peace to the peoples of the world and arrange for its delivery to heads of state and the generality of the rulers.
Paralleling these outstanding events has been a remarkable unfoldment of organic growth in the maturity of the institutions of the Cause. The development of capacity and responsibility on their part and the devolution upon them of continually greater autonomy have been fostered by the encouragement of ever closer cooperation between the twin arms of the Administrative Order.
This process now takes a large stride forward as the National Spiritual Assemblies and Counsellors consult together to formulate, for the first time, the national goals of an international teaching plan. Together they must carry them out; together they must implement the world objectives of the Six Year Plan as they apply in each country.
This significant development is a befitting opening to the fourth epoch of the Formative Age and initiates a process which will undoubtedly characterize that epoch as national communities grow in strength and influence and are able to diffuse within their own countries the spirit of love and social unity which is the hallmark of the Cause of God.
The goals to be achieved at the World Centre include publication of a copiously annotated English translation of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas and related texts, education of the Bahá’í world in the law of the Ḥuqúqu’lláh, pursuit of plans for the erection of the remaining buildings on the Arc, and the broadening of the basis of the international relations of the Faith.
The major world objectives of the Plan have already been sent to National Spiritual Assemblies and Continental Boards of Counsellors for their mutual consultation and implementation.
Dear friends, as the world passes through its darkest hour before the dawn, the Cause of God, shining ever more brightly, presses forward to that glorious break of day when the Divine Standard will be unfurled and the Nightingale of Paradise warble its melody.
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
Riḍván 1986
World Centre[edit]
Australia’s Peace Exposition big success[edit]
The following report from the Bahá’í World Centre is dated April 16, 1986.
The most exciting news we have received on the subject of peace comes to us from Australia at the triumphant conclusion of their inspiring 10-day Peace Exposition. It ended Sunday, April 6, with a stirring service in the Temple on “Religions for World Peace,” attended by 1,350 people including prominent dignitaries, and there was also a special service for children. Children actively participated in the living arts and crafts and many other activities. Aboriginal and Islander people made a magnificent contribution including arts, crafts and history; a large crowd was held spellbound by innovative poetry, music and dance. A key feature in all aspects of the programs was the participation of non-Bahá’ís.
The Universal House of Justice kindly made available the services of Douglas Martin, director-general of the Office of Public Information. Mr. Martin gave the keynote address at a well-attended media banquet on March 31, launching the week’s events.
Each day and into the evening music and dancing from many cultures continued throughout the exposition. There were programs and activities for all, Bahá’ís, visitors, busloads of school children, elderly citizens and handicapped people included. A popular event was the eight-hour open-air concert on the Temple grounds, followed by a well-attended Seals and Crofts fireside. A crowd of 2,500 enthusiastic hand-clapping people (1,800 non-Bahá’ís) attended a concert at the Sydney Opera House, listening to classical and rock music by Martin Lass and Seals & Crofts and the Bahá’í Choir, with a slide presentation in the background of Bahá’í quotes on peace.
More than 10,000 banners arrived from 40 countries to create a “Peace Ribbon” which led from the Temple to the ocean six km (3.7 miles) away, patroled night and day by Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís alike after vandals destroyed some of the banners, and the media and public responded with positive action to protect them.
Conflict resolution workshops were successful and attendants included school principals from Pacific islands and African nations. Each conference drew prominent people and was effective in its own right. The cumulative impact of the nine days of conferences was far-reaching as a result of wide coverage by the media. Photographic and video records are now being processed.
A successful luncheon for dignitaries and leaders of the organizations involved was followed by the planting of an olive tree by the Hand of the Cause of God Collis Featherstone, and the president of the “Men of the Trees” organization, and the release of white doves against the background of the Temple.
Teaching opportunities continue to arise; meetings are being held with representatives of the Pacific Basin, while plans are being made to hold workshops throughout the various regions to develop the study of “The Promise of World Peace” and of the ideas generated by the Exposition including social and economic development and teaching. Various non-Bahá’í organizations, groups and individuals are working together with the Bahá’ís.
The Australian Peace Conference was an example to Bahá’í communities of ways and means to celebrate the International Year of Peace, and other National and local Spiritual Assemblies may wish to request further details from the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia.
Also from the Pacific region comes news that the legislature of the Territory of Guam adopted a resolution last November citing “the International Year of Peace as designated for 1986 by the United Nations, the promise of world peace as exemplified by the Bahá’í Faith, and acknowledging the importance of world peace to everyone,” and resolving to “recognize the efforts of the people who embrace the Bahá’í Faith to effectuate the promise of world peace and recognize the Bahá’ís for publicizing this cause and encouraging mankind to work for this worthy and high goal.”
Farther east, “The Promise of World Peace” was presented on April 4 to Lee Teng-Hui, the vice-president of Taiwan, who promised to give his response after reading it.
Other recent presentations were made to representatives of the presidents of Gabon and Burkina Faso, while in the Republic of Ireland some 3,000 copies of the peace statement have been distributed to leaders of government and other organizations. In Spain, the statement was sent by mail to the king, and a delegation from the National Spiritual Assembly delivered a copy in person to the government’s chief of protocol. Also receiving a copy was the public defender, who is also the honorary president of the Committee for the International Year of Peace, who responded graciously.
As a result of the distribution of “The Promise of World Peace” and the publicity it has received, Bahá’ís are being asked to serve on governmental and non-governmental committees for peace and to offer courses on the topic in schools and universities.
United States[edit]
L.A. mayor receives peace statement[edit]
Mayor Tom Bradley was the guest of honor March 22 at a gala banquet sponsored by the Bahá’í community of Los Angeles, California.
More than 650 people were present for the event at which Mayor Bradley and 27 other special guests were presented copies of “The Promise of World Peace,” the statement to the peoples of the world from the Universal House of Justice.
The introductions of the mayor and other recipients were offered by Judge James F. Nelson, chairman of the U.S. National Spiritual Assembly, and Judge Dorothy W. Nelson, treasurer of the National Assembly.
