Bahá’í World/Volume 20/Rufino Gualavisi Farinango
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RUFINO GUALAVIST FARINANGO
1905—1990
UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE DEAR RUFINO GUALAVISI TREASURED MASS TEACHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF ECUADOR PASSED ABHA KINGDOM MARCH 23. REQUEST YOUR PRAYERS FOR THE PROGRESS OF HIS SOUL. NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHA’lS OF ECUADOR
The renowned indigenous Bahá’í teacher, Rufino Gualavisi Farinango, passed away on 23 March 1990 in Otavalo, Ecuador. His wife, Alejandrina de Gualavisi, was with him, and pioneers Ralph Dexter and Nooshin Burwell were at his bedside praying softly and continuously the Greatest Name as he winged his flight toward his Beloved Baha’u’llah.
Rufino was without a doubt one of Baha’u’llah’s most radiant, audacious, yet humble, and persevering teachers. He taught
the Faith to thousands of country folk, and he helped to open up many difficult areas throughout Ecuador.
He had been taught the Faith by Counsellor Rafil Pavon, who later related how Rufino suffered in some areas from the hands of the people he went to teach, and how in one Village they beat him until he was unconscious and left him for dead. Rafil said when he tried to encourage Rufino to return to that Village, Rufino feared being killed, but after a year he found strength and courage to return. To his surprise the people came running to greet him and wanted to know where he had been and Why he had not returned to tell them more about the Faith. On this trip the whole Village accepted the Faith and treated him royally.
On another occasion Rufino and the renowned Bahá’í teacher, Teresa J ara, were imprisoned because the police suspected they were communists. The police brought him to Quito and put him in prison. They finally said he could go free if he paid a small fine, but Rufino said he was innocent of wrongdoing and would not pay anything. When the National Assembly heard that he was incarcerated, they sent a commission to get him out of j ail. The commission was successful in obtaining his release, but Rufino had already charmed the guards and the prisoners by telling them about the Bahá’í Faith and reading prayers to them. The prisoners asked him if he could stay longer and teach them some more prayers and he was allowed to stay two more days!
When he left prison he went directly to the home of the Auxiliary Board member in Quito smiling and as happy as he could be. A number of friends present gathered around him to listen to his account of his experiences during the previous ten days. All were awed, for they had only heard of the martyrs being happy in prison!
Almost everyone who met Rufino felt he was “special” because he was so courteous, considerate, and kind, and the pioneers and Visiting teachers felt that it was a privilege to
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go on a teaching trip with him. He seemed never to get tired and would laugh at the younger teachers who could not keep up with his pace. It would take a book just to mention the highlights of his teaching activities as a Bahá’í!
It was announced in August 1970, at the Continental Conference in La Paz, Bolivia, that Rufino, among others, had been made an Auxiliary Board Member for Propagation. The next day, the President of Bolivia graciously invited the Bahá’ís who were still in the city to the Presidential palace. A large number of friends, led by the Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l—Baha Rúḥíyyih Khánum, were warmly received by the President. Among the indigenous believers who went forward to greet him personally was Rufino. It is doubtful if anyone could hear what Rufino said to the President because he spoke so softly, but everyone could see his radiant face and the happy smile of the President who, after listening to Rufino’s words, lifted him up from the floor in a warm embrace and kissed him on both cheeks. He later said he thanked the President for his kindness.
Rufino seemed to have had all of the qualities which the beloved Guardian said a Bahá’í teacher should have—and his love for Baha’u’llah and His prayers knew no bounds. The Hand of the Cause of God Dr. Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir and Rufino adored each other. On one of his Visits Dr. Muhájir began calling Rufino “Samandari.” He said Rufino reminded him so much of the beloved Hand of the Cause Tarazu’llah Samandari, both in spirit and stature, and he was sure that the Hand of the Cause would not mind if he gave a Bahá’í like Rufino his name. He said he felt sure that if Mr. Samandari had the opportunity and the strength, 'he would have been in the countryside helping Rufino to teach!
From that time on, whenever he arrived in the country, Dr. Muhájir would always ask about his “Samandari.” On one of his Visits, he said that a statue of Rufino should be made
THE BAHA’l WORLD
and placed at the Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum Institute in Otavalo as a symbol of the indigenous teacher. The night before Dr. Muhájir passed away, the members of the Continental Board of Counsellors, the Auxiliary Boards, and the National Spiritual Assembly of Ecuador were convened by the Hand of the Cause for a meeting in Quito. Rufino arrived last and Dr. Muhájir beckoned to him and said “Come and sit beside me, Samandari.” Then he said to everyone present, “I want you to have a statue made of Rufino.”
