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‘Master Plan’ to mark ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to U.S.

1987 marks the 75th anniversary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s historic visit to North America which took place from April 11-December 5, 1912.

Along with His travels to Egypt and to Europe, the Master’s journey to America represents, in the words of the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, “a turning point of the utmost significance in the history of the century.”

“Never in the entire range of religious history,” the Guardian asserts, “had any Figure of comparable stature arisen to perform a labor of such magnitude and imperishable worth.”

“‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s journeys to the West, and particularly His eight-month tour of the United States of America, may be said to have marked the culmination of His ministry. ...”

Exciting plans are under way to commemorate this occasion. Foremost among them is “the Master Plan” written and spearheaded by the Hand of the Cause of God William Sears.

The focus of that plan is a spectacular national tribute to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá during the annual Souvenir Picnic to be held Saturday, June 27, at the Evergreen Cabin in West Englewood, New Jersey, the site of the Master’s first memorable Souvenir Picnic in 1912.

Complementing this event will be hundreds of picnics held simultaneously across North America. This event will present an opportunity to proclaim the Faith in a voice that has not been heard since ‘Abdu’l-Bahá visited this country in 1912.

Communities should start now to reserve parks and invite special speakers to these locally-held Souvenir Picnics.

In his “Master Plan,” Mr. Sears shares the significance of this marvelous event:

“The beloved Master served the friends with His own hands. He told us that this very annual Souvenir Picnic would be forever associated with His name and His visit to America...”

See ‘MASTER PLAN’ page 4

‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to America 75th Diamond Jubilee

The American Bahá’í

‘The real treasury of man is his knowledge.’—Bahá’u’lláh

Volume 18, No. 1 — January 1987

Local plans show deep commitment

Between June and September, nearly 300 communities responded to the National Spiritual Assembly’s request for a copy of their goals for the Six Year Plan.

The National Spiritual Assembly and Continental Counselors used the information, along with recommendations from district “Town Meetings,” to formulate the national Six Year Plan.

From Flagstaff, Arizona, to Portland, Maine, from Bellingham, Washington, to Washington, D.C., and from Hollywood, Florida, to San Francisco, California, community plans reflected new and greater levels of initiative and commitment to teaching the Faith, strengthening Bahá’í community life, and serving humanity.

The following is an overview of how Bahá’í communities across the country have arisen to plan ways in which to fulfill the major goals of the Plan.

Goal No. 1: Carry the Message of Bahá’u’lláh to mankind

Almost all of the plans submitted contain goals that relate to increasing community membership, adopting an extension teaching goal, proclaiming the Faith through the media and, in the case of Groups, achieving Assembly status.

Whereas in past plans such goals were the primary focus of local activity, and often represented the limits of a community’s expansion efforts, many now regard these goals as basic starting points from which to develop more creative and dynamic methods of carrying the Message of Bahá’u’lláh to the public. This is especially true of efforts to reach minority groups within the greater community.

Goal No. 2: Involve the Faith in the life of society

For many communities, this objective goes hand in hand with Goal No. 1. Community goals demonstrate an understanding that involving the Faith in the life of society is a major way in which to carry the Message of Bahá’u’lláh to humanity.

The plans also reflect a consciousness of the need to improve consultation skills and to better apply the principle of the equality of the sexes.

In addition, the peace statement has opened many doors into the general life of society for Bahá’í

See GOALS page 2

Members of the Continental Board of Counselors in the Americas met November 12-16 at the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, with newly appointed members of the Auxiliary Boards to discuss ways in which to help win the goals of the Six Year Plan. Both institutions also met that weekend with the Hand of the Cause of God William Sears and the National Spiritual Assembly and attended the funeral and memorial service for the Hand of the Cause Zikrullah Khadem.

New electoral system boosts attendance, unity

“Unified,” “enjoyable,” “friendly” ... these are some of the words used to describe this year’s District Conventions that are found over and over again in convention reports received at the Bahá’í National Center since the conventions were held in October.

The reports indicate that the new electoral units used for the conventions were well received, although some people missed seeing friends who are now part of a different unit.

A report from New York State said their smaller unit was “wonderful. ...The change fostered a real sense of unity for the district.”

From California came a report that the participants had “a very positive attitude about the redistricting” and felt they would have more of an opportunity for input.

In several areas the new units led to a dramatic increase in convention participation. In Mainland Michigan, for example, 157 adults voted in person last year, whereas this year, with the district divided into three units, total attendance increased to 285.

Similarly, attendance rose from 22 to 43 in Eastern South Carolina No. 1, from 370 to 497 in Central California No. 1, and from 486 to 636 in Southern California No. 1.

In 40 units, more than 40 per cent of the adult Bahá’ís with known addresses voted. The 10 units with the most outstanding records for voter participation were:

W Colorado, 60 per cent; NW Washington-C (E King County), 55 per cent; Vermont, 55 per cent; Maine, 50 per cent; W New York-A (W NY), 50 per cent.

SE Colorado, 49 per cent; W New York-B (Central NY), 48 per cent; N Illinois No. 2-B (NE Cook County), 48 per cent; S California No. 4-A (N San Diego County), 48 per cent; N Idaho/E Washing-

See DISTRICTS page 4

Area Persian/American Committees hold 1st conference at National Center

The weekend of November 13-16 witnessed a number of substantive and important events for the Faith in the Wilmette area, among which was the first Area Persian/American Affairs Committee (APAAC) Conference at the Bahá’í National Center.

Simultaneously, the National Spiritual Assembly was meeting with members of the Continental Board of Counselors in the Americas and the newly appointed Auxiliary Board members while the National Teaching Committee, National Race Unity Committee and others were meeting either at the Bahá’í House of Worship or at the National Center.

It should be pointed out that the Area Persian/American Affairs Committees’ mandate is to help the local Persian/American Affairs Committee integrate Iranian Bahá’ís into the mainstream of the American Bahá’í community.

Fifteen such Area Committees have been formed in areas where there are large concentrations of

See APAACs page 26

The Six Year Plan

Inside you will find a special insert—your personal copy of the goals of the Six Year Plan for the American Bahá’í Community. Please remove it and keep it safe for careful study and reference throughout the Plan. The goals are the fruits of many months of consultation at the local and national levels, including your input from local plans and district town meetings. The goals were approved by the Universal House of Justice and returned to the National Spiritual Assembly on November 11, 1986. [Page 2]communities, and the expressed goals indicate a commitment to capitalize on this public recognition.

Goal No. 3: Increase the distribution and use of Bahá’í literature

Most of the local goals for this objective involve upgrading the selection of Bahá’í books in community and public libraries. With the increasing involvement of the Faith in peace-related issues, many communities are reassessing and updating the Bahá’í titles in libraries to ensure that potential readers have current information about the Faith.

Goal No. 4: Accelerate the development of local and national communities

The evolving nature of Bahá’í administration and community development is mirrored in the goals being set by communities for this objective.

To Groups, it implies achieving Assembly status; to smaller communities, it involves maintaining the Assembly and striving for incorporation.

Larger communities see the achievement of this goal as acquiring or maintaining a Bahá’í Center. Regardless of community size, it has inspired goals related to supporting the Fund, improving the quality of the Nineteen Day Feast, and learning more about how to work together as a Bahá’í community.

Goal No. 5: Strive for universal participation and the spiritual enrichment of individual believers

The community goals reported for this objective go beyond the basic need to deepen the friends' understanding of the Faith. They reflect a growing appreciation of diversity and a willingness to take positive steps to reach out and embrace all within the community. They also reflect a movement toward making the practice of dawn prayers a distinctive part of community life.

Goal No. 6: Educate children and youth, and strengthen Bahá’í family life

This objective was given a high priority in the majority of the community plans. Communities have come to realize that developing a strong sense of Bahá’í identity among children, youth and families is essential if Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings are to demonstrate a transforming effect on humanity.

Goal No. 7: Conduct social and economic development projects

The large number of social and economic development goals set forth in the local plans is another indication of the changing nature of Bahá’í community life.

No longer are Bahá’í communities concerned solely with the expansion and consolidation of the Faith. More and more local Spiritual Assemblies and Groups are reaching out to be of service to the greater society around them.

Communities that submitted copies of their plans to the National Spiritual Assembly received an acknowledgement encouraging them to proceed with the accomplishment of the goals they had set. The National Assembly deeply appreciates the cooperation of these communities and is confident that the spirit of enthusiasm and determination exhibited by them in their goal-setting will result in great victories for the American Bahá’í community during the Six Year Plan.

Notice to travelers

Bahá’ís traveling outside the U.S., please contact the International Goals Committee, c/o Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091 (phone 312-869-9039). Two months' notice is desirable.

VIEWPOINT

I was raised in Sacramento, California, by loving parents who considered themselves non-practicing Christians. They never went to church and seldom talked about religion; but if asked, they would say that they were Christians, lived honest, moral lives, and expected their children to do the same.

In general, the only thoughts I had about religion during the first 15 years of my life concerned how other kids had to waste Sundays at church while I was free to play.

In high school, this changed. My best friend, who had been raised much as I had, talked me into playing basketball on a church-sponsored team. Neither of us was interested in religion, but we were interested in basketball so we began to go to church in order to be on the team.

Once I was accidentally started down this religious road I found that I liked it, and started developing the spiritual side of my character.

I had always been a sensitive child, concerned with justice and the pain of inequality, and religion provided a structure that helped me to develop this aspect of my personality.

I started college as an engineering student but it wasn't long before I decided that what I really wanted to do was study to become a minister, and so I changed my major accordingly.

But a confrontation quickly developed. In college they were teaching evolution, which seemed to me to be perfectly compatible with Christianity.

Evolution, I felt, was simply the method God had chosen to build the world, and the biblical idea that it had taken six days was symbolic and not to be taken literally, even as much of what Jesus had taught was symbolic. But my pastor didn't feel that way about it at all!

The year was 1957 and I was forced to choose science over religion. The era of my spiritual development had come to a close... or so I thought at the time.

Before letting go of my religion I visited a number of Christian churches to see if they were significantly different from my church in their attitude toward science, and found them all to be fundamentally the same.

They varied externally, but all were basically exclusive organizations in that they believed they had the best if not the only correct answers on the spiritual plane.

My interest in God and my spiritual development did not end at that point, but for about the next 30 years I belonged to no organized religion.

During that time I obtained my Master of Social Work degree and worked in the fields of child welfare, psychiatric social work, and mental health.

In 1980 I returned to school at the University of California at Berkeley to secure a doctoral degree, and since 1983 have been teaching social work at New Mexico State University.

The years from 1957 to 1986 have been rewarding ones. I have thoroughly enjoyed my profession and have often reflected on how the work I am doing is compatible with Christ's message of love.

But over those years I also learned through reading and other experiences that a number of other prophets also had much of value to teach.

As Muhammad followed Christ and helped point the way of mankind toward spiritual values, so other prophets both preceded and followed Christ and Muhammad. And what is more important, if one were to set aside the relatively trivial interpretations given to the words of the various prophets and focus instead on the essence of their messages, he would find that all the great prophets were pointing him in the same direction, and that direction was one of love, self-realization and spirituality.

Developing a spiritual philosophy

The course that I most enjoy teaching is one of my own design entitled "Living with Death and Dying." In it, I emphasize how important it is to develop a spiritual philosophy so that one no longer fears death and dying.

Without a spiritual philosophy, a belief in the importance of forces beyond the self that influence your behavior, you will inevitably carry painful anxiety with you as unnecessary excess baggage.

In other words, the only way to escape the fear of your mortality is to accept the idea that you are immortal. I also teach that all the great religions embody the same profound message, a message of love, acceptance and justice.

In the summer of 1986 I was invited to take part in a statewide Anti-Poverty Conference sponsored by the New Mexico Council of Churches. Two important things happened to me at that conference.

First, I was impressed by the loving concern of all the participants and realized for the first time in ages how valuable it is to have the fellowship of others who are concerned with poverty and injustice, especially when that concern is spiritually based and thus a deep and abiding part of their personality.

Second, while at the conference I met a Bahá’í who gave me a pamphlet on the development of peace in our world.

On reading it, I found that the Bahá’í Faith was teaching a spiritual philosophy that was close to the scientific philosophy that I was teaching and that was guiding my life.

Later in the summer I contacted the local Bahá’í Group and started studying the teachings of the Faith, and subsequently became a member. I felt that at long last I'd come home, that my 30 years in the wilderness were over and that my wanderings had taught me everything except what I needed to learn.

Over the years I had developed an ever-growing realization of how important spirituality is for all humankind, but I had never given serious consideration to joining any religion because their structural aspects tend to violate the core message of love that they profess.

Since the Bahá’í Faith recognizes this common problem and has overcome it by creating a loving organizational structure, my soul opened itself to the teachings of the Bahá’í prophets.

As a Bahá’í, I now have an egalitarian religion that is perfectly in tune with science and democracy, that is in harmony with mankind's desire for self-realization and justice.

I now have a spiritual philosophy that is at the same time a scientific philosophy, and an organizational structure of like-minded souls to help guide and support me in my efforts to move toward God.

• This month's article, "The Development of a Spiritual Philosophy," was written by Dr. Charles H. Frost, the first faculty member at New Mexico State University to accept the Faith.*

Bahá’ís co-sponsor UN Day celebration at Lincoln coffee-house

Several groups in Lincoln, Nebraska, came together September 16 to co-sponsor a celebration of the UN International Day of Peace at "The Gathering Place," a coffee-house style meeting room open for use by concerned citizens.

Joining the Bahá’í community as sponsors were the local UN chapter, The Gathering Place, the World Peace Center, and Nebraskans for Peace.

Eighteen people, half of whom were members of the Bahá’í community of Lincoln, attended.

The program included prayers, quotations on peace, music by John Tobler, Dennis Taylor and Alex Cuellar, and light refreshments.

• • The American Bahá’í** (USPS 042-430) is published monthly by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, 536 Sheridan Road, Wilmette, IL 60091. Postmaster: Send address changes to the Office of Membership and Records, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091. Editor: Jack Bowers. Associate editor: Laura E. Hildreth. The American Bahá’í welcomes news, letters and other items of interest from individuals and the various institutions of the Faith. Articles should be written in a clear and concise manner; color or black and white glossy photographs should be included whenever possible. Please address all materials to The Editor, The American Bahá’í, Wilmette, IL 60091. Copyright 1987 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.

• • Cartoon Text:**

THIS IS STATION WT VO? GOOD. CONCERNING OUR BAHAI PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS, WE WANT TO TELL THE PEOPLE ABOUT THE MOST IMPORTANT NEWS OF THE CENTURY, THE PROMISE OF WORLD PEACE. I’M SORRY, WE ARE TRYING TO CUT BACK ON "RELIGIOUS PROGRAMS" By Darian Smith, Apex, North Carolina [Page 3]

LETTERS

“The shining spark of truth cometh forth only after the clash of differing opinions.” —‘Abdu’l-Bahá

The American Bahá’í welcomes letters to the editor on any topic of general interest. The purpose of the “letters” column is to allow a free and open exchange of ideas and opinions, never to denigrate another’s opinion or to attack anyone on a personal level.

Letters should be as brief as possible (a maximum of 250 words is suggested). Letters are subject to editing for length and style. Please address all letters to the editor, The American Bahá’í, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.

Those who have less

To the Editor:

After reading the letter from Alice Dudley (October) about the high costs of some conferences, I started thinking that if those who are less fortunate can’t afford to go to a conference, are there other things concerning the Faith they can’t afford?

I checked the price list for Bahá’í books and found that a paperback prayer book costs $3.75. It saddened me to think that maybe there are people who don’t have a prayer book or the money for one.

So I decided to offer to buy them one. I have no idea if the need is great or small. But if anyone needs a prayer book and can’t afford one, send a postcard with your name and address to 9771 Pacific Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92804.

If the need is great, it may take a month or two. I’ve set my first month’s goal at 10 prayer books and will send them out in the order requests are received. If the demand is high, maybe I can find a Bahá’í community that might want to help.

As these books will be paid for by me alone, please limit it to those who truly are in need.

Name withheld by request Anaheim, California

To the Editor:

Alice P. Dudley’s letter (October) speaks to a concern that deserves thoughtful consideration by all American Bahá’ís.

Mrs. Dudley mentions that Bahá’ís “are separated into two categories: the affluent and the non-affluent”—or, to put it another way, those who can afford to attend Bahá’í conferences, institutes and schools, and those who cannot. The implications of such a division are quite serious.

The preponderance of conferences and other such events—and the voluminous publicity that they receive in Bahá’í publications—give one the impression that to be an active and dedicated Bahá’í, he must attend a lot of these events.

Less expensive Bahá’í activities such as prayer, fasting, the Nineteen Day Feast, deepening, teaching, etc. are given much less attention. Why?

Are we reaching the point where these simple but essential activities, which should be the focal point of Bahá’í life, don’t seem significant when compared with something like the peace conference in San Francisco? I hope not.

When Bahá’ís at the grass-roots level feel insignificant, they don’t teach, don’t attend Feasts, don’t contribute to the Fund. Unfortunately, the division between the affluent and non-affluent is also becoming a division between the active and the inactive.

There is no call for spiritual wealth and material wealth to become synonymous in the Bahá’í Faith. Indeed, such an occurrence must be scrupulously avoided; Bahá’ís at every administrative level who are involved in planning conferences and the like must be especially wary of this.

As Bahá’ís, we are all entitled to receive spiritual education and enlightenment. Bahá’í conferences, institutes and schools have become a major source of this education and enlightenment.

It would be a grave injustice to many of our fellow Bahá’ís for these events to become so costly that they are available only to the more affluent members of the Faith.

Theodore S. Heizer Eau Claire, Wisconsin

One for the parents

To the Editor:

The Universal House of Justice, in a letter addressed to the Bahá’í youth of the world (January 3, 1984), suggested that “while still young and unburdened by family responsibilities you (the youth) give attention to the idea of volunteering a set period, say, one or two years, to some Bahá’í service on the homefront or abroad, in the teaching or development field.”

In response to this appeal, we the undersigned have arisen, and take this opportunity to thank our parents for the tremendous support they have provided. We dedicate this year to them. We feel that their example provides a model for all Bahá’í parents.

Undoubtedly, in the course of the next year, we will face many challenges. We leave you with one mighty challenge: to become that example for your children. Please God, ye may achieve it.

Quddus Addison (Kenya) Britt Aschuler (Antigua) Malcolm Bell (Bahamas) Robbie Davis (Cameroon) Ruth Forman (Antigua) John Foster (‎Equador Ecuador‎) John Levasseur (Africa or Thailand) Russ Maxcy (Tanzania) Saeid Mirafzali (Jamaica) Duane Omid Varan (N. Zealand)

The appeal of politics

To the Editor:

Further to the letters re the necessity for our non-involvement in politics:

It is clear from the Writings that political behavior is an irrelevant enterprise for Bahá’ís, but why it is did not become clear to me until I heard Sen. Alan Simpson of Florida say something along this line about politics the other day: political statements, he said, always contain appeals to at least one of the following elements—fear, greed, guilt or bias.

It occurred to me that perhaps it might be the appeals to these elements that distinguishes political behavior from other kinds of human behavior. If this is true (and, being reasonably aware of current events, I have a sense that it is), then it is no wonder that we are instructed to avoid involvement in political struggles.

I write only to share an insight that was enlightening to me with others who may share my questions about this matter.

Ann A. Jefferies Gainesville, Florida

Marriages need TLC

To the Editor:

It hurts me when I see marriages around me disintegrating due to their not receiving the nurturing they need in order to grow, mature and evolve.

Maintaining a marriage is hard work. It must be tended daily, just as the other daily tasks in our lives do. A marriage does not simply “take care of itself.” It needs to be cared for by the people who created it.

The Cinderella fairy tale about marriage is a dangerous one. It is dangerous because many people believe it, thinking that all that is involved in a happy marriage is finding the right “magical” person and then living happily ever after.

Marriage is not that easy. Much more is involved.

One of the important requirements any marriage needs to grow and be healthy is constant open communication in the spirit of equality and sensitivity to each other’s feelings.

Marriages are complex. I won’t try to oversimplify them by offering a simple formula for a happy and successful marriage. Marriages are simply hard work. And the efforts are rewarded by a stronger marriage.

The pain I feel when I see marriages destroyed due to neglect shows me that marriages are much more than two people isolated from the rest of the world.

Other people’s marriages affect me. I see stable marriages as building blocks for a stable society. I feel that our efforts to maintain healthy, stable and growing marriages are one way in which we can contribute to the stability of our society and of the world.

Caroline T. Ravines New York, New York

Children and schooling

To the Editor:

Regarding raising one’s child toward the goal of his or her own self-identity as a Bahá’í, I would like to share with Bahá’í parents an argument for an effective means to this end.

The aim of my “gun” is at the early placement of children in nurseries or pre-school environments.

Studies compiled in the book School Can Wait, by Raymond S. and Dorothy N. Moore, et al (Brigham Young Press, Provo, 1979) reveal that too early placement of children in settings away from the home can bring about undesirable side effects.

Placement outside the home before age two usually brings about a massive sense of detachment from the mother as primary care-giver, and a general disturbance in separation.

After age two primary attachment is maintained, but it is an anxious attachment.

These children of too early placement in the care of others outside the home, however “professional” the care or however “safe” it would appear, will turn to peers at ever earlier ages for their self-identity.

A Stanford University study has demonstrated that children imitating peer behavior is “well developed at pre-school levels.”

Social contagion is a phrase that defines the phenomenon we know when children copy other children’s poor acting-out behavior. Place yourself near a school bus stop to witness the worst of social contagion! And there is your little Bahá’í darling emerging right in the midst of it.

One has to have a handle on it to give the child the support he or she needs so as not to be overwhelmed by so many children being brought up with so little consistent parental guidance.

Perhaps the best handle, I would argue, is to keep your child at home, ideally until age eight or nine—even ten!

‘Abdu’l-Bahá has said that it is good to bring the children together at the age of five. This wisdom is deep and suggests to me the very tenderness of the child and the need for that period of time for nurturing.

Also, it seems to suggest, in part, that from five forward the children do well to come together on a regular basis. Done in a Bahá’í context to recite prayers, hear stories of heroism and courage, or practice manners together, as well as to play, of course, the children will be enabled to build for themselves an enduring identity as Bahá’ís.

When the child is kept longer in the home environment than is usual by today’s standards, he or she is able to develop a stronger sense of self-identity. He knows his role in the family and what is expected of him.

The time with the child is used to teach what the family values are. The lessons we stress at home are what the Hand of the Cause Mr. Faizi suggests in his marvelous tape about child education, namely, manners, politeness and love.

Then when the child enters school at a later age, he/she will be perceptively mature enough to grasp the lessons in an intersensory way. That is, by means of eyes, ears, touch, the concept or meaning of the lesson will be understood quickly.

This is because the neurological paths to the brain are mature, or “ripe,” by age nine. These findings are closely linked to Piaget’s famous age-linked “ability to learn” study.

Moreover, the child’s sense of self-confidence, together with a positive self-image, given through the long nurturing process at home, will enable him/her to set the standard of behavior for other children to mimic, rather than the other way around. Studies also bear these conclusions out.

And if a child seems unable to meet the criteria the school sets up, but gets support from the home environment and meets the home criteria of, say, “having a pure, kindly and radiant heart,” how essentially more important that is.

As these early years in the child’s life go by, you as the parent know the absolute joy of being there to see the dawning light in the eyes as the wonders of life’s many realities are awakened. And you share in the intimate revelation of the enfoldment of personality.

These are some of the rewarding experiences available to you, the parent, the best primary care giver your child could ever have.

Charlotte Solarz Galena, Illinois

To the Editor:

Regarding the age at which children should start formal schooling (see letter from Charles Hornby, August 1986), this has been an issue in the Bahá’í community for many years.

We find all kinds of advice in the Writings about different ages for beginning the learning process. For example, “Many elementary sciences must be made clear to them in the nursery; they must learn them in play, in amusement.” (Bahá’í Education: A Compilation, p. 73)

And also, “From the age of five their formal education must begin. ... they should be looked after in a place where there are teachers, and should learn good conduct ... should be taught, in

See LETTERS page 31

New from George Ronald, Publisher

Stories of Bahá’u’lláh

edited and compiled by

‘Alí-Akbar Furútan

‘The day is approaching when God will have raised up a people who will call to remembrance Our days.’ Bahá’u’lláh.

The 144 stories in these pages make such remembrance both effortless and delightful.

128 pages. Hardcover $12.95. Softcover $5.95

Order through your local librarian, or send check or money order to: Bahá’í Distribution Service, 415 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091. [Page 4]

CHAMPION BUILDERS

ROBERTA K. CHRISTIAN

Roberta Kaley Christian was born March 19, 1913, in central New York State. At the time of her death, in 1971, she had been a Bahá’í for about 35 years.

Roberta and her husband, William Kenneth Christian, served the Faith ardently in many locales, each supporting the other while serving independently in their fields of specific interest.

Mrs. Christian was for three years the editor of Bahá’í News, was the author of A Bahá’í Child’s A.B.C., and wrote the verses for A Bahá’í Child’s Song Book. These popular and widely translated books filled a vital need in children’s literature in the Faith at that time.

When in 1953 the Guardian issued a call for pioneers, the Christians set sail for Southern Rhodesia. For performing this service, the Guardian named them Knights of Bahá’u’lláh.

Owing to circumstances at that time, the Faith could not be openly taught in Rhodesia, and the Christians were also frustrated in their efforts to obtain work in that country. The Guardian therefore allowed them to resettle in Greece, where they helped form the first Bahá’í Group in Athens.

On September 1, 1956, Shoghi Effendi’s secretary wrote to Roberta on his behalf, expressing his pleasure on receiving a photograph of the new Bahá’í Group and extending a warm welcome to the first believer from Greece who, he prayed, would become “a spiritual guide to his people.”

Shortly after receiving that letter, the Christians made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land where they were showered by Shoghi Effendi with words of love, encouragement and appreciation for their work.

Kenneth, who had always been frail, died suddenly in May 1959 in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Roberta wrote a stirring account of his many services to the Cause for an edition of The Bahá’í World.

Although she never fully recovered from the emotional shock of her husband’s passing in his 46th year, her work for the Faith continued unabated. In January 1967, she moved to Alaska to help complete that community’s goals for the Nine Year Plan.

Mrs. Christian was called on frequently to address Bahá’í audiences on the topic of pioneering.

She subsequently left Alaska for a time, but returned to join her

See CHRISTIAN page 15

‘Master Plan’

from page 1

down through the ages.

“Why shouldn’t the spiritual power generated by this ‘diamond jubilee,’ this 75th anniversary of the visit of the beloved Master to North America, ignite this entire nation of ours into unprecedented victory and never-before-equaled prestige, in His honor?

“How? By holding 1,500 simultaneous Souvenir Picnics—all over America! All held at exactly the same time as that historic picnic at Evergreen Cabin in New Jersey, honoring the beloved Master!

“What a glorious idea! What a glorious day for America! Saturday, June 27, 1987!

“Can you picture the Evergreen Cabin in West Englewood? From every nearby city, town, village and hamlet; from adjoining states, from all nearby places, the Bahá’ís will flow toward the Souvenir Picnic on that special day.

“Transporting by truck, van, cars, and in their arms, potted plants, cut flowers, flowering bushes of every hue and variety, until that Evergreen Cabin will outshine in splendor, color and beauty even that day when the beloved Master was there in person!

“The inside of the Cabin, the porch, down the steps, and out onto the lawn, filled with flowers and plants of every kind of color and blossom. The beautiful green lawns of that sacred site will become veritable Persian carpets of matchless beauty—with walkways in between, as it was for the Master on that heavenly, matchless day of beauty and fragrance.

“Visualize, if you can, the same magnificent Souvenir Picnic in every Bahá’í city, town and village across the entire face of America. At the same time! Each trying to “vie” with each other to be more wonderful, more magnificent, and more glorious. Each trying to outshine the other in their tribute to Him, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Master, who gave His life for us.

“Each local Assembly will also try to outstrip and surpass the others in the quality and prestige of their guest speakers on that Souvenir Picnic occasion. Mayors, governors, university professors, scientists, scholars, authors, government figures (local, national and international), as well as gifted Bahá’í speakers.”

Preparations for commemoration of the Master’s Souvenir Picnic will correspond with, and be a part of, our continuing efforts in the “Spirit of the Roses.”

Our 189 days of teaching, support for the Fund, and other services to the Cause are a fitting preparation for the commemoration of the 239 days in which the Center of the Covenant sowed seeds and tended the fresh plants in the new Garden of Bahá’u’lláh’s Faith: the North American Bahá’í community.

Start now to reserve a site and make the necessary plans for your community or inter-community Souvenir Picnic on Saturday, June 27. Think BIG. Invite dynamic speakers, both Bahá’ís and guests. Aim high!

Those who wish to grow some special plants and/or flowers for the beloved Master should also plan ahead. All should be preparing early for the flowers they will bring on that glorious occasion.

More details about “the Master Plan” and our commemoration of the 75th anniversary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to North America will be carried in future issues of The American Bahá’í.

Peace statement widely distributed among U.S. officials

As of November 24, the Universal House of Justice’s statement to the peoples of the world, “The Promise of World Peace,” had been presented to 25 of the 96 U.S. Senators (26 per cent).

In the House of Representatives, 171 of the 435 Congressmen (39 per cent) had been given copies of the statement, while 21 of 48 governors in the continental U.S. (44 per cent) had received it.

Also, by request of the National Spiritual Assemblies of Argentina, Greece, Korea and New Zealand, their respective ambassadors had received copies of the peace statement in their national languages.

Office of External Affairs serves as National Assembly’s ‘executive arm’

Over the last several years the volume of business transacted by the National Spiritual Assembly through the Office of the Secretary has greatly increased. In the spring of 1984 the National Assembly determined that it needed an office that would deal exclusively with the federal government, national organizations, and national communications media. Therefore, the National Assembly established the Office of External Affairs.

The Office of External Affairs, which is headed by a member of the National Spiritual Assembly, is, like the Office of the Secretary, an executive arm of the National Assembly. It is not a committee or a consultative body.

All Bahá’í administrative agencies as well as individuals who have dealings with the federal government or officials with national organizations or media should maintain close contact with the National Spiritual Assembly through its Office of External Affairs which is located at 26 High St., New Haven, CT 06510 (telephone 203-787-0303).

National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States Firuz Kazemzadeh, vice-chairman and director of the Office of External Affairs

Lincoln, Nebraska, UNA chapter hears U.S. Bahá’í UN rep

Shiva Tavana, United Nations representative for the National Spiritual Assembly, was the keynote speaker October 24 at the annual dinner sponsored by the Lincoln, Nebraska, chapter of the UN Association.

It was the first time a Bahá’í was invited to be the speaker at this event.

Ms. Tavana’s appearance was the topic of two newspaper articles, one before and one after the dinner, the first major articles to mention the Faith in Lincoln daily papers in more than a year.

Ruth Thone, the wife of a former governor of Nebraska, emceed the dinner. As she introduced Ms. Tavana, she not only mentioned the Faith several times to the audience of more than 175, the largest in years, she also read a passage from “The Promise of World Peace.”

The morning before the dinner, Ms. Tavana was interviewed on a local radio “morning show,” the first time the station had interviewed a Bahá’í on any topic.

The interview dealt mainly with the UN but Ms. Tavana was introduced as a Bahá’í.

Another first came when Ms. Tavana was interviewed by Dr. Bill Avery, a political science instructor at the University of Nebraska.

The Model UN Group at the university was scheduled to meet with her for two hours, a meeting that stretched at least a half-hour longer with many of the questions having to do with the Faith.

The evening after Ms. Tavana left Lincoln, five seekers came to a regular weekly fireside; attendance prior to that had averaged around one or two.

Dr. Roy Jones (left), administrator of the Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute in South Carolina, talks things over with newly appointed Auxiliary Board member Charles (Cap) Cornwell at a lunch break during the meeting November 12-16 of Counselors and Auxiliary Board members at the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette.

Districts

from page 1

ton, 47 per cent.

Despite these successes, participation remained disappointingly low in many areas. Over-all, 26 per cent of the adult Bahá’ís with known addresses voted (19 per cent in person and 7 per cent by absentee ballot). In 23 units, less than 3 per cent of the Bahá’ís voted.