Among the other honored guests from civic, religious and peace movements were Assemblywoman Maxine Waters; a representative from the office of Congressman Augustus Hawkins; Los Angeles City Councilman Marvin Braude; Rabbi Paul Dubin; Mark Ridley-Thomas, executive vice-president of the Southern Christian Leadership Council; Khalida Samad (Islamic Center of Southern California); Dr. Cecil Murray (African Methodist Episcopal Church); Lucky Altman (National Conference of Christians and Jews); and the Rev. Cyril Loeb (Archdiocese of the Greek Orthodox Church).
Also present were educational figures from the local religious community, Sister Magdalen Coughlin (Mount St. Mary’s College) and Dr. Mark Matthews (California Lutheran College), and leaders in the peace movement including Kaz Suyeishi, vice-president of the Committee of Atomic Bomb Survivors; Emily Stewart (Alliance for Survival); Mary Lou Jenson (Harbor Area Peace Committee); Susan Anspach (peace activist and spokesperson for Amnesty International); Beatrice Hirano (Asian Pacific Americans for Nuclear Awareness); the Rev. Leland Stewart (Unity & Diversity Council); Michael Elley (L.A. Positive Future Center); and Walker Bush (United Nations Association of Los Angeles).
Mayor Tom Bradley of Los Angeles, California, is pictured at a banquet March 22 sponsored by the Bahá’ís of Los Angeles at which he and 27 other special guests received copies of ‘The Promise of World Peace.’ With him are Khalida Samad (center) of the Islamic Center of Southern California and Judge Dorothy W. Nelson, treasurer of the U.S. National Spiritual Assembly.
In his address to the banquet, Mayor Bradley recited from memory the words of Bahá’u’lláh and excerpts from the peace statement, and recalled fondly his meeting with the members of the Universal House of Justice in Haifa, Israel, and visits to various Bahá’í schools and conferences in the US.
He expressed his appreciation to the Bahá’ís for their dedication to the cause of peace, and his high regard for the community in practicing and promoting the oneness of mankind.
Included in the banquet was a performance by the Los Angeles Bahá’í Youth Workshop and an audio-visual presentation that served as a backdrop for excerpts from the peace statement.
The mistress of ceremonies was Muhtadia Rice.
Canada[edit]
Former Counsellor Angus Cowan dies[edit]
HEARTS GRIEF-STRICKEN PASSING OUTSTANDING PROMOTER CAUSE ANGUS COWAN. HIS SERVICES AS PREEMINENT BAHÁ’Í TEACHER OF INDIAN PEOPLES, HIS UNCEASING LABORS THROUGHOUT LONG YEARS’ DEVOTION RANGED FROM LOCAL AND NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES TO AUXILIARY BOARD AND BOARD COUNSELLORS. HIS COMPASSION, COURTESY, HUMILITY, MAGNANIMITY UNFORGETTABLE. BAHÁ’Í COMMUNITY CANADA ROBBED OF A DEDICATED, NOBLE WORKER WHO BORE HIS SUFFERINGS TO THE VERY END WITH EXEMPLARY FORTITUDE. CONVEY LOVING CONDOLENCE HIS BELOVED WIFE AND FAMILY AND ASSURANCES ARDENT PRAYERS HIS RADIANT SOUL’S PROGRESS THROUGHOUT WORLDS OF GOD.
ANGUS COWAN
Former Counsellor Angus Cowan died March 9 at his home in Invermere, British Columbia, after a long illness.
A memorial service for Mr. Cowan was held March 29 at the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois. Among those attending were the members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada who were meeting that weekend with the U.S. National Assembly.
Mr. Cowan, who was forced to retire as a Counsellor because of his worsening physical condition, later received a letter from the Universal House of Justice saying that his services were still extremely valuable.
Mr. Cowan immediately asked to have his old typewriter repaired so that he could write words of encouragement to his many friends throughout Canada and the world.
It was typical of the spirit that animated Mr. Cowan throughout his many years of dedicated service to the Cause of God.
“He always epitomized service in all aspects of his life,” said Counsellor Donald Rogers. “His kindness, his non-judgmental approach toward other people, and his ability to treat everyone as equals serve as an example and encouragement to many of us, and have shown us what it really means to be a Bahá’í.”
Mr. Cowan was especially well-loved by the Native American peoples of Canada among whom he worked and taught for many years, and in 1978, at the National Convention in Alaska, he was adopted into the Eagle clan of the Tlingit tribe in what was described by the Alaska Bahá’í News as “one of the most unifying events” of the Convention.
He delivered the closing address at that memorable event, saying in part, “We have a taste of the Kingdom of God. But we must pray every day so as not to get rolled back up in the old world.
“Prayer is like armor, and the more we pray, the thicker it will be and the more protection we’ll have to live in a crumbling society.”
Shirley Lindstrom, an Auxiliary Board member from Canada and a member of the Tlingit tribe, referring to the high destiny of the Native peoples spoken of by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the Tablets of the Divine Plan, said, “Angus believed this fully. Even in the face of prejudice and difficulties, he kept encouraging the Natives to arise and fulfill their high destiny.
“His love was like a magnet, and the Native people responded to that.”
Hawaii[edit]
Conference kicks off Peace Year events[edit]
More than 300 people attended a peace conference January 19 in Honolulu, Hawaii, sponsored by the International Year of Peace Committee of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Hawaiian Islands as a kick-off event for Hawaii’s Bahá’í peace activities in 1986.
More than half of those attending, including representatives of many of Hawaii’s civic, social and peace organizations, were not Bahá’ís. U.S. Sen. Spark Matsunaga, a key figure in the establishment of the U.S. National Peace Academy, sent a message of congratulations to the conference with his regrets for not being able to attend.
The keynote speakers were Jean King, former lieutenant governor of Hawaii, and Dr. James Turpin, a Bahá’í from Mountain View, California, who is a former Methodist minister, founder of the private, non-profit international health and dental relief organization “Project Concern,” and author of the books Vietnam Doctor and A Far Away Country.
Ms. King, an active supporter of peace-related programs, spoke about the progress being made through the work of many groups toward the attainment of world peace.
A panel discussion, which included questions from the audience, had as panel members Bahá’ís Bob Ferrigno and James Wada of Honolulu and newscaster Noe Tanigawa of radio station KIKI in Honolulu.