When Rufino was sent by the National Assembly to open up the province of Loja where the Saraguro Indians live, he found them very receptive, and two of the more outstanding ones wrote a letter to Raul Pavon, whom they had met, saying:
We have heard the Message brought by
our brother Rufino and it has filled our
hearts with joy to hear that the Glory of the Father, our Redeemer of the World, who is Baha’u’llah, has arrived.
During the last few years of his life, Rufino suffered from dizziness and was unable to function to the extent he had been accustomed to. This caused him great anxiety and frustration. Finally, he passed to the Abhá Kingdom on 23 March 1990. His body was interred in the beautiful Remembrance Park cemetery in Quito, Ecuador, in a plot adjoining the resting place of the Hand of the Cause of God Dr. Muhájir. He was survived by his wife and three children.
When the Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l—Baha Rúḥíyyih _I§_hénum learned of his death, she wrote the following historic reminiscences of him to the National Assembly of Ecuador on 9 April 1990:
My dear Bahá’í Friends:
The news of the passing of dear Rufino Gualavisi brought back many memories, and I decided not to cable your National Spiritual Assembly but rather to write you this letter in more detail. I have known him since I first went to Ecuador in 1968
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IN MEMORIAM 967
When I Visited the Bahá’ís in the Otavalo area, and later had the opportunity to be with him at the Convention in Quito in 1970. I remember on that occasion, when at times the consultation had a tendency to be rather heated (there had been a certain amount of inharmony at that period in the community) and invariably Rufino, who was a delegate, rose to his feet and suggested we have a prayer. It put the lid on all the emotions, everything quieted down and it did a great deal to help the situation.
I can also remember Visiting his home in the mountains above Otavalo; I was going to go on a trip in the area and his wife strongly objected to his being absent so long from his fields and his flocks and leaving all the work to her. You remember what a gentle soul Rufino was, but I clearly recall how he seemed to agree very sweetly with all her remarks, but when I left, he was one of my party! He sneaked away and accompanied me wherever I was going!
Another of my very happy memories of him was when the Bahá’ís of Ecuador arrived by bus in Cuzco, Peru, to attend the indigenous conference which took place there at the end of the Green Light Expedition. 1 can hear myself shouting “Rufino! Rufino! Rufino!” when I saw him get off the bus!
He was a small person but a very precious package. I can see him sitting With other Quechua-speaking Bahá’ís trying to work out the possibility of a common Quechua publication that could be understood by the Quechua-speaking Bahá’ís of Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. Truly he was a heavenly soul and I am sure is associating now happily with other heavenly souls in the Abhá Kingdom—but I miss him. X
The best memorial to Rufino’s memory is to encourage the Bahá’ís in the Otavalo area to retrace his footsteps and bring back into the Faith some of the many hundreds who embraced it owing to his
’5’ 3
and other Quechua Baha is teaching
Rufino Gualavisz' Farinango
work. He should be remembered in deeds, not words. After all, Bahá’u’lláh Himself says, “Let deeds, not words, be your adorning.” Wishing you all every success
in your teaching activities, With most loving Bahá’í greetings, (signed) Rúḥíyyih
After Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Ehénum had addressed the convention of 1970 in Quito, which she mentions in her letter, Rufino, who was noticeably moved, asked if he might speak for a moment. His request was granted, and he arose so tranquil and radiant and recited a beautiful poem which he had composed, after his prayer during the consultation, for his beloved Hand of the Cause of God.
Rdhz’yyih [Lhdnum has brought us light and understanding
We must welcome this mysterious unfathomable message of God and Bahá’u’lláh. Divine Wisdom, Mother and Queen Ofthe entire world Amaz‘u ’I—Bahd Rúḥíyyih fldnum/I
1 Free translation of the poem by Helen Homby.
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In honour of the dearly beloved Rufino, on 27 March 1990 the Universal House of Justice telexed this exalted condolence:
DEEPLY SADDENED NEWS PASSING OUTSTANDING SACRIFICIAL TEACHER CAUSE GOD RUFINO GUALAVISI. HIS NOBLE QUALITIES, HIS LOVING NATURE, HIS IMMENSE SERVICES INDIGENOUS MASSES NATIVE LAND NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN AND WORTHY SOURCE PRIDE YOUR COMMUNITY. URGE HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL MEETINGS HIS BLESSED MEMORY THROUGHOUT COUNTRY. ASSURE FERVENT PRAYERS HOLY THRESHOLD FOR PROGRESS HIS RADIANT SOUL KINGDOM ON HIGH. KINDLY EXTEND HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
HELEN HORNBY