In Memoriam 1992-1997/Leonor Porras

LEONOR PORRAS

1905—1996

Leonor Porras was born on January 22, 1905, in Bogota, Colombia. Between the years 1930 and 1940 she, together with Miss Ines Sarmiento, operated a school for young boys and girls. She learned of the Faith through Mrs. Aura de Sainchez,I77 a mother of children attending her school who happened to be the first Colombian Bahá’í. Leonor declared her belief in Baha’u’llah in 1943.

Recognizing the import of the Message, she wanted to share it with parents and students, but she had to be very discreet. At the time Catholicism was the only official religion, and it was dangerous to speak of any other. Someone who heard her seize an opportunity to teach went to the parish priest, threatening to have her school closed. The priest then asked Leonor what it was that she taught the children in religion Class. With great dignity, seriousness, and

'77 See “In Memoriam," 7/18 B(I/Jci'z’ World, vol. XX, PP- 858739 [Page 287]IN MEMORIAM 1992—1 997

Leonor Forms

confidence, she told him that at no time would she violate the norms established by the Ministry of Education; that her purpose was to guide and transmit to her students the sciences, the arts, and morality; and that they were well informed of the prestige of her institution. She explained that, if asked, she had no intention ofdenying that she was a Bahá’í. When pressed about the matter of teaching a religion besides the Catholic faith, she answered that she always taught high moral standards and principles and proper behavior, being conscious that she was responsible for training youth who were worthy and decent and good future citizens. From that time she was never bothered again.

She was a member of the first Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’í’s Of Bogota, which formed in 1943. Over the years she was constant and firm in teaching and deepening others, often taking the initiative to guide and counsel seekers and new believers, attracting them to a deeper understanding of the teachings. On February 21,

287

1959, she officiated the first Bahá’í wedding ceremony in Colombia, and with great sensitivity and respect, she instructed the couple on the significance and implications of Bahá’í marriage. She was later asked by the Assembly to conduct deepening classes for the friends. Through these classes she became better grounded in her understanding of the administrative order.

At the end of the 19505 she moved to the city of Manizales to assist in forming the Local Spiritual Assembly there, helping to guarantee the number ofAssemblies required for the election of the first National Assembly of Colombia in 1961. She was elected to the National Assembly, and as one of its members she participated in the election of the first Universal House of Justice and attended the first World Congress in 1963.

Toward the end of the 19605 she sold the school to dedicate herself completely to the service of the Faith, serving briefly as an Auxiliary Board member. She spent a year in Venezuela, where she taught titelessly. Later she moved to Jamundi in the Department OfValle del Cauca, Colombia. In Jamundi she taught the Faith and supported national conferences, institutes, training workshops, and gatherings of youth, pre—youth, and Children. She was happy and blessed to have received encouragement and guidance from Dr. Farzam Arbab, and she was motivated to teach wherever she was needed.

Leonor mirrored the qualities of teetitude, integrity, seriousness, and deep love for the Faith. Her great desire was to transmit the grandeur of the Cause. She promoted the respect of the friends for each other, emphasizing, for example, the punctual start ofmeetings. Although some characterized her as being strict, she had a refined sense of humor that brightened the meetings.

[Page 288]288 THE BAHA’I’ WORLD

She was an excellent friend and confidant, one who could be trusted without reservation. On many occasions the friends asked her for advice, and she was very receptive and insightful, clear in her arguments.

Her health gradually deteriorated, but in spite of this she maintained herself in high spirits. Her loyalty, firmness in the Covenant, and humility were reflected throughout her life. For example, a few months before her death, while she was confined to her home, she asked a visiting youth to study a Bahá’í book with her. She felt that she had the temperament ofa “general” and thought that the study would help her to improve her character.

On February 21, 1996, her soul ascended to the Abhá realm at the age of ninety—one. She died at her homefront pioneering post in Jamundi, having donated all her belongings to the Cause. On February 23 the Universal House of Justice wrote:

LAMENT LOSS OUTSTANDING EARLY COLOMBIAN BELIEVER WARM-HEARTED, MUCH-LOVED MAIDSERVANT FAITH LEONOR PORRAS. HER NOTABLE RECORD OF SERVICE OVER FIVE DECADES LOVINGLY REMEMBERED. PRESENT FUTURE GENERATIONS COLOMBIAN BAHA‘I’S OWE DEBT OF GRATITUDE HER EXEMPLARY STEADFASTNESS ESPECIALLY DURING FIRST DECADES DEVELOPMENT THAT COMMUNITY. URGE HOLD MEMORIAL MEETINGS MAJOR CENTRES. OFFERING FERVENT PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES FOR PROGRESS HER LUMINOUS SOUL ABHA KINGDOM.