Patricia K. Brandt, deputy director of personnel for the State of Hawaii, presented a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who devoted his life to peace and whose birthday is now a national holiday.
Michael Woodward, a Honolulu businessman and member of the city’s Bahá’í community, served as moderator for the program and panel discussion.
Jean King, former lieutenant governor of Hawaii, and Dr. James Turpin, a Bahai from Mountain View, California, the two principal speakers at a Bahá’í-sponsored peace conference attended by more than 300 people January 19 in Honolulu, link hands in friendship at the close of the conference. More than half of those who attended the event, which was sponsored by the National Spiritual Assembly’s International Year of Peace Committee, were not Bahá’ís.
A highlight of the conference was a performance by two of Hawaii’s premier entertainers, singers Loyal Garner and Ed Kinney.
Among those attending the event were all members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Hawaiian Islands; two members of the Continental Board of Counsellors and several Auxiliary Board members; and representatives of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Council of Churches, the Alliance for Peace, Ground Zero, the University of Hawaii, and other academic, civic and peace organizations.
Many in the audience remarked later about the dynamic, spiritually charged and emotionally moving spirit of the conference which affected Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís alike.
United Nations[edit]
Ways sought to end famines in Africa[edit]
The African famine of 1985 has abated, but it has left a legacy of recrimination as to why billions of dollars in foreign aid failed to avert the catastrophe. A decade ago, following the last great famine in Africa, Western donors, led by the U.S., went through a similar soul-searching. Studies were produced and funds and efforts were concentrated on the worst-affected nations—only to witness the famine reoccur.
Once again the Congress, administration, and international institutions and agencies are searching for a new approach to economic development in Africa to combat more effectively the disasters wrought by man and nature. Various private groups and development specialists have urged programs that make additional aid contingent upon long-overdue economic reforms in recipient countries. The common denominator of these proposed programs is an emphasis on the long-term development needs of Africa.
In the words of a December 1985 status report by the permanent representatives to the UN on the African emergency: “The root causes of the emergency must be addressed and recovery and medium- and long-term development must receive the same kind of urgent priority attention that has been awarded to the emergency effort in the past year.”
Two of the more comprehensive new action plans warn that the U.S. can no longer “react” to crisis but, rather,
Once again the Congress, administration, and international institutions and agencies are searching for a new approach to economic development in Africa to combat more effectively the disasters wrought by man and nature.
must take on a major, long-term commitment to helping Africa realize the sort of development that can be sustained.
One such plan was devised by a bi-partisan group brought together by the Council on Foreign Relations and the Overseas Development Council and chaired by Lawrence S. Eagleburger and Donald F. McHenry. The Committee on African Development’s Compact for African Development recommends the re-scheduling of Africa’s foreign debt, an increase in food aid, and a trebling of U.S. assistance to Africa and the financial institutions involved in its development, asking the African nations in return to spur agricultural output, let prices act as incentives for production, and cut back government’s role in the economy. (The Reagan administration, seizing on Africa’s greater willingness to undertake reforms, is likewise pressing the continent’s leaders to adopt its doctrine of free enterprise and put an end to heavy-handed state involvement in Africa’s farm economy, including government subsidies and market price controls, in an effort to step up agricultural production and become self-sufficient in food.)
The Committee makes 12 recommendations including the creative use of food aid, support for agricultural research, a pledge of $250 million for the World Bank’s Special Facility for Sub-Saharan Africa, support for small farmers, strengthened family planning programs, and a $2 billion increase in U.S. yearly assistance to Africa—a total program cost of $3 billion.
In these days of budgetary constraints such a figure may seem unrealistic, but it is modest in comparison with U.S. aid programs for other regions. The proposed increase would bring assistance for Africa to $7.50 per capita, while in the cases of Egypt and Israel, for example, the figures are $60 and $1,000 respectively.
Compact puts the aid figure in context by noting that the average African’s income is less than one-thirtieth that of the average American and, further, that sub-Saharan Africa must support 400 million people on an economy that produces only as much as the state of Illinois. Furthermore, if present growth rates continue unabated, the population of the continent will rise to close to a billion by the century’s end, escalating demands for education, employment, shelter, transportation and health care.
| This article, “New Approaches to African Development,” was written by Dr. Christine S. Burbach, director of the InterAction office in Washington, D.C., and is reprinted with permission from the March/April 1986 issue of the interdependent, a publication of the United Nations Association of the United States of America. |
Robert S. McNamara, in testimony before the House Select Committee on Hunger on December 5, also argued for a new and massive injection of outside financial aid for Africa, warning that without it there was little hope of reversing the continent’s economic decline. He estimated that the 29 poorest nations needed $6.5 billion annually in such aid for the years 1985 to 1990 but that outside donors would probably provide “no more than 40% of that amount.”
Another of the comprehensive new action plans, a proposed piece of legislation called The African Recovery and Development Act, was initiated by InterAction, a consortium of 110 U.S. private and voluntary agencies (PVOs)
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engaged in development and relief assistance. Drawing on many of the findings of the Compact study as well as
other studies and the PVOs’ own collective experience, the Act sets out a
plan for a generation’s worth of programs—with funding to be provided by
both bilateral and multilateral
sources—that get to the very roots of
Africa’s development problems.
This approach builds on aspects of current AID legislation, recognizing and continuing the basic human needs mandate established by the Congress in section 102 of the current act; but it departs significantly from the current legislation in several important ways.
First, it attempts to concentrate U.S. economic assistance on a limited number of basic development factors: agricultural production, environmental rehabilitation and conservation, primary health care, family planning and nutrition, non-formal education, and off-farm employment.
Second, the Act contemplates using funds in direct support of non-project aid for policy reform and debt relief. This is in marked contrast to the current practice of using Economic Support Funds for this purpose, a separate funding pool usually distributed only to countries in which the U.S. has a strong political interest.
Third, the proposed legislation places considerable emphasis on the small agricultural producer—the farm family, and especially women—as key to increasing African food and agricultural production.