The National Assembly is encouraged, however, by the response to the more flexible convention scheduling, which was introduced this year along with the new electoral units.

Taking advantage of this flexibility, many conventions did not last the entire day, and were pleased with the outcome.

New Hampshire, for instance, reported that “the half-day format kept more (people) in the convention, did not wear out children and teachers, and sparked more fellowship following the convention.”

Many units combined their convention with other enjoyable activities. In a number of units, participants shared a meal together, and reported later that this helped to create a sense of unity.

There was at least one spaghetti supper, many potluck lunches and dinners, a catered dinner dance, and even a “Persian food and pizza party.”

Many of the conventions held on October 19 took the occasion to celebrate the anniversary of the Birth of the Báb. In conjunction with some conventions there was also music, filmstrips and video tapes, auctions, art displays, and peace panels.

In Oregon, one convention was held outdoors in a lovely botanical garden. The morning program consisted of music, prayers and entertainment.

The unit reported that “spending the morning in spiritual preparation reaped fantastic results when we convened for convention in the afternoon. Consultation was excellent! Unity was strong, alive and vibrant. ...

“Big plans and concrete results are already being implemented as a direct result of consultation. ... Due to the pleasure derived from this convention, we expect many more to attend next year.”

It is hoped that this expectation of increased attendance will be realized across the country as the conventions continue to develop and better meet the needs of each area.

The 171 delegates elected at the conventions will represent their units and vote for the National Spiritual Assembly at the annual National Convention to be held next April in Wilmette.

Of these delegates, 45 per cent were not delegates last year. Three are American Indians, and one speaks only Spanish. About 30 per cent of the delegates are women.

Planning for next year’s District Conventions has already begun. Based on reports from this year and recommendations from District Teaching Committees, the Office of the Secretary will choose the convention hosts and provide them with materials, no later than March.

The National Spiritual Assembly and the National Center staff involved with the conventions send their heartfelt thanks to the convention planning teams and to all those whose efforts made the conventions so successful. [Page 5]While contributions to the National Fund received in ‘the Spirit of the Roses’ have increased since the anniversary of the Birth of the Báb on October 20, 1986, the National Treasurer’s Office estimates that achieving this year’s goal of $9 million will require a much higher level of contributions through Riḍván. Total receipts through 11 Bahá’í months were almost equal to the same period a year ago, but last year’s contributions netted only $7.5 million for the National Fund. A stronger level of giving in Sulṭán, Mulk and ‘Alá, before the traditionally stronger months of Bahá and Jalál, will be especially important (see chart at right).

NATIONAL BAHA’I FUND

(Chart data: Legend 1986-87, 1985-86. Monthly goal $474,000. DOLLARS (‎000,s 000s‎). BAHA’I MONTHS 1 to 19.)

Fund supports wide range of activities at home, abroad

Recently the Treasurer’s Office has received a number of inquiries asking them to inform the Bahá’í community more frequently about the many programs and activities made possible through the generous contributions of Bahá’ís to the National Fund. A quick survey of The American Bahá’í will reveal dozens of activities supported by the National Fund. There are literally too many to list on this page alone; but we are more than happy to revisit a few of them to remind ourselves how important the “life blood” of the Fund is to all of the active organs of the Bahá’í community.

• Schools and institutes: There are more than 40 Bahá’í schools and institutes (six permanent ones) in the U.S. They constantly enrich our understanding of the Faith and strengthen our sense of Bahá’í identity.

• The National Fund supports each of these centers of Bahá’í learning. In recent months the Native American Bahá’í Institute in Arizona bought five lovely tepees to provide temporary shelter for friends during conferences there. The tepees also give meaning to the concept of unity in diversity by honoring the traditional lifestyle of the Plains people.

• The Louhelen Bahá’í School has established a Center for Inter-racial Unity. The Center recently conducted one of the first conferences on interracial and cross-cultural marriage to explore in depth this important pathway to world unity.

• World peace: The presentation of “The Promise of World Peace” to President Reagan, the members of the U.S. Supreme Court, and many other national leaders and officials was made possible through your National Fund contributions.

• The spectacular International Peace Conference in San Francisco was the largest Bahá’í-sponsored gathering ever held on the West Coast. Through that single event all of the major objectives of the Six Year Plan were advanced.

• External affairs: The “U.S. Bahá’í Report,” a quarterly newsletter distributed to more than 1,400 public officials and friends of the Faith, receives regular support from the National Fund. The U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office works closely with the Justice Department and State Department in the resettlement of Bahá’í refugees. Both of these efforts strengthen our capacity to respond to the persecution of Bahá’ís throughout the world.

• International: Since 1979, nearly 2,000 Bahá’ís have left our shores to settle in overseas pioneer posts. Each of them has been helped through training, deputization, correspondence or other means made possible through the National Fund. Since its inception, the recently dedicated House of Worship in New Delhi, India, has received unflagging support through your National Fund contributions.

• Teaching and development: Since Riḍván alone, the National Spiritual Assembly and its agencies have communicated with local Assemblies and Groups more than 50,000 times, sharing news, answering questions, solving problems, and consulting. Hardly a day passes without an exchange of communication and guidance between the National Assembly and the World Center. This constant flow of guidance and information is only possible because of your contributions to the National Fund.

• The Guardian wrote that the National Fund must be “firmly established, generously supported and universally and continuously upheld for it is the prerequisite of future progress and achievement.”

• This has never been more evident than it is today as we strive to take advantage of the challenging opportunities confronting us in the Six Year Plan. Your contributions, sacrificial and regular, are the means through which we will bring the promised World Order of Bahá’u’lláh into reality.

UN seminar held

The U.S. Bahá’í community’s United Nations office in New York was one of 18 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that co-sponsored a day-long seminar November 20 whose purpose was to explore various aspects of both UN and NGO contributions to peace.

An afternoon panel discussion, “Collaboration and Communication,” was moderated by Hugh Locke of the Bahá’í International Community’s New York office.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s example of self-sacrifice helps us to understand true nature of giving to Fund

In response to the goals of the Six Year Plan established by the Universal House of Justice, our National Spiritual Assembly has set forth objectives for the American Bahá’í community.

Among them is the goal of “increasing the general understanding of the spiritual bounty of contributing to the Fund.”

What will help us achieve a greater appreciation of this bounty? How can we link our Fund contributions to the other aspects of a life of service to Bahá’u’lláh? One thing that will help us attain this goal is studying stories about the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

Many of these stories depict the Master’s attitude toward giving. The following passage is taken from Vignettes from the Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá:

“‘Abdu’l-Bahá gave freely of what He had—love, time, care and concern, food and money, clothing and flowers, a bed, a rug! His motto appeared to be: frugality for Himself, generosity for others.

“Stories of the Master’s self-denial in favor of others’ well-being are legion. He was ‘bountiful as the rain in His generosity to the poor.’ ... Because He and His family were rich in the love of God, they accepted material deprivation for themselves gladly.

“On the other hand, if the Master knew of a broken window or a leaky roof, which were health hazards, He would make sure the necessary repairs were completed.”

This passage illustrates ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s commitment to self-sacrifice while being vigilant in attending to the practical details of His household. We can apply these same principles to our relationship with our families, our Bahá’í communities, and to the Fund.

As the Faith grows in complexity, the nature of our “broken windows and leaky roofs” will expand enormously. To be able to meet the needs of our enlarging household we will have to be united in our efforts to give of our time, love, and material resources.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s example can help us internalize the spiritual meaning of giving to the Fund. It can also inspire us to embrace the vision of our growth within the next six years—years that will bring us many steps closer to establishing the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh.

Bahá’ís, Unitarians in Manhattan Beach co-sponsor area-wide ‘Peace Reception’

To commemorate United Nations Day, the Bahá’ís of Manhattan Beach, California, joined with the area Unitarian Fellowship on October 25 to sponsor a Peace Reception.

Representatives from 13 groups attended including the UN Association, Beyond War, Amnesty International, the National Organization for Women, the Grey Panthers, the local “Freeze” group, and Women for International Peace and Arbitration.

It marked the first time in which human rights and peace organizations in the South Bay area of suburban Los Angeles had come together in this way.

The program was informal, and each group was given an opportunity to introduce itself and explain its goals. Literature tables were provided for displays by each group.

Also, an array of international foods was provided by the Bahá’ís and Unitarians.

Each of the non-Bahá’ís who attended was given a copy of “The Promise of World Peace,” and there were many informal discussions of the Faith and the possibility of setting up a permanent peace network in the area.

The Unitarians proposed that the reception be made an annual event.

BAHA’I CLUB

Members of the Bahá’í Club at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville man a booth during a recent campus activities carnival. Pictured (left to right) are William Heath, Gilbert Smith, Mandana Sepahi, Rita Najmi, Sohail Najmi and Ramin Ramezani. [Page 6]

Teachers sought in receptive area in Guatemala

Help fulfill America’s spiritual destiny by teaching in Guatemala.

Projecteers may be young or old, men or women, individuals or groups, Spanish-speaking or non-Spanish-speaking, experienced or inexperienced international traveling teachers.

The National Spiritual Assembly of Guatemala has set a goal of raising the number of Bahá’ís in Livingston to 2,000 by the end of the Six Year Plan. Livingston is the most receptive community in Guatemala with a present Bahá’í population of more than 300.

The project began December 15. Activities include meetings in homes of Bahá’ís, stimulation and deepening for local Assemblies, street teaching, children’s classes and small group deepenings.

The cost can be as low as $50 per week plus air fare. If you are interested, please contact the International Goals Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091 (phone 312-869-9039).

Every pioneer must face, beat ‘culture shock’

How many of you have moved from one place to another to find yourself feeling uncomfortable, out of sorts, unable to latch onto a feeling of belonging? These are some of the signs of what we commonly refer to as “culture shock.”

The question always remains, is it possible to fit in everywhere—to be a “citizen of the world”? Are there people who can ignore their own culture and adapt completely to other ways of life?

It’s doubtful. Each of us has the attitudes, emotions, prejudices, habits and mannerisms that are as much a product of our culture as is the language we speak or the beliefs we accept and react to regularly.

We are addressing this issue because the difficulties you face are inherent in any change. How often have you had a new job in which you had the feeling of being a “fish out of water” for weeks or maybe months. Your response to these circumstances is not unlike the responses you would have to another culture.

When you enter a strange culture, all or most of your familiar cues are removed. No matter how broad-minded or full of good will you may be, props have been knocked out from under you and you will be affected. The mental and emotional adjustment required of those living abroad is real.

Many people think that knowledge and use of the language of a people assure automatic communication with them. But when we consider that “communication” includes all behavior and circumstances, it becomes clear that knowledge of the written and spoken language may by itself be insufficient.

Your peace of mind and efficiency depend on hundreds of signs and symbols about which you are largely unaware. These signs or cues that you use to orient yourself to the situation of daily living include when and how to greet people, eat food, get from place to place, and talk informally with others.

The problems of adjustment come to all, but to each with varying intensity. It helps to know that such problems will arise, and to know what it is you are experiencing.

The difficulty in confronting and coping with new cultural circumstances affects nearly every traveler—even experienced ones. Yet millions of people have lived through it. You can, too.

An intercultural experience is a potent and personal teacher; it forces you into realizations about others and about yourself. Indeed, the greatest “shock” may not be encountering a different culture, but recognizing how your own culture has shaped the way you act and react.

This difficulty might also be termed “role shock.” Many times, what is really “shocking” to people is not necessarily the new culture; rather, it is a change of roles they are forced to assume within their family or organizational structure as it functions in the new culture.

Accepting the fact that adjustment is a challenge, but remembering that it is a temporary condition that will pass as you become familiar with the language, mannerisms and local customs, is the first step toward adjustment.

You may not like to believe that you are experiencing emotional stress, but it is wise to admit it when it happens. Even mild cases generally involve four phases and occur during the earliest part of a stay abroad or a significant change in one’s life.

Phase I: How quaint

The spirit of adventure carries you through the “honeymoon” phase. Generally, you’ll be assisted in getting settled and you’ll be excited about the “newness” of everything.

Possibly things will go very well at this point. You are comfortable as long as you can see the similarities between your native culture or previous environment and your new one. Normally, this phase does not last if you remain abroad and must seriously cope with the real conditions of life.

Phase II: ‘It’s just not like home’

When the newness and excitement wear off (from a few hours to six months), the real challenge starts.

As you begin to see and feel differences, things may go wrong, and you may begin to feel disoriented. Because language is the most common communications tool in any society, it offers the greatest security in personal relationships.

If you do not have an adequate interpreter, you’ll be stripped of your primary means of interaction. You will be unable to display your education and intelligence, symbols that give you status and security back home.

As you meet other educated and intelligent people, but are not able to respond to them on their level, you may feel that you are on the level of a child again. This could be most frustrating.

Culture shock is a psychological reaction that is manifested in physical behavior. Another sign that you are in the critical second phase of adjustment is the tendency to sit around with other “foreigners” and complain with them about the country and its people.

In the job environment an equally critical attitude can prevail.

You may be excessively concerned over the washing of hands, the cleanliness of drinking water, food, dishes and bedding; as a result, you may fear physical contact with attendants or servants.

You can be identified by your absent-minded, far-away stare, and you may feel a dependence upon long-term residents from your country.

You may experience fits of anger over delays and other minor frustrations, or fear excessively the possibility of being cheated, robbed or injured. You may also show great concern over minor medical problems such as simple pain, skin problems, etc.

Finally, your frustrations are likely to be heightened by a terrible longing to go back home, eat the foods you are accustomed to, visit familiar places and relatives, and talk to people who “really make sense.”

This phase may also be characterized by a “culture of fatigue,” not unlike battle fatigue. You become tired of not being home or in the familiar. In spite of your ability to cope on a daily basis, you feel generally uncomfortable.

Phase III: It’s starting to make sense

The first sign of recovery from the critical phase is the return of your sense of humor.

You have begun to enter the third phase when you start to recognize communicative cues: people’s faces, actions, and tones of voice. You begin to piece together a pattern of behaving and living.

As you master the language, you begin to communicate more effectively. With increased familiarity and knowledge, you make it through each day with greater and greater ease.

Phase IV: I understand

The fourth and final phase carries you through your stay abroad or any new environment. Now that you are willing to adjust to your new environment, you can accept it as “just another way of living.”

This doesn’t mean that you are necessarily enthusiastic about everything people do; it does mean that you can accept and understand the differences.

You’ll still have moments of strain and times of misunderstanding, but you will begin to feel more “comfortable” and will genuinely enjoy yourself.

Some people adjust to another culture more readily than others. Then again, you may adapt more quickly to one culture than to another.

The more a culture differs from your own, the more difficult you might expect the adjustment to be. However, if you have had previous intercultural experiences, you’ll probably have fewer problems.

Cultivating awareness

The following general characteristics are essential to adapting to any new environment. The extent to which you are able to develop these characteristics can determine the level and length of the time needed for your adjustment.

Awareness of self. You need a positive self-image and must have the ability to adapt. You need to be emotionally stable in situations that challenge your personal feelings. Self-motivation allows you to act positively rather than react negatively to a strange environment.

Awareness of others. A tolerance of ambiguity and uncertainty makes it easier to understand others.

Awareness of circumstance. A sensitivity to circumstances allows you to pick up behavior patterns more quickly. If you look, listen and appropriately imitate, you will communicate more effectively with people around you and will be better able to establish pleasant relationships.

Adjusting to a new culture can be a powerful learning tool. Although you may suffer temporary frustration, discomfort and anxiety, these feelings can facilitate self-understanding and character development.

The need for you to deal with situations by yourself will provide tremendous learning opportunities. The very experiences that disrupt your personality and its relationship to your surroundings will be the axis on which you can build an expanded, enlightened personality.

Half the battle of cultural adjustment is won if you realize that you will experience it. The other half is won by using your cultural sensitivity to learn and to make it a positive experience.

Gaining an understanding of the new culture and learning to communicate within that culture will open the door for the ultimate experience—enjoying yourself and having a sense of belonging.

Pioneers to Gaborone, Botswana (left to right) Shahram, Shamim,

Zia and Shokoufeh Ahmadzadegan.

For the pioneer, Bahá’í community life becomes vastly richer, more meaningful

By ZIA and SHOKOUFEH AHMADZADEGAN

You never know how useful you can be in your community until you pioneer, either on the home-front or overseas. This is what we experienced when we pioneered first to Morristown, Tennessee, and later to Africa.

When we were in Virginia, in 1969, we were members of the local Assembly but our Bahá’í life consisted of attending Feasts, Holy Day celebrations and other meetings.

After moving to Morristown, our Bahá’í service changed considerably. We became more active in teaching, and found ourselves involved with many new kinds of activities we never would have considered or thought we could do in Virginia.

We started hosting firesides every Friday night. After a year, the local Assembly was formed.

Although the going was difficult at first, eventually it produced wonderful results, but only because the firesides were held regularly whether or not anyone came for weeks at a time.

Perhaps one key to our success was establishing friendly relationships with our neighbors; we tried to reach out to everyone with whom we came in contact.

The persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran presented our first opportunity to proclaim the Faith. Presentations were made at both the black and white colleges in town.

Later, our pilgrimage to Haifa was the “news peg” on which we submitted a photo of the Shrine of the Báb and an article supplied by the Office of Public Affairs. There was more publicity when we returned.

Good relations with the media are always important, and can have especially good results in smaller towns. But it takes a systematic effort to establish and maintain good relations. Persistence pays off.

Our small community soon gained the courage to undertake larger events. We held an international potluck dessert party to celebrate UN Day, with more than 100 attending in traditional dress and with handicrafts from their country on display.

The paper published a picture of the event and an interview with the chairman of the Assembly.

Books were presented to the mayor and the public library, and both presentations were carried in the paper. It became possible to publicize every little move in our Bahá’í community.

We were also able to help other Assemblies. For example, through the Spiritual Assembly of Knoxville we were able to help arrange ‎Mora Mona‎ Mahmoodi’s first TV and newspaper interviews.

We were a happy community.

See PIONEERS page 8 [Page 7]

CAMPUS CLIPS

A warm welcome to Kern Kuipers, the National Youth Committee’s new College Club coordinator!

Please feel free to call Kern during office hours with any problems or concerns. The number is 312-869-9039.

Northern Illinois University in DeKalb had a large sign in a display window in the student center about world peace and the Bahá’í Faith. The school newspaper picked it up and placed an article in the paper.

DeKalb lost its Assembly this year and is looking for homefront pioneers. If you’re interested, call the National Youth Committee.

The three-member Bahá’í Association at Boise State University in Idaho sponsored a program on “Traditional Native American Prophecy and the Bahá’í Faith” at which they showed the video of Lee Brown discussing Indian prophecy.

They sent personal invitations to the Black Student Union and Dog Soma (an Indian group on campus). The Bahá’í community lent great support—22 came to the program along with four non-Bahá’ís—a high school senior, a Native American, a Spanish grad student and one other student.

The Bahá’í Club at Texas A&M University in College Station took part in a candlelight prayer vigil, in which 35 people formed a human chain around a fountain on campus, held to observe the UN International Day of Peace and sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Bryan.

The campus newspaper ran a front-page article and photo and the local TV station reported the event on its “Ten O’Clock News.”

Two Bahá’í clubs, at Arizona State University in Tempe and Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, are working to introduce a Bahá’í course into the schools’ curricula. The National Youth Committee has several course outlines in its files from Bahá’í courses held at universities in the past. If you’d like a copy, please write to the committee.

As of November 21, the National Youth Committee had 179 active Bahá’í College Clubs on record. If there are two or more Bahá’ís at your school, we invite you to form a club and become part of the campus club network across the U.S.

For a formation packet, write to the National Youth Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.

This column is for Bahá’í College Clubs and Bahá’í college students to share news and views. If you would like to submit anything (250 words or less) for the column, please write to the National Youth Committee office, Attention: Kern Kuipers.

‘Youth Movement’ key element in goals of Plan

Among the teaching goals of the Six Year Plan outlined by the National Spiritual Assembly in its message to the American Bahá’í community is the one that calls on us “to further the progress of the Bahá’í Youth Movement.”

This directive establishes the Youth Movement as a significant element in the success of homefront teaching projects.

The Universal House of Justice, on January 3, 1984, assured the Bahá’í youth of the world that “undoubtedly, it is within your power to contribute significantly to shaping the societies of the coming century; youth can move the world.”

With rekindled spirits, as a direct response to the call of that August body, the youth gathered in a few small conferences during the summer of 1984 and began to encourage and recruit their peers as participants in a movement that began with the declaration of the Báb in 1844.

By the end of that summer, more than 2,500 youth had taken part in the International Youth Conference in London, Ontario.

During that galvanizing event, the focus of the movement became clear. As spiritual descendants of the Dawn-breakers, the youth recognized the discipline of love and faith to be their armor in fighting against racial animosity, moral laxity, paralyzing influences of ego and mediocrity, and in achieving many divine attributes such as harmony, purity, trust and rectitude of conduct, as exemplified by those early torch-bearers of the Cause of God.

On November 22, 1984, the Universal House of Justice acknowledged the enthusiasm of the youth, cabling its “deep satisfaction mounting intensity activities youth movement with strong stimulus support institutions Faith.”

In this manner, the stage was set to serve and teach the Faith in the name of all those who had shed their blood for Bahá’u’lláh.

During the next two years, 1984-86, the youth organized a network by developing 12 Regional Youth Committees and by strengthening district, local, college and high school clubs to participate more effectively in the International Year of Youth and International Year of Peace.

Meanwhile, they developed eloquent, scholarly statements to defend the Faith and to present the peace statement through studies, videos, seminars, posters, artistic expressions, the media, minority teaching efforts, seasonal and weekend teaching campaigns, firesides, conferences, and “year of service” projects throughout all 12 regions of the country.

In this way, the youth were fulfilling their pledge in the name of Badí’ to “arise and carry forth the message for which our world so desperately cries, while continuously deepening on the Creative Word.” Truly, youth can move the world.

Now, with the Six Year Plan under way, the directive, approved by the Universal House of Justice, calls upon this ardent “Army of Light” to further the progress of the Bahá’í Youth Movement.

Last spring the Bahá’í Club at Texas A&M University donated two trees to the school. Nearly 20 people including four non-Bahá’ís attended the dedication ceremony. A plaque between the trees reads, ‘Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch.—Bahá’u’lláh. TAMU Bahá’í Club 1986.’

Youth Committee names coordinators, committees for 67 of 94 districts in U.S.

The National Youth Committee is pleased to announce that District Youth Committees and District Youth Coordinators have been appointed for 67 of the 94 Youth Districts in the U.S. At press time, 27 committees had yet to be named.

The District Youth Committees serve (1) as a vital link between the National Youth Committee and individual youth in each district, and (2) to link the youth within a district to one another.

District Youth Committees encourage and stimulate activity at the grassroots. They have a key role to play in the development of the Bahá’í Youth Movement.

The ultimate goal of each district committee, as set forth in the guidelines (August ’86) to District Youth Committees, is “to involve every youth in the Movement and for each youth to see himself as a spiritual descendant of the Dawn-breakers engaged in the development of the Most Great Peace.”

District Youth Committees are encouraged to hold district-wide activities and to promote district support of individuals, Assemblies and club activities. Funding for the committees comes from fund-raising activities, individual and Assembly donations.

Sometimes, for whatever reason, it is not possible to appoint a Youth Committee for a particular district. In such a case, a youth coordinator is appointed to serve as the eyes and ears of the National Youth Committee until such time as a District Youth Committee can be named.

“No greater demonstration can be given to the peoples of both continents of the youthful vitality and the vibrant power animating the life, and the institutions of the nascent Faith of Bahá’u’lláh than an intelligent, persistent, and effective participation of the Bahá’í youth, of every race, nationality and class, in both the teaching and administrative spheres of Bahá’í activity.” (Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice)

Reflections from a young pioneer to Guatemala

Paula Carson, an 18-year-old Bahá’í youth from Colorado, recently returned from Guatemala where her family is pioneering.

Paula was going to start school at the Louhelen Residential College, so when the opening of that school was postponed, she took a job at the National Center for the year.

The National Youth Committee asked her to write about her pioneering experience, and here are her comments:

When my family first moved to Guatemala I was not happy. Soon after the move, however, I gained friends and a knowledge of their language (Spanish) and began to enjoy myself and my new country.

The one thing that was the most difficult for me was the change in the culture. I realize now that the culture in Guatemala was much better for me to be brought up into because of its restrictions that are not being taught in the U.S. The new experiences I had helped me to understand the way other people live.

Guatemala is a small country in the southern part of Central America. It borders Mexico and Belize to the north and east and Honduras and El Salvador to the south. Two large bodies of water touch the coasts—the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Honduras.

The beauty of Guatemala is incredible. The climate and terrain change from mountainous to hot tropical forest and finally to a beach of hot, black sand.

In the town in which I lived, most houses had running water and indoor plumbing, though that is not the case in some other villages. The towns become more modern depending on the amount of tourists.

The schooling depends on the town you live in. There are only two towns that provide schooling in English. The one problem with being in an American-style school is that only the very wealthy people can attend.

For me, this caused a conflict with the other Bahá’ís who were of a lower economic class. I want to say to those youth who may go pioneering to be extremely careful not to offend others who are of a lower class. We must realize that everyone has come from God Who has given each of us a project.

I feel that pioneering to a foreign country is one of the greatest experiences one can have. Personally, if I had the choice I would return to Guatemala to live. Though my college plans are most important, I do plan to return to Guatemala to live at least a part of my life there.

Youth and the Fund

There are four Funds to which Bahá’ís are spiritually obligated to contribute: the local Bahá’í Fund, the National Bahá’í Fund, the Continental Bahá’í Fund, and the International Bahá’í Fund. In your check to the National Bahá’í Fund, you may earmark contributions to the Continental and/or International Funds.

Remember to always include your Bahá’í I.D. number. If your contribution is being included with your parents’, make sure that they include your Bahá’í I.D. number.

Youth participation in the National Bahá’í Fund

Goal 300

200
100
Jamál
‘Azamat
Núr
Rahmat
Kalimát
Kamál
Asmá’
‘Izzat
Mashíyyat
‘Ilm
Qudrat
Qawl
Masá’il
Sharaf
Sultán
Mulk
‘Alá
Bahá
Jalál

Alabama North: Kereshmeh Anvarnaichi, 205-764-5168.

Alabama South/Florida NW: Cindy Sorenson, 904-651-8456.

California Central 1: Shelly Swanagen, 415-333-2157.

California Central 2: Mehran Arjonaichi, 209-733-9030.

California North 1: Ben Norris, 209-239-7246.

See DYCs page 32 [Page 8]

It dawned on me . . .

By KEN JEFFERS Administrator, Bahá’í House of Worship

...that we don’t have enough Bahá’ís at the House of Worship to welcome and talk to the 200,000 visitors who come each year.

...and that there are several things we can do to increase the number of Bahá’ís who come to help:

1. Establish a “summer youth project” for 50 young Bahá’ís who would devote the entire summer to serving at the House of Worship. Each would serve for a five-hour shift four days a week. This would enable us to have a youth guide on each shift, which, along with our other volunteers, would enable us to do a good job during our busiest times. If you are interested, write for more information.

2. Establish the House of Worship as a primary homefront pioneering post for retired Bahá’ís. They would relocate in the area of the House of Worship to devote full time to guiding there. A core of 10 or 12 who would serve several hours a day, several days a week, along with our other volunteers would enable us to serve the community year round. If you are interested, write for more information.

3. Establish a program of encouraging Bahá’í communities to devote one day a month (for nearby communities) or one day a year (for those farther away) to service at the House of Worship. No community is too far away to consider this. If you are interested, write for more information.

4. Encourage each of you, as individuals, by removing one of the misconceptions about serving as a guide at the House of Worship:

• You don’t have to “know everything” about the House of Worship or about the Faith to guide. If you can be friendly and courteous to visitors, and have a willingness to share your love for the Faith with them when appropriate, you can be of great service. If you’ve never had the joy of serving at the House of Worship (and would like to), write or call and we’ll help you get started.

“To be able to spend a few blessed moments in so holy and sacred a place as this vibrant and peaceful spot is indeed a blessing beyond words.”—Note from the guides’ book

...that you would like to know about some of the new programs at the House of Worship.

1. Interfaith services on Sunday afternoons on two Sundays each month. We invite two churches, synagogues, or other religious groups and their choirs to join us, provide the music and share in the readings. The program is followed by a social hour downstairs. Several interfaith services have been held with one predominantly black congregation bringing 250 of their members and, during the social period, asking for a Bahá’í speaker and our choir to come to their church at a later time.

2. Firesides on Tuesday nights in English and soon to be held also in French, Spanish and other languages as more teachers volunteer. Many of our visitors speak languages other than English, and we expect to develop firesides in many languages.

3. Holy Days and proclamation days. For 1987, we’ve invited Bahá’í communities in the area to take turns being responsible for programs on these special days. For two of the Holy Days, the anniversaries of the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh and the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, we have asked a small group of Persian and American Bahá’ís to jointly plan the program because of the different ways in which the Persians and Americans usually observe these two Holy Days. We think it’s a good opportunity to bring East and West together.

...that because the Universal House of Justice stated in “The Promise of World Peace” that “adopting an international auxiliary language would go far to resolving this problem and necessitates the most urgent attention,” it would be appropriate to begin Esperanto classes at the House of Worship and a correspondence course for those who live far away. What do you think?

...that you might like to know about the continuation of some special events:

1. The annual Corinne True awards to honor those who have rendered special services to the House of Worship in the last two years. We’ll tell you next month about all the fun we had.

2. Black History Month in February with wall display in the visitors’ center and excellent programs planned for February 1 and February 22 to follow the Sunday afternoon devotional services.

...that by the time you read this, we’ll have started the redecoration project in the House of Worship visitors’ center. Our intention is to make the center more human, light and cheery, as well as more coherent in presenting the Bahá’í world community, its teachings, accomplishments and goals to our visitors. We plan to have our “new look” ready for the 1987 National Convention. If you can volunteer some labor or talent, let us hear from you!

...and finally, that you may have some good ideas about how we can better use our holiest House of Worship to teach the Faith and help further world peace. Send them to us.

Can you identify anyone in this picture?

This photograph was taken at a Youth Leadership Program session in Oregon in 1982. If you can identify anyone in the picture, please send their names to the National Bahá’í Archives, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.

Pioneers

from page 6

Almost everyone was active and tried to serve the Cause in every possible way. We learned from one another.

Our children were involved as well. Our son, Shamim, then 10 years old, arranged on his own initiative to give a talk at his school about Intercalary Days, after which he gave sweets to the other children.

Finally we said to ourselves, if we can be so happy and useful in a small U.S. town, imagine how useful we could be in, say, Africa. There are so few Bahá’í pioneers who can go there, and so much to be done.

After consulting with the International Goals Committee we were told that the need was very great in Bophuthatswana, a homeland in South Africa.

In August 1982 we left Morristown for our new pioneering post in Africa, which turned out to be a stepping-stone to our long-term commitment in Botswana.

During our year in Bophuthatswana we familiarized ourselves with the country and its culture, their methods of teaching and deepening. We served on the Assembly and on national committees with local friends and other pioneers.

We’ve now been in Botswana for almost four years. We have never regretted leaving the States—although we miss our friends in Morristown and Virginia. It’s a new experience, a new environment, with new friends and a very different culture.

There are wonderful opportunities almost without limit. There are also many tests and difficulties—which Bahá’u’lláh assures us are important for the purification of our souls.

The experience we gained in Morristown has served us well. We continue to have our regular Friday evening firesides. We serve on the National Public Relations Committee and National Teaching Committee.

Shamim, who is now 15, is vice-chairman of the National Youth Committee.

We’ve had the opportunity to present “The Promise of World Peace” to the president, cabinet ministers, and the House of Chiefs.

The Gaborone International Trade Fair in September 1986, held in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of Botswana’s independence, is recent example of our opportunity to serve.

The theme of the fair was “Twenty Years of Progress.” The Bahá’í booth was titled “Progress Through Peace.”

The stand was magnificent, beautifully decorated with colorful posters. We had two slide presentations, one an introduction to the Faith in Setswana, the local language, and one in English on the universality of the Faith.