Fourth, although the Act does not provide direct funding for the purpose, it encourages an increase in resources from all sources—governmental and non-governmental—for Africa, especially in the areas it designates as major impediments to African development. It also calls for greater coordination of U.S. efforts, bringing to bear the Peace Corps, the Organization of Private Investment Corporations, and the Export-Import Bank.
Fifth, the Act acknowledges African development as a long-term process and calls for programs and objectives that span a generation. The current planning horizon is 20 years.
Sixth, the Act encourages trade with the United States and the other industrialized countries and suggests that the State Department—in close cooperation with the U.S. Special Trade Representative—coordinate a special effort to reduce trade barriers and encourage economic interchange with Africa.
Seventh, this legislation recommends U.S. contributions to special Africa-related programs sponsored by a host of multilateral and UN specialized agencies including the IDA Special Facility for Africa, UNICEF, UNDP, FAO, the UN Office of Emergency Operations for Africa, UN Development Program for Women, UNEP, UNHCR, and WHO.
Finally, the African Reconstruction and Development Act asks that significant attention be given to coordinating the activities of donors and the needs of recipients so as to maximize the impact of the increased flow of resources.
In focusing on the long term, the Compact and the Act go beyond the rehabilitation and recovery programs of other plans, such as the Commission of the European Community’s two-pronged 200 million ECU plan for the countries in Africa most affected by the drought (1 ECU = $0.84). This plan attempts to take up where the Dublin Plan—which supplied 1.250 million tons of cereal to the eight most affected African countries in 1985—left off.
The Commission’s new aid plan envisages action on two fronts. The first is to bolster the capacity of these countries to cope with catastrophes by creating early warning mechanisms, setting up contingency plans for distribution and regional communication, re-establishing food and seed stocks, and improving the logistics and infrastructure involved in transporting aid.
Second, the plan focuses on efforts to revive rural economies by bolstering basic inputs such as fertilizers; re-establishing agricultural credit systems; and taking actions that enable displaced rural workers to return to their place of origin. The Commission proposes that the European Community make available 100 million ECU for these purposes and that member states match that figure. Thus far Italy has pledged 13 million ECU; Germany, Holland and Ireland have pledged unspecified amounts. On January 20, 1986, the Commission signed financing agreements with six Sahel countries—Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, Sudan and Ethiopia.
Underlying these and other governmental and private approaches to sustained African development is the view that, given the inevitable social and political unrest that result from chronic underdevelopment, it is in the best long-term interest of the U.S. and other donor nations to make every effort to help the African people to help themselves.
Perspective[edit]
Notes on Bahá’í concept of spirituality[edit]
In their message to the participants at the International Conference in Dublin, the Universal House of Justice called for a campaign of spiritualization of the Bahá’í community. Some friends have been asking the true meaning of spiritualization and want to know how to achieve it. The word “spiritual” when used in a non-Bahá’í context has connotations which could mislead the individual. To be spiritual is not to hold one’s head in the clouds and walk in the air, or become careless of the affairs of this world.
The Bahá’í concept of spirituality is simple. When the soul draws near to Bahá’u’lláh it becomes spiritual. A true Bahá’í whose heart is closely linked with Bahá’u’lláh will grow in spirituality. He will become so enamored of Him that he will obey His teachings wholeheartedly and serve His Cause with the utmost devotion.
The knowledge of the soul[edit]
The study of the Holy Writings will enable us to appreciate this important subject. A human being has a soul and a body. We have acquired a great deal of knowledge about our bodies, but the knowledge of our spiritual nature is far more important.
The soul of man does not originate from the world of matter; it is an emanation from the spiritual worlds of God. During the period when the embryo is growing in the womb of the mother, the soul becomes associated with the body. Because the soul is a spiritual and not a material entity, it
By turning to Bahá’u’lláh with devotion, by learning to love Him, by submitting itself to the influence of His Revelation, and by establishing spiritual communion with Him, the soul will become fertilized and will give birth to the spirit of faith.
does not enter the body or leave it. The soul is exalted above entry or exit, ascent or descent. It is independent of any earthly agency. Its association with the body is similar to the association of light with a mirror. The light is not inside the mirror; it is reflected in it, and when the mirror is removed, the light remains unaffected.
Since the soul is exalted above all physical creation, our minds are incapable of grasping its nature and powerless to fathom its essence. We can perceive only the attributes and qualities of the soul. In this life we have a limited capacity to understand spiritual verities. Our knowledge of the soul is derived from the Manifestations of God Who, through Their words, have conveyed some of its significances. And words are inadequate tools for explaining spiritual realities.
God’s creation is one entity. It includes both the spiritual and physical worlds. The same laws and principles that are in nature are to be found in the spiritual realms, but they are applied on a higher level and contain features that are non-existent in the lower kingdom.
Physical and spiritual counterparts[edit]
Because the basic principles and laws of existence run through the whole of creation, many of the physical phenomena we notice on this earth have counterparts in the spiritual realms.
Let us therefore examine some aspects of the soul in the light of these common principles. From the study of the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá it appears that the counterpart of the soul in this physical world is the embryo growing in the womb. We note many similarities between the two, and the knowledge of the one will lead to a limited understanding of the other.
We know that man’s physical body grows in the womb of the mother and acquires limbs and organs which are needed only after birth. The same principle applies to the spiritual realms. For the soul progresses in the womb of this world, acquiring spiritual qualities which are essential to its existence in the next life. The child in the womb of the mother and the soul in this life are indeed counterparts.
The soul can only acquire good qualities[edit]
We notice in the physical world that the embryo in the womb of the mother starts its life with one cell. With the passage of time the cell multiplies, limbs and organs come into existence, eventually the embryonic life comes to an end, and the child is born as a perfect being. Here we see the vast contrast between the first cell at the beginning and
| This article, “Insights into the Spiritualization of the Community,” by Adib Taherzadeh, a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Europe, is reprinted from the May-June 1984 issue of New Day, published by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the Republic of Ireland. |
its consummation at the time of birth.
The same phenomenon occurs with the soul. At its inception it is without experience, and its qualities and powers lie latent within it. As a result of its association with the body in this “womb-world,” its individuality develops and it later acquires spiritual qualities and divine attributes which it carries to the next world. But the soul cannot take with it bad qualities, for in fact these are but the lack of good qualities and do not exist, just as poverty is the lack of riches. If a man has lived an ungodly life, his soul is impoverished and can take only a small
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measure of goodness with it to the next
world.
From study of the Writings we gather that similar to this world, where there are degrees of existence such as the mineral, the vegetable, the animal and man—and even within each kingdom there are many divisions—in the spiritual worlds of God the souls of men will also progress on different levels depending on what good qualities they take with them to the next world.
Those on a lower level will not be able to understand those on a higher one. Here we see an example of how the same principle which operates in the physical world, namely the diversity of God’s creation, is also operative in the spiritual realms.
Where is the next world?[edit]
Another example is the principle that higher forms of life revolve around and depend upon the lower. In this physical world we observe that all living things derive their sustenance from the mineral world which is the lowest kingdom. In one of His Tablets, Bahá’u’lláh testifies that all the spiritual worlds revolve around this world. This indicates that the next world is not divorced from life in this world, but rather encompasses it. We see in nature that the child grows in the womb of the mother unable to discover that the world into which he is destined to be born is amazingly close to him. Only a thin barrier separates the two worlds. Again this principle applies in the spiritual realms. The soul will discover after its separation from the body how close the spiritual world has been to it. But as long as it is in this mortal abode, the next world and its grandeur are hidden from its eyes.
Bahá’u’lláh states in another of His Tablets that should the station destined for a true believer in the world beyond be revealed to the extent of a needle’s eye, every soul would expire in ecstasy! Just as the unborn child is incapable of discovering the vastness and beauty of this world, so the soul cannot discern the exalted domain of the spiritual world while on this earth.
The main purpose of man’s creation[edit]
What then is the purpose of the creation of man in the light of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation? “The purpose of God in creating man,” Bahá’u’lláh proclaims, “hath been, and will ever be, to enable him to know his Creator and to attain His Presence.” And this can be attained only through the recognition of His Manifestation. By turning to Him and receiving the outpourings of His glory, the soul becomes illuminated with the spirit of faith. It is not unlike the birth of a child. The child cannot come into existence without a father, and the soul cannot acquire the spirit of faith without the help of the Manifestation of God. The soul needs to recognize and establish a spiritual link with Him.
In this age the main purpose of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh is to illumine the human soul, endow it with the spirit of faith, and thereby create a new race of men. By turning to Bahá’u’lláh with devotion, by learning to love Him, by submitting itself to the influence of His Revelation, and by establishing spiritual communion with Him, the soul will become fertilized and will give birth to the spirit of faith. This is the ultimate and the most glorious destiny of the soul, the purpose for which it was created.
The spiritual food[edit]
When a person’s heart is touched by the love of Bahá’u’lláh and says, “I believe,” the spirit of faith is newly born in him. This is the “second birth” spoken of in the Gospels. Like a newborn babe which has to take food in order to grow, we have to take spiritual food to nourish our souls.
The spiritual food is the Word of God revealed by Bahá’u’lláh for this age. By reading His words, the spirit of faith will grow step by step and the believer will become steadfast in his faith, and assured and happy in his life. If he neglects this vital necessity, his faith will diminish in strength and he may even lose it altogether.
The first step toward spiritual growth[edit]
Like a mother who offers food to her child several times a day, Bahá’u’lláh has enjoined on His followers to read His words twice a day, in the morning and the evening, and states that those who do not read them are not faithful to the Covenant of God.
The reading of the words is not to be confused with the saying of prayers, which is a different matter altogether. The words of Bahá’u’lláh are contained in His Tablets and books. Their reading exerts the same influence upon the soul as food does on the body.
In the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, Bahá’u’lláh says that there is no merit in reading His words when one is tired. He says to read a few lines with a spirit of joy and fragrance is better than to read a whole book when depressed and weary. This
[Page 10]
commandment is very much in tune
with the laws of nature wherein a person eats his food only when he is hungry. Another similarity is that in nature one must eat food regularly every day.
To eat but once in a lifetime is not sufficient. It is the same with reading the
words of God, which is the food of the
spirit. To read the Holy Writings once
in a while is not enough. As ordained
by Bahá’u’lláh, an individual must, if
he is to grow spiritually, read His
words, which are recorded in His Tablets, twice each day.
Allow the power of the words to enter into our hearts[edit]
These words with all their vivifying force must then be allowed to penetrate into the heart, and to strengthen one’s faith. This penetration will take place when we are conscious that they are words which are charged with tremendous potency. Having read in the morning with this spirit, we can then commune with Bahá’u’lláh during the day at our work or wherever we may be and meditate on His words, so that like food which is absorbed in the body, these words may be absorbed in our hearts and souls. It is then that we will hunger for more reading of the words in the evening. If we do not, it is a sign that we have not allowed the words to penetrate into our hearts.
The second step[edit]
Allied with reading the Writings, and comparable to it in the influence it can exert upon one’s soul, is Bahá’u’lláh’s commandment of daily obligatory prayers. The obligatory prayer is different from other prayers in that it constitutes one of the major ordinances of Bahá’u’lláh, and there are certain rites associated with it including the turning toward the Qiblih when reciting it in the privacy of one’s own chamber. There are three obligatory prayers, and the individual may choose any of the three.
Bahá’u’lláh has attached utmost importance to this particular commandment; ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, in one of His Tablets, describes the obligatory prayer as “the very foundation of the Cause of God” and “the cause of spiritual life” for the individual. In another Tablet, He states that the observance of the ordinance of obligatory prayer is binding on all and no excuse is acceptable, except when a person is mentally deranged or is confronted by extraordinary circumstances.
It is impossible to draw nigh to Bahá’u’lláh without the daily observance of this important commandment.
Apart from obligatory prayers, which are enjoined on all believers, there are many prayers revealed by the Báb, Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá which are of a different nature, the recital of which does not constitute a religious rite. Their recital is voluntary and can be done whenever the indivi-
Like a tree which, if alive, stretches its branches and leaves toward the sun to absorb its life-giving rays, the soul of man, if illumined with the light of faith, yearns for God in prayer, loves to extol Him, and longs to commune with Him.
dual is moved to do so, either in private or in public.