More than 4,000 pamphlets were given out. Two visitors to the booth became Bahá’ís, and 28 others signed interest cards.

About 10,000 people visited the booth during the week-long fair. We had a full-page ad on the first page of the Trade Fair program, a free magazine given to all visitors to the fair.

Distances are great and travel difficult in Botswana. But the opportunities are as vast as the Kalahari desert—as are the tests and choices we face.

There is so much to do that we haven’t time to focus on our difficulties and our failures.

God has blessed our family with material rewards too. I (Zia) am employed by the government of Botswana with a good salary, a comfortable home, and educational benefits for our children.

For each of us, life presents unique challenges. Sometimes we are required to make material sacrifices; sometimes it is separation from our family and homes; sometimes it is the frustration of coping with a new culture, or with the imperfections of an embryonic Bahá’í community.

Sometimes we choose our challenges. Sometimes they are chosen for us by God. And sometimes we face tests that are the result of our own weakness and frailty. But ultimately, we can only be happy if we arise to serve.

The Guardian has pointed out that the most important service anyone can render to the Faith today is to teach the Cause. Each of us must decide how far he can personally go to carry the transforming power of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation to the peoples of the world.

Ellen Wallen, a member of the Spiritual Assembly of Beloit, Wisconsin, was honored recently by the SWANI chapter of Professional Secretaries International for achieving the highest proficiency level awarded to professional secretaries, the Certified Professional Secretary rating, after completing a two-day examination based on information learned through experience, education and independent study. Mrs. Wallen is employed as secretary to the Beloit fire chief. She is also a published author, and her cartoons have appeared from time to time in The American Bahá’í. [Page 9]

Family Unity Night (Fun)

FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY: Feast of Mulk (Dominion), Feb. 7. Thought for the week: "All that is in heaven and earth I have ordained for thee, except the human heart..."—Bahá’u’lláh. Prayer: Bahá’í Prayers (1982), pp. 57-58. Lesson: Read and discuss one or more of the suggested lesson materials: 1. The Hidden Words, No. 54, p. 16; No. 37, p. 35; No. 27, p. 31. 2. Gleanings, pp. 303-4. 3. Bahá’í World Faith, p. 209. Activity: "Blanket Tent"—Make a tent with a blanket or sheet draped over two or more chairs, a table, etc. Let the children "furnish" it with toys, pillows, and more blankets. This is their "domain." Refreshments: popcorn and a favorite beverage.

SECOND WEEK OF FEBRUARY: Equality of men and women. Thought for the week: "...The happiness of mankind will be realized when women and men coordinate and advance equally, for each is the complement and helpmeet of the other."—‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Prayer: Bahá’í Prayers, p. 101. Lesson: Read and discuss one or more of the suggested lesson materials: 1. The Hidden Words, No. 68, p. 20. 2. Bahá’í World Faith, p. 241 (ninth); p. 288. 3. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá by Balyúzí, pp. 318-19. 4. Ten Days in the Light of ‘Akká by Grundy, pp. 52-54. Activity: "Walk the Rope"—Make a balance beam using a long piece of string or twine on the floor. Have the children "walk the rope." Pretend it's a narrow plank over a river and the children have to try to get to the other side without getting their feet "wet." A 2-by-4 laid flat on a non-skid surface will also work as a beam. For very young children, use two pieces of string for the child to walk between. Refreshments: Peanut butter cookies—In a sauce pan, put one cup of sugar and one cup of light corn syrup. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Then add two cups of peanut butter and four cups of Special K cereal. Mix and drop by spoonfuls on waxed paper.

THIRD WEEK OF FEBRUARY: Equality of men and women (again). Thought for the week: "The main thing is to remain staunch and firmly-rooted, and persevere to the end."—Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 191. Prayer: Bahá’í Prayers, pp. 22-23, "Lord! Pitiful are we..." Lesson: Read and discuss one or more of the suggested lesson materials: 1. Juliet Thompson, Some Early Bahá’ís of the West, pp. 73-85 (read a part each night this week). 2. Anthology for Bahá’í Children, p. 43, "The Greatest Holy Leaf." 3. Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 123, No. 93. 4. The Hidden Words, p. 20, No. 68; p. 47, No. 72. Activity: Play "women of the world." Can you name a famous woman associated with each of the seven continents? Tell something about the deeds of these heroines. Level II: Can you name a Bahá’í woman for each continent? Refreshments: Ladies' choice, to be served by the men in the household.

FOURTH WEEK OF FEBRUARY: Ayyam-i-Ha. Thought for the week: "All this, that withered souls who tread the desert of the heedless, and faded ones lost in the sands of unconcern, may come to throbbing life again, and present themselves at the feasts and revels of the Lord God."—Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 255. Prayer: Bahá’í Prayers, pp. 124-25, "Praised be Thou..." Lesson and activity: For this special time, let each family member share with all the gift of his or her favorite story of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Refreshments: Prepare together a special "family night" dinner with your family's favorite foods. Serve one another with happiness and kindness, love, unity and tenderness.

Children's Day

'Children Are Alike and Different Around the World' was the theme of the fourth annual children's art contest sponsored by the Bahá’ís of Manhattan Beach, California, to commemorate Universal Children's Day. For the first time, the public schools in the city agreed to participate, and there were more than 120 entries, each depicting one child's artistic interpretation of the theme. On November 8, about 50 children and their parents gathered for an awards ceremony at the public library. All of the drawings were on display; trophies, awards and certificates of participation were presented to all the children. A Bahá’í magician provided entertainment, and refreshments were served. The prize-winning drawings were displayed at the library for the month of November.

In November, 17 Hmong children attended a celebration of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh at the home of Mehrdad and Elham Ferdosian in Tulare, California. Pictured with the children is Shookoh Jeffers (back row center) who has been involved in the Bahá’í children's classes. The children all read or recited from memory Bahá’í prayers and other readings and sang many Bahá’í songs. Besides the Hmong children and adults, the meeting was attended by Bahá’ís of Eskimo, Spanish, Persian and American backgrounds.

Bosch School to offer session for single adults

On February 13-16, the Bosch Bahá’í School in Santa Cruz, California, will present a session for single adults.

Some of the topics to be covered are:

• Clarifying values about our purpose in life, about relationships with peers, and with children.
• Learning to develop true friendships as a single person.
• Preparation for a good marriage.

Teachers will be Dr. Homa Mahmoudi, a clinical psychologist in private practice; Richard DaBell, a psychologist with the Los Angeles County Health Department's Children and Youth Services; and Hoda Mahmoudi DaBell, an assistant professor of sociology at California Lutheran University.

In addition, there will be a presentation on "Sound Imagery in the Creative Word," a study from The Hidden Words by Susan Hegarty, a member of the faculty at the California Institute of the Arts.

There will also be music, dancing and fellowship.

For more information, write to the registrar, Bosch Bahá’í School, 500 Comstock Lane, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, or phone 408-423-3093 for a tape giving up-to-date session information.

To register by mail, send a $15 deposit to the registrar at the above address. Registration can also be made using VISA or MasterCard by phoning 408-423-3387.

Children at Bahá’í-owned school in Brazil send up 1,000 balloons as plea for peace

Inspired by the example of a 12-year-old Japanese girl who died of leukemia nine years after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, children at the School of the Nations, a Bahá’í-owned elementary school in Brasilia, Brazil, recently released 1,000 helium-filled balloons with origami cranes attached, each bearing a peace message written by one of the children.

Having heard a tradition that if one folded 1,000 cranes he or she could ask for a miracle, the Japanese girl had folded 644 when she died. Now there is a monument to her in Hiroshima, holding a golden crane.

The children at the School of the Nations sent their cranes skyward to ask for the miracle of peace in the world.

Louhelen Bahá’í School Upcoming Programs

February 12-17: Midwinter Rejuvenation: Study of The Hidden Words. February 20-22: Singles Conference. March 21-22: Naw-Rúz Gala. April 3-5: Spring Celebration of Growth. April 24-26: Regional Youth Conference. May 15-17: Conference for Children and Parents. June 26-28: A Male-Female Dialogue on the Equality of Men and Women.

For information about any of these programs, or to register, write to the registrar, Louhelen Bahá’í School, 3208 S. State Road, Davison, MI 48423, or phone 313-653-5033.

Spiritual Mothering Journal

Dedicated to Our Ultimate Goal: an Ever Advancing Civilization

Spiritual Mothering Journal is a quarterly publication for parents interested in developing a peaceful humanity and fostering the family as an integral part of world peace. The Journal provides a forum to inspire and support parents in the noble work of raising children as spiritual beings.

Please send me my year's subscription US/Canada ($10.00) Please send me my year's subscription Outside North America ($15.00) Renewal

Name Address City Country Gift from State Zip

(Please make check or money order payable to Spiritual Mothering Journal and pay in US currency or its equivalent) Mail to 18350 Ross Ave Sandy, OR 97055 [Page 10]“...For several years, the Spiritual Assembly ... has been sponsoring Bahá’í classes on Sunday morning, serving 50-plus believers, ranging from baby Bahá’ís to adults who take advantage of deepening sessions while their children attend classes. It is a beautiful group, earnest and faithful in attendance, but operating without an official name. Now one has been chosen ... and we would like to be registered as the “Spirit of the Roses Bahá’í School. ...”—Elizabethtown Borough, PA

“...The Bahá’í Group of Florence consists of two Bahá’ís (a husband and wife team) who have distributed more than 90 copies of the peace statement to date. ...—Florence, OR

“...Enclosed is a sample from each of our children’s touch-typing instruction to document their progress on our two-year phase have learned the location of the keys. They are typing selections from the writings. ...”—Duncan, AZ

“...Beloit plans to have 189 firesides before Riḍván 1987. ...—Beloit, WI

“...Mr. Isaac Boyd enrolled in the Faith, becoming the oldest believer in Iowa (maybe in the nation!). Mr. Boyd was born in 1881, making him 105 years old!—Fort Dodge, IA

“...We are isolated believers. ... our efforts ... are: (1) reading the Tablet of Ahmad every day for 189 days for the prisoners in Iran; (2) reading the prayer for the Central States every day for 189 days; (3) our five-year-old daughter reading the prayer for assistance for 189 days; (4) fireside on the 19th day of every month; (5) living as an example of the Bahá’í life.”—Princeton, IL

“...The Western Unit in South Dakota is asking the Eastern Unit to help reach the goal of 189 believers contributing to the National Fund by Naw-Rúz from the state of South Dakota. ...”—Rapid City, SD

“...Our gratitude ... to our brothers and sisters in Iran ... for leading us to ‘189 days of victories’ ...”—Hopkins, MN

‘In the Spirit of the Roses’

“...In addition to this contribution, each member of the community will say a prayer for the triumph of the Cause 189 times. The community has also pledged to hand out 189 pieces of literature on the Bahá’í Faith. ...”—South Hadley, MA

“...Forty people ... attended the dinner given by the Spiritual Assembly ... to honor the Birthday of Bahá’u’lláh. Twenty-one of those who attended were Bahá’ís, the remaining 19 were their guests. ...”—Bend, OR

“...With the support of the local Teaching Committee and the House of Worship activities office, I have taken on the following goals: (1) tell 189 Haitians about the Faith; (2) tell 189 non-Haitian French-speaking people about the Faith; (3) distribute 189 Bahá’í books; (4) distribute 189 copies of the peace statement in French. ...”—Evanston, IL

“...The first week in November, the Assembly is putting a full-page ad in the local newspaper which has the summary of the peace message, a picture of the Universal House of Justice building and a picture of the Wilmette Temple. ...”—North Maricopa County, AZ

“...In the ‘Spirit of the Roses’ the Amsterdam community will be holding an ongoing teaching project in an effort to ‎teach teach teach‎ the Hispanic community. ...”—Amsterdam, NY

“...This was the first declarant in our district’s ‘Everlasting Rose Project’ and the card was signed at the anniversary celebration for the Birth of the Báb on the first night the rose started its travels through our district. ...”—South Alabama/NW Florida District

“...The Spiritual Assembly ... has decided to make a commitment to teaching as its response to the gift of the rose from the Bahá’ís of Iran. The Assembly has set a goal of finding and enrolling 10 Mexican-American believers during this year. ...”—McAllen, TX

“...In response to the call for sacrifices during the 189-day crusade, our Assembly has decided to send an extra 5 per cent of our total contributions to the National Fund each Bahá’í month for the next 189 days. ...”—Orange County, FL

“...The enclosed ... is an extra contribution from the fund-raiser ‘Dinner Is Served’. ...”—Webster Groves, MO

“...Another seed has been planted and I can smell the perfume of a rose. ...”—Albuquerque Chapter, NM

“...The Chattanooga Assembly has pledged 189 subscriptions donated to the ‘Brilliant Star Connection.’ And they challenge other Assemblies to match them. ...”—Chattanooga, TN

“...Kingsgate community has decided to add $19 to our regular contribution ... until the end of the 189 days of victory. ...—Kingsgate, WA

“...On the first day of the 189 days our Assembly sponsored a county-wide celebration of the Birth of the Báb by presenting the movie ‘The Pilgrimage’ which was attended by more than 150 adults and children, several of whom were seekers. ...”—West Cobb County, GA

“...During these 189 days we will continue to be as creative as we can to help commemorate the great sacrifices of the martyrs. ...”—Tuolumne, CA

Bahá’ís in New Haven, Connecticut, to hold first Race Unity Conference

On January 17-18 the Bahá’ís of New Haven, Connecticut, are hosting their first Race Unity Conference.

Keynote speakers are Counselor Wilma Brady and Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, vice-chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly. Mayor Biagio DiLieto of New Haven has agreed to open the conference.

Mrs. Carol Rutstein and Mrs. Bette Roberts are presenting a workshop on race unity, and Dean Carlos Torre of Yale University is to speak as the national representative of SOAR (Society Organized Against Racism).

Also scheduled to attend are state Sen. John Daniels and members of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women.

N. Virginia Bahá’ís help organize D.C. Peace Fair

Bahá’ís in Northern Virginia worked with the Worldwide Peace Foundation to organize a Peace Fair that was held November 1 near the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool in Washington, D.C.

After attending a peace breakfast sponsored by the Bahá’í last May, Peter Bloch, president of the Worldwide Peace Foundation and a recently declared Bahá’í, organized a coalition of groups to plan the celebration.

More than 18 peace groups placed representatives in booths or behind tables to answer questions, distribute literature, and sell T-shirts and books to as many as 400 visitors to the fair. The ‎Bahá’í’s Bahá’ís‎ gave out about 35 copies of “The Promise of World Peace.”

Spectators also sat at the base of the steps leading up to the Lincoln Memorial to listen to entertainment by Bahá’í performers Mary Davis and the “New Generation” band as well as international performing acts and children’s choruses.

At 5 p.m. participants launched a fleet of lanterns in the reflecting pool. Each was composed of a candle surrounded by paper and mounted on a styrofoam base, and each had the word “peace” written on it in many languages. [Page 11]

10 coordinators named to aid traveling teachers

One of the many ways in which Bahá’ís will be commemorating the 75th anniversary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s 239-day visit to North America is through travel teaching, which offers many opportunities and benefits.

Remembering ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s call for Apostles of Bahá’u’lláh to “continually travel,” the National Teaching Committee has appointed 10 Regional Traveling Teacher Coordinators to encourage traveling teaching during the Six Year Plan.

These coordinators can help traveling teachers with their itineraries as well as encourage traveling teaching within each region of the country.

To use their services, you may contact one of them directly or contact Dale Sollars, the National Teaching Committee’s traveling teacher office manager.

“O that I could travel, even though on foot and in the utmost poverty, to these regions, and, raising the call of ‘Ya Bahá’u’l-Abhá’ in cities, villages, mountains, deserts and oceans, promote the Divine teachings! This, alas, I cannot do. How intensely I deplore it! Please God, ye may achieve it.”—‘Abdu’l-Bahá, quoted in Tablets of the Divine Plan

Region 1 (Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming): Dale and Ann Sollars, Blackfoot, ID 83221. H—208-785-4495; W—208-785-2250 (Ann); W—208-526-1963 (Dale).

Region 2 (California, Nevada): Delia Lopez, Quartz Hill, CA 93536. H—805-943-3472.

Region 3 (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah): Terry Tantillo, Phoenix, AZ 85023. H—602-863-6167.

Region 4 (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota): Lynda Ochsner, Aurora, NE 68818. H—402-694-6045.

Region 5 No. 1 (Arkansas, Oklahoma): Will Sutter, Oklahoma City, OK 73104. H—405-235-2802. W—405-272-0795.

Region 5, No. 2 (Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas): Kim Bowers, Kilgore, TX 75662. H—214-984-2915. W—214-984-5707.

Region 6 (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin): Katharina Hatfield, New Richmond, OH 45157. H—513-553-2194.

Region 7 (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont): Isabelle Ighrari, c/o Jacamar Real Estate, Smithtown, NY 11787. H—516-584-5100. W—516-265-0022.

Region 8 (D.C., Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia): Sam Williams, P.O. Box 971, Yadkinville, NC 27055 H—919-679-2133. W—919-679-2623.

Region 9 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia): Elizabeth Anderson, P.O. Box 1233, Athens, AL 35611. H—205-233-3169. W—205-232-7694.

Canadian entertainer Gordi Munro begins teaching tour in U.S.

GORDI MUNRO

Canadian singer and entertainer Gordi Munro began an extensive travel teaching tour of the U.S. on December 6 with a concert in Roswell, Georgia, dedicated to the memory of the Hand of the Cause of God Zikrullah Khadem.

The event was sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Roswell to raise money for the National Fund.

While Mr. Munro has been a ‎traveling teaching traveling teacher‎ in Canada for many years, he has performed little in the U.S. His current tour is being conducted under the auspices of the National Teaching Committee.

The tour coordinator is Susan Lewis, a former National Information Officer who is also a musician and is available for firesides and deepenings.

Tentative plans for December included concerts in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota, Florida, and appearances at the National Youth Conference in Orlando and the Counselors’ conference at the Louis Gregory Institute in South Carolina.

Most of January was to be spent in South Carolina except for concerts in Atlanta for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday anniversary and in Alabama at the end of the month.

In February, concerts are planned for Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and California.

Anyone wishing to arrange a concert by Mr. Munro in their area should contact the National Teaching Committee’s traveling teacher office.

There is no charge for the concerts, but those Assemblies, committees and individuals who wish to contribute to help defray the expenses of such an undertaking may do so by sending contributions to the National Teaching Committee.

Pianist Mark Ochu combines music, teaching

During 1986 Mark Ochu, a traveling teacher and pianist from St. Cloud, Minnesota, presented more than 90 concerts arranged by local Bahá’í communities across the country.

His audiences, ranging in number from 20 to more than 200, have included prominent businessmen, students, professors and artists. His travels have taken him from California to Ontario, Canada; and many places in between.

Mr. Ochu’s presentation, entitled “The Prerequisites for Peace Found in Western Classical Music,” is a mixture of music and philosophy touching on such issues as equality of the sexes, the importance of consultation, and the elimination of prejudices of all kinds.

The theme of his presentation is the comparison between the development of music and civilization by the world’s major religions. Most of Mr. Ochu’s performances are attended by non-Bahá’ís, thus creating a great opportunity to spread the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh.

The concerts often are held in conjunction with other activities. For example, in Jamestown, New York, he performed in a Methodist church for an audience of about 50. The mayor proclaimed the day World Peace Day. Publicity for the program included two articles in the local paper; TV, radio and cable coverage, and posters and billboards.

Conversations after the program led to firesides, and the community invited Mr. Ochu to return for a future engagement.

A newspaper in California said after his performance, “World peace was the unusual but fitting theme for the piano recital by Mark Ochu a week ago. ...

“Carefully avoiding truisms (such as music being the universal language), Ochu spoke informally about each piece on his program before playing it, creating an over-all cultural and political context for his performance. ...

“It was a timely reminder that while a piano recital presents an artist and what he can do, art has more in common with philosophy than simple showmanship. ...It is also refreshing to hear a young pianist for whom personal triumph is not the single, or even the most important end for which he plays.”

In all, thousands of people have heard the Message of Bahá’u’lláh because of the efforts of one person who took the initiative to use his talents in a successful and creative way to advance the Cause of God.

Busy summer of teaching in Iowa leads to 54 enrollments in Faith

Bahá’í children prepare to march behind a ‘Wage Peace’ banner in the Tama (Iowa) Pow Wow Parade. Teaching in that state this past summer resulted in 54 enrollments.

A busy summer in Iowa resulted in 54 enrollments including several on the Sac and Fox Indian Settlement at Tama.

With the help of traveling teachers Kevin Locke, Mark Ochu and Wilford and Lollie Johnson, and teacher trainers Carey Murphy and Bob Cadwalader, the Iowa Bahá’í enthusiastically carried forward the teaching work.

More than 60 of the friends supported the District Teaching Committee’s participation in the Tama Pow Wow Parade. There were four banners showing the principles of the oneness of mankind, unity in diversity, and the 1986 theme of “The Promise of World Peace.”

Hundreds of copies of the peace statement and peace pamphlets were handed out to those who lined the parade route.

Wilford Johnson, a Bahá’í country and western singer from North Carolina, was invited to take part in a jam session on downtown streets, an event that was well-covered by the local press and radio.

In the weeks that followed five localities were opened to the Faith as at least 25 Bahá’ís went forth to teach after being trained by Mr. Cadwalader.

Fireside Video Contest

Start Your Cameras Rolling!

The National Teaching Committee is presenting an “Academy Awards” of Fireside Videos. Bahá’ís are encouraged to submit VHS videotapes made for fireside presentations. Nat Rutstein, Tony Andrews, Marina Andrews, and Jenny Williams—only one of whom is a Bahá’í—are the distinguished judges who will evaluate the entries. Winners will be announced and congratulated at the National Convention of 1987.

There is no time limit for the videos but the tape should be an appropriate length for a fireside presentation. It should also not require an in-depth explanation by the host. It should present the Faith with accuracy and dignity. The winning videos will be made available to the community for teaching efforts.

Cost of ‎the producing producing‎ your entry is your responsibility. Entries should be submitted to the National Teaching Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, no later than March 15, 1987.

U.S. cable TV to air peace video cassette

The new video cassette, “The Promise of World Peace,” will be broadcast at 1:30 p.m. (EST) Sunday, March 22, over Tempo Cable Television.

The 27-minute program was produced by Radiant Century Productions, an independent production company in Los Angeles.

The telecast is an excellent opportunity for all Bahá’ís and their friends who have access to cable television to see this fireside-style video on the peace statement.

Peace statement now available in Khmer

“The Promise of World Peace” is now available in the Cambodian language, Khmer, which is spoken by a great number of Southeast Asians living in America. Copies may be ordered through the National Teaching Committee for $1 each, plus postage. [Page 12]

BAHÁ’Í CROSSWORD

1	2	3	4		5	6	7
8			9
10			11			12	13
14		15		16		17
	18		19
		20			21
22	23		24	25		26
		27
	28			29
30			31		32
33			34

Puzzle copyright © 1987 by Juliette Whittaker

ACROSS

1. To pay careful attention. 5. “...the condition of society has a ____ effect on the individuals who must live within it.” (Shoghi Effendi, September 5, 1938) 8. What Bahá’u’lláh did with the “choice wine.” 10. We must recognize that there are spiritual as well as ____ laws. 12. Practice ____ so at variance with the standards of the Faith in present-day society. 14. Alternating current. 15. Violent form of delirium caused by excessive use of alcohol or narcotic drugs. 16. Possessive form of the pronoun “I.” 17. Month (abbreviation). 21. Air (scrambled). 22. “Happy is the man that hath apprehended the ____ of God ...” (Bahá’u’lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, p. 25) 26. A beverage (scrambled). 27. Twelfth letter in the Greek alphabet. 28. The surface included within a set of lines. 29. Ancient city on the Euphrates River. 30. “Think not that We have revealed to you a mere ____ of laws.” (Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings, p. 332) 31. Laws governing our material and spiritual lives are ____ to each of us and the society in which we live. 33. Before (poetic). 34. “Mankind, in general, can ____ properly and harmoniously when the laws of the Manifestation of God are obeyed.” (Shoghi Effendi, September 5, 1938)

DOWN

1. Obedience to the law is of vital importance to every ____ being. 2. To make into law; decree. 3. Form of therapy popularized by Werner Ehrhardt. 4. A notable feat or accomplishment. 5. Lid (scrambled). 6. To depend upon. 7. An illusion: “...the one who compromises with the law for his own apparent happiness is seen to have been following a ____” (Shoghi Effendi, September 5, 1938) 9. “The concept of chastity in the Bahá’í life condemns the prostitution of ____ and of literature ...” (Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 25) 11. Living a Bahá’í life involves the exercise of moderation in all that pertains to dress, language, ____ments, etc. 13. A body of persons making up a community for their mutual benefit and protection. 18. A bloody conflict among nations. 20. “Street term” for narcotics. 22. If we seek to establish ____ we must cast aside the obstacle of prejudices. 23. We. 24. “...that the companions of God ... may be the prince of the ____, the free, and the wise.” ( ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í World Faith, p. 336). 25. “Here, one must learn to control and direct one’s animal impulses, not to be a ____ to them.” (Shoghi Effendi, September 5, 1938) 27. One way to avoid back-biting is to remain ____. 28. Suffix, usually used to describe sweet drinks. 32. Exclamation: to look!

Answers are on page 30

Minnesota Institute sets conference on emotional well-being

The Minnesota Bahá’í Institute is sponsoring a conference for Bahá’ís on mental and emotional health January 31-February 1 at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

The conference theme is “Mental and Emotional Well-Being: Drawing Upon the Bahá’í Community in Time of Need.”

Keynote speakers and workshop leaders include Auxiliary Board members Stephen Birkland and Ronna Santoscoy; Dr. Khalil Khavari, professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin; Dr. Michael Brewer, a psychiatrist from Tucson, Arizona; and Pamela and Dennis Johnson, marriage and family therapists from Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

For more information, please Elizabeth Jenner, 612-456-9391.

67 Bahá’ís undertake two-year course on Faith sponsored by new Minnesota Bahá’í Institute

File:Photographic image of a large group of people seated and standing in a hall. Pictured are those who attended the second session November 22 in Minneapolis of a Two-Year Course on the Bahá’í Faith sponsored by the Minnesota Bahá’í Institute.

On October 25 and November 22, 67 participants from Minnesota, South Dakota, Michigan, Wisconsin and Missouri met in Minneapolis for the first and second sessions of a two-year course on the Bahá’í Faith offered through the newly created Minnesota Bahá’í Institute.

These students have begun a course of study designed to help the serious student develop a deeper understanding of Bahá’í theology through a systematic study of the Holy Writings and, with this understanding, to apply the principles revealed by Bahá’u’lláh to the problems faced by today’s men and women.

Students are expected to attend each monthly day-long session, study assigned texts, complete assignments, conduct individual research, demonstrate the ability to apply spiritual principles with written and verbal presentations, and contribute to the development of the Institute through consultation and service.

The first session was highlighted by presentations on Bahá’í scholarship, techniques of accelerated learning, the theme “the Oneness of God,” and small group projects.

Session two featured a panel of student presentations, a lecture on “The Spiritual Nature of Man,” group discussions and projects, and a book review.

The third session was scheduled for December 20.

The first year of the two-year course will deal primarily with themes and topics of Bahá’í theology.

In the second year, students will focus on the application of Bahá’í principles in specific areas of interest such as business, law, etc., through individual and team study and research.

It is hoped that the course will produce effective and devoted Bahá’í scholars of all ages and interests.

The Minnesota Bahá’í Institute, which is developing, sponsoring and offering the course, was created through a collaborative effort of the Auxiliary Board and the Spiritual Assembly of Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

It is designed to arrange and host activities in the North Central States which foster and promote Bahá’í scholarship.

Activities of the Institute to date have included:

1. hosting an evening with Gerald Knight, the Bahá’í International Community’s UN representative for human rights;

2. launching the Two-Year Course on the Bahá’í Faith;

3. sponsoring a regional conference on mental and emotional health to be held January 31-February 1;

4. and creating a “Community Development Resource” clearinghouse to gather information and make it available to local administrative institutions and scholars.

For more information about the Institute, its two-year course on the Faith or other activities, write to the Minnesota Bahá’í Institute, P.O. Box 18057, West St. Paul, MN 55118, or phone 612-456-9391.

Holyoke aldermen receive statement

On April 14, four members of the Bahá’í community of Holyoke, Massachusetts, presented copies of “The Promise of World Peace” to the city’s 15-member board of aldermen.

The presentation was covered by the local newspaper and was filmed by the Springfield City Cable TV network.

Assembly responsible for maintaining, keeping records of its business, actions

The local Spiritual Assembly, as a permanent body, is responsible for maintaining all its records including minutes, correspondence and financial records, throughout its existence as a Bahá’í institution.

Each officer of the Assembly, therefore, on completing his or her term of office, should turn over to the Assembly all records pertaining to the business of the Assembly.

Those Assembly records that should be kept permanently include annual reports; minutes; unique correspondence with the National Assembly, Bahá’í institutions and individuals; birth, marriage and death registers; financial records such as cash journals, annual financial records and contribution receipts; publicity files or scrapbooks; membership lists or directories; and photographs of the Spiritual Assembly, Bahá’í community or community activities.

Records that can be disposed of when no longer needed in the active business of the Assembly include routine mailings from the National Center; other financial records such as bills and canceled checks; enrollment and change of address forms; duplicate copies of minutes, bulletins, etc.

If storage space is a problem, the Spiritual Assembly could also dispose of its files of printed matter such as The American Bahá’í and Bahá’í News.

If local Spiritual Assemblies have further questions about their records, they can write to the National Bahá’í Archives, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.

File:Portrait of a man in a hard hat holding an electrical component. Booker Brown, chairman of the Spiritual Assembly of Cleveland, Ohio, and of the Bahá’í Public Affairs Committee of Greater Cleveland, was honored August 9 for his 13-year involvement in the Cleveland Home Town Program, which trains members of minority groups over the age of 24 to become journeyman electricians. Mr. Brown is a high school television production instructor.

Who was the first American Bahá’í woman? Find out in The Bahá’í Faith in America: Origins, 1892-1900

[Page 13]

SOCIOECONOMIC

Charles Wolcott, a member of the Universal House of Justice, speaks during a session of ‘The Preservation of Human Honor,’ a Regional Conference on Social and Economic Development held October 25-26 at the Bahá’í Center in Los Angeles, California.

“The Preservation of Human Honor,” a Regional Conference on Social and Economic Development, was held October 25-26 at the Bahá’í Center in Los Angeles, California.

Sponsored by the National SED Committee and the Administrative Committee of the Bahá’ís of Los Angeles, the event drew 418 people from more than 120 communities in California and included friends from three other states and three foreign countries.

The pivot around which the program was built was the message of October 1983 on social and economic development from the Universal House of Justice.

Session topics were “Ethics in the Workplace,” “Physical and Mental Health,” “Arts and Human Development,” “Needs Assessment and Planning,” “The Most Vital and Challenging Issue,” and “Conflict of Values.”

Among those taking part were Charles Wolcott, a member of the Universal House of Justice who was visiting in the area; Hooper Dunbar, a Counselor member of the International Teaching Center in Haifa; Counselor for the Americas Fred Schechter; William Davis, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly; Auxiliary Board member Edward Diliberto; and specialists in various development fields.

Included in the program was music and prayers in many languages. On Sunday morning, the conference became part of an ongoing development project as its members joined the children of the Los Angeles Bahá’í Family School for prayers and songs.

In keeping with the guidance from the Universal House of Justice, the focus at the conference was on spiritual revitalization and internalization beginning the development process within the Bahá’í community itself.

There was considerable emphasis on process rather than product; on understanding and appreciating differences; on the need for assessment and planning; on new definitions and standards for a new world; on morality versus expediency; on the use of scientific methods of investigation; and on using the arts to uplift instead of degrade humanity.

On Saturday evening Mr. Wolcott and Mr. Dunbar shared informally reports of the progress of the Faith in the Holy Land and told glowing stories of Bahá’í social and economic development projects in Africa, India and Latin America.