The power of prayer[edit]
Prayer to become empty of self is a vital necessity for spiritual growth. Man’s natural link with God is through prayer. A prayer that is without desire can exert a potent influence upon the soul.
Through it, the channels of God’s grace will be opened and the outpouring of His bounties will refresh and invigorate the soul. Like a tree which, if alive, stretches its branches and leaves toward the sun to absorb its life-giving rays, the soul of man, if illumined with the light of faith, yearns for God in prayer, loves to extol Him, and longs to commune with Him. If not, prayer may become an act of lip service, devoid of joy and sincerity, and man’s heart will then be unable to receive the outpouring of God’s favors released in this day. A tree that is insensitive to the life-giving rays of the sun is dead, though the sun pours out its energies without ceasing. In the same way, the vivifying energies of God’s infinite love are diffused throughout the whole of creation; yet not until man turns his heart toward God in adoration can he become the recipient of these energies.
The power that can be generated in the heart of the believer, when he is freed from all desire and turns to God with songs of praise and glorification, is beyond the comprehension of man. Suffice it to say that many heroes of our Faith have derived their courage and steadfastness from this source. They have used the power of prayer to teach, and, as a result, have become worthy instruments to bring thousands under the shadow of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh.
The third step[edit]
Reading the words of Bahá’u’lláh, vital as it is, cannot be conducive to spiritual progress unless it is combined with service to the Cause. Should a person take food regularly and in abundance, but fail to move about and use his muscles every day, he soon would become an invalid. In the same way, reading the Writings must be accompanied by action. The greatest service to the Cause in this day is to teach the Faith as a daily obligation and to engage in building and consolidating local Spiritual Assemblies everywhere.
Teaching, which is the act of conveying the message of God to a soul, has been given a pre-eminent position in this Dispensation. Not only has Bahá’u’lláh enjoined upon every believer the duty of teaching His Cause, but He regards it as “the most meritorious of all deeds.” And ‘Abdu’l-Bahá has stated, “Of all the gifts of God the greatest is the gift of teaching. It draweth unto us the grace of God, and is our first obligation.” And again: “Teaching the Cause is of utmost importance for it is the head cornerstone of the foundation itself.”
The fourth step[edit]
The spiritual growth of the believer depends also upon pure and goodly deeds, and obedience to the laws and teachings of Bahá’u’lláh. To live the life in accordance with the teachings of God is the goal of every true Bahá’í. It is also a prerequisite of successful and effective teaching.
Bahá’u’lláh, in one of His Tablets, states: “God hath prescribed unto every one the duty of teaching His Cause. Whosoever ariseth to discharge this duty must needs, ere he proclaimeth His Message, adorn himself with the ornament of an upright and praiseworthy character, so that his words may attract the hearts of such as are receptive to his call. Without it, he can never hope to influence his hearers.”
This statement leaves no room for doubt, for Bahá’u’lláh says: “Without
[Page 11]
it (an upright and praiseworthy character), he can never hope to influence
his hearers.” The word “never” is emphatic, and rules out any other
method. In many other Tablets, Bahá’u’lláh has revealed similar statements.
The protection of one’s faith[edit]
We observe in nature that when a child is born, a most vital task then begins, and that is the rearing of the child and its protection, which calls for loving care and vigilance on the part of parents. It is the same with the spirit of faith. Once a person says, “I am a Bahá’í,” he must protect this most precious gift of faith, and enable it to grow steadily.
Reading the Holy Writings, and taking other steps mentioned in these pages, will put us on the highway toward spiritual progress, and bring us closer to Bahá’u’lláh.
The three great robbers of faith and spirituality[edit]
As we tread the path of spiritual progress we must be vigilant lest we are robbed of our faith by the forces of negation and ungodliness.
1. The first of these robbers is attachment to this world. The Bahá’í understanding of detachment is not to renounce the world and its affairs; however, anything that becomes a barrier between the believer and Bahá’u’lláh is attachment to this world. Love of one’s self is the most formidable of these barriers. The greatest enemy that man has is the passion of his own self and ego.
2. The second robber of one’s faith is bad company. Friendship with the ungodly may endanger or destroy one’s faith. This is Bahá’u’lláh’s ominous warning:
“O Son of Dust! Beware! Walk not with the ungodly and seek not fellowship with him, for such companionship turneth the radiance of the heart into infernal fire.” The word “ungodly” should not be misunderstood. An ungodly person may profess belief in God, while many who regard themselves as agnostics or atheists may not in reality be ungodly.
In contrast to this, we receive spiritual upliftment when we come in contact with someone who is on fire with the love of Bahá’u’lláh. The very company of such a person increases one’s faith in God. Bahá’u’lláh says in The Hidden Words: “... He that seeketh to commune with God, let him betake himself to the companionship of His loved ones; and he that desireth to hearken unto the word of God, let him give ear to the words of His chosen ones.”
3. The third enemy is gossip and backbiting. To find fault in others and speak of it will undermine the very foundation of our faith in Bahá’u’lláh. He counsels us in these words: “O Emigrants! The tongue I have designed for the mention of Me, defile it not with detraction. If the fire of self overcome you, remember your own faults and not the faults of My creatures, inasmuch as every one of you knoweth his own self better than he knoweth others.”
A summary of practical suggestions[edit]
In conclusion, let us summarize some of the points already mentioned. The four steps which are vital in our lives are:
- The regular reading of the Writings twice a day. This is an act of devotion to God. To miss reading either in the morning or evening is like missing one’s food.
- There are many Writings of Bahá’u’lláh available in English. The Gleanings, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, and The Hidden Words are a few examples. The latter is “a marvelous collection of gem-like utterances” by Him.
- Let us remember that if one misses reading the words of Bahá’u’lláh in the morning due to lack of time and haste, it is easy to take a book to one’s work, and if circumstances permit, to read a few passages there so as not to miss one’s spiritual food.
- Reading the words every morning and evening is, as we said, an act of devotion to God. The study of the Writings, however, is somewhat different from this act of devotion. We must study the Writings and the history of the Faith in order to deepen our understanding of it. This can be done anytime during the day or night. There are now some marvelous collections available, prepared by the Universal House of Justice. The following are particularly recommended for study: “The Power of Divine Assistance,” “Excellence in All Things,” “Family Life,” and “The Gift of Teaching.”
- The recital of one of the three daily obligatory prayers.
- Teaching the Cause of God by giving the message of Bahá’u’lláh to others, by making friends and inviting them to regular firesides, by travel-teaching, and by praying to be led to receptive souls.
- Indeed, the best way to attract people to the Cause of God, and infinitely more effective than any campaign of publicity, is to pray earnestly to be led to receptive souls. Should there be sincerity and perseverance on the part of the Bahá’í teacher, there is no doubt that, as promised by the Founders of our Faith, his prayers will be answered and many pure souls will be led to the Fountain of Truth.
- And last, but not least, living the life as a true Bahá’í.
Conclusion[edit]
If the individual who has recognized the Station of Bahá’u’lláh perseveres in reading the Word of God in the morning and evening every day, if he opens his heart to the influences of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, if he recites the obligatory prayers in the manner ordained by Him, if he associates with devoted Bahá’ís who are on fire with the Faith and eschews fellowship with the ungodly, and if he arises to serve to the best of his ability the Cause of God, then his love for Bahá’u’lláh will increase day by day and he will be assisted from on high to grow in spirituality and faith.—Adib Taherzadeh
The world[edit]
Germany proclaims message of peace[edit]
Increased activity by Spiritual Assemblies in Germany in connection with the International Year of Peace has led to a number of large and successful public gatherings in several major cities.
About 300 people attended a symposium on “Peace Through a New Consciousness” sponsored in Mannheim by the Bahá’í Club at the local university. A panel of distinguished speakers took part including the head of the faculty of social work at Heidelberg, a cultural editor for German television, and a political journalist.
In Dieburg, the Spiritual Assembly sponsored a public meeting attended by about 200 people whose theme was “World Peace—More Than Hope?”
The mayor of Dieburg, who opened the meeting, introduced the principles of the Faith to the audience. Two Bahá’í speakers, Huschmand Sabet and Dr. Ingo Hofmann, were teamed with other illustrious participants including a physicist from Darmstadt University and a member of the German Federal Parliament.
In Wiesbaden, a meeting to commemorate Human Rights Day was held at a concert hall with about 280 attending. The session was opened by Auxiliary Board member Ingo Hofmann.
A member of the city council delivered a message on behalf of the lord mayor of Wiesbaden, praising the Bahá’ís for their example of working for human rights while renouncing the use of violence. A former judge of the Federal Supreme Court of Germany offered a plea for an international court of justice; Mrs. Otti Kafer, a representative of the Bahá’í International Community in Geneva, Switzerland, spoke about the UN’s attempts to solve grievances in the world; and Bahá’í Huschmand Sabet described the need for a new World Order.
A newspaper in Dormagen carried an article reporting on a public meeting held last December in that city which was sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Dormagen, while another paper, this one in Hofheim, reported on the presentation of the peace statement to the UN Secretary-General.
Swaziland[edit]
Prince Kuzulwandle of Swaziland accepts a copy of the peace statement on behalf of the Queen from the chairman of that country’s National Spiritual Assembly before an audience of about 5,000 during the national celebration last October 24 of United Nations Day.
Ivory Coast[edit]
In Felguessi, a village in Ivory Coast where, until recently, most of the Bahá’ís were men, 17 women have embraced the Faith.
Felguessi has been chosen by the National Spiritual Assembly’s Development Committee as the site of a development project. Its active local Spiritual Assembly, less than a year old, provides a solid base for the first such project undertaken by the Bahá’ís in Ivory Coast.
After beginning with deepening in the teachings of the Faith, the project will encompass hygiene and nutritional education, literacy programs for adults and schooling for children, agricultural instruction, and general improvement in the quality of life, that is, teaching the villagers to solve their daily problems by seeking local solutions. Help is being solicited from all interested Bahá’ís in Ivory Coast.
Sweden[edit]
Pictured are children who attended the 1984-85 Bahá’í Winter School in Enköping, Sweden.
Belize[edit]
The deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs of Belize (second from left) receives a copy of the Universal House of Justice’s peace statement from Bernice Yorke, vice-chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of Belize. Also present at the ceremony last October 24, United Nations Day, were Erick Wilson (left), chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly, and Counsellor Hidayatu’lláh Ahmadíyyih.
Malawi[edit]
To commemorate United Nations Day, the National Spiritual Assembly of Malawi sent a copy of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s “Prayer for Mankind” to every District Commissioner in the country and to the United Nations’ resident representative. The prayer was published in the Daily Times of Malawi.
It truly was a day of unity as prayer meetings were held in Blantyre and Anganjani Village, attended by Bahá’ís and members of other religions including Christians, Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs.
The National Spiritual Assembly of Malawi is developing a corps of “messengers,” Bahá’ís trained at two-day institutes to visit local Assemblies in their own areas.
The “messenger” delivers a message from the National Assembly, and the local Assembly is urged to reply. Messengers are used to publicize such events as deepenings and conferences.
Falkland Islands[edit]
G.W. Jewkes (center), governor of the Falkland Islands, receives a copy of ‘The Promise of World Peace’ from Falkland Island Bahá’í Montana Short and Catherine Watson, an American pioneer to the Falklands. The presentation was made last December 6 at Government House in Stanley. The governor, who came to the Falklands in October 1985 from the British Embassy in Chicago, mentioned that he and his family had visited the Bahá’í, House of Worship in Wilmette a number of times.
Finland[edit]
Owing to a recent change in the law, lowering to three the minimum number of children constituting a “religious minority” to which instruction in their own religion must be offered, the Bahá’í Faith has become a part of the official school curriculum in government schools in Angeli (Lappland), Naantali and Salo, Finland.
A newspaper in Salo conducted an interview with a local teacher on innovations for the new school year, the first item being that of the Faith, which was identified as a “monotheistic faith” now being taught in the “Keskustan Ala’Aste” school.
United Kingdom[edit]
For the first time in 21 years, the United Kingdom’s Bahá’í Summer School was held in Northern Ireland, with the 1985 session at Eniskillen.