Refugee Office addresses questions raised by recent Simpson-Rodino Immigration Bill

The U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office has received a number of questions about the Simpson-Rodino Immigration Bill recently passed by Congress and signed into law by President Reagan on November 6.

This law provides temporary lawful resident status for certain individuals who do not have legal entry or immigration status.

To qualify for legalization, you must have entered the country before January 1, 1982.

If you entered as a tourist and your period of stay (I-94) expired before January 1, 1982, you will be eligible to apply. If you entered as a student or non-immigrant worker (F-1, H-1, J-1, etc.) before January 1, 1982, and you were out of status before that date, you may be eligible to apply.

If you are in the last category, you should seek legal advice before you make any application to the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service). Expiration of a visa or legal status after January 1, 1982, does not entitle one to legalization.

You must also prove that you have resided continuously in the U.S. since January 1, 1982 (except for brief absences due to some type of emergency); you must have continuous physical presence in this country from the time the new law went into effect (November 6, 1986).

You must also prove that you have registered or are in the process of registering for selective service if required by law, and that you are otherwise admissible according to the Immigration Act.

A family probably cannot file a collective legalization application—each member of the family may have to do so.

An application for legalization must be filed within 12 months of the implementation date of the law, that is, by May 6, 1987 (anticipated date).

No applications will be accepted before May 6, 1987, and there are no provisions for appeals should you fail to apply before May 6, 1988.

If you are now under, or have ever been under a deportation proceeding (received an Order to Show Cause), you must make your application for legalization during the first 30 days of the application period or the date of the Order, whichever is later.

If, for example, you previously applied for political asylum and then moved without having heard the final result, a deportation proceeding may have been started against you without your knowing it.

People who have received a Silva letter may also be subject to an Order to Show Cause and must apply within 30 days. If you have had prior contact with INS, you should advise your attorney or social services agency of that fact. No extension of the 30-day period is possible.

You must not have been convicted of a felony or three misdemeanors while in the U.S. There are other grounds of exclusion that may apply for people who have committed frauds, etc.

Legalization is really a two-step process. First, you are issued a temporary lawful residency which is good for 18 months; you then have 12 months in which to apply for permanent lawful residency.

If you do not do so, you lose your temporary status and are subject to deportation.

At the time you apply for lawful permanent residency, you must prove that you speak English and understand U.S. government and history or are enrolled in a certified program which provides this kind of instruction.

In addition, you may not apply for assistance from federal programs (such as AFDC) for five years.

The Immigration and Naturalization Service office is not as yet taking applications and has not yet finished drafting regulations to implement the new law.

We suggest that while awaiting the INS completion of regulations concerning filing of applications for legalization, you do not approach the INS offices. You can get free or low-cost information and advice from non-profit social service agencies that provide immigration counseling, or you may consult a lawyer who specializes in immigration law.

Should you get into trouble with Immigration, ask for a lawyer to give you help before you sign anything that may work against you. Do not sign any document, paper or instrument except in the presence of your attorney.

There are many other “ifs” and “ors” yet to be resolved. Act only on the advice or information of an attorney who practices immigration law or a social service agency that provides immigration counseling.—National Persian/American Affairs Committee

Jennifer Pruski, a Bahá’í from Ipan, Talofofo, Guam, who has been pioneering with her family in the Pacific since 1970 and is a 1986 graduate of Guam Community College’s high school program, finished in the top 10 in a national competition for business students last spring, winning a medal in the general merchandising category at the National Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) conference in Atlanta, Georgia. As a result, she was nominated by DECA for inclusion in this year’s edition of Who’s Who Among American High School Students. She plans to attend St. Louis University where she’ll major in marketing.

On September 14, the Bahá’í community of Albany, California, participated for the fourth year in a row in its town’s annual street fair, the ‘Solano Stroll.’ Interest in the Bahá’í booth was good; many people stopped to ask questions, and many pieces of literature were taken including copies of ‘The Promise of World Peace.’

New from George Ronald, Publisher

BAHÁ’Í REFERENCES TO JUDAISM CHRISTIANITY & ISLÁM Compiled by James Heggie More than 2000 quotations under 468 head words What do the Bahá’í Writings say about — The Bible? — Baptism? — Adam and Eve? — The Trinity? — Moses and the Red Sea? — Creation? — Jesus Christ? — Evolution? — The Virgin Mary? — Revelation? — The Resurrection? — Prophecy? What about the Qur’án? Muhammad? The Imáms? What about Krishna? Buddha? Zoroaster? It’s all in this book . . . 272 pages. Softcover only, $11.95 Order through your local librarian, or send check or money order to: Bahá’í Distribution Service, 415 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091.

[Page 14]

CLASSIFIEDS

Classified notices in The American Bahá’í are published free of charge as a service to the Bahá’í community. Because of this, no notices are limited to items relating to the Faith; no personal or commercial messages can be accepted for publication. The opportunities referred to have not been approved by the National Spiritual Assembly; the friends should exercise their own judgment in responding to them.

EMPLOYMENT

THE DEPARTMENT of Human Resources is seeking a qualified person to serve as production coordinator at the Bahá’í Publishing Trust. The production coordinator provides for and oversees the production of all literature and special materials produced by the Trust; consults on goals; prepares cost analyses and monitors the production budget; prepares and maintains schedules; handles purchasing; interfaces with other staff, vendors and suppliers; and performs other duties relating to the production department. A college degree and 2-3 years’ experience in production is required including experience in graphic arts and budgeting. Should be well-read in the Bahá’í Writings, have some typing skills, and be in good physical condition. For more information or an application, please contact the Department of Human Resources, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-869-9039.

APPLICATIONS are being accepted for a general maintenance position at the Green Acre Bahá’í School. Responsibilities include full-time maintenance of grounds, buildings and equipment, troubleshooting, and record-keeping. Applicants should have a good working knowledge of electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems. Specific skills with professional training, especially in carpentry, are helpful; ability to work independently or under close supervision with excellent organizational skills is essential. Minimum of 2-3 years’ experience required; ‎hand-on hands-on‎ experience in an apartment complex, hotel, public school or institutional maintenance desirable. For more information or an application, please contact the Department of Human Resources, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-869-9039.

QUALIFIED individuals are being sought to fill two key positions in the National Teaching Committee office at the Bahá’í National Center: minority development coordinator and office secretary. The coordinator is responsible for stimulating and developing all efforts related to minority teaching projects and issues. Experience working with minority groups is essential, with written and oral fluency in Spanish highly desired. A college degree is preferred; some typing skills and a willingness to learn computer skills are required. The secretarial position calls for an individual with several years of strong secretarial and administrative background including excellent typing, word processing, oral and written communication skills. This individual will handle and process a high volume of detailed work, and work with staff at all levels, as well as interact with the public. Flexibility and a loving attitude are essential ‎in, in‎ both positions. For further information or an application, please contact the Department of Human Resources, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-869-9039.

WE are seeking hard-working, energetic individuals to serve as a masonry worker and drafting aide in the Properties Department at the Bahá’í National Center. The masonry worker should be able to do caulking, tuckpointing and concrete joint cutting using the appropriate equipment. Six to 12 months’ experience in masonry repair is desired. The drafting aide will check existing conditions and update as-built drawings on buildings and sites, prepare sketches for new projects, and perform other technical or clerical tasks. Good drawing skills, a high degree of accuracy and thoroughness, and good organizational skills are required; previous experience in drafting, construction or building maintenance is desired. Positions will open around June 1, 1987, and end August 15, although these dates are fairly flexible depending upon candidates’ availability. Both positions are salaried. For an application or more information, please contact the Department of Human Resources, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-869-9039.

THE NATIONAL Spiritual Assembly’s Office of External Affairs, which is responsible for contact with the U.S. government, national media and organizations, and prominent individuals, is seeking secretarial help in its Wilmette and New Haven offices. In Wilmette, the secretary handles phone inquiries, opens and sorts mail, types correspondence, maintains public information network mailing lists, processes orders for a-v and special materials, and analyzes news clippings. Requires a flexible person with previous experience in a fast-paced office environment, good organizational skills, typing of 50-60 wpm, and a pleasant telephone manner. Word processing skills are desirable. In New Haven, the secretary acts as receptionist, types correspondence, and maintains files in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment. Previous office experience, good telephone manner, and typing skills of 60 wpm are required. Word processing experience is desirable. Those interested in applying should write to the Office of External Affairs, New Haven, CT 06510.

THE OFFICE of the Treasurer is seeking a Fund Education coordinator. Excellent chance to serve the Faith in Wilmette. The coordinator helps administer a nation-wide program designed to strengthen the institution of the Bahá’í Fund by overseeing the National Treasurer’s Representative program and by responding to inquiries about the Fund from the field. Requires a liberal arts background with strong written and oral communication skills, familiarity with the Bahá’í Writings and an ability to relate them to the world around us. Other desirable traits include flexibility, a sense of humor, and self-motivation. For more information or an application, contact Karen Crenshaw, Department of Human Resources, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-869-9039.

THE GREEN Acre Bahá’í School is looking for someone to serve as educational coordinator, a full-time position responsible for the preparation and coordination of educational programming and related activities at the school. Requirements include a background in education with teaching experience in the public sector and the Bahá’í community. A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in education or a closely related field is desired. Applicants should be enthusiastic, creative and highly organized with excellent written and oral communication skills. An excellent opportunity for an educator who desires to use his or her professional skills to serve the Faith. For more information or an application, please contact the Department of Human Resources, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-869-9039.

FAMILY Birth Center in Pendleton, Oregon, needs an obstetrician. Presently, one obstetrician and four family practice physicians serve an average of 30 women a month in this in-hospital environment, but in February one F.P. physician will no longer be delivering. Pendleton has a strong Assembly and is adjacent to the Umatilla Indian Reservation, which also has an Assembly. Teaching and consolidation opportunities exist in the surrounding area. To discuss the position in detail, contact Karen Tarlo, RN, MSN, a Bahá’í who is coordinator of the Family Birth Center, St. Anthony Hospital, Pendleton, OR 97801 (phone 503-276-5121). In Oregon, phone 800-826-6908, or phone Mrs. Tarlo at home, 276-8133.

BAHÁ’Í woman who is a homefront pioneer in Canutillo, Texas (near El Paso) is looking for another Bahá’í woman to help with cleaning and to share a two-bedroom, 1 3/4-bath mobile home for $100 a month. Please contact Veda Matteson, Canutillo, TX 79835.

THERE are openings for a clinical psychologist (Ph.D) and social worker (MSW) to provide psychotherapy for adults and children in the outpatient department of the Jackson (Tennessee) Counseling Center, a progressive, community-oriented, professional counseling center. Jackson, a thriving community of 50,000 with four colleges and diversified industry, has a small Bahá’í Group. Contact Carolyn Eck, Jackson, TN 38305, or phone 901-664-1694.

SEVERAL positions for qualified individuals are open at Oglala Lakota College, Box 490, Kyle, SD 57752 including Applied Science Department chairman, vocational education director, natural resources instructor, economic development research coordinator-computer specialist, and reading specialist. Request job description from the Personnel Selection Committee. Local pioneer and college staff member is Louise Watson (Pine Ridge Indian Reservation).

FROM JULY 1987, a vacancy will exist for a Bahá’í couple to serve in the gardens at the House of Worship in Sydney, Australia. Free accommodations are provided in the form of a small cottage on the grounds. Financially independent couples are preferred, but for those in need of support, some contribution toward living expenses may be arranged. If you’ve been thinking about serving the Faith in Sydney, this could be the ideal position—lots of teaching can be done at the Temple every day. For more information, please write to the Bahá’í Temple Property Management Committee, P.O. Box 224, Terrey Hills 2084, Australia.

PIONEERING (OVERSEAS)

NORTHERN China: A general manager and process engineer are being sought for immediate openings in a high-tech, automated factory that manufactures printed circuit boards (double-sided, multi-layer). Good pay and benefits; at least a two-year contract. College and at least five years’ experience in management are required. For more details, please contact the International Goals Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091 (phone 312-869-9039).

NIGERIA has openings for university faculty in music, health sciences, pharmacy and social sciences. Positions vary from assistant lecturer at the master’s degree level to full professorship, requiring post-graduate degrees and a minimum of 10 years’ experience. For more information, contact the International Goals Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-869-9039.

PIONEERING (HOMEFRONT)

STUDENTS, teachers, families, everyone! Bahá’ís are needed to help save a jeopardized Assembly in Athens, Georgia, 60 miles northeast of Atlanta, home of one of the major universities in the Southeast and a perfect location for outdoor enthusiasts. Living costs are reasonable, and jobs are available at the university, in the school system, and in industries such as Westclox and Goodrich. Bahá’í families in the area are eager to help in any way possible. For more information, write to the Clarke County Bahá’í community, c/o Sohayl Moshtael, secretary, P.O. Box 1063, Athens, GA 30603, or phone 404-548-6495.

THE IOWA District Teaching Committee invites you to homefront pioneer to goal areas in Iowa which include four recently opened or reopened cities in the southeastern area of the state—Burlington, Ottumwa, Keokuk and Oskaloosa—and Fort Dodge, recently reopened in northwest Iowa. Also, several local Spiritual Assemblies need reinforcements, among them Waterloo and Iowa City. The Mesquakie Indian Settlement in central Iowa was recently opened to the Faith, and there is much work to be done there. Teachers are needed in the Settlement school near Tama. Send resumés directly to the principal, Sac and Fox Settlement School, Route 2, Tama, IA 52339. Social workers might also apply, as there is a need for those qualified to work in the treatment of alcoholism. Write to the Sac and Fox Settlement, Route 2, Tama, IA 52339. The friends in Iowa, inspired by the “Spirit of the Roses,” have the vision of teaching. We invite you to join us in teaching the Faith in the heart of the Central States, Iowa. The DTC stands ready to help you by offering information on any of the above goal areas. Please write to P.O. Box 63, New Liberty, IA 52765, or phone 319-843-3382.

BETHLEHEM, Pennsylvania, needs at least two Bahá’ís to maintain its Assembly status. This active, loving Bahá’í community is about 90 minutes west of New York City and 90 minutes north of Philadelphia. Spanish-speaking believers can help teach one of the largest Hispanic populations in the state. The seven colleges in the Bethlehem-Allentown area contribute to its many cultural events. For more information about homefront pioneering in eastern Pennsylvania, contact Saadat and Karen Rouhani, Pottstown, PA 19464.

HOMEFRONT pioneers are needed in Jackson and rural West Tennessee to provide extensive deepening to more than 100 believers in a dozen or more communities who were enrolled in a mass teaching campaign several years ago. Contact Carolyn Eck, Jackson, TN 38305, or phone 901-664-1694.

“BAHÁ’ÍS really live in Vermont? I thought it was just a place to go on vacation.” An active but jeopardized Assembly of six is looking for people to become homefront pioneers to Vermont (we’ve sent two pioneers to Ireland, two to Iowa). Established children’s class program, a loving social life, teaching and proclamation campaigns in progress, and lovely country living await those who come to Hartford. All are welcome, but we’d be grateful for minorities to add diversity. A Persian family would be especially welcome to help plan cultural transition for Persian Bahá’í refugees who will arrive sometime after January. Housing for single female Bahá’í available, as are high-tech, secretarial and medical jobs. Home day-care providers are greatly needed. Contact Diane Langley, P.O. Box 14, Hartford, VT 05047 (phone 802-295-6916). P.S.—Only two and one-half hours to Green Acre as the Bahá’í flies (55 mph)!

COME to Clay County, Florida, where it doesn’t snow! There are good schools, good jobs, and an active Bahá’í Group that needs only two adults to regain Assembly status. It’s a family community; Jacksonville is nearby. Write to Ken Carter, P.O. Box 504, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043, or phone 904-284-0769.

YOUTH

SERVICES from willing youth are needed to help teaching efforts and programming at Radio Bahá’í in Lake Titicaca, Peru. Some training in radio and theatre production is important, as are a working knowledge of Spanish and some technical knowledge of electronics. Musical and/or dancing talent is welcomed. Living accommodations and expenses will have to be worked out. If interested, please contact the National Youth Committee, 312-869-9039.

POSITIONS are available for youth willing to serve at the World Center in Haifa. Jobs include: gardeners, security guards, clerk-typists, etc. Some experience would be useful, but is not required. Most important is the [Page 15]ability to exhibit mature and responsible attitudes toward work. Shared accommodations as well as room, board and a small living allowance are provided. If interested, contact the National Youth Committee, 312-869-9039.

YOUTH are needed to help in teaching and consolidation work planned by the National Spiritual Assembly of Botswana. Some teaching experience is useful, as well as the ability to adapt to rustic conditions. Living conditions and expenses to be determined. If interested, contact the National Youth Committee, 312-869-9039.

THE NATIONAL Spiritual Assembly of the Bahamas is looking for one or two young men to live at the National Center and serve as coordinators for youth activities, both teaching and consolidation. Black men would be especially useful in this post. The only requirements are that you be mature, well-deepened, enthusiastic and self-starting. Expenses are estimated at between $150 and $200 a month with no stipend available. If interested, contact the National Youth Committee, 312-869-9039.

THE ANIS Zunuzi School in Haiti is looking for youth to help with the various aspects of the school curriculum. The school supports a number of self-help projects in the local community including child education, agriculture, nutrition, crafts, etc. Knowledge of French is required, along with skill in one of the above-mentioned areas. Housing provided at the school. Expenses are about $100-$150 a month with no stipend available. If interested, please contact the National Youth Committee, 312-869-9039.

YOUTH are needed to help with the ongoing Amoz Gibson Project on the Wanblee Reservation in South Dakota. Requires a willingness to serve, ability to listen and accept responsibility, and maturity. A car would be welcomed, but is not required. A mobile home is available for volunteers to stay in, sharing food expenses with traveling teachers; no stipend is available. If interested, please contact the National Youth Committee, 312-869-9039.

TWO male youth are needed by the National Assembly of Mexico to travel and teach in established communities on the Yucatán Peninsula. Due to cultural considerations of the region, only men are allowed. Must be responsible, hard-working, deepened with a solid working knowledge of Spanish. Youth would live with Bahá’í families in the region, and should expect to contribute $150-$200 a month to the family for expenses. If interested, contact the National Youth Committee, 312-869-9039.

YOUTH teachers are needed in Belize for a training center that is being established. Teachers are needed to conduct deepening classes and to give instructions in carpentry, plumbing, electrical work and mechanics. Male or female may apply, but a married couple is preferred. English is the main language, but some knowledge of Spanish is useful. If interested, please contact the National Youth Committee, 312-869-9039.

THE NATIONAL Spiritual Assembly of Guyana is looking for youth to help with work in the National Assembly office and to help also with teaching and consolidation. Secretarial skills would be useful. Room and board can be arranged, and a small stipend is negotiable. If interested, please contact the National Youth Committee, 312-869-9039.

WLGI Radio is seeking a youth volunteer to work on many aspects of radio management. Some experience and/or knowledge of radio broadcasting is preferred. Accommodations with believers in the area can be arranged; a small stipend is negotiable. If interested, please contact the National Youth Committee, 312-869-9039.

THE NATIONAL Spiritual Assembly of Ireland is seeking a youth to help with administrative work at the National Center as well as to plan and execute youth activities. Some office and administrative skills would be useful. Living accommodations and expenses are yet to be determined. If interested, contact the National Youth Committee, 312-869-9039.

HELP is needed from youth for the Navajo/Hopi project in the Arizona/New Mexico area. Several homefront pioneers living on the Reservation need your help. The only requirements are a willingness to serve, and the ability to listen and to accept responsibility. Youth would live with a homefront pioneer or native believer, and would be expected to contribute to household expenses; no stipend is offered. If interested, contact the National Youth Committee, 312-869-9039.

SCHOOLS

THE UNITED NATIONS University for Peace in Escazu, Costa Rica, is sponsoring a course entitled “Family Life Education for Peace” from June 29-July 10, 1987. This first course in family life education offered at the university will examine research findings, theories, methods and materials on marriage and parenting for peace and is designed for students seeking knowledge, attitudes and skills for their own marriage and parenting, for family science students, and for family professionals learning to help families develop individual peace-promoting qualities. For more information and application materials, contact Dr. John Woodall, Long Beach, CA 90802.

“PEACE Through World Order” is the theme of the program and events for 1987 at Tagungszentrum Landegg, the Bahá’í conference center near Zurich, Switzerland. Course topics include “Women as Equals—Hallmark of the New Order,” “World Order and Bahá’í Identity,” three seminars on marriage and the family, “Public Relations,” “The Economy,” “Aspects of Global Order,” “Education,” “Study of Comparative Religion,” “The Bahá’í Community as Peace Builders,” “Introduction to Islam,” a health conference, and “Music: A Ladder for the Soul.” An art forum will focus on the role of the arts in bringing about a universal consciousness, while a peace forum is planned to establish a dialogue among public figures, scientists and various groups that are actively engaged in the promotion of peace. For a free program brochure, write to Tagungszentrum Landegg, Switzerland.

CAMPERS: Plan now to attend 1987 family and children camping sessions at Indiana’s Nur’u’llah Summer School at Camp Kikthawenund near Anderson. Family session, June 15-21; children’s session, June 21-27. Special Native American council fire Saturday, June 20. For more information, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Roy Meyer, LaPorte, IN 46350.

WANTED

FORMER Caribbean travelers and residents: please send me your name and address so that I may send you a short list of questions to be answered regarding your experiences in the Leeward, Windward or Virgin Islands. The information will be used in the compilation of a history of the growth and development of the Faith in that area. The main emphasis will be on stories, vignettes, etc. Of special interest is the period before 1966. The project is sponsored by the National Spiritual Assembly of St. Lucia. Your response will be greatly appreciated, not only by us but also by future generations. Send names and addresses to Pat Paccassi, St. Lucia, West Indies.

SHARE your wealth of mirth by sending samples for assaying. If the nugget comes from your claim, label it as such. If it originates from another’s claim, include all source material you have. Inclusion for final minting depends on an assay by a consulting committee and smelting by the National Spiritual Assembly’s publications review board. All contributions become the property of the editor and must be accompanied by your name, address, phone number and Bahá’í I.D. number to assure my ability to contact you. The collection is unlimited in style: puns, limericks, knock-knocks, quotes, anecdotes, stories (short!) and all others are welcome. Please send to Donna Brice Russell, San Leandro, CA 94578 (phone 415-278-9349).

WANTED: Original Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to the following individuals with approximate date of Tablet: Charles A. Bjork, Chicago (1907); Elizabeth Bates, New Haven, CT (1911); Mr. and Mrs. John Edward Bruce, New York, NY (1913); Mary Augusta Bissell, Alameda, CA (1911); Edward Braithwaite, Washington, D.C. (1911); and Dr. Sarah Burgess, Chicago (1904). Anyone having information about the possible location of these Tablets is asked to contact the National Bahá’í Archives, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.

INFORMATION WANTED: The Center for Interracial Unity, sponsored by the Louhelen Bahá’í School, is asking the friends to send any material (newspaper clippings, etc.) that they may feel would be beneficial for our files. We need articles and information about interracial families, education, and employment. Please send information to the Center for Interracial Unity, c/o Joan E. Williams, secretary, Kalamazoo, MI 49007.

FORMER Freemasons: Would you please contact me? My father and uncle were Masons, and I’m trying to do some research and need your help. Peggy True, Valle Gran Rey, La Gomera, Canary Islands, Spain 38870.

THE Bahá’í community of Bakersfield, California, is planning to sponsor an essay contest on the Faith this winter for college students, and would very much like to hear from any community that has sponsored such an event for high school or college students. We are especially interested in examining your rules, guidelines and recommendations for participants. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Please send whatever information you have to Jan Hendricks, Bakersfield, CA 93309.

THE NATIONAL Bahá’í Archives is seeking the records of Regional Teaching Committees for the 1930s and 1940s, particularly minutes and correspondence. Anyone having such records is asked to write to the National Bahá’í Archives, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.

SUMMER water safety instructor needed June 14-27 for Indiana’s Nur’u’llah school summer session at Camp Kikthawenund near Anderson. Position requires current American Red Cross water safety instructor certificate; CPR instructor certificate would be a plus. Must be able to teach all ages. Please contact Roy Meyer, LaPorte, IN 46350 (phone 219-326-5077). For information on WSI and CPR instructor certification, contact the local Red Cross chapter in your area.

I AM in the process of editing a book on dreams of spiritual significance, such as those that have led individuals to the Bahá’í Faith. If you’ve ever had a dream which you feel has had an important spiritual meaning, relevance or influence in your life, and would like the story of your dream to appear in this book, please send your story (with a release statement of your name and story) to T. Foroughi, Glendale, AZ 85302.

DISTRIBUTORS: individuals, Groups or Assemblies are sought to serve as distributors of the “Mankind Is One” sweatshirts and T-shirts. Distributors will receive compensation. Write to Reflections, Louhelen Bahá’í School, 3208 S. State Road, Davison, MI 48423.

ITEMS AVAILABLE

“REFLECTIONS” catalog listing “Mankind Is One” sweatshirts and T-shirts, tapes, books and other Bahá’í-related materials is available at no cost from the Louhelen Bahá’í School, 3208 S. State Road, Davison, MI 48423 (phone 313-653-5033).

CONFERENCE catalog of winter and spring conferences at the Louhelen Bahá’í School is available from the registrar, Louhelen Bahá’í School, 3208 S. State Road, Davison, MI 48423.

INFORMATION and application materials for the 1987 Robert Hayden Fellowship in Poetry are now available from the Louhelen Bahá’í School, 3208 S. State Road, Davison, MI 48423.

TAPES from the Louhelen Women’s Conference: “Women and the Age of Equality” by Dr. Jane Faily, and “Women of Color in America” by Dr. Gwen Lewis are now available—$6 per tape. Write to Reflections, Louhelen Bahá’í School, 3208 S. State Road, Davison, MI 48423, or phone 313-653-5033. VISA or MasterCard accepted.

MISCELLANEOUS

ALL ARE invited to contribute to the fund establishing a scholarship at Haskell Indian Junior College in honor of Marianne Steffes, the first Native American Bahá’í who was a graduate of Haskell. Checks, made payable to the Spiritual Assembly of Lawrence, Kansas, and earmarked for the “Steffes Scholarship,” should be sent to P.O. Box 584, Lawrence, KS 66044.

SWEDISH circus performer (juggler) would like to contact other Bahá’ís who are circus or variety artists. Please write to Miss Rosita, juggler (Rosmarie Carlsson), Uppsala, Sweden.

Bahá’ís in Michigan to share Wisconsin school peace program

On October 24, a public radio station in western Michigan carried a story on “Monitor Radio Weekend” describing how the Milwaukee public schools, from elementary through senior high, have established a formal “peace studies” program.

As described on the broadcast, the program starts with concepts of individual and inner peace, and moves from there to family and community relationships, and eventually to issues of prejudice and world peace with high school students who will soon become voters and perhaps even policymakers.

Impressed by the program, the Bahá’í Group of Big Rapids, Michigan, in the “Spirit of the Roses,” is acquiring copies of the radio program along with whatever materials are available from the Milwaukee school district.

With these in hand, the Group will share the model with other groups and organizations that are interested in and supportive of peace efforts, then meet with teachers, principals and school board officials in the Big Rapids area to share these developments and offer encouragement and support.

Tapes of the program can be purchased for $4 from Monitor Radio, P.O. Box 527, Boston, MA 02117. Ask for the tape of October 24 “Monitor Radio Weekend” (Milwaukee Public Schools’ Peace Studies Program by Lisa Watts).

The Bahá’í Group of Big Rapids would be happy to share whatever information and materials it obtains from the Milwaukee public schools. Write to Big Rapids Bahá’í Group, P.O. Box 1235, Big Rapids, MI 49307, or phone Rick Harmsen, 616-796-1120 (evenings).

Christian

from page 4

son and his wife who had settled near Fairbanks. It was there, on July 30, 1971, that a tragic fire took her life.

The Universal House of Justice cabled the following message:

“Grieved tragic passing Knight of Bahá’u’lláh Roberta Christian. Her devoted services Alaska Nine Year Plan worthy addition laurels garnered pioneer efforts Rhodesia and Greece company late husband William Kenneth Christian during World Crusade. ...”

A practical measure of devotion

National Bahá’í Fund

Wilmette, IL 60091

[Page 16]

Serving Mankind

“God, the True One, beareth Me witness, and every atom in existence is moved to testify that such means as lead to the elevation, the advancement, the education, the protection and the regeneration of the peoples of the earth have been clearly set forth by Us and are revealed in the Holy Books and Tablets by the Pen of Glory.” Bahá’u’lláh Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 130

Bahá’í History Calendar 1987 • 143-144 BE Bahá’í House of Worship of the Indian Subcontinent, New Delhi, India

A new reference book and a collection of personal accounts of those who met Bahá’u’lláh are the two newest publications from George Ronald. Stories of Bahá’u’lláh is a collection of stories compiled and edited by the Hand of the Cause of God ‘Alí-Akbar Furútan. Mr. Furútan says he ‘first thought of collecting personal accounts about the life of the Blessed Beauty, Bahá’u’lláh,’ in late 1975. He says the idea was well-received by the Bahá’ís, and Mr. Furútan began corresponding with families in Iran who were believed to have accounts and diaries of first-hand meetings with Bahá’u’lláh. He says he then chose the most suitable passages, which were published in Iran in 1978. Since that time a number of new stories have come to light and have been included in this book. Stories of Bahá’u’lláh is $12.95 in hardcover, $5.95 in softcover.

James Heggie, who compiled An Index of Quotations, has produced a new book that will be of value for scholars and those actively involved in teaching those of other faiths. Bahá’í References to Judaism, Christianity & Islam ($11.95 SC) contains more than 2,000 quotations from the writings of Bahá’u’lláh, the Báb, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi, drawing upon 26 source books. Mr. Heggie’s book is set up so that everyone interested in the topic of ‘baptism,’ for example, can look up that key word and find two pages of quotations. Both books were expected to be available from the Bahá’í Distribution Service early this month.

Calendars available from other Bahá’í publishers include Hawaii’s 1987 Bahá’í History Calendar ($5.50 CA), which focuses on social and economic development. For each Gregorian month there is a photograph of a Bahá’í social and economic development project. On the facing page is the monthly calendar with historic events listed by date. There is also space to write in daily activities, but, handsome as this calendar is, you may want to use your Bahá’í Datebook or the ‘Do-It-Yourself Sticker Kit’ to keep track of community, personal and family activities. The Scroll Calendars from Taiwan combine the beauty of Chinese art with the Bahá’í calendar to make keeping track of Bahá’í dates practical and attractive. These calendars (shown are those from 142 B.E.) are available in either silk or bamboo with distinctive color drawings of pastoral scenes in the traditional Chinese style. Both the silk and wood calendars sell for $4.25 each.

Teachers and travelers will find two compilations from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust of Malaysia of particular interest. Bahá’í Prayers and Holy Writings and The Hidden Words and Selected Holy Writings are both small in size and in price. The books are sized to fit in a shirt pocket, and at $2.50 each are inexpensive enough to give to those investigating the Faith. Bahá’í Prayers and Holy Writings includes in its selection of prayers the Long Healing Prayer, the Fire Tablet, a prayer for pioneers, and a prayer for the martyrs. In addition to prayers, Bahá’í Prayers and Holy Writings includes the complete compilation from the World Center’s Words of God, a calendar of Feasts and Holy Days, and the Dynamics of Prayer. The Hidden Words and Selected Holy Writings includes, among its ‘Selected Writings,’ the Words of Wisdom, the ‎Tarazat Tarázát‎, the Báb’s address to the Letters of the Living, and the Tablet of the True Seeker.

ORDER FORM

Quan.	Item	Amt.	Quan.	Item	Amt.
__	Bahá’í Datebook 144 B.E., CA	$2.25	__	Peace: More Than an End to War, HC	$16.00
__	Bahá’í History Calendar, CA	5.50	__	Peace: More Than an End to War, SC	8.95
__	Bahá’í Pocket Calendar 144 B.E., CA	10/2.00	__	The Power of Unity, SC	7.95
__	Bahá’í Prayers and Holy Writings, SC	2.50	__	Scroll Calendar 144 B.E.—Silk, CA	4.25
__	Bahá’í Ref to Judaism, Christianity, Islam, SC	11.95	__	Scroll Calendar 144 B.E.—Wood, CA	4.25
__	Bahá’í Wall Calendar 144 B.E., CA	1.25	__	Stories of Bahá’u’lláh, HC	12.95
__	Consultation: A Compilation, SC	1.50	__	Stories of Bahá’u’lláh, SC	5.95
__	The Divine Art of Living, SC	7.95	__	Stories from the Dawn-Breakers, CS	24.00
__	Do-It-Yourself Sticker Kit, CA	2.50	__	This Century of Progress, CS	7.00
__	Hidden Words and Selected Holy Writings, SC	2.50	__	Unrestrained as the Wind, SC	7.95
__	The Light of Bahá’u’lláh, SC	3.00	__	Women: Equality and Peace, CS	7.00
__	The Open Door, PA	10/8.50		Total

Enclose a check for the full amount, or

VISA/MC/AMEX (CIRCLE ONE)

Exp. Date ________ Card No. ________________________

No postage within continental U.S. (add 15% outside U.S.)

Name ____________________________________________

Address __________________________________________

_________________________________________________

City ____________________ State ________ Zip ________

Credit card orders ($10.00 minimum) are accepted by phone: 800-323-1880 (outside Illinois), or 312-251-1854 (within Illinois).

Bahá’í Distribution Service 415 LINDEN AVENUE WILMETTE, IL 60091

TAB 1/87 Prices good through February 28, 1987 [Page 17]

for all seasons

Bahá’í Wall Calendar 144 B.E., a 13-month calendar beginning in March 1987, features a full-color photograph of the Bahá’í House of Worship in India, an explanation of Bahá’í Holy Days and special event days, and a description of the Lotus of Bahapur on the reverse side. $1.25. (See photo at right.)

Bahá’í Pocket Calendar 144 B.E. is a 12-month calendar beginning in March 1987, with a listing of Bahá’í Holy Days and special event days on the reverse. Printed in grey. Available only in packages of 10. $2. (Not shown.)

Bahá’í Datebook 144 B.E. is a 13-month datebook that returns to the format of the 1979 edition. It has one Gregorian month per double-page spread, beginning with March 1987 and ending with March 1988. $2.50. (Shown below, reduced.)

Do-It-Yourself Bahá’í Sticker Kit, a first-time-ever package of stickers that can be used on any calendar. Includes more than 200 stickers for many occasions such as those shown at left; can be used for any year and can be ordered any time during the year. $2.50.

• Firesides
• 17 SULṬÁN Jan. 19 — Feast Days
• LSA Meetings
• Declaration of the Báb 5/23 — Holy Days
• Deepenings
• Race Unity Day June-2nd Sun. — Special Event Days
• Ayyám-i-Há
• MEET FOR DAWN PRAYERS — Reminders
• POTLUCK — Potlucks
• 2 — The Fast
• Ridván 4/30
• BIRTHDAY / ANNIVERSARY — Personal Reminders

Sample stickers from the new Do-It-Yourself Sticker Kit.

The new Bahá’í Wall Calendar features a full-color photograph of the Bahá’í House of Worship outside of New Delhi, India.

December 1987   Qawl / Masá’il / Sharaf   144 B.E.

Sunday JAMÁL	Monday KAMÁL	Tuesday FIDÁL	Wednesday ‘IDÁL	Thursday ISTIQLÁL	Friday ‎ISTIQLÁL ‘IZZA‎	Saturday JALÁL
		1 9	2 10	3 11	4 12	5 13
6 14	7 15	8 16	9 17	10 18	11 19	12 1
14 13	15 14	16 15	17 16	18 17	19 18	1 19
2 20	3 21	4 22	5 23	6 24	7 25	8 26
9 27	10 28	11 29	12 30	13 31	14 November	15 January
16	17	18	19	1

Sample double-page spread of the new Bahá’í Datebook (reduced). Actual size is 6 3/4 by 7 1/2 inches.

The Six Year Plan

A greater involvement in the life of human society

The eighth in a series of columns focused on the goals of the Six Year Plan

The Universal House of Justice, in its Six Year Plan, has called for the development of “the proper understanding and practice of consultation among members of the Bahá’í community and in the work of Bahá’í institutions,” and the fostering of “the spirit of consultation in the conduct of human affairs and the resolution of conflicts at all levels of society.”

In its response to this goal, our National Spiritual Assembly, in the U.S. Six Year Plan, has voiced the need for an increase “in the understanding and practice of the art of consultation among children, youth and adults, within families, and among those serving on institutions and their agencies.”

The ramifications of the aspects of consultation mentioned in the Six Year Plan are many. With deepening, with vision, and with practice we can gradually begin to understand the implications of true consultation in our homes, our Bahá’í communities, and in society. This understanding has the potential to have a great impact on the ways in which people relate.

As we begin to think of new and creative ways of learning about and applying the art of consultation to various facets of our lives, we can benefit from drawing upon the following sources.

A booklet of gems from the writings of Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi, and the Universal House of Justice that relate to consultation. Includes extracts that describe the importance, purpose, attributes and results of consultation, and contrasts Bahá’í consultation with decision-making processes of non-Bahá’í bodies. An excellent refresher course for those who have read it before and who want to study it in light of the Six Year Plan. SC $1.50.

The popular compilation of excerpts from the writings related to the various aspects of achieving a peaceful civilization. Contains a short selection that deals with the process of consultation, focusing on its purpose and effects upon the world. Links the art of consultation with a system of world government and the achievement of a peaceful and global civilization. HC $16, SC $8.95.

A compilation of extracts from the writings that includes a section on ‘using consultation to foster harmony.’ Describes consultation as a key to strengthening unity within a Bahá’í family as well as a Bahá’í community and shows how consultation provides us with insights into things that are unknown. SC $7.95.

Compiler of Race and Man praises Trust’s new compilation, The Power of Unity

Alice Simmons Cox, one of the compilers of Race and Man, the first publication of the Bahá’í writings to draw together references on the topic of race unity, recently wrote to the Bahá’í Publishing Trust to compliment those who compiled The Power of Unity: Beyond Prejudice and Racism, the Trust’s recent compilation on race unity.

The Power of Unity: Beyond Prejudice and Racism is now available from the Bahá’í Distribution Service in softcover only for $7.95. It was a joint project of the Bahá’í Publishing Trust and the National Bahá’í Race Unity Committee with the special help of Bonnie J. Taylor.

Mrs. Cox had this to say:

“I am happy to see released a new compilation of passages from the Bahá’í writings on race unity. It was indeed time to expand this topic beyond the 1943 compilation Race and Man.

“That earlier publication was restricted to the theme of race relations as a problem particularly in the United States. Mrs. Gift and I, the compilers, learned from the Race Unity Committee that not even the Americans were ready to see the larger view. Even our suggested title, ‘The Coming Race Unity,’ was considered too advanced for the use of Bahá’ís in the South.”

She continues, “The Power of Unity: Beyond Prejudice and Racism is vibrant with a sense of victory and is an indicator in many ways of how far the ‎Bahá’í Bahá’ís‎ have come in the following 43 years. May this compilation be prophetic of victories to come. ...”

Other readers have also responded favorably to The Power of Unity, and to date the Bahá’í Distribution Service has sold more than 2,000 copies since the book was released at the San Francisco Peace Conference.

These responses indicate that it was indeed time to publish a new compilation on the important issues of prejudice, race and unity.

How to order

To order any titles listed on this page, individuals living anywhere in the world should see the Bahá’í Distribution Service coupon in this issue.

Bahá’í institutions outside the contiguous 48 states should order directly from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 415 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091. [Page 18]

Conferencia de Bahá’ís de habla Hispana está magnífica

Con la presencia de aproximadamente 100 participantes, se llevó a cabo la Segunda Conferencia Anual de Bahá’ís de Habla Hispana en la ciudad de San Fernando, California.

Esta conferencia que tuvo lugar del 10 al 13 de octubre de 1986, contó con la presencia de Bahá’ís de más de 40 distintas ciudades y estados del país y 14 nacionalidades.

Las comunidades auspiciantes de este magnífico evento, San Fernando y Fillmore de California y Ensenada del vecino país de México, lo calificaron de un notable éxito, no sólo por el entusiasmo y por las conclusiones que se llegaron, sino porque durante el desarrollo de la misma se realizaron rodajes de ocho diferentes programas de video en ‎al el‎ idioma español, los mismos que abarcan temas diferentes de nuestra amada Causa y que naturalmente servirán como material de enseñanza no sólo para los amigos de los Estados Unidos, sino para los países donde se habla español. Estas cintas, Dios mediante, estarán disponibles muy pronto.

Asimismo se contó con la honrosa visita de distinguidas personalidades como el Consejero Señor Mas’ud Khamsi, miembro del Centro Internacional de Enseñanza, quien expresó que ‎sentía se sentía‎ muy orgulloso de representar a la república del Perú, donde él por tantos años había servido a la Fe.

Otro miembro del Centro Internacional de Enseñanza, el Consejero Sr. Hooper Dunbar, quien también estuvo presente, manifestó durante su alocución que el Plan de Seis Años debería ser motivo de profunda meditación para alcanzar con las metas fijadas por la Comunidad Mundial.

Fueron muy interesantes los temas presentados en los distintos Talleres; algunos de ellos se repitieron debido a la importancia de los mismos. Entre los temas de los Talleres podemos mencionar: Integración de los Creyentes, a cargo del miembro del Cuerpo Auxiliar el Sr. Mike Pietrzak; el Individuo y el Desarrollo Económico y Social, brillantemente desarrollado por el Consejero Dr. Arturo Serrano; Adiestramiento de Maestros Bahá’ís: Experiencias del Instituto Ruhi de Cali, Colombia, por el Sr. Sergio Montenegro; Administración Bahá’í, presentada por la Sra. Famaline de Dunbar; La Enseñanza Fronteriza, taller organizado por las Sras. Jeanne de Serrano y Linda de Frazelle; y La Enseñanza de los Niños por el Dr. Tony Cubero.

Entre los invitados especiales a la conferencia estuvieron presentes el Secretario de la Asamblea Espiritual Nacional de México, Señor Pablo Lucas, quien conmovió a los presentes con una animada charla, “El Plan de Seis Años y Yo,” un enfoque al rol que debe cumplir el creyente en la enseñanza y propagación de la Fe.

El Dr. Arturo Serrano puntualizó los alcances del Desarrollo Social y Económico desde el punto de vista Bahá’í.

Los asistentes se deleitaron con la interesante charla a cargo del Dr. Tony Cubero, quien presentó un tema muy particular, “La Enseñanza de los Niños y Pre-quinceañeros,” e hizo un análisis del proceso evolutivo en el aspecto psicológico de los niños y de los medios para cooperar en su desarrollo, de manera que los niños, el futuro del mañana, consigan aportar positivamente a la sociedad.

El enfatizó: “Sólo el respeto y educación adecuada de los niños, hará que vuelvan los ojos a la Sagrada Belleza.”

Por su parte, Doña Carmen de Burafato, quien asiste por segunda vez a la conferencia de San Fernando, remarcó el papel importante que cumple la mujer en el desarrollo de los pueblos y exhortó a los presentes a la educación del sexo femenino que ya juega un rol importante en nuestra sociedad, así como lo había mencionado en Sus enseñanzas Bahá’u’lláh.

El ambiente que reinó durante toda la conferencia fue de fraternidad y camaradería con el infaltable toque del buen humor. El espíritu de unidad fue muy llamativo para algunos visitantes que no pertenecen a la Fe. “Esto parece la reunión de los miembros de una familia,” dijo un visitante impresionado por el ambiente que se vivió en la conferencia.

Antes de finalizar la conferencia ya se hacían planes para asistir a la próxima, hasta este punto llegó el entusiasmo de los asistentes.

En resumen, cada uno de los amigos Bahá’ís participantes se llevó un cúmulo de experiencia, ideas de como enseñar mejor en sus comunidades y sobre todo la conferencia revitalizó las ansias que tienen muchos amigos de servir a la Fe con más devoción.

Después de lo visto en San Fernando creemos que la próxima conferencia no sólo provocará el entusiasmo de los Bahá’ís de las ciudades vecinas sino también de muchos lugares alejados del país y ‎aun aún‎ de países vecinos. El resultado fue muy positivo, se aprendió mucho y se dio mucho también.

El ‘Espíritu de las Rosas’ ‎esta está‎ arrebatando la nación

Querido Amigo Bahá’í,

Un movimiento ‎esta está‎ arrebatando la nación ... un movimiento nacido de un regalo dado por los Bahá’ís cautivos en ‎Iran Irán‎. que promete amoldar el espíritu entero del Plan de Seis Años.

Los prisioneros Bahá’ís dieron ejemplo punzante del poder del individuo de promover la Fe sin miras a las circunstancias personales. Estas almas resueltas, reducidos a prisión por su creencia en Bahá’u’lláh, se valieron de un regalo para la comunidad Bahá’í Americana: el Regalo de las Rosas ... una rosa por cada mártir reciente. En la Convención Nacional, las rosas fueron presentadas a los delegados, quienes las compartieron con los miles de Bahá’ís en sus distritos. Esta acción de amor capturó la imaginación de todos los creyentes en todo el país.

En una carta adjunta a las rosas, los cautivos imploraron a los Bahá’ís de la comunidad Americana “surgir para compensar por los servicios que estamos impedidos de prestar.” En el espíritu de la Campaña de Acción Unificada, la Asamblea Espiritual Nacional, y los Consejeros Continentales, lo invitan a juntarse en un esfuerzo concertado para redimir este precioso regalo.

El veinte de octubre, día de nacimiento del Báb, se lanzará el Plan de Seis Años con una cruzada de victorias de 1899 días en el “Espíritu de las Rosas” continuando hasta el día ‎finál final‎ de la Convención Nacional. Cada día será dedicado a una de las apreciadas rosas.

Solicitamos su ayuda al emprender una campaña espiritual de sacrificio personal y comunitario para hacer contrapeso a aquellos servicios que se les impide rendir a nuestros amados cohortes. Durante cada uno de los 189 días, que cada uno se pregunte, “¿He sacrificado por el Fondo Bahá’í Nacional hoy?” “¿Le he enseñado a algún alma la Causa de Dios hoy?” “¿He perseguido toda oportunidad de prestar servicio a la humanidad hoy?”

Cada victoria es importante. Haga el favor de enviar los relatos y fotos de sus victorias al Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, Illinois 60091. Formarán parte de un documento de precio inestimable que se mandará a la Casa Universal de Justicia para honrar a los prisioneros en ‎Iran Irán‎, aquellas “Aves de Ala Rota de Bahá” ‎segun según‎ se ‎autodenomínan autodenominan‎ ellos mismos. En su ‎eséncia esencia‎, el “Espíritu de las Rosas” caracteriza una familia de relación estrecha y amante asistiéndose el uno al otro en tiempo de necesidad. Ésta es nuestra oportunidad de demostrar al mundo lo que significa ser una familia global.

Con amorosos saludos Bahá’í,

Asamblea Espiritual Nacional de

los Bahá’ís de los Estados Unidos

Plan de Seis Años de la Casa Universal de Justicia: Objetivos principales

1. El llevar el mensaje curador de Bahá’u’lláh a la humanidad en general.

• Aumentar el número de localidades donde residen Bahá’ís.
• Aprovechar oportunidades de enseñar.
• Estar alertas a oportunidades de colaboración internacional entre Bahá’ís.
• Levantar pioneros y maestros viajeros Nacionales.
• Utilizar los sistemas de los medios publicitarios para mayor promoción.
• Hacer uso del Teatro y el Canto en el trabajo de la enseñanza y profundización.

2. Mayor participación de la Fe en la vida de la sociedad humana.

• Desarrollar la comprensión y práctica de la consulta entre los amigos.
• Fomentar la asociación con organizaciones y personas prominentes.
• Adiestrar a Bahá’ís apropiados en actividades de relaciones públicas.
• Fomentar el aprecio de la Fe en círculos intelectuales y académicos.
• Alentar la juventud Bahá’í a destacar en sus profesiones, artes u oficios.
• Promover el establecimiento de clubes Bahá’ís en universidades y similares.
• Capacitar a los amigos para fomentar la realización de la igualdad de los hombres y las mujeres tanto en la vida de comunidad Bahá’í como en la sociedad en Gral.

3. Un aumento mundial en la traducción, producción, distribución y uso de la literatura Bahá’í.

• Fomentar el uso de la literatura Bahá’í, apoyado por grabaciones y ayudas visuales.
• Mejorar la distribución de literatura Bahá’í y asegurar su fácil disponibilidad.
• Producir en todos los idiomas mayores cantidades de literatura Bahá’í.
• Producir versiones simplificadas de los escritos Sagrados.
• Establecer bibliotecas Bahá’í de préstamo.

4. Mayor aceleración en el proceso de la maduración de comunidades Nacionales y locales.

• Adoptar programas específicos para apoyar el desarrollo de las comunidades.
• Adoptar metas y programas para consolidar a las Asambleas Espirituales Locales.
• Adoptar metas que estimulen a los amigos a participar en: enseñanza, fondo, etc.
• Desarrollar el funcionamiento de Asamblea Espirituales Nacionales.
• Adquirir donde se necesiten propiedades nacionales y locales.
• Obtener de ser posible reconocimiento oficial del Matrimonio y Días Sagrados Bahá’ís.
• Asegurar la comunicación regular de noticias a todos los creyentes.
• Realizar escuelas de Invierno, Verano, Conferencias regulares, etc.
• Fomentar la colaboración mutua a Asambleas Espirituales Locales.
• Desarrollar y administrar cursos por correspondencia P/enseñanza y profundización.

5. Mayor atención a la participación universal y el enriquecimiento espiritual de creyentes individuales.

• Promover la participación universal afirmando la identidad como Bahá’ís.
• Fomentar de ser posible, la práctica de las oraciones al amanecer.
• Alentar a los creyentes individuales a adoptar metas de enseñanza por su cuenta.
• Profundizar a los creyentes en la comprensión espiritual como intelectual de la Causa.
• Alentar a los creyentes a hacer mayor uso de la literatura Bahá’í.
• Alentar a los creyentes a mejorar su lenguaje para mejor comprensión de los escritos.
• Desarrollar y fomentar la ‎erudicción erudición‎ Bahá’í.
• Fomentar la obediencia a las leyes Bahá’í respecto al comportamiento personal, tales como: la abstinencia de tomar alcohol, drogas, etc.

6. Mayor extensión de la educación Bahá’í de los niños y la juventud; y el fortalecimiento de la vida de familia Bahá’í.

• Fomentar la realización de clases Bahá’ís para niños más regularmente.
• Desarrollar para éstas clases, planes de estudio sistemáticos, y otros materiales.
• Adiestrar creyentes en la enseñanza de clases Bahá’ís para niños.
• Establecer un programa para guiar a los padres y en especial a las madres en el cuidado y educación de los niños Bahá’ís.
• Auspiciar institutos sobre la preparación para el matrimonio Bahá’í y la vida familiar.
• Fomentar actividades comunitarias con la participación de familias Bahá’ís.

7. El proseguimiento de proyectos de desarrollo social y económico en comunidades Bahá’ís bien establecidas.

• Alentar a las Asambleas Locales Espirituales y a los creyentes en general a contribuir al desarrollo social y económico de sus comunidades.
• Establecer escuelas tutelares y Kinder donde sean necesarios y factibles.
• Fomentar y auspiciar programas de alfabetización adulta donde sean necesarios especialmente para mujeres.
• Fomentar la colaboración con otras agencias involucradas en el desarrollo social y económico en áreas donde las comunidades Bahá’ís puedan contribuir al trabajo.

Los gobernantes reciben ‘La Promesa de la Paz Mundial’

El nueve de mayo de mil novecientos ochenta y seis, el Gobernador Jorge Treviño recibió de la Asamblea Local Espiritual de los Bahá’ís de Monterrey, un ejemplar de “La Promesa de la Paz Mundial,” emitida a los pueblos del mundo por la Casa Universal de Justicia, cuerpo supremo que gobierna la Fe Bahá’í, con sede en Haifa, Israel.

El documento ‎fué fue‎ puesto en manos del Jefe del Ejecutivo Estatal por el licenciado Eduardo Pérez de León, Vice-Coordinador de la Asamblea Local Espiritual de los Bahá’ís de Monterrey, durante la audiencia que le concedió esa mañana en su despacho del Palacio de Gobierno.

Al hacer la entrega del documento, el licenciado Eduardo Pérez de León dijo al Gobernador que los ejemplares con “La Promesa de la Paz Mundial,” están siendo proporcionados a los primeros mandatarios de cada país y los Gobernadores de los Estados, con motivo de ser 1986 el Año Internacional de la Paz.

“La promoción de la unidad de la raza humana y el fomento del espíritu de amor y hermandad entre los hombres, es el propósito fundamental que anima a la Fe Bahá’í. El problema más inmediato y urgente que enfrenta el mundo actual, es el logro de la Paz,” dijo el Lic. Pérez de León.

Añadió en su ‎aduciencia audiencia‎ con el Gobernador que la meta de todos los esfuerzos de esa fe es una colaboración pacífica y duradera entre todos los pueblos de la tierra, en la confianza profunda de que se cumpla la promesa categórica de Bahá’u’lláh, en sentido, de que “estas luchas estériles, estas guerras desastrosas, pasarán, y la ‘paz mayor’ reinará.” [Page 19]

Bringing up baby: Persian style

Different cultures raise children differently. They impart different values to them and cultivate different virtues in them. Indeed, this is the primary method by which a specific culture, or way of looking at the world, is passed from one generation to the next, and can in large measure account for the great cultural diversity of our planet.

Of course, people the world over share certain common ideas and practices, and without these shared beliefs and outlooks unity would be impossible.

Bahá’ís from all over the world have a fairly good understanding of the beliefs, customs and practices we all, as Bahá’ís, hold in common, but often we do not perfectly understand the ways in which we Bahá’ís are different from one another.

Sometimes these differences can lead to confusion and misunderstanding. However, by taking a closer look at the ways in which one culture differs from another, we can perhaps grow closer to one another and learn to understand each other better.

Such understanding will be essential to us as we begin to develop, cultivate and evolve the distinctive features and characteristics of the future Bahá’í society.

To that end, the Persian/American Affairs Committee has been exploring and examining some of the differences between Persian and American culture in a series of articles in this column. This month we would like to look at some cultural differences in the approach to child-rearing. What is different about the way the “typical” American and the “typical” Persian family raise their children?

In Iran, children have traditionally been considered the blessing of a household, and the typical Persian couple look forward with great expectation to having children. If they do not have children within a few years after marriage, friends and family members may ask them why they are childless.

When children do come, Persian parents typically lavish an enormous amount of attention on them and tend to personally supervise their activity more than does the average American parent. For example, Persians do not, in general, like to leave their children with baby-sitters. If they go out, they will usually take the children with them or leave them with relatives.

It is not at all unusual for full-grown Persian children to remain in their parents’ household until well after age 18. Many adult Persians continue to live with their parents until they are married, and the parents, if able, will continue to support them financially, including paying their way through college and helping them to buy a house.

Whereas this might be considered excessive dependency in an American cultural context, in Persian culture it is seen as a measure of the family members’ love for one another and the importance of the extended family unit.

For their part, Persian children are expected to show respect and consideration for their parents and to obey them. Younger adults are expected to show respect for their elders, and even when fully grown will not behave in front of their parents in a manner their parents will disapprove of.

In social gatherings and Bahá’í meetings, Persian children and teen-agers are usually included in the company of the adults and are expected to behave politely, whereas Americans tend to socialize with their own peer groups (i.e., children with children; teen-agers with other teen-agers; adults with adults, etc.), and each is expected to “do his own thing.”

In Persian culture the older generation is considered to be wiser and is accorded a certain deferential respect, in contrast to the U.S., where the emphasis is on youth and the young.

Of course, Persians living in this country soon adopt some aspects of American culture, as one might expect. Furthermore, there is great variation from person to person. Nevertheless, it may prove quite useful to keep some of these observations in mind at Feasts and other occasions.

If you have any observations of your own to add, or comments to make, please share them with the Persian/American Affairs Committee. Your comments may even be printed in this column.

THE SIMPSON-RODINO BILL

اخیراً سؤالات مختلفی از دفتر امور پناهندگان محفل روحانی ملی درباره لایحه قانون مهاجرت سیمپسون-رودینو شده است. لایحه مزبور که اخیراً مورد تصویب کنگره امریکا قرار گرفته است در تاریخ ۶ نوامبر سال ۱۹۸۶ بتوشیح پرزیدنت ریگان رسید. قانون مزبور متضمن حصول اقامت مجاز و موقت برای افرادی است که یا غیرقانونی وارد آمریکا شده باشند و یا از نظر مهاجرتی وضع معینی نداشته باشند. واجدین شرایط میبایست پیش از اول ژانویه سال ۱۹۸۲ وارد امریکا شده باشند. اگر فردی بعنوان توریست وارد آمریکا شده و مدت اجازه اقامت او (I-94) تا قبل از اول ژانویه سال ۱۹۸۲ منقضی شده باشد، میتواند واجد شرایط محسوب شود. همچنین افرادی که بعنوان محصل و یا کارگر غیرمقیم با ویزاهای (F-1, H-1, J-1) و غیره تا قبل از اول ژانویه سال ۱۹۸۲ وارد امریکا شده و قبل از تاریخ مزبور موقعیت قانونی خود را از دست داده باشند میتوانند تقاضای اقامت موقت نمایند. کسانیکه در مقوله آخر قرار داشته باشند باید قبل از تسلیم اوراق تقاضانامه باداره مهاجرت، با وکلای خود مشورت نمایند. انقضای مدت ویزا و یا نوع ویزا بعد از اول ژانویه سال ۱۹۸۲ مجوز تقاضای اقامت موقت نخواهد بود. همچنین متقاضیان باید بتوانند بثبوت برسانند که از تاریخ فوق‌الذکر دائماً در امریکا بسر میبرده‌‌اند (افرادی که بعلل ضروری بمدت کوتاهی از امریکا خارج شده باشند مستثنی هستند). مضافاً متقاضیان باید شخصاً از زمان وضع قانون مزبور یعنی از تاریخ ۶ نوامبر ۱۹۸۶ در آمریکا اقامت داشته باشند و نیز در صورت مشمول بودن باید بتوانند بثبوت رسانند که برای خدمت نظام ثبت نام کرده‌‌اند و یا در صدد ثبت نام میباشند. اعضای خانواده محتملاً باید فرد فرد تقاضانامه خود را تسلیم دارند و تقاضانامه مذکور باید تا یکسال بعد از تاریخ بموقع اجرا گذاشتن قانون سیمپسون-رودینو یعنی تا یکسال بعد از تاریخ ۶ می سال ۱۹۸۷ تسلیم اداره مهاجرت شود. تقاضانامه هیچکس قبل از تاریخ ۶ می سال ۱۹۸۷ و همچنین بعد از تاریخ ۶ می سال ۱۹۸۸ مورد قبول اداره مهاجرت قرار نخواهد گرفت. افرادی که مشمول حکم اخراج (Deportation) از آمریکا باشند و هم اکنون اخطاریه مقدماتی اخراج (Order to Show Cause) را دریافت داشته باشند، باید تقاضای اقامت خود را در سی (۳۰) روز اول مدت تقاضانامه و یا تا سی روز بعد از تاریخ اخطاریه فوق‌الذکر تسلیم اداره مهاجرت نمایند. این مدت سی روزه غیر قابل تمدید است.

متقاضیان نبایست هرگز بعنوان مجرم محکوم شده (Convicted of a Felony) و یا مادام که در امریکا ساکن بوده‌اند مرتکب سه(۳) جنحه (Misdemeanor) شده باشند. تحصیل اقامت قانونی در واقع در دو مرحله اجرا میشود. در مرحله اول اجازه اقامت موقتی صادر خواهد شد که مدت اعتبار آن هیجده (۱۸) ماه خواهد بود. در مرحله دوم متقاضیان میتوانند بعد از گذشت هجده ماه مرحله اول، تقاضای اقامت دائم نمایند. قصور در اجرای مرحله دوم، یعنی قصور در تقاضای اقامت دائم، باعث از دست دادن اجازه اقامت موقت و موجب شمول حکم اخراج خواهد بود. متقاضیان در زمان تقاضای اقامت دائم باید بتوانند بزبان انگلیسی تکلم نمایند و با وضع اداره حکومت آمریکا و تاریخ آن آشنائی داشته باشند. به یارانی که مشمول قانون سیمپسون-رودینو باشند توصیه میشود که از آنجا که جزئیات مربوط بقانون مزبور هنوز معین نگشته و اداره مهاجرت نیز تقاضاهای متقاضیان را هنوز قبول نمینماید، فعلاً از رجوع باداره مذکور بدون همراهی و یا مشورت با وکیل خودداری نمایند. همچنین اگر یاران ایرانی اشکالاتی از نظر اداره مهاجرت داشته باشند پیشنهاد میشود که بدون مشورت با وکیل اقدام بامضاء هیچ ورقه‌ای ننمایند و تعهدی را بعهده نگیرند. برای مزید اطلاع باستحضار میرساند که دوستان عزیز میتوانند اطلاعات و مساعدت مربوط بامور مهاجرتی را یا مجاناً و یا با پرداخت دستمزد کم از طریق سازمانهای خدمات اجتماعی Social Service Agencies و سایر سازمانهای غیر انتفاعی کسب فرمایند.

MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL PERSIAN/AMERICAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

اعضای لجنه ملی امور احبای ایرانی آمریکا

از راست به چپ (ردیف عقب) ایوندر گیلمر Evander Gilmer از منطقه واشینگتن دی سی، شارلین مغزی Charleen Maghzi از شمال کالیفرنیا، شاد افصح از جنوب کالیفرنیا، (ردیف جلو) منوچهر درخشانی و پوران استیونس از ویلمت ایلینوی.

جمال قدم میفرمایند: ای پسران دانش! چشم سر را پلک بآن نازکی از جهان و آنچه در اوست بی بهره نماید. دیگر پرده آز اگر بر چشم دل فرود آید چه خواهد نمود؟ [Page 20]

75TH ANNIVERSARY OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ’S VISIT TO AMERICA

سال ۱۹۸۷ هفتاد و پنجمین سال سفر تاریخی حضرت عبدالبهاء بایالات متحده امریکاست. سفر مزبور بفرموده حضرت شوقی ربانی "نقطه عطفی در غایت اهمیت در تاریخ این قرن" محسوب میشود. برنامه های مهیجی بمنظور بزرگداشت این سفر تاریخی در نظر گرفته شده که مهمترین آنها برنامه ای موسوم به "نقشه بزرگ" The Master Plan است که توسط ایادی امرالله جناب ویلیام سیرز طرح شده است. در مراسله ای که متعاقب پیشنهاد انعقاد این بزرگداشت ارسال نموده اند مرقوم داشته اند: "نیروی روحانی منبعث از هفتاد و پنجمین سالگرد سفر حضرت عبدالبهاء بامریکا باید قلوب جمیع افراد این سرزمین را شعله ور سازد و آنان را بانتشاراتی بیسابقه موفق دارد".

مطابق این نقشه قرار است در روز شنبه ۲۷ جون سال ۱۹۸۷، در هزار و پانصد نقطه از آمریکا در باغها و پارکها اجتماعاتی بیاد نخستین محفل ضیافتی که در وست انگل وود West Englewood در ایالت نیوجرسی بعنایت حضرت عبدالبهاء منعقد گردید، تشکیل شود. در نظر است که در هر یک از این اجتماعات ناطقینی دعوت شوند و درباره مسائل امری مطالبی بیان گردد. از یاران ایرانی دعوت میشود که با مشورت و هدایت محافل محلی برای رزرو پارکها و تهیه وسایل و انجام امور مقدماتی جهت اجتماعات فوق الذکر پیشقدم شده گوی سبقت از همگان بربایند و از طریق آمیزش بیشتر با احبای غیر ایرانی نمونه زیبائی از گلهای رنگارنگ بوستان الهی را بنمایش گذارند و بدین ترتیب صلای وحدت عالم انسانی را بمسامع مردم این دیار رسانند. ناگفته نماند که فرامین تبلیغی حضرت عبدالبهاء که بافتخار احبای آمریکا و کانادا نازل گشته و مدت مدیدی نایاب بوده جهت هفتاد و پنجمین سالگرد سفر مرکز میثاق بایالات متحده، توسط لجنه ملی امور احبای ایرانی/آمریکائی تجدید چاپ شده و در دسترس یاران قرار گرفته است.

NEW PUBLICATIONS

۱- امر و خلق، جلد ۳ و ۴	۲۵/۹۵ دلار
۲- بهائیه خانم	۱۶/۵۰ دلار
۳- حیات حضرت عبدالبهاء	۲۰/۰۰ دلار
۴- نو نهالان ما در مهد امرالله	۳/۰۰ دلار
۵- خطابات مبارکه	۱۴/۰۰ دلار
۷- بسته آموزشی رضوان (برای اطفال ۴ تا ۹ ساله)	۴/۰۰ دلار
۸- تدریس عربی (خود آموز با ۶ نوار، شامل مخارج پست)	۲۰/۰۰ دلار
۹- پناهندگان ایرانی در آمریکا (معرفی خصوصیات فرهنگی ایرانیان بزبان انگلیسی)	۱/۰۰ دلار

Iranian Refugees in America: A Cross-Cultural Perspective By Frank Lewis and Puran Stevens

ANNOUNCEMENT OF PERSIAN INSTITUTE FOR BAHÁ’Í STUDIES

با قلوبی سرشار از شکر و سرور تأسیس مؤسسه معارف بهائی بلسان فارسی را باطلاع یاران عزیز الهی، هموطنان جمال اقدس ابهی در سراسر جهان میرساند. این مؤسسه حسب اراده ملهمه بیت العدل اعظم الهی جهت ترویج معارف عالیه امریه و تشویق ایرانیان عزیز بتألیف و تصنیف و مطالعه و تحقیق تشکیل گردیده و در ظل اشراف محفل ملی کاناداست ولی خدماتش در اختیار عموم احبای فارسی زبان در ممالک مختلفه خواهد بود. خدمات و وظائف مؤسسه بر اساس نظامنامه مصوبه متعدد است و ذیلاً مختصراً توضیحاتی جهت استحضار یاران عزیز معروض میگردد و با کمال میل آماده عرض جواب بسؤالاتی است که از طرف هر یک از احبای الهی واصل گردد.

اساس کار بر مبنای تعلیم بروش مکاتبه خواهد بود باین معنی که مطالب دروس بتدریج از مباحث امری از قبیل: تاریخ امر، احکام بهائی، استدلال عقلی و نقلی، مبادی روحانی و اجتماعی امر و رابطه آن با تفکرات و مؤسسات اجتماعی عالم، نظام اداری و مبانی تشکیلات بهائی، مبانی صلح و وحدت عالم، اخلاق و حیات بهائی، تعلیم و تربیت بهائی و اصول عقائد امر تهیه خواهد شد و در اختیار علاقمندان و داوطلبان قرار خواهد گرفت و شاگردان بنوبه خود سؤالات و مشکلاتشان را بوسیله مکاتبه مطرح نموده جواب خواهند گرفت و بالاخره امتحاناتی جهت ارزیابی کوشهای محصلین و حصول اطمینان بغرا گرفتن مطالب انجام خواهد شد و بنفوسی که دوره های مؤسسه را بپایان رسانند گواهی اهداء خواهد شد.

برای هر یک از شعب فوق الذکر بطور مستقل مجمع استادان تشکیل میشود که هر یک مستقلاً تهیه و تنظیم مطالب هر رشته را عهده دار خواهند بود و بموقع خود اطلاعات مربوطه باستحضار عزیزان الهی خواهد رسید.

همچنین ان شاء الله در آینده نزدیک نشریاتی جهت درج نتایج تحقیقات و تتبعات محققین بهائی تهیه و انتشار خواهد یافت. متن نمازها، بعضی از الواح و مناجاتها و آثار مبارکه از جمله لوح مبارک احمد و قد احترق المخلصون بمنظور تعلیم و تدریس با قرائت صحیح در نوار ضبط گردیده بهمراه متن آثار با اعراب صحیح لغت و معنی و بیان مفهوم کلی آنها در اختیار طالبان قرار خواهد گرفت.

تربیت نفوسی که بتوانند معارف بهائی را از لسان فارسی بلسان انگلیسی ترجمه نمایند و بالاخره حفظ معارف موروث امر بزبانهای فارسی و عربی از اهداف دیگر این مؤسسه است.

در حال حاضر تعلیم و تدریس در دو مرحله مقدماتی و تکمیلی خواهد بود. امیدواریم ما احبای الهی که از مهد امرالله دور مانده و در این اوقات از دسترسی بسرچشمه آثار و الواح بلسان نزولی و نیز از کلاسهای تزئید معلومات در سطح وسیع ممنوع گشته ایم این فرصت را غنیمت شمریم و بهر نحو که بتوانیم بتقویت این مؤسسه که از هدایت و توجه خاص بیت العدل اعظم الهی برخوردار گشته پردازیم و حد اکثر استفاده را از آن بنمائیم.

بدیهی است برای اجرای این اهداف مدت زمانی فرصت لازم است ولی مؤسسه نهایت سعی را خواهد نمود که این زمان هر چه ممکن شود کوتاهتر گردد و مطمئن است که ادعیه خیر احبه و امله رحمن و حمایت صوری و معنوی آنان ممد راه و وسیله تسریع انجام این آرزوی همه هموطنان جمال اقدس ابهی خواهد گردید.

اخیراً کتابچه ای بنام "پناهندگان ایرانی در آمریکا" بزبان انگلیسی منتشر گردیده که شرح مجملی از آداب و عادات و هنجارهای ایرانیان در آن درج شده است و بهمین دلیل جزوه سودمندی برای استفاده کسانی است که مایلند با اینگونه آداب آشنائی حاصل نمایند. جزوه فوق را میتوان مانند سایر کتب امری از طریق مؤسسه توزیع آثار امری سفارش داد. نشانی مؤسسه مزبور ذیلاً درج میشود.

Bahá’í Distribution Service 415 Linden Avenue Wilmette, IL. 60091

Persian Institute for Bahá’í Studies P.O. Box 8464 Dundas, Ontario. Canada L9H 6M2 [Page 21]حضرت بهاء الله میفرمایند: "هر امری که قلب را راحت نماید و بر بزرگی انسان بیفزاید و ناس را راضی دارد مقبول خواهد بود."

مأموریت یاران ایرانی در امریکا

THE MISSION OF IRANIAN BAHA’IS IN AMERICA

حضور بهائیان ایرانی در ایالات متحده امریکا تصادفی نیست بلکه ایشان را مأموریتی خطیر در رابطه با خروج امر الهی از مرحله مجهولیت، و اهمیتی عظیم در باب تحقق اهداف روحانی جامعه بهائیان این سرزمین است. بیت العدل اعظم الهی در بیانیه صلح، جامعه بهائی را بعنوان سرمشقی برای وحدت نوع انسان و نمونه‌ای برای مطالعه و فحص بعالمیان ارائه فرموده‌اند. بدین ترتیب لازم است که اهل بهاء بمنظور احراز چنین قابلیتی نمایانگر جامعه‌ای باشند که افراد آن علیرغم تفاوتهای ناشی از عقیده و ملیت و نژاد، از یگانگی و تفاهم برخوردار بوده و وحدت در کثرت را در بطن خود آشکار سازد. نمونه‌ای که اهل بهاء بجهان مینمایند بیش و پیش از هر امر دیگر باید بتواند آرمانهای وحدت را در خود بظهور رساند و هماهنگی و یگانگی و تعادل را مابین اجزای گوناگون و متنوع خود مرهون توفیق نماید. آنچه ایشان را دل خوش میدارد همانا برقراری اتحاد در جهانی است متشکل از افرادی که با داشتن تفاوتهای بیشمار به یگانگی دست یافته و در ورای رنگها و نقشها بآرامش و امنیت وحدت رسیده باشند. و گر نه ایجاد وحدت مابین گروهی همسان سهل و آسان بوده سزاوار تقدیر و ستایش فراوانی نیست. اما آنجا که جمعی ناهمگون در ورای اختلافات ظاهری بوحدت رهنمون گردند جای هزار گونه سپاس و ثناست. بنابراین چه بسا که حضور احبای ایرانی مابین جوامع مختلف امری در سراسر جهان موقعیتی بوجود آورد که باعث حصول کثرت بیشتر شود و از این راه آمادگی اهل بهاء برای ایجاد جامعه‌ای جهانی با ویژگیهایی که از جهتی مشترک و از طرفی مختلف باشد محرز گردد. و چگونه میتوان غافل از این لطیفه بود که یکی از مقولات سه‌گانه نقشه شش ساله جامعه بهائیان امریکا که بتصویب و تأیید مهد اعلی رسیده، ادغام و آمیختن احبای ساکن این سامان با یکدیگر است. بدین ترتیب آشکارا دیده میشود که ید غیبی در کار است و حضور یاران مهد امر در این اقلیم ممد تحقق مقاصد امر پروردگار. پس چه بهتر که یاران ایرانی که از بدو تاریخ امر علمدار فتوحات عظیمی در اجرای نقشه‌های الهی بوده‌اند بار دیگر بکوشند و سمند همتی برانند تا دیگر بار تاج افتخاری بر سر نهند و تحقق وحدت عالم انسانی، هدف اصلی امر مبارك را تسریع بخشند.

کنفرانس لجنات ناحیه‌ای امور احبای ایرانی/آمریکائی

AREA PERSIAN/AMERICAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE CONFERENCE

شرکت کنندگان در کنفرانس لجنه های ناحیه ای امور احبای ایرانی/آمریکائی

اولین کنفرانس سالانه لجنات محلی امور احبای ایرانی/آمریکائی در روزهای ۱۲ الی ۱۶ نوامبر سال ۱۹۸۶ در دفتر محفل ملی بهائیان امریکا منعقد گردید. مراد از تشکیل لجنات مزبور كمك بلجنه ملی امور احبای ایرانی/آمریکائی در مورد ادغام و آمیزش هر چه بیشتر یاران ایرانی با جامعه احبای ایالات متحده میباشد. تا کنون پانزده لجنه ناحیه‌ای در مراکزی که احبای ایرانی تمرکز بیشتری دارند تشکیل گردیده که اعضای آنها متشکل از احبای ایرانی و غیر ایرانی است. کنفرانس مذکور بجهت آشنائی شرکت کنندگان با هدفها و برنامه‌های لجنه ملی امور احبای ایرانی/آمریکائی بویژه کیفیت ادغام و آمیزش ‎احبای احبا‎ و همچنین طرق وصول بآن اهداف منعقد گردیده بود. در ضمن کنفرانس شرکت کنندگان فرصت مناسبی یافتند که بیانات جناب رابرت هندرسن Robert Henderson منشی محفل ملی بهائیان ایالات متحده و سرکار خانم ویلما بریدی Wilma Brady عضو هیئت مشاورین را استماع نمایند و همچنین از گزارشهای مسؤول دفتر امور پناهندگان و نمایندگان لجنات ملی جوانان و نشر نفحات و مهاجرت خارجه و وحدت نژاد Race Unity و نماینده صندوق محفل ملی مستفید گردند.

مضافا هر يك از شرکت کنندگان نسخه‌ای از نقشه شش ساله بهائیان ایالات متحده را که دو روز قبل از تشکیل کنفرانس، از طرف بیت العدل اعظم تصویب شده بود دریافت داشتند. موجب حصول سرور و اطمینان بود که موضوع "ادغام و آمیزش" احبا با یکدیگر که علت انعقاد کنفرانس مزبور بود در شمار یکی از سه مقوله اصلی نقشه شش ساله محسوب گشته بود. برای مطالعه یاران دو کتاب در ارتباط با مسئله ادغام احبای پیشنهاد گردید: یکی توقیع "ظهور عدل الهی" که بزبان فارسی ترجمه شده و دیگری کتاب "نیروی وحدت: در ورای تعصبات نژادی" : The Power of Unity: Beyond Racism and Prejudice در آخرین جلسه کنفرانس شرکت کنندگان با شور و شعوری تازه کنفرانس را ترك گفتند چه که از اهمیت مسؤولیت خویش بیش از پیش آگاهی حاصل نموده بودند. لجنه ملی امور احبای ایرانی/آمریکائی از یاران الهی تقاضا دارد که از تماس با لجنه های ناحیه ای، خواه بمنظور مساعدت خواه جهت استمداد دریغ نفرمایند.

همانگونه که یاران عزیز استحضار دارند ارسال یکصد و هشتاد و نه شاخه گل سرخ از طرف بهائیان ایران مورث تأثیرات بسزائی در روحیه احبای این سامان بوده و شور و نشوری احداث نموده که نتایج آن در خدمات تبلیغی اهل بهاء و همچنین تقدیم تبرعات بصندوق محفل ملی آشکار است. این عکس توسط یکی از یاران آمریکائی بهمراه مبلغی برای صندوق محفل ملی و بیاد شهید نوجوان امر جمال قدم جناب بیژن طالبی ارسال گردیده است.

In memory of Bijan Talibi November 1986

In the Rose Garden of changeless splendor a Flower hath begun to bloom... [Page 22]از اول لا اول مراد الهی این بوده و انسان همواره چشم براه این یوم عظیم بوده است. جمیع انبیاء راجع باین روز سخن گفته و بابتلائات لاتحصی مبتلا شده‌اند تا ما را برای این روز آماده سازند. در کتاب مقدس از لسان اشعیا که بشرف "اعظم انبیای بنی اسرائیل" بنا بفرموده حضرت ولی‌امرالله مشرف شده میخوانیم: "زیرا که برای ما ولدی زائیده و پسری بما بخشیده شد و سلطنت بر دوش او خواهد بود و اسم او عجیب و مشیر و خدای قدیر و پدر سرمدی و پادشاه صلح خوانده خواهد شد. ترقی سلطنت و سلامتی او را بر کرسی داوود و بر مملکت وی انتها نخواهد بود تا آنرا بانصاف و عدالت از الان تا ابدالآباد ثابت و استوار نماید. غیرت رب‌الجنود اینرا بجا خواهد آورد." هم در این آیه و هم در جمیع کتب آسمانی این وعده ببشریت داده شده است که بانی صلح خواهد آمد و عالم انسانی را در ظل یک عائله خواهد آورد. بانی صلح یعنی مجئ ثانی حضرت مسیح، در میقات معین امروز ظاهر گشته. هر امری میقاتی مقرر شده‌ است. در سال ۱۸۴۴ دیانت بابی پیام صلح را بمسامع عالمیان رسانید و جمیع اقالیم عالم بیکدیگر نزدیک شدند و اولین آثار این پیام صلح و آشتی در نخستین پیغام تلگرافی جهان ظاهر شد و این نکته را روشن نمود که فی‌الحقیقه "عالم یک وطن محسوب و من علی الارض اهل آن". جمال مبارك میفرمایند: "سراپرده یگانگی بلند شد بچشم بیگانگان یکدیگر را مبینید." پیام صلح با اظهار امر حضرت اعلی در سال ۱۸۴۴ بجهان ارائه گردید. وقتی جمال قدم بعنوان اشاره بحضرت اعلی میفرمایند "در ظهور قبلم" این نکته روشن میشود که هدف الهی از ظهور دور بهائی صلح بوده است. پس از ادوار متمادی روحانی وقت آن رسید که نقشه خود را بعالم عنایت فرماید. حضرت بهاءالله بملوک عالم الواحی فرستادند و در آن الواح خاطرنشان ساختند که تنها راه حل مشکلات عالم تحقق وحدت عالم انسانیست که بنوبه خود اساس صلح موعود را پی خواهد افکند. ولی عالم بندای ایشان گوش فرا نداد. مجدداً بیت‌العدل اعظم فقراتی از الواح ملوک را برهبران عالم فرستادند و درباره پیام صلح حضرت بهاءالله که آنان را آگاه ساختند، اما هنوز هم عالم آماده نبود. صبر حضرت بهاءالله همیشه زیاد بوده است. ‎ادوراد ادوارد‎ برون مستشرق مشهور انگلیسی دو سال قبل از صعود مبارك بملاقات جمال قدم فائز شد و چهار مرتبه بحضور مبارك رسید. یکبار حضرت بهاءالله درباره پیام صلح با او سخن راندند: "الحمدلله فائز شدی و بملاقات مسجون منفی آمدی. جز اصلاح عالم و آسایش امم مقصدی نداریم... آیا اگر جمیع ملل عالم در ظل يك آئین متحد و مجتمع گردند و ابناء بشر چون برادر مهرپرور شوند و روابط محبت و یگانگی بین نوع انسانی استحکام یابد و اختلافات مذهبی و تباین نژادی محو و زائل شود چه عیبی و چه ضرری دارد؟ بلی همین طور خواهد شد. این نزاعهای بیهوده و جنگهای مهلك از میان برخیزد و صلح اکبر تحقق یابد. آیا شما در ممالک اروپ محتاج بهمین نیستید؟ آیا همین نیست که حضرت مسیح خبر داده؟ با وجود این ملوك و زمامداران ممالک شما کنوز ثروت و خزائن را عوض آنکه در سبیل سعادت و آسایش نوع انسان انفاق کنند بکمال آزادی و خودسرانه در راه اضمحلال و هلاکت اهل عالم صرف نمایند. نزاع و جدال و سفك دما باید منتهی شود و جمیع بشر يك خانواده گردند. لَیْسَ الْفَخْرُ لِمَنْ يُحِبُّ الْوَطَنَ بَلْ لِمَنْ يُحِبُّ الْعالَمَ." حضرت ولی عزیز امرالله در یکی از آثار خود فرموده‌اند که مذاکرات مذکور با این اعلام تبعیدی عالم که فرموده‌اند "این نزاعهای بیهوده و جنگهای مهلك از میان برخیزد و صلح اکبر تحقق یابد"، بجاودانگی پیوسته است. این بیان اعلام خطیری بعالم غرب بود و باعث خوشوقتی ادوارد برون بود که توانست بیانات مبارك را ضبط نماید. میدانیم که بر طبق فرموده حضرت مسیح، اراده الهی آنگونه که در ملکوت است بر روی زمین نیز مجری خواهد شد. هیچ امری بدون اراده الهی واقع نمیشود. بنابراین هیچ چیز مانع از تحقق این امر نیست و عالم طبیعت، بفرموده حضرت ولی امرالله، برای تحقق اتحاد و وداد انسانها و فراخواندن آنها بملکوت الهی حرکت و عمل میکند. حضرت عبدالبهاء سفری بغرب و علی‌الخصوص بایالات متحده امریکا فرمودند. سفر مزبور ماهها بطول انجامید. ایشان در همه کلیساها و کنیسه‌ها و مجامع دانشمندان پیغام صلح را ابلاغ داشتند و کسانی را که مفتخر بزیارت ایشان شده بودند از محبت بینظیر خویش نصیب بخشیدند. حضرت عبدالبهاء عنایت خاصی بامریکا داشتند. منشور سازمان ملل متحد در سال ۱۹۴۵ در سانفرانسیسکو طرح و اعلان شد. چهل سال پیش وقتی که اعلامیه جهانی حقوق بشر در شرف بررسی و تصویب سازمان ملل قرار گرفته بود، کنفرانسی منعقد گردید که در آن مقامات بین‌المللی و معاریف و خیراندیشان نوع انسان حضور داشتند. کنفرانس با ادعیه‌ای درباره صلح آغاز گشت و اولین مناجاتی که قرائت شد يك مناجات بهائی بود زیرا که مؤمنین ادیان مختلف بترتیب الفبا بدعا مشغول میشدند. چونکه نام "بهائی" اول ذکر شده بود اولین پیام نیز پیام حضرت بهاءالله برای صلح بود. بعد از سفر حضرت عبدالبهاء و پس از جنگ جهانی اول پرزیدنت ویلسون باروپا رفت و پیشنهاد صلح خود را در چهارده ماده تسلیم داشت. او ملل مختلف را بصلح دعوت کرد و اکثریت بحمایت او برخاستند مگر رهبران خود ایالات متحده. پرزیدنت ویلسون در این غم و اندوه وفات یافت که هموطنانش اقدامات تاریخی او را قدر دانی نکردند. او اثر مهمی در این مورد داشت و سزاوار است که یادی از او در این کنفرانس تاریخی بشود. حضرت عبدالبهاء در آثار خود فرمودند که با این اعلان پرزیدنت ویلسون فجر صلح دمید و این فجر قبل از دمیدن صبح بود. پیام صلح حضرت بهاءالله که نخستین بار به ادوارد برون اعلام شده بود توسط پرزیدنت ویلسون بعالم اعلام گردید و حضرت عبدالبهاء فرمودند "فجر صلح اعظم درخشید". بسبب روح خلاقه‌ای که بجهت اظهار امر حضرت بهاءالله در جهان دمیده شده همه امور و اشیاء عالم و حتی عالم طبیعت بخدمت گرفته شده تا ملکوت موعود حضرت مسیح را بر روی زمین متحقق نماید. شعاع شمس حقیقت قلوب را گرم کرده و انسانها را تربیت نموده تا شرایط حصول غایت قصوای بشریت فراهم گردد. این اراده الهی است و هیچ امری قادر بتغییر آن نیست. حضرت بهاءالله برای ما طرح صلح را ریختند و حضرت عبدالبهاء آنرا تشریح فرمودند و حضرت ولی امرالله آنرا اجرا نمودند. حضرت بهاءالله نظم بدیعی بجهان ارائه فرمودند. البته ما انسانها نه میتوانستیم آنرا بفهمیم و نه بنحو لایقی قدر بدانیم ولی بهرحال روح جدیدی در عالم دمیده شد و شجره الهی با خون هزاران شهید در مهد امر آبیاری شد و هنوز هم میشود و بسبب ابتلائات یاران ایران است که امر مبارك و این پیام از مرحله مجهولیت خارج شده است. نظم بدیع حضرت بهاءالله دو سال قبل از صعود مبارك بما ‎اعطه اعطا‎ گردید. لوح كرمل نازل شد و جمال مبارك تأکید فرمودند که سفینه الهی بحرکت آمد و عنقریب قوانین ربانی در جهان منتشر خواهد شد... پیام صلح حضرت بهاءالله بسراسر عالم ابلاغ شده‌ است....

HUQUQU’LLAH

حُقوقُ الله HUQUQU’LLAH

جمال قدم در لوحی میفرمایند: "اگر نفسی بکمال رضا و خوشوقتی بلکه باصرار بخواهد باین فیض فائز شود قبول نمایند و الا فلا."

طبق صلاحدید و پیشنهاد هیئت امنای حقوق‌الله در امریکا، تقدیمی های حقوق‌الله باید بنام Huququ’llah Trust و بنشانی یکی از امنای حقوق ارسال شود.

Dr. Amin Banani Santa Monica, CA. 90402

Dr. Daryush Haghighi Rocky River, OH. 44116

Dr. Elsie Austin P.O. Box 927 Silver Spring, MD. 20910 [Page 23]ایادی مکرم امرالله جناب ذکرالله خادم علیه رضوان الله HAND OF THE CAUSE ZIKRULLAH KHADEM

تلگراف بیت‌العدل اعظم الهی را دربارهٔ صعود ایادی مکرم امرالله جناب ذکرالله خادم، می‌توان در شمارهٔ قبل زیارت نمود. چنانکه در آن شماره وعده داده شده بود شرح حال جناب خادم در این شماره بطبع می‌رسد.

شرح حال ایادی عزیز امرالله جناب ذکرالله خادم اعلی‌الله درجاته

A BIOGRAPHY OF THE BELOVED HAND OF THE CAUSE ZIKRULLAH KHADEM

جناب ذکرالله خادم بسال ۱۹۰۴ در يك خانوادهٔ سرشناس بهائی در شهر طهران متولد شدند. حضرت عبدالبهاء پدر ایشان میرزا نصرالله را که سالها در ارض اقدس و ایران بامر جمال قدم خدمت کرده بودند بلقب "خادم" ملقب فرمودند. جناب خادم از آغاز جوانی بخدمت امر مبارك پرداختند و تا واپسین دم حیات نیز بتقدیم خدمات بدرگاه رب الآیات مألوف بودند.

در دوره ولایت حضرت ولی‌امرالله بامر هیکل مبارك و همچنین در دوران بیت‌العدل اعظم الهی بامر معهد اعلی و بمنظور تشویق احبه و حفظ و صیانت امرالله و اکمال نقشه های جهانی در سراسر جهان بسفر پرداختند. ایشان از سال ۱۹۴۹ تا ۱۹۶۰ بعنوان یکی از امنای محفل روحانی ملی بهائیان ایران بخدمت امرالله اشتغال داشتند و در فوریه سال ۱۹۵۲ بمقام ایادی امرالله انتصاب یافتند.

همچنین جناب خادم تصدی وصول مراسلات و مکاتبات حضرت ولی‌امرالله را در ایران بمدت هفده سال بعهده داشتند. از جمله سایر خدمات ایشان میتوان از مساعدت در فتح باب زیارت اعتاب مبارکه برای یاران ایران و تحصیل فقرات معتنابهی از آثار تاریخی امری منجمله شمشیر شهیر جناب باب‌الباب نام برد.

بعد از صعود حضرت ولی‌امرالله جناب خادم داوطلبانه بخدمت امرالله در نیمکرهٔ غربی قیام نموده وعدهٔ حضرت شوقی ربانی را که در سال ۱۹۴۰ در باب مشاهدهٔ انتصارات امر الهی در غرب عالم بایشان فرموده بودند، متحقق یافتند. پس از تشکیل بیت العدل اعظم الهی از جملهٔ خدمات شایان آن ایادی امر حضرت منان وظیفهٔ خطیر ثبت اماکن مشرّفه بقدوم جمال ابهی و نقطهٔ اولی و سرکار آقا و ولی امر بهجه جل اسمهم الاحلى بود و ایشان نیز با دقت باجرای آن مشروع همت گماشتند و مورد تحسین و تشویق معهد اعلی قرار گرفتند.

از سال ۱۹۶۰ پس از ورود و سکونت در ایالات متحده جناب خادم باسفار مختلفی در کشور مذکور پرداختند و در کنفرانسهای متعددی نیز در سراسر جهان بعنوان نمایندهٔ بیت العدل اعظم شرکت داشتند. خطابات جناب خادم مشحون از اظهار مهر و ولا نسبت بولی امر خدا بود. حضرت ایشان بلطائف و دقائق کتاب عهد عتیق آشنا بودند و اطلاعات جامعی در بارهٔ تاریخ ادیان داشتند و در طول حیات پر افتخار خویش بتألیف و تحریر کتب و مقالات امری بزبانهای فارسی و انگلیسی مبادرت نمودند.

جناب خادم تا آگست سال جاری از صحت و سلامت مزاج برخوردار بودند ولی پس از این تاریخ آثار بیماری مهلکی در ایشان ظاهر گشت که حتی مانع از حضورشان در کنفرانس صلح سانفرانسیسکو گردید. بهمین جهت بود که آن دلدادهٔ حضرت ولی امرالله پیامی بآن مجمع ارسال داشتند که بواسطهٔ همسر ایشان سرکار خانم جاویدخت خادم قرائت شد.

در اکتبر همین سال جناب خادم در نامه‌ای که خطاب بمحفل ملی بهائیان امریکا نگاشته بودند چنین مرقوم داشتند: "از کلیهٔ اعضای محفل ملی بخاطر مراحم و الطافی که در بیست و شش سال گذشته نسبت باین عبد مجری داشته‌اند صمیمانه قدردانی مینمایم. بینهایت مدیون حضرت ولی امرالله میباشم که این عبد را به نیمکرهٔ غربی اعزام فرمودند تا انتصارات باهرهٔ امر مبارك را بچشم سر مشاهده نمایم. چندانکه باز پس مینگرم و سالیان گذشته را در نظر می‌آورم تنها خاضعانه بدرگاه الهی مناجات میکنم که: "رب زدنى فيك تحيراً". بعلاوه همسر و يك برادر و يك خواهر، پنج فرزند و چهارده نوه از جناب خادم بجا مانده که همگی بردای ایمان مزین میباشند.

مراسم تشییع جنازهٔ آن خادم صمیمی امر الهی صبح روز شنبه پانزدهم نوامبر ۱۹۸۶ در شهر اسکوکی Skokie که از چند سال قبل محل اقامت آن متصاعد الی‌الله بود بر قرار گردید و در محفل تذکری که بیاد آن ایادی محبوب امرالله در مشرق‌الاذکار ویلمت انعقاد یافت، ایادی امرالله جناب ویلیام سیرز و اعضای محفل روحانی ملی بهائیان ایالات متحده و نمایندگان محفل روحانی ملی کانادا و آلاسکا و گروهی از مشاورین قاره‌ای و اعضای هیئت معاونت و جمع کثیری از یاران الهی شرکت داشتند. علیه رضوان الله و اَغْمَسَهُ الله في بحار رحمته بمنه و کرمه. با صعود جناب خادم تعداد حضرات ایادی به هشت نفس مبارك تقلیل یافت.

پیام ایادی امرالله جناب ذکرالله خادم خطاب به کنفرانس صلح

HAND OF THE CAUSE KHADEM’S ADDRESS TO THE PEACE CONFERENCE

پیام ذیل توسط سرکار خانم جاویدخت خادم در کنفرانس صلح سانفرانسیسکو قرائت گردید.

دوستان عزیز، الله ابهى نمیدانم آیا با وجود مریضی و درد پشت خواهم توانست در کنفرانس شرکت نمایم یا خیر. اگر قادر نباشم در کنفرانس شرکت نمایم از همسر عزیزم که نهایت محبت را در مورد من مجری داشته تقاضا خواهم کرد که این پیام را در حضورتان قرائت نماید. از او خواسته‌ام تحیات محبت آمیز مرا در این کنفرانس تاریخی و پر شکوه بحضورتان ابلاغ نماید. شاید نتوانید تصور نمائید که تا چه حد خود را نسبت بشما نزديك میدانم و چه اندازه مهرتان را در دل گرفته‌ام. هر چند حضوراً با شما نیستم اما در فکر و خیالم، در حین دعا و مناجات با شما و همراه شما هستم. ‎انشله الله ان‌شاء‌الله‎ جمال مبارك در جمیع احوال شما را مشمول فضل و عطای خود فرماید.

کلام خود را با نقل عبارت زیبائی که حضرت بهاءالله در آثار مبارك خود تأیید فرموده‌اند آغاز میکنم: "رب زدنى فيك تحيراً". چه افتخاری که انسان در این کنفرانس تاریخی، اولین کنفرانس بهائی بین‌المللی صلح شرکت نماید! این کنفرانس بوسیلهٔ محفل روحانی ملی بهائیان ایالات متحده امریکا و تحت عنایت بیت‌العدل اعظم الهی منعقد گردیده است. هدف انعقاد این مؤتمر در صورت برنامهٔ آن با نقل عبارتی از بیانیهٔ صلح بیت‌العدل اعظم به بهترین وجهی تشریح شده و این عبد قسمتی از آنرا برایتان قرائت خواهم کرد: "خطاب باهل عالم، صلح بزرگی که آرزوی دل و جان نيك اندیشان جهان در قرون و اعصار بوده و در باره‌اش عارفان و شاعران در نسلهای پی در پی شرکت گفته و در کارگاه خیال نمودارش ساخته‌اند، صلحی که تحققش نوید تمام کتب مقدسه در هر دور بوده حال بدستیابی ملل عالم نزديك گشته است. این اولین بار در تاریخ جهان است که میتوان تمام کره زمین را با وجود اختلافات بیشمار مردمش بشكل يك واحد مجسم کرد. پس استقرار صلح جهانی نه تنها امکان دارد بلکه اجتناب ناپذیر است...."

کنفرانس با نقل این عبارات زیبا آغاز شد. بسیار مسرورم که بنده نیز در آن سهمی دارم ونمیدانم که دیگر باین عبارات زیبا چه میتوانم بیافزایم. مطابق نصوص الهی علت خلق انسان همانا عرفان و عبادت الهی بوده که این نیز بنوبهٔ خود بدین معناست که آدمیان باید با محبت و وداد با یکدیگر زندگی نمایند.

ابر و باد و مه و خورشید و فلك در کارند تا تو نانی بکف آری و بغفلت نخوری [Page 24]

Do’a winds up successful ‘Peace Tour ’86’

Responding to the United Nations proclamation of 1986 as the International Year of Peace, the Do’a World Music Ensemble completed a highly successful tour of colleges and concert halls throughout the U.S. and Canada as part of its “Peace Tour ’86.”

Highlights of the tour include the Bahá’í International Peace Conference in San Francisco where Do’a performed before an audience of more than 8,000 who had gathered to explore the issues of peace and justice.

The first “Earth Run” kindled an unprecedented flame of support around the world, and Do’a was there to share its multi-instrumental, diverse musical style when New Englanders rallied to help pass the torch that symbolized cooperation and peace.

As a result of its efforts, the Do’a ensemble, comprised of co-founders Randy Armstrong and Ken LaRoche with Marty Quinn, Charlie Jennison and Volker Nahrmann, earned official recognition from the UN.

As the year drew to a close, Do’a embarked on a series of concerts and special events in India leading to the dedication December 23-27 of the Bahá’í House of Worship near New Delhi where the five-member group shared the stage with Ravi Shankar, Seals & Crofts, and other world-renowned performing artists.

Soon to be released is the group’s fifth album, dedicated to the International Year of Peace and featuring the composition “One World Symphony” which was played at the Peace Conference in San Francisco.

Members of the Do’a World Music Ensemble (left to right) Marty Quinn, Volker Nahrmann, Ken LaRoche, Charlie Jennison and Randy Armstrong.

STORIES OF THE MARTYRS

FIDRUS SHABRUKH

Fidrus Shabrukh was born into a Bahá’í family in Zabul, a small city near Iran’s eastern border with Afghanistan and Pakistan, and could trace his lineage to a Bahá’í martyr and one of the “Letters of the Living,” the first 19 seekers to accept the Revelation of the Báb.

Mr. Shabrukh was educated in Zabul and then moved to Zahidan, also on Iran’s eastern border, where he owned and operated his own print shop.

He served on the Spiritual Assembly of Zahidan, which was one of the main reasons for his arrest and imprisonment in that city. After a year, however, he was released and returned to his wife and two children.

Two years later, on September 23, 1983, he was imprisoned again, this time in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison. Subsequently, he was transferred to the police prison in Zahidan where he was held during his trial.

Six months before his execution, Mr. Shabrukh learned that he had been condemned to death. He was also severely tortured during his time in prison.

Throughout his ordeal, Mr. Shabrukh remained calm and continually encouraged his family and loved ones.

In his last will and testament, written on stationery provided to him by the prison, he upholds in clear and forceful language his belief in Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and his obedience to the Universal House of Justice and the local and National Spiritual Assemblies.

Mr. Shabrukh states that the reason for the sentence passed against him is his belief in the Bahá’í Faith and his refusal to recant and become a Shi’ite Muslim. He counsels his sons to dedicate themselves to the betterment of humanity and to service to the Faith, and hopes for fortitude and patience for his wife.

Mrs. Shabrukh did not learn of his execution until she went one day to visit him at the prison and was refused admission.

After she had received no answer to her repeated inquiries as to her husband’s whereabouts, the prison guard finally instructed her to go to the morgue.

Mr. Shabrukh had been hanged in Zahidan on May 9, 1986. He was 38 years old, and had died with a calm smile on his face.

Two hundred Bahá’ís marched in his funeral procession, chanting prayers. His steadfastness and calm resolve are an inspiration to us all.

Pacific ABS group sets second annual peace conference

To provide a regional forum for the exchange of ideas on peace and to generate papers and works of art that represent the Bahá’í approach to peace, the Pacific Southwest Regional Committee of the Association for Bahá’í Studies is sponsoring the second annual Conference on Peace to be held next April in Irvine, California.

The conference theme, “Transition to a World at Peace,” is based on the following paragraph from “The Promise of World Peace”:

“The primary question to be resolved is how the present world, with its entrenched pattern of conflict, can change to a world in which harmony and cooperation will prevail.”

The conference will focus primarily on the important requisites for peace as identified in the last part of Section II of the peace statement, namely:

• The equality of the sexes.
• Universal education.
• Improved global communication.

The committee urges you to take part in this historic event by submitting papers and/or works of art (i.e., poetry, painting, songs and music, dance, etc.) for inclusion in the program.

Those who wish to submit their work for the committee’s consideration must first send a 250-word (maximum) abstract or description to: Association for Bahá’í Studies, Pacific Southwest Regional Committee, P.O. Box 2924, Newport Beach, CA 92663.

Abstracts or descriptions must be received before March 1, 1987, with completed work submitted by April 1.

For more information, phone Vafa Mavaddat, 714-249-1719, or the Spiritual Assembly of Irvine’s message line, 714-559-5528.

Counselors Dunbar, Khamsi, 100 others attend second conference of Spanish-speaking Bahá’ís

About 100 Bahá’ís from more than 40 cities in several states and three foreign countries were present October 10-13 at the second annual Conference of Spanish-Speaking Bahá’ís in San Fernando, California.

The event was hailed as a success by the sponsoring communities, San Fernando and Fillmore, California, and Ensenada, Mexico, not only because of the enthusiasm of the participants but because while the conference was in progress a new series of eight Spanish-language television programs was video taped involving scores of conferees representing a variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds, using the same level of three-camera professionalism that marked the enormously popular 12-part series, “Crece Con Nosotros,” produced several years ago.

These videos are now being edited and should soon be available.

Among those attending the conference was Mas’ud Khamsi, a Counselor member of the International Teaching Center in Haifa, who said he was honored to represent the Republic of Peru where he had served the Faith for many years.

Counselor Hooper Dunbar, another member of the International Teaching Center, presented a talk in which he pointed out that the Six Year Plan should cause us to meditate deeply in order to achieve the goals set for the Bahá’í world community.

Workshop topics included: “The Integration of the Hispanic and Anglo Believers,” conducted by Auxiliary Board member Mike Pietrzak; “The Individual and Social and Economic Development” (Counselor Arturo Serrano); “Bahá’í Teacher-Training: Experiences at the Ruhi Institute in Cali, Colombia” (Sergio Montenegro); “Bahá’í Administration” (Femaline Dunbar); “Border Teaching” (Jeanne Serrano and Linda Frazelle); and “Child Education” (Dr. Tony Cubero).

An over-all perspective of the conference was presented by Angelica Huerta.

Among the special guest speakers at the conference was Paul Lucas, secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of Mexico, who spoke on “The Six Year Plan and Me,” focusing on the role the individual must play in teaching and propagating the Faith.

The conferees were delighted by the interesting talk given by Dr. Cubero on teaching children and pre-youth, an analysis of the evolutionary process in the child’s psyche and the means to support its development so that our children become assets to society.

As for Mrs. Carmen de Burafato, who graced the San Fernando conference for the second time, she spoke on the important role of women in the development of peoples and exhorted her audience to educate women, as Bahá’u’lláh mentioned in His writings.

The atmosphere throughout the conference was one of fellowship and camaraderie mixed with good cheer and humor.

The spirit of unity was most appealing to some visitors who were not yet members of the Faith. “This feels like a family reunion,” said one of them.

Such was the enthusiasm of the conferees that much discussion was centered around plans to attend next year’s conference.

Members of the Bahá’í community of Washington, D.C., met recently with G. Shankir (right), the Ambassador to the U.S. from India, to present him with a copy of “The Promise of World Peace.” Pictured with Mr. Shankir are Bahá’ís Richard Witter and Kelly Clark. The Ambassador learned of the peace statement from his son who asked that his father obtain a copy for him after reading in an Indian newspaper of a peace essay contest sponsored by the National Spiritual Assembly of India. [Page 25]

Association holds 11th annual Conference in Ontario

The 11th annual Conference of the Association for Bahá’í Studies, held August 20-24 at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada, was the largest such gathering to date with about 2,000 adults taking part.

Planned as a response to the request by the Universal House of Justice that each national Bahá’í community sponsor at least one major event to mark the United Nations International Year of Peace, the Conference focused on the theme "Beyond the Quest for Peace: Creating a New World Order" and was organized according to a number of aspects of the peace statement addressed last year to the peoples of the world by the House of Justice.

The opening session, "The Promise of World Peace," was keynoted by the Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum, who was followed by youth speakers Helen, John and Amelia Danesh of New Zealand, addressing the theme "Youth: A Dynamic Peaceful Force."

The opening session ended with the winner of the Association's essay competition in the high school category, Kenneth Sooley (a 15-year-old non-Bahá’í from Newfoundland) presenting his paper, "Peace Through Mutual Understanding," after which Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum presented him and the other two winners, Nancy Ward in the university category and Paul Hanley in the general category, with their awards.

The second plenary session was highlighted by the annual Hasan Balyúzí Lecture, given this year by Counsellor Adib Taherzadeh on "The Human Soul."

Following this, the Conference was broken into a number of simultaneous sessions at which papers were presented on the themes "Strategies for World Peace," "Dynamics of World Peace," and "The Socio-Politics of Peace." A workshop was also given on "Preparing the Successful Paper: What Every Writer Should Know" by Dr. Betty J. Fisher, general editor of the U.S. Bahá’í Publishing Trust, and her assistant editor, Richard Hill.

Friday evening featured a banquet for dignitaries in the Great Hall of the university, followed by a Concert for Peace which included diverse performances by Conference guest Dr. Ervin Laszlo of the Club of Rome (an accomplished pianist), Gordi Munro, the Táhirih Choir, the Do’a World Music Ensemble, Nancy Ward, and the One Planet, One People Please singers.

Saturday morning's session was centered on "Peace and the New World Order" with presentations by Dr. Laszlo ("Science and Prophecy: Humankind's Path to Peace in a Global Society") and Dr. Hossain Danesh, secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada ("Creating a New World Order: The Bahá’í Paradigm").

Saturday afternoon saw Professor Ross Woodman of the University of Western Ontario give his presentation on "The End of the World: Whatever Happened?" It was followed by a Native American peace pipe ceremony, in which Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum, Dr. and Mrs. Laszlo, and other dignitaries took part. This was unique because the ceremony is rarely performed outside native communities and even more rarely with non-Indian participants.

Saturday evening focused on "Women and Peace" with papers by noted Jungian analyst Marion Woodman, Bahíyyih Nakhjavání, Greg Dahl, Nancy Ward and Dr. Jane Faily.

Sunday morning's final session offered a peace forum with Dr. Laszlo, Professor Woodman, Mrs. Woodman, Dr. Danesh and Ms. Nakhjavání participating as panelists. Following this, Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum addressed the conference briefly, and ‘Alí Nakhjavání, a member of the Universal House of Justice, delivered a moving talk on the theme of peace.

The finale of the conference saw the children enter the hall and perform a "peace chant," which was followed by musical and slide presentations.

The annual meeting of the Association was held Sunday afternoon, and that evening a special gathering was arranged for the Persian-speaking Bahá’ís with addresses by Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum and Mr. Nakhjavání.

In addition to the main Conference, a large number of ancillary events took place including a conference on peace for young people ages 12-15, a children's peace conference for 6-to-11 year olds, and a nursery peace conference for those younger than six years.

An exciting aspect of these conferences was the participation in them by speakers from the main Conference including Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum, Counsellor Taherzadeh, and Dr. Laszlo, thus giving the younger people a great feeling of unity with the adult Conference.

The peace conference for young people was singularly blessed by the participation of the Hand of the Cause of God ‘Alí-Muhammad Varqá who showered love on his young audience and visibly increased their love of learning about the Faith and the solutions it offers for the ills of humanity.

On the Wednesday and Thursday preceding the main Conference, eight more auxiliary gatherings of agencies and affiliates of the Association for Bahá’í Studies were held. These included the Bahá’í International Health Agency, the Bahá’í Education Institute, the Bahá’í Institute for Environmental Design, the Bahá’í Family Institute, a conference for those in the legal profession, and conferences on cultural minorities, the arts, and agriculture.

Institute hosts appreciation dinner for singers

NATIVE AMERICANS

About 110 people, most of whom were not Bahá’ís, gathered November 8 in the big hogan at the Native American Bahá’í Institute in Houck, Arizona, for the Pine Springs Singers Appreciation Dinner—an event spearheaded by Bahá’ís but not officially a Bahá’í-sponsored activity.

It was the largest group ever assembled in the big hogan at one time.

The program included speeches, award presentations, gifts, much Navajo singing and dancing, and a great feast.

One of the dignitaries attending was Woody Tsosie, a member of the local school board and recently elected Navajo Tribal Council delegate who was making his first visit to the Institute.

The Pine Springs Singers are a group of Navajo children who for about a year have been learning traditional Navajo songs and dances from Ben Kahn, a Bahá’í in Pine Springs.

The group has received help and encouragement from the Reservation's foremost traditional recording artists, the "Klagetoh Swingers," who were special guests at the dinner.

The children's performances have been so impressive that they have frequently been invited to perform at various places on the Reservation including the recent dedication held in Window Rock for the new Navajo Education Center.

Several members of the group took part in August in the two-week visit of the "Trail of Light" team to Southern California.

The Pine Springs Singers Association (parents of the participating children) includes both Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís, but the Bahá’ís are the prime movers.

This "social and economic development project" being carried out by individual Bahá’ís has not only helped to rekindle appreciation of Navajo culture, but has led indirectly to interest in the Faith.

The Association uses the Native American Bahá’í Institute as its main meeting center.

Efforts pay off, Puyallup Bahá’ís in Fair

After more than 20 years of behind-the-scenes efforts, the Bahá’í community of Puyallup, Washington, was given booth space this year at the annual Puyallup Fair, a 17-day event in September that is the eighth largest in the country with an annual attendance of more than one million.

After setting a $3,000 budget for the fair, the Bahá’ís of Puyallup (12 adults, eight children) issued a plea for help to other Bahá’ís in Washington state.

Seventy-eight adults signed up to handle booth duties, and more than $2,400 was donated by Groups, Assemblies and individuals.

"Fun and Lots of Firesides" was the motto of the gallant Bahá’ís who pulled shifts in the booth. More than 3,000 pamphlets, 1,000 bookmarks, 1,000 "peace" posters, 250 "Promise of World Peace" booklets, and 300 buttons were taken by interested fair-goers.

Many interest cards were given out, 58 of which were signed and returned to Bahá’ís at the booth. The host community sent them to those Bahá’í communities closest to the signee's address for follow-up.

"After-fair" bills totaled about $2,500, and it appears there is a $300 surplus to start the fund for next year's booth.

Women asked to check committee membership before writing Senators

Recently the National Committee on Women wrote to selected local Spiritual Assemblies asking them to take part in a nationwide effort to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. The committee asked individuals to write to their Senator on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as well as to the chairman of that committee.

Due to the elections on November 4, the membership of the Foreign Relations Committee has changed. The committee chairman is now Sen. Claiborne Pell (D-R.I.). Senators Mathias and Eagleton have retired.

Please check to determine whether the Senator to whom you were to write was one of those up for election and whether or not he or she was re-elected. If you have any questions, please phone 203-787-0303.

Sima Hakimian

Sima Hakimian, a member of the Bahá’í community of Dade County, Florida, was graduated magna cum laude in June from Miami Sunset High with a 4.0 grade point average. Sima, a member of national honor societies in math and science, began pre-medical studies this fall at Florida State University in Tallahassee. An active Bahá’í, she presently serves as co-chairman of the Dade County youth group. At the local observance last October of the 40th anniversary of the United Nations, she represented Iran and the Bahá’í community by symbolically lighting a candle for peace.

new from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust

the Power of Unity Beyond Prejudice and Racism

142 pages; 334 extracts (including previously unavailable material) Foreword; Bibliography

A challenging compilation of extracts from the Bahá’í writings that clearly describes the need for unity and peace through the elimination of prejudice and racism and the part we are called upon to play in the evolution and spiritualization of the world

softcover $795 5½/2 x 8½/2 in.

Order through your local librarian, or send check or money order (no charge for postage or handling) to: Bahá’í Distribution Service 415 LINDEN AVENUE, WILMETTE, IL 60091 TEL 1-800-323-1880

• Price valid only a the United States.

[Page 26]Jennifer North, a member of the Bahá’í community of Mancos, Colorado, was graduated from high school last May 25 as valedictorian of her class, presenting a speech on the need for world peace. During her senior year, she served as president of the National Honor Society chapter and as editor of the school yearbook. She was awarded a scholarship that will cover the costs of her four years at the University of Colorado. As a Bahá’í, she was instrumental in forming the Four Corners Bahá’í Youth Club, of which she is president, and is also secretary of the Colorado West Bahá’í Summer School Committee.

APAACs

from page 1

Iranian Bahá’ís—such as Portland, Oregon; San Diego; Los Angeles; Houston; New York—and the membership of APAACs includes both Iranians and non-Iranians.

The APAAC conference was called to identify areas of need and to consult about methods and strategies to meet those needs.

In addition to the many opportunities for consultation, the APAAC members heard presentations by Dr. Robert Henderson, secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly; Dr. Wilma Brady, a member of the Board of Counselors in the Americas; the U.S. Bahá’í refugee coordinator; the National Youth Committee, National Teaching Committee and International Goals Committee; the Treasurer’s Office; and the National Race Unity Committee.

The participants were also privileged to receive copies of the Six Year Plan for the U.S. Bahá’í community, submitted by the National Spiritual Assembly and approved by the Universal House of Justice only two days before the conference.

It was exciting for them to see that one of the nine major areas of concentration during the Six Year Plan is that of “integration,” the specific issue for which the APAAC conference was held.

It was pointed out to the conference participants that the American Bahá’í community is the only one that has been given the “Most Challenging Issue” to work on.

Integrating our own Bahá’í community, those at the conference concluded, is the ultimate demonstration of unity, which is the basis of the Faith itself.

Among the other points made:

We cannot unify until united, nor can we be the model the Universal House of Justice has offered to the world in its peace statement. There simply can be no compromise in the work of building the new World Order.

We must work together and empathize with one another. We must transcend our differences while celebrating them. Each of us must pray, deepen, teach, give to the Fund, and obey the laws of the Faith.

Two of the most basic tools in this work were recognized as The Advent of Divine Justice (available in Persian as well as English from the Bahá’í Distribution Service) and The Power of Unity: Beyond Racism and Prejudice.

It was suggested that we must study these books in order to understand the vital role of the American Bahá’í community and to fully appreciate the extreme importance of the unity of mankind.

It was agreed that this unity would not be accomplished without some pain. However, much optimism was expressed each time the youth were mentioned, as their flexibility and lack of prejudice are already building bridges among people of various cultures.

Our shared responsibility for bringing people together was discussed, and a recent refugee who took part in the conference put it quite well when he said, “I came here with a broken heart and I needed a warm heart as well as a warm hand to hold. ...”

Isn’t that what each of us is after? To achieve unity, we must continue to hammer away at a resolution to the problem despite the occasional chaos that cannot be avoided.

Please feel free to contact your Area Persian/American Affairs Committee with offers to help or requests for help in this most vital effort.—National Persian/American Affairs Committee

Members of Area Persian/American Affairs Committees met with the national committee November 13-16 at the Bahá’í National Center to identify areas of need and adopt strategies to meet them.

Bahá’ís co-sponsor Oregon panel on ‘Avenues to Peace’

“Avenues Toward World Peace” was the topic of a panel discussion co-sponsored by the Peace and Conflict Studies Department at Pacific University and the ‎Bahá’í’s Bahá’ís‎ of Forest Grove, Oregon, and held October 22 at the university to celebrate United Nations Day.

The panel was to have been composed of two members of the Pacific University faculty, Professor John Goldberg-Hiller and Assistant Professor Dr. Vern Bates, and Dr. Nosratollah Rassekh, a Bahá’í who is chairman of the history department at Lewis and Clark College.

Unfortunately, Dr. Bates was taken ill and was unable to take part. The moderator was Dr. James Bartee, chairman of the psychology department at Pacific University and of the Spiritual Assembly of Forest Grove.

Among those attending were local clergy, some professors and campus personnel from Pacific, other guests and members of Bahá’í communities in the area.

Copies of “The Promise of World Peace” were displayed with other Bahá’í literature.

Publicity included flyers given to local churches, stores, the public and university libraries, and articles in the local and campus newspapers.

On the following Monday evening, copies of the peace statement were presented by Dr. Bartee on behalf of the Spiritual Assembly of Forest Grove to the mayor and city council.

Be like the fountain— empty yourself, and be refilled

National Bahá’í Fund Wilmette, IL 60091

Under the guidance of Bahá’í youth as cabin counselors, junior youth took part June 21-26 in recreational activities, devotions and a week of classes on peace at the Bosch Bahá’í School in California. The week was culminated with presentations by each of the classes on the last day of the session. The Bosch Council encourages older youth to apply to serve as cabin counselors for the 1987 Junior Youth Week, which will begin training sessions for cabin counselors and consultation for teachers next June 19. Please write to Youth Program Director, Bosch Bahá’í School, 500 Comstock Lane, Santa Cruz, CA 95060.

Church Women United given statement

In October, two members of the Bahá’í community of New Berlin, Wisconsin, presented the peace statement to board members of Church Women United-Suburban Unit.

Following the 10-minute presentation by Mary Jo Mineau, chairman of the Spiritual Assembly of New Berlin, who was accompanied by Lyn Locust, the women asked questions for another half-hour.

The next issue of the Church Women’s news bulletin included a full-page article about the presentation including a summary of the main points in the peace statement.

‘Promise’ presented to festival director

Bahá’ís in Houston, Texas, presented a copy of “The Promise of World Peace” along with a packet of information about the Faith to the co-director of the Houston Peace and Prosperity Festival, an event held December 31 in the Astrodome.

At a planning meeting of about 35 people, the co-director showed the packet to those attending, and described the Faith as the world’s youngest religion, one based on peace.

Young Bahá’í earns early high school degree in Guatemala

Juliet Bahiyyih Carson, a Bahá’í youth who is pioneering with her family in Livingston, Guatemala, has earned her U.S. high school equivalency degree during her sophomore year in high school.

Juliet, who is now 15 years old, serves as secretary of the National Youth Committee of Guatemala and is looking for a college with an active Bahá’í club to attend next year when she turns 16.

Summer positions for youth are open at National Center, House of Worship

Making plans for the summer yet? Why not spend it at the heart of Bahá’í activity for this country at the Bahá’í National Center or Bahá’í House of Worship. Positions are currently opening in maintenance, gardening, drafting, masonry work, and painting. There are also positions open in offices at the National Center. Stipends are available to cover living expenses.

If you would be interested, write to the National Youth Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, for an application.

Name __________________________________________________________________

Address _______________________________________________________________

City _________________________________________ State ________ Zip __________

Phone ( ) ___________________________ Age ______________________________ [Page 27]

Bahá’í Distribution Service Price List

January 1987

Bahá’í Distribution Service 415 Linden Avenue Wilmette, IL 60091 800-323-1880 312-251-1854 (in Illinois)

Price List: January 1987

Explanations of abbreviations and symbols

*	On Order	PA	Pamphlet
#	Net (no discount)	PER	Persian
CA	Calendar	PP	Photograph or Lithograph
CS	Cassette	PR	Poster
FD	Folder	PS	Pocket-sized Edition
HC	Hardcover	SC	Softcover
LP	Record	SPN	Spanish
LT	Lightweight Edition	VT	Videotape

Bahá’u’lláh, the Báb, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi, and the Universal House of Justice

Title	Type	Price
‘Abdu’l-Bahá in London	HC	$13.50
Advent of Divine Justice	HC	12.00
Advent of Divine Justice	SC	8.00
Call to the Nations	HC	6.50
Citadel of Faith	HC	12.00
Constitution: Universal House of Justice	SC	1.50
Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh	SC	1.50
Foundations of World Unity	HC	10.00
Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh	HC	14.25
Gleanings--British Edition	HC	12.95
Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh	PS	3.75
Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh	HC	6.00
Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh	SC	3.50
Hidden Words--British Edition	SC	3.00
Kitáb-i-Íqán--British Edition	HC	12.95
Kitáb-i-Íqán	PS	3.75
Kitáb-i-Íqán--British Edition	SC	7.95
Light of Divine Guidance	HC	21.00
Light of Divine Guidance, Volume 2	HC	16.00
Memorials of the Faithful	HC	10.00
Messages from the Universal House of Justice	HC	9.00
Messages from the Universal House of Justice	SC	4.00
Paris Talks	SC	5.00
Prayers and Meditations--British Edition	HC	11.00
Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh	HC	7.50
Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh	SC	3.00
Promise of World Peace--Deluxe Edition	HC	10.00#
Promise of World Peace--Illustrated Summary	SC	1.75
Promise of World Peace--Presentation Edition	SC	3.00
Promise of World Peace--Study Edition	SC	.75
Promised Day Is Come	HC	8.00
Promulgation of Universal Peace	HC	16.00
Secret of Divine Civilization	HC	11.50
Selected Writings of Bahá’u’lláh	HC	11.00
Selected Writings of Shoghi Effendi	HC	1.00
Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá	HC	12.50
Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá	SC	6.50
Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá	LT	6.50
Selections from the Writings of the Báb	HC	10.50
Selections from the Writings of the Báb	LT	6.50
Seven Valleys and Four Valleys	HC	6.00
Seven Valleys and Four Valleys	SC	3.50
Some Answered Questions	HC	14.00
Some Answered Questions	PS	3.75
Synopsis and Codification of Kitáb-i-Aqdas	HC	2.50
Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh	HC	12.50
Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh	LT	6.50
Tablets of the Divine Plan	SC	5.00
To the Peoples of the World	SC	5.95
Traveler’s Narrative	HC	10.00
Traveler’s Narrative	SC	5.00
Unfolding Destiny	HC	28.50
Wellspring of Guidance	HC	9.00
Wellspring of Guidance	SC	4.00

World Order of Bahá’u’lláh

Title	Type	Price
World Order of Bahá’u’lláh	HC	11.00
World Order of Bahá’u’lláh	SC	6.50

Compilations

Title	Type	Price
America’s Spiritual Destiny	SC	2.50
Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá	SC	2.00
Bahá’í Daybook	SC	3.75
Bahá’í Marriage and Family Life	SC	2.75
Bahá’í Meetings/the 19 Day Feast	SC	2.00
Bahá’í Prayers	HC	7.50
Bahá’í Prayers--British Edition	HC	5.00
Bahá’í Prayers	SC	3.75
Bahá’í Prayers and Holy Writings	SC	2.50
Bahá’í Readings--Leather	HC	15.00
Bahá’í Writings on Music	SC	2.50
Bahíyyih Khánum: Greatest Holy Leaf	HC	10.50
Bahíyyih Khánum: Greatest Holy Leaf	SC	5.50
Centers of Bahá’í Learning	SC	1.50
Consultation Compilation	SC	1.50
Continental Boards of Counselors	SC	3.00
Days to Remember	SC	7.00*
Death: The Messenger of Joy	SC	3.00
Desire of the World	SC	6.95
Divine Art of Living	SC	7.95
Divorce: Compilation of Bahá’í Writings	SC	1.75
Excellence in All Things	SC	2.00
Family Life Compilation	SC	2.50
Hidden Words and Selected Holy Writings	SC	2.50
Huqúqu’lláh Compilation	SC	1.50
Individual and Teaching	SC	1.50
Inspiring the Heart	HC	9.00
Inspiring the Heart	SC	4.50
Living the Life	SC	2.25
Local Spiritual Assembly	SC	.50
Mighty River	SC	.50
National Spiritual Assembly	SC	1.00
Pattern of Bahá’í Life	SC	2.25
Peace Compilation	SC	2.95
Peace: More Than an End to War	HC	16.00
Peace: More Than an End to War	SC	8.95
Power of Divine Assistance	SC	2.50
Power of Unity	SC	7.95
Prayers and Thoughts for Peace	SC	2.00
Principles of Bahá’í Administration	HC	6.00
Principles of Bahá’í Administration	SC	4.00
Quickeners of Mankind	SC	1.00
Remembrance of God	SC	.75
Selected Prayers--Pkg. of 10	SC	5.50*
Special Measure of Love	SC	1.00
Spiritual Foundations	SC	1.00
Throne of the Inner Temple	SC	6.00
Universal House of Justice	SC	3.50
Unrestrained As the Wind	SC	7.95
Unto Him Shall We Return	SC	7.95
Waging Peace	SC	7.95
Women--Compilation	SC	2.00
Words of God	SC	1.00

General Titles

Title	Type	Price
All Flags Flying	HC	20.00*
All Flags Flying	SC	10.00
Another Song, Another Season	SC	2.00
Báb: Herald of the Day of Days	HC	14.95
Bahá’í Faith--Perkins and ‎Haynesworth Hainsworth‎	SC	2.25
Bahá’í Faith in America: 1892-1900	HC	17.95
Bahá’í Faith: The Emerging Global Religion	HC	15.95
Bahá’í Focus on Human Rights	SC	3.50
Bahá’í Focus on Peace	SC	5.00
Bahá’í References to Judaism, etc	SC	11.95
Bahá’í Studies Notebook: Conference on Health	SC	6.50
Bahá’í Studies Notebook: Health	SC	6.50
Bahá’í Studies Notebook: Marriage and Family	SC	6.50
Bahá’í Studies 2: Science/Religion	SC	5.00
Bahá’í Studies 6: Violence-Free Society	SC	5.00
Bahá’í Studies 12/13: Persecution 1844-1984	SC	5.00
Bahá’í Studies 15: Abiding Silence (poetry)	SC	5.00
Bahá’í World Volumes 1-12 (set)	HC	275.00#
Bahá’í World: Volume 13 (XIII)	HC	27.00
Bahá’í World: Volume 14 (XIV)	HC	16.00
Bahá’í World: Volume 15 (XV)	HC	17.50
Bahá’í World: Volume 16 (XVI)	HC	20.00
Bahá’í World: Volume 17 (XVII)	HC	22.50
Bahá’í World: Volume 18 (XVIII)	HC	40.00
Bahá’u’lláh: King of Glory	HC	14.00
Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era	HC	11.00
Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era	SC	TBA
Bahá’u’lláh: The Word Made Flesh	SC	5.95
Beyond Disarmament	SC	1.50
Christ and Bahá’u’lláh	SC	3.95
Christianity of Jesus	HC	7.00
Circle of Peace	SC	9.95
Circle of Unity	SC	9.95
Concordance to the Hidden Words	SC	2.50
Consultation: Lamp of Guidance (special price)	HC	7.95
Crown of Beauty	SC	11.95
Daily Lessons Received at ‘Akká	SC	6.00
Dawn-Breakers--British Edition	HC	14.00
Dawn Over Mount Hira	HC	2.00
Dawning Place	HC	23.50
Dawning Place	SC	13.50
Dawning Place of the Pacific	SC	8.00
Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of NSA/LSA	SC	1.00
Diary of Juliet Thompson	SC	9.95
Divine Therapy	HC	14.95
Divine Therapy	SC	6.95
Door of Hope	SC	13.50
E. G. Browne and the Bahá’í Faith	HC	14.95
Earth Is But One Country	HC	11.00
Earth Is But One Country	SC	5.00
Eminent Bahá’ís in the Time of Bahá’u’lláh	HC	28.50
Eminent Bahá’ís in the Time of Bahá’u’lláh	SC	15.95
Fire on the Mountain Top	SC	2.50
For the Good of Mankind	HC	10.95
Four on an Island	SC	5.95
From Copper to Gold	SC	10.95
From Strength to Strength	SC	2.00
George Townshend	SC	12.95
God Loves Laughter	SC	6.95
Golden Rule	HC	13.95
Golden Rule	SC	5.95
He Loved and Served	SC	7.95
Heart of the Gospel	SC	3.95
Imperishable Dominion	SC	11.95
In Galilee	HC	7.95
In Search of Nirvana	SC	5.95
Iran’s Secret Pogrom	SC	3.50
Leo Tolstoy and the Bahá’í Faith	HC	9.95
Leo Tolstoy and the Bahá’í Faith	SC	4.75
Letters and Essays: Mirza Abu’l-Fadl	HC	11.95
Lidia: Daughter of Esperanto	HC	26.50
Lidia: Daughter of Esperanto	SC	11.95
Light of Bahá’u’lláh	SC	3.00
Light Shineth in Darkness	HC	10.95
March of the Institutions	SC	5.95
Martha Root: Lioness at the Threshold	HC	21.95
Martha Root: Lioness at the Threshold	SC	14.95
Master in ‘Akká	HC	11.95
Meditations on the Eve of November 4th	HC	3.00
Memories of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá	HC	10.00
Miracles and Metaphors	SC	10.95
Mission of Bahá’u’lláh	HC	10.95
Mothers, Fathers, and Children	SC	8.95
My Memories of Bahá’u’lláh	SC	8.95
Mystery of God	HC	16.00
Once to Every Man and Nation	SC	5.95
Passing of Shoghi Effendi	SC	2.25
Peace Bible	HC	8.95
Phoenix and the Ashes	SC	6.95
Portals to Freedom	SC	8.95
Power of the Covenant, Part 1	SC	2.00
Power of the Covenant, Part 2	SC	2.00
Power of the Covenant, Part 3	SC	2.00
Prayer: A Bahá’í Approach	HC	9.95
Prayer: A Bahá’í Approach	SC	4.95
Priceless Pearl	SC	6.00
Promise of All Ages	HC	10.95
Promise of All Ages	SC	3.50
Reader’s Guide to Bahá’í Literature	HC	14.95
Reader’s Guide to Bahá’í Literature	SC	8.95
Rebirth: Memoirs of R. Szanto-Felberman	SC	3.00
Reginald Turvey/Life and Art	SC	14.95
Religion for Mankind	SC	5.95
Renewal of Civilization	SC	2.95
Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, Volume 1	SC	11.95
Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, Volume 2	SC	14.50
Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, Volume 3	HC	19.95
Seven Martyrs of Hurmuzak	HC	9.95
Shi’ih Islám: An Introduction	HC	25.00
Shi’ih Islám: An Introduction	SC	15.00
Shoghi Effendi: Recollections	HC	16.95
Song Celestial	HC	8.00
Stories of Bahá’u’lláh	HC	12.95
Stories of Bahá’u’lláh	SC	5.95
Stories from the Delight of Hearts	HC	9.00
Story of My Heart	SC	8.95
Studies in Bábí and Bahá’í History	HC	19.95
Studies in Bábí and Bahá’í History, Vol. 2	HC	19.95
Teaching the Bahá’í Faith	SC	6.95
Ten Days in the Light of ‘Akká	SC	6.00
Thief in the Night	SC	3.95
Thoughts: Education for Peace	HC	19.95
Thoughts: Education for Peace	SC	9.95*
To Move the World	SC	8.50
To a Seeker	SC	5.95
Touchstone of Sincerity	SC	6.50
239 Days	HC	10.00
Unity: Creative Foundation of Peace	SC	8.95
Vignettes from the Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá	SC	8.95
Way Out of the Dead End	HC	10.95
Way Out of the Dead End	SC	6.95
Wine of Astonishment	SC	3.95
World Peace and World Government	SC	2.50
A Year With the Bahá’ís of India and Burma	HC	8.95
Youth in the Vanguard	HC	10.00

Children and Youth

Title	Type	Price
Ali’s Dream	HC	3.95
Anthology for the Bahá’í Child	SC	3.00
B. J. and the Language of the Woodland	SC	3.75
Bahá’í Principles for Children	SC	2.00
Birth of the Bahá’í Faith	SC	1.00
Diamond in the Darkness	SC	3.50
Dragons of Rizvania	HC	8.95
Fly Away Home	SC	3.95
From Behind the Veil	SC	3.75
I Am a Bahá’í--Sunflower Set 2	SC	4.95
Let Thy Breeze Refresh Them	HC	5.50
Magnified Be Thy Name	HC	5.50
Mama Buzurg Is Coming	SC	3.95
Mullá Husayn	SC	3.50
My Baby Book	HC	5.00
Nine Holy Days	SC	3.50
O God, Guide Me	SC	3.75
O God, My God	HC	6.00
Pokka Stories	SC	2.00
Prayers for Children	SC	1.00
The Promise #1	SC	5.00
The Promise #2	SC	5.00
The Promise #3	SC	5.00
Quddús	SC	3.50
Refuge and the Cave	SC	5.50
Remember My Days	SC	4.50*
Remember the Rainbow	SC	3.95
Second Birth	HC	8.00
Second Birth	SC	5.00
Secret in the Garden	HC	5.00
Secret in the Garden	SC	3.00
Song in the Ground	SC	3.95
Special Strengths	SC	3.95
Spotlessly Leopard	SC	3.75
Stories of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá	SC	5.00
Stories for Children	SC	3.00
Sunflower Books--Set 1	SC	3.50
Sunshine Tree	SC	9.75
Táhirih	SC	3.50
Wonderlamp	HC	17.95
Zahra’s Search	SC	3.25

[Page 28]

Foreign Language

PER/ARA: PER/ENG: Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh. HC 21.50 Fire Tablet/Holy Mariner. HC 16.95 PER: Amr Va Khalq HC 14.00 PER: Amr Va Khalq, Volume 2 HC 25.95 PER: Athár-Guharbar (Prescious Pearls). HC 12.00 PER: Bahá’í Faith Not Political SC 4.00 PER: Bahiyyih Khánum HC 16.50 PER: Chand Bahth-1-Amri SC 4.00 PER: Epistle to the Son of the Wolf HC 20.00 PER: Fire and Light HC 17.50 PER: Garden of Truth HC 12.95 PER: Gleanings HC 11.00 PER: Golzár-1-Ta'álfm-1-Bahá’í HC 6.00 PER: Kitáb-1-Iqán HC 10.50 PER: Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá HC 20.00 PER: Memoirs of Nine Years in ‘Akká HC 15.95 PER: Nawnithalan-I-Ma SC 3.00 PER: Prayers of Bahá’u’lláh HC 8.95 PER: Prayers of Shoghi Effendi HC 3.50 PER: Principles of the Bahá’í Faith SC 2.50 PER: Promise of World Peace SC .60 PER: Secret of Divine Civilization SC 4.00 PER: Selected Letters of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá HC 8.00 PER: Selected Letters of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Vol. 2 HC 6.00 PER: Selected Writings of the Báb HC 16.00 PER: Success in Teaching SC 1.25 PER: Synopsis/Codification of Kitáb-1-Aqdas HC 2.50 PER: Tablets/Bahá’u’lláh After Kitáb-1-Aqdas HC 19.95 PER: Tablets for the Departed HC 16.00 PER: Talks of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá HC 14.00 PER: U.H.J. Messages to Iran. SC 5.50

SPN: Adventimiento de Justicia Divina SC 3.75 SPN: Bahá’u’lláh y la Nueva Era SC 7.00 SPN: Christo y Bahá’u’lláh. SC 3.00 SPN: Constitución: Casa Universal de Justicia SC 5.00 SPN: Datos Basicos PA .10 SPN: Dios Pasa SC 9.00 SPN: Día Prometido Ha Llegado SC 4.50 SPN: Dispensación de Bahá’u’lláh SC 3.75 SPN: Epistola del Hijo del Lobo, SC 7.50 SPN: Estudio-Escritos Bahá’ís SC 4.00 SPN: Flores de los Altares SC 2.75 SPN: Fe Bahá’í Teaching Booklet SC 1.50 SPN: Kitáb-1-Igán SC 5.50 SPN: Oraciones Bahá’ís SC 3.75 SPN: Oraciones y Meditaciones SC 6.00 SPN: Palabras de Dios SC .30 SPN: Palabras Ocultas SC 2.00 SPN: Pasajes-Escritos de Bahá’u’lláh SC 7.00 SPN: Poder de Asistancia Divina SC 1.00 SPN: Promesa de Paz Mundial SC 1.00 SPN: Quienes Dios Confia PA .50 SPN: Recopilacion de Escritos SC 3.50 SPN: Ruespuestas a Algunas Preguntas SC 12.75 SPN: Ruespuestas Bahá’ís PA .25 SPN: Renovación de Civilización SC 3.00 SPN: El Rosedal SC 1.00 SPN: Sinopsis y Codificatión Kitáb-1-Aqdas SC 3.50 SPN: Tablas de Bahá’u’lláh SC 6.00

Videotapes and Recordings

Apostles of Bahá’u’lláh CS 7.00 Are You Happy?...01inga CS 7.00 Ark of Destiny--Beta VT 25.00 Ark of Destiny--VHS VI 25.00 Bahá’í Faith: Unity in Diversity--Beta VT 25.00 Bahá’í Faith: Unity in Diversity--VHS VT 25.00 Because We Love the Faith...Collins/Baker CS 7.00 Come On, Rise Up CS 8.00 Design By Mona Canon CS 7.00 Education/Trustees--Beta VT 30.00 Education/Trustees--VHS VT 30.00 Flight LP 2.00 Foundations of Learning CS 7.00 If You Only Knew CS 7.50 In the Days of the Guardian...Taos CS 7.00 In His Presence...Samandari CS 7.00 Lote Tree LP 4.00 Loving Hands CS 8.00 "Mona" Music Video--Beta VT 45.000 "Mona" Music Video--VHS VT 45.00 Mona with the Children--Audio Cassette CS 8.00 My Only Desire...Alexander CS 7.00 Peace Conference Tapes--Set of 7 with Binder CS 42.00 Samoa: The Dawning Place--Beta VT 25.00 Samos: The Dawning Place--VHS VT 25.00 Stories From the Davn-Breakers--Set of 4 CS 24.00 Strengthening Administrative Order...Holley CS 7.00 Teaching Peace CS 8.00 This Century of Progress CS 7.00 Triumph of the Cause...Balyuzi CS 7.00 Unity in Diversity CS 8.00 Visit with the Master...True CS 7.00 We Are Bahá’ís CS 7.50 We Are One CS 8.50 Wildfire CS 7.00 Women: Equality and Peace CS 7.00

Photographs, Calendars and Posters

‘Abdu’l-Bahá Color Lithograph, 11" X 14" PP 10.00 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Lithograph, 10.5" X 15" PP 2.50 Bahá’í Datebook 144 B.E. CA 2.25 Bahá’í History Calendar CA 5.50 Bahá’í Pocket Calendar 144 B.E., Pkg. of 10 CA 2.00 Bahá’í Wall Calendar 144 B.E. CA 1.25 Do-It-Yourself Calendar Sticker Kit CA 2.50 Taiwan Scroll Calendar--Silk CA 4.25 Taiwan Scroll Calendar--Wood CA 4.25 Wilmette House of Worship PR 1.00

Ordering Instructions

To process your order, the Distribution Service needs your name and address and a daytime telephone number. For each item ordered you must give the quantity, title and type (HC, SC, CS, etc.). Since stock numbers are no longer used when ordering books, it is essential that the type of item be included.

Payment must accompany orders from individuals. You may pay by check, money order, VISA or MasterCard (include account number and expiration date). As of May 1, 1986, no postage will be charged, and all orders will be shipped by United Parcel Service (except to post office boxes) unless another method is specifically requested. Credit card orders may be placed by phone on our toll-free line, 1-800-323-1880 (except in Illinois).

Pamphlets, Cards and Folders

Bahá’í Faith Presentation File Folder FD .50 Bahá’í Faith Teaching Booklet--Pkg. of 10 PA 14.00 Communion with God--Large Type SC 1.50 God's Great Plan SC 2.00 God's New Age--Pkg. of 10 PA 1.00 In Search of Supreme Talisman--Pkg. of 10 PA 3.00 Meaning of Worship--Pkg. of 10 PA 5.00 Open Door--Pkg. of 10 with Envelopes CD 8.50 Peace Pamphlets--10 Assorted PA 2.000 Peace Pamphlets--100 Assorted PA 10.00 Peace Pamphlets: General Introduction--Pkg/50 PA 7.500 Peace Pamphlets: More Than End to War--Pkg/50 PA 7.500 Peace Pamphlets: Oneness of Religion--Pkg/50 PA 7.50 Peace Pamphlets: Race Unity--Pkg. of 50 PA 7.50 Peace Pamphlets: World Government--Pkg. of 50 PA 7.500 Prophecy Fulfilled--Pkg. of 10 PA 4.50

Stories From the Dawn-Breakers

Bahá’í history comes alive in STORIES FROM THE DAWN-BREAKERS. Thirty tales of bravery, faith, and sacrifice from the early days of the Faith told by the Hand of the Cause of God William Sears and embellished by Persian music. Based on the book of the same name by Zoe Meyer. Four 60-minute cassettes packaged in an attractive vinyl binder $24.00.

• Price valid only in the United States

Order through your local librarian, or send check or money order (no charge for postage or handling) to:

Bahá’í Distribution Service 415 LINDEN AVENUE, WILMETTE, IL 60091 TEL 1-800-323-1880 [Page 29]About 200 people, three-fourths of whom were not Bahá’í, attended an intercultural program presented October 24 by the Bahá’ís of Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs, Colorado, to commemorate United Nations Day. Besides delicious food, there were performances by dancers representing Mexico, Spain, Japan, India, Ireland, Scotland and the U.S., all dressed in colorful native costume. The Bahá’ís presented a video based on the song ‘Listen’ by Red Grammer, and Auxiliary Board member Carol Brooks spoke briefly about the UN and quoted from ‘The Promise of World Peace.’ The program was dedicated to the recent Bahá’í martyrs in Iran. (Photos by Fritz Mann)

Katherine E. Berry, a Bahá’í from Easthampton, Massachusetts, who is a senior in the Dental Hygiene Department at Springfield Technical Community College, is one of only eight students in the U.S. to receive the 1986 American Dental Hygiene Association Foundation Scholarship. In addition to the ADHA scholarship, Mrs. Berry received the 1986 Valley District Dental Women’s Scholarship, based on academic achievement, and an STCC Board of Regents Scholarship. It was while pioneering in the Himalayan country of Bhutan (1983-84) with her husband, Ronald, and their two children that Mrs. Berry decided to pursue her education as a dental hygienist with future pioneering goals in mind.

News in brief

Seattle newspaper profiles Bahá’í ‘street singer’

Wesley Baker, a Bahá’í from Issaquah, Washington, was the subject of a page-long feature article November 3 in the Seattle Journal-American.

The article, much of which deals with Mr. Baker’s rather unusual occupation—street singer—mentions his Bahá’í ideals as a major factor in his desire to serve the people of his area by bringing them music that is dignified and uplifting as well as entertaining.

Unlike most other street musicians, Mr. Baker dresses elegantly, is polite and charming, and thanks his audience for taking the time to listen to popular standards sung in his rich, deep baritone.

The writer, Brent Northrup, describes Mr. Baker as “a true musical gentleman, singing on a street where off-key soloists in dark sunglasses and tattered blue jeans usually reside.”

“Where others begged and intruded, Wes Baker just sang and smiled.”

About 60 Bahá’ís and 19 non-Bahá’ís, one of whom has since been enrolled in the Faith, attended a UN Day public meeting October 24 sponsored by the Bahá’í community of Austin, Texas.

The keynote speaker was Ray Apodaca, executive director of the Texas Indian Commission, who spoke about the situation of today’s American Indian nations.

Sirous Abhar, whose brother and cousins have recently come to the U.S. as refugees from Iran via Pakistan, told of the help the UN has given to Bahá’ís who have fled their homeland due to religious persecution.

Special music was provided by two guests from India.

The Spiritual Assembly of Lawrence, Kansas, sponsored a Bahá’í Singles Conference the weekend of September 13-14 to consult on the state of being single.

Bahá’í youth also met at the same place that weekend (Tall Oaks Christian Camp) to discuss the choice between study and pioneering.

On November 12, 21 Bahá’ís and 19 guests gathered at a restaurant in Bend, Oregon, to celebrate the anniversary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh.

Jack Stone, an assistant to the Auxiliary Board, spoke to the group about the importance of the birth of the Manifestation of God.

The Spiritual Assembly of Bend, which hosted the dinner, arranged a series of follow-up firesides and invited the guests to attend by way of an elegantly designed card placed at each seat.

The card included a quotation from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh and a word of thanks to the guests for sharing the special day.

On Sunday, October 19, the Bahá’ís of Virden, Duncan and Greenlee County, Arizona, celebrated the anniversary of the Birth of the Báb with a potluck dinner.

Joining them were Bahá’ís from El Paso, Texas; Carlsbad, Berino and Anthony, New Mexico; and St. David, Bisbee and Sierra Vista, Arizona.

All enjoyed good food, pleasant conversation and music by guitarist/singer John Cook of St. David.

An article about the event appeared in the local paper.

78th Convention to be held in April at House of Worship; seating is limited

The 78th Bahá’í National Convention will be held April 23-26 in Foundation Hall at the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois.

After seating the delegates, about 200 seats are available for those who wish to observe the proceedings.

Seats for visitors are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. To request seating reservations, send your name, address and Bahá’í I.D. number by March 1 to: Convention Seating, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091. Seating is available by advance reservation only.

Look for information about hotel accommodations in the February issue of The American Bahá’í.

Bahá’í Club presents ‘Promise of Peace’ to head of New Mexico U.

On October 30, the University of New Mexico’s Bahá’í College Club coordinated the successful presentation of “The Promise of World Peace” to UNM President Gerald May.

The presentation at Mr. May’s office was made by Craig Lewis, chairman of the Spiritual Assembly of Albuquerque; Susan Patton, chairman of the UNM College Club; and B. Kay Manuelito, a graduate student at the university.

The College Club followed up by presenting summary statements to all faculty members at UNM. In addition, the 35-member club holds weekly firesides and has a display table in the Student Union.

from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust

Two new audio cassettes on important peace statement themes

Women: Equality and Peace by Counselor Peter Khan International Teaching Center member	This Century of Progress by Dr. Bahía Mitchell Bahá’í World Center staff member
A discussion on the important connection among peace, women, and the equality of the sexes with a survey of the history of women and guiding principles that will help us achieve true equality	An examination of world conditions with an overview of the social and scientific achievements contributing to the establishment of international peace in this century

Excellent for deepening and teaching at home, in Bahá’í gatherings, while you commute

$7.00 each 60-minute cassette

Order through your local librarian, or send check or money order (no charge for postage or handling) to:

Bahá’í Distribution Service 415 LINDEN AVENUE, WILMETTE, IL 60091 TEL. 1-800-323-1880

• Price valid only in the United States

[Page 30]

Nine Bahá’ís take part in annual AAR conference

Nine Bahá’ís participated November 21-25 in the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Bahá’í Publishing Trust took part in a publishers’ book exhibit at the conference. Helping General Manager Terrill Hayes and Promotions Coordinator Anne Atkinson with the exhibit booth were long-time AAR members Ann Schoonmaker and Robert Stockman.

More than 65 browsers and 25 takers of free literature visited the booth; 13 people bought Bahá’í books.

While these figures may not seem high, they are significant given the academic nature of the conference. Those who visited the booth included other publishers as well as scholars and professors from all over the U.S.

Fourteen persons attended a panel presentation on the Faith chaired by Mr. Stockman.

The panelists were John Hatcher, who spoke on “The Kingdom of Names: A Bahá’í Definition of Justice”; Diana Malouf (“Translation Norms Employed by Shoghi Effendi in The Hidden Words”); Dann May (“Bahá’í Hermeneutics: A Survey of Interpretive Principles Within the Bahá’í Tradition”); and Kurt Hein (“Applying Bahá’í Principles to Social and Economic Development: Radio Bahá’í, Otavalo, Ecuador”).

In addition, Mr. Stockman presented a paper on “The Bahá’í Faith and the Bible in America, 1892-1912” in a section on comparative studies in religion, and Todd Lawson of McGill University in Montreal, Canada, spoke on the Qur’án in a section on Islamic studies.

The Bahá’í participants were enthusiastic about the future of Bahá’í involvement with the AAR.

Next year’s meeting will be in Boston, and it is hoped that with continued participation the ‎Bahá’í’s Bahá’ís‎ will exert a beneficial influence on the leaders of thought gathered at the AAR meeting.

Terrill Hayes, general manager of the Bahá’í Publishing Trust, and Promotions Coordinator Anne Atkinson at the Bahá’í Publishing Trust’s booth at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) in Atlanta, Georgia.

Champaign Bahá’ís sponsor six meetings on ‘barriers to peace’

The Bahá’ís of Champaign County, Illinois, sponsored a series of six public meetings this fall whose over-all theme was “Removing the Barriers to Peace.”

Among the speakers were faculty members at the University of Illinois and the University High School; the superintendent of the Urbana school district; the pastor of a local church; and the former principal of the Martin Luther King Jr. elementary school.

Topics included “Education for World-Mindedness,” “The Elimination of Racial Prejudice,” “Women’s Role in the World’s Economy,” “Refugees and the Migration of People,” “Removing the Barriers of Religious Conflict,” and “Promoting Intercultural Harmony.”

Attendance varied from 20-30 with several non-Bahá’ís at each of the meetings.

Each of the speakers was given a copy of “The Promise of World Peace.”

Bahá’ís interviewed

On Thursday, November 13, Jerome Knudsen, a Bahá’í who travels and teaches throughout the U.S. on a bicycle, was interviewed for a half-hour on radio station KPFT in Houston, Texas.

The following day, Dan Seals, a Bahá’í entertainer from Nashville, Tennessee, who was appearing that weekend in Houston, also was interviewed on KPFT.

Decatur, Illinois, Bahá’ís sponsor 4th American Education Week banquet

The fourth annual American Education Week banquet sponsored by the Bahá’í community of Decatur, Illinois, was held November 15.

The banquet is designed to attract those who might not normally attend an informal Bahá’í event, thus fulfilling the community’s goal of reaching people from all strata of society.

Some 1,200 invitations using the banquet’s theme, “Education: Key to Peace,” were distributed to educators, civic organizations, prominent residents and the general public.

By obtaining permission to send the invitations to teachers and administrators using the school district’s internal mail, the Bahá’ís were able to reach all the educators in the local district without cost to the Bahá’í community.

About 40 people, more than half of whom were not Bahá’ís, attended the banquet, at which prizes were given to the top three entrants in an essay contest for high school students sponsored by the Bahá’í community on the theme “World Peace: How Can I Help?”

The featured speaker was Dr. David Cooprider, regional superintendent of schools, whose topic was “Peace Begins at Home.”

Prior to the banquet, Dr. Cooprider was given a copy of “The Promise of World Peace.”

Entertainment was provided by the swing choir from Johns Hill Middle School which had asked to be allowed to perform at this year’s event.

Teaching Fever Is CONTAGIOUS!—have YOU Caught the Fever Yet?

Several American Indians were among those who took part in the November conference for newly appointed Auxiliary Board members at the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois. Pictured (left to right) are Jaci Delahunt (Lakota), secretary of the National Teaching Committee; Chester Kahn (Navajo), a member of the National Spiritual Assembly; the Hand of the Cause of God William Sears; Auxiliary Board member James Schoppert (Tlingit); and Lauretta King (Tlingit), a member of the Continental Board of Counselors for the Americas.

North Carolina’s annual Winter School to be held February 20-22 in Reidsville

The North Carolina Bahá’í Winter School will be held February 20-22 at the Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Camp in Reidsville (25 miles north of Greensboro).

The keynote speaker will be Mary Hardy, director of the Bahá’í Office of Public Information in New York City.

Other speakers will be Joe Killeen, Gail Radley and Susan Simerly.

Registration fees (before January 22) are: children under two, $6; children 2-11, $38; 12-adult, $42. There is a late fee of $5 except for children two and under.

Lodging is available including cabins with fireplaces, bunk-style lodging in rustic but modern facilities.

Registration begins at 7 p.m. Friday, February 20. For early registration or more information, contact Diane McKinley, Durham, NC 27511, or phone 919-469-2783.

10 Bahá’ís at Houston briefing on peace

Ten Bahá’ís and eight non-Bahá’ís attended a recent briefing on peace at the Bahá’í Center in Houston, Texas, presented by a local group, the Peace Project.

Videos by Carl Sagan (“Nuclear Winter”) and astronaut Russell ‎Schweickert Schweickart‎ (“No Frames, No Boundaries”) were shown and materials distributed from such pro-peace groups as Beyond War.

Among those attending were the program director of KPFT radio and his wife.

The Spiritual Assembly of West Hollywood, California, in cooperation with the Spiritual Assembly of Los Angeles, is sponsoring a regular monthly discussion group at the Motion Picture and Television Country Village in Woodland Hills, two of whose residents, Fayard and Barbara Nicholas, are Bahá’ís. Fayard Nicholas (seated center) is a dancer and member of the well-known Nicholas Brothers; Barbara Nicholas (standing second from right) is an actress and model. Topics discussed at the Sunday morning sessions have included world peace, Bahá’í principles, and the World Center of the Faith. Slides are shown by the group and by residents of the village who have traveled to Israel.

Answers to crossword puzzle

ACROSS	DOWN
1. Heed	1. Human
5. Direct	2. Enact
8. Unseal	3. EST
10. Material	4. Deed
12. Is	5. ‎Dli Die‎
14. AC	6. Rely
15. DT	7. Chimera
16. My	9. Art
17. Mo	11. Amuse
21. Ari	13. Society
22. Purpose	18. War
26. Tae	20. Dope
27. Mu	22. Peace
28. Area	23. Us
29. Ur	24. Pure
30. Code	25. Slave
31. Vital	27. Mute
33. Ere	28. Ade
34. Develop	32. Lo

[Page 31]

10 YEARS AGO

Some 500 Persian ‎Bahá’í’s Bahá’ís‎ who are presently living in the U.S. come to Wilmette, Illinois, December 25-26 to hear from the National Spiritual Assembly about pressing needs on the homefront during the Five Year Plan and ways in which they can help win the American community’s goals.

At least 100 of the visitors are Persian youth, most of whom are in the U.S. to pursue degrees at American colleges and universities. They are encouraged to become fully integrated into the U.S. Bahá’í community. ...

According to a cable from the Universal House of Justice, a contract is signed in Haifa on January 5 for the construction of the main structure of the permanent Seat of the House of Justice.

Shipments of Italian marble for the five and one-half story building have already begun to arrive in the Holy Land, and it is reported that construction is soon to begin on the foundation level. ...

The work of saving jeopardized local Assemblies is once again consuming much of the attention of the National and District Teaching Committees.

To meet the challenge presented by this recurring seasonal problem, the National Teaching Committee is appointing community coordinators whose task is to ensure that at least one activity is held each week in their assigned community.

Each coordinator is to encourage ‎Bahá’í’s Bahá’ís‎ in nearby communities to attend these events, to conduct firesides, and to help in many other ways in efforts to preserve that Spiritual Assembly. ...

The Spiritual Assembly of Longview, Washington, deputizes nine homefront pioneers to rescue two neighboring Assemblies and establish one new one. ...

David Brockington Sr., perhaps the oldest living Bahá’í in the U.S., celebrates his 101st birthday on Christmas eve at the Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute in South Carolina. ...

Mayor Tom Bradley of Los Angeles, California, proclaims December 5-11 “Bahá’í Week” in that city and urges residents to use the time to “promote in themselves and in the community those qualities and attributes which will generate the recognition that mankind is one, to fight prejudice whatever its forms and wherever it is found, and to work for the unity of the local, national and world community.” ...

A Latin American Day program for Spanish-speaking people, the first in a series entitled “Family of Man: Celebration of Diversity,” is held January 15 at the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois. ...

Twenty-two Bahá’í youth from various parts of the country take part December 27-January 7 in a winter Youth Study Project at the Bahá’í National Center in Wilmette. ...

The declaration of one person in Santa Cruz, California, leads within six months to the declarations of her mother, a roommate, a friend and yet another friend. It is a case of “each one teach one teach one teach one,” etc. ...

Letters

from page 3

play, some letters and words and a little reading. ...” (BEC, p. 39)

And in yet another place, “... from his infancy the child must be nursed at the breast of God’s love.”

There are many other quotes. To take any one of them and say this is the only way is dangerous.

In the preface to the compilation on education, it says that “the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá do not present a definite and detailed educational system, but simply offer certain basic principles and set forth a number of teaching ideals that should guide future Bahá’í educationists ... which would be in full harmony with the spirit of the Bahá’í Teachings, and would thus meet the requirements and needs of the modern age.”

I think that we as Bahá’í parents must pray, consult the Writings and consult with each other and with competent professionals. We can share our successes, offer ideas, and keep having wonderful conferences on parenting.

Above all, we need constant love, encouragement and understanding from our fellow-believers.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá said: “The children must, from their infancy, be raised to be spiritual and godly Bahá’ís. If such be their training they will remain safe from every test.” (BEC, p. 34)

We can all meditate on this and work toward this ideal.

Brenda Snyder

Olean, New York

Now for some good news ...

To the Editor:

So often people say, “I never read the paper because it’s all bad news anyway. ...”

It occurred to me the other night, after reading our monthly treasure, The American Bahá’í, that there is a top-quality national newspaper that is filled with good news, great news, in fact!

Breaking down age-old barriers of prejudice, providing information about people in all walks of life, drama, new literature, creative arts, children, youth, articles in Spanish and Persian, history, biographies—all in each and every issue, every month! And at no charge!

Thanks so much to the staff of The American Bahá’í for your hard work and dedication to bring us the wonderful news of the building of the new World Order—really the “greatest news” there is.

Larry Hosack

New Canaan, Connecticut

More on politics

To the Editor:

My thanks to Brent Poirier (“Viewpoint,” October) for exploring the complexities of the Bahá’í stand on political involvement.

A few days before reading the article, I was told by an acquaintance that the Bahá’ís in Iran made a political statement, and thus automatically became a political party, when they polarized themselves against the state by refusing to adopt the religion of a Muslim theocracy.

While it was invaluable to me to understand precisely how our credo of political non-involvement can be conceptually perverted, I was at a loss to define exactly what Bahá’ís can or cannot do with regard to the shadowland of participation in humanistic political issues closer to home, such as signing petitions, serving in diplomatic posts, taking part in public demonstrations and the like.

Mr. Poirier has made me realize the necessity for a thorough knowledge of the fine points in the practice and defense of Bahá’í law.

Heretofore I, who was raised in close proximity to the divided heart of partisan politics in Washington, D.C., was so relieved to be given a valid excuse not to become involved in its argumentativeness and compromise that I submitted to our policy of non-involvement without question.

However, those who do not subscribe to the Bahá’í way of thinking on this issue challenge it, and one must be able to address their protests in an informed and dispassionate manner.

Deborah Ardrey

Evanston, Illinois

Homefront pioneers to Nevada profiled in magazine article

Charles and Victoria Wildbank, homefront pioneers in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, were the subjects of a full-page feature article November 6 in the local newspaper, the Tahoe Daily Tribune.

The article describes their successful careers as artists and mentions their affiliation with the Faith.

Both Mr. Wildbank, who has gained a wide reputation in seven years as a painter, and his wife were born deaf.

Bahá’í home: best teacher?

To the Editor:

What is the most effective teaching method today? Of course, the answer depends on the individual’s own special talents and faculties, and also on where he or she lives.

I would like to suggest that, all things considered, a true Bahá’í home of love, joy and enthusiasm is the best teaching tool in the world. Here are some questions to ponder:

Do people you know long to listen to talks? Do they yearn to go to lectures?

Or do they long for love, warmth and friendship? Do they wish to sit down with kind, loving people who listen and who care?

Let us think carefully about these questions and discover the answers.

What is a “true Bahá’í home”? Here are some of the characteristics:

1. There is love in the home—love between husband and wife, and love for the children. This love is extended to all who enter; there are no strangers.

2. Laughter and joy: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said, “I want you to be happy; to laugh, smile and rejoice in order that others may be made happy by you.”

3. Hospitality: this means a nice cup of tea or a warm dinner. The home, even if simple, is clean, bright, cheerful, orderly and comfortable.

4. Spirituality: there is a special quality of love for God and love for mankind that is felt by all and that permeates the home. The family knows how to pray.

5. Spirit of service: the parents and children love to be of service to all who arrive. People are starved for kindness and love, for someone to listen to them. After you listen to them, they will listen to you.

6. Giving the Teachings: the Bahá’í books are on the table and the conversation soon turns to the Faith. Before you know it, there is an explanation of the Teachings. The result is many questions and answers, leading to future meetings.

If we have many true Bahá