Among those at the school, whose theme was “And I Saw a New Earth,” were Counsellor Betty Reed, members of the National Spiritual Assemblies of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, visitors from the World Centre, and Bahá’ís from as far away as Canada and Australia.
Marshall Islands[edit]
Shown here are some of the youth who participated in a National Bahá’í Youth Conference held January 3-5 in Majuro, Marshall Islands. More than 30 young people attended the conference, which began with a potluck dinner for more than 200 children, youth and adults. One of the speakers was Virginia Breaks, a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for the Caroline Islands, whose topic was the history of the Faith. Already, the various groups of youth who attended the conference have decided to undertake joint activities and to become more involved in teaching the Faith.
Nigeria[edit]
Shown is the office staff at the Bahá’í National Centre in Lagos, Nigeria. The six workers represent the Yoruba, Igbo and Ibibio tribes. The man at the far right is the only full-time Assistant on duty at the National Centre; the others are part-time volunteers, mostly youth. Those who are students travel twice a week to the Centre to contribute their time and talents.
Luxembourg[edit]
Members of the Bahá’í Youth Committee of Luxembourg took part last October in an International Youth Year festival sponsored by a government commission in Diekirch.
The Bahá’ís, one of 20 groups in the festival, mounted a display board depicting their social and economic development project in Western Africa, “Youth Help Youth,” as well as other Bahá’í-sponsored development projects throughout the world in education, communications, agriculture, health care and social life. The display attracted considerable interest and many favorable comments from visitors.
Income from a refreshment stand run by Bahá’í youth was donated to help construction of a school in Africa. In the audio-visual hall, the film “Bahá’í Education in India” was shown many times.
Alaska[edit]
Bill Sheffield (center), the governor of Alaska, accepts a copy of ‘The Promise of World Peace’ from two members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Alaska, Rebecca Murphy and Robert Putnam. The presentation was made last October.
Portugal[edit]
Pictured are some of the 90 Bahá’ís and their children who attended a Bahá’í Winter School last December 26-29 in Sao Domingos de Rama, Carcavelos, Portugal. The school’s theme, ‘World Peace,’ was based on the peace statement by the Universal House of Justice, which was broken into sections and studied in depth with the help of Auxiliary Board member Fernando Mesquita.
Guyana[edit]
The National Spiritual Assembly of Guyana reports that the community has exceeded its goal of 3,000 enrollments, thus attaining a membership of two percent of the population.
The success was due mainly to the efforts of local believers, since the arrival of international traveling teachers was delayed.
The rallying cry of “We cannot fail them” is fortifying teaching teams moving along the Essequibo Coast and Essequibo Islands in Guyana who are trying to reach the 3,475 new believers in those areas.
From there, the teams will travel to other local communities where the largest number of new believers lives, to help the Assemblies plan deepening activities.
Cyprus[edit]
The once-isolated group of Bahá’ís in Limassol, Cyprus, has become a strong re-formed Assembly and a community uniting members of seven nationalities with equal numbers of children and adults.
The now-thriving community includes Persian, Bulgarian, British, Iraqi, Irish, American and Canadian families.
Puerto Rico[edit]
‘Reporters’ (left to right) K. Dean Stephens, Brett Smith and Brad Pokorny ask questions at a mock press conference during a workshop on ‘The Use of the Press’ which was part of a media training course held last August 31-September 2 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The course was co-sponsored by CIRBAL’s Amoz Gibson Training Centre and the Spiritual Assembly of Puerto Rico. Fifty-four students including five members of the Spiritual Assembly of Puerto Rico attended.
Austria[edit]
A late-night radio broadcaster in Vienna, Austria, recently dedicated an entire program to the Bahá’ís, calling them “probably the most peaceful religious community that exists.” He then played songs from the Dawnbreakers’ album, “Mein Freund,” and presented an introduction to the Faith.
The program and its dedication came as a complete surprise to the local Bahá’ís.
Burkina[edit]
The Spiritual Assembly of Sarh, Burkina Faso, held a regional teaching conference last December that was very inspiring for the 80 people who attended.
Auxiliary Board member Gnampa Noufou and members of the National Spiritual Assembly and National Teaching Committee helped organize the conference and the 10 days of teaching that followed.
During one of those teaching trips, an entire village embraced the Faith. An elderly chief, gravely ill, insisted that a meeting be held in his presence, although he was lying down. He listened carefully to the Message, and afterward declared that “anyone endowed with reason cannot hesitate to accept this religion.”
St. Lucia[edit]
The Bahá’ís of St. Lucia were one of only three groups allowed to make presentations to the Queen of England during her recent visit to that country.
Moses Henry, secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of St. Lucia, was invited aboard the royal yacht Britannia where he presented to a representative of the Queen a beautifully bound edition of The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh, wrapped in white silk.
The Assembly later received a letter of thanks and appreciation from the Queen.
Bermuda[edit]
The governor of Bermuda signed the Act of Incorporation last August 12 for the National Spiritual Assembly of that country, thus completing an important goal of the Seven Year Plan and bringing the number of incorporated National Spiritual Assemblies worldwide to 111.
Kenya[edit]
During one week last August, teaching projects in the Bungoma and Embu districts of Kenya brought 535 new believers into the Faith.
Twenty lapsed Assemblies were reformed in Bungoma and seven new Assemblies were established in Embu.
Hawaii[edit]
On January 16, U.S. Sen. Spark Matsunaga (second from right) was presented copies of ‘The Promise of World Peace’ and the 1986 Bahá’í history calendar published by the National Spiritual Assembly of Hawaii to commemorate the United Nations International Year of Peace. Making the presentation were (left to right) Bruce Dusseault, assistant treasurer of the National Spiritual Assembly of Hawaii; Frederick Labib-Wood, treasurer of the National Assembly; and Irene Chung of the Bahá’í community of Koolaupoko.
On January 30, Mayor Frank Faisi of
Honolulu, Hawaii (second from right)
received a copy of ‘The Promise of
World Peace’ and the 1986 Bahá’í calendar, which is devoted to the peace message, from a three-member delegation of Bahá’ís from Honolulu. Pictured with the mayor are (left to right)
James Wada, Nathelle Judd and Momi
Williams.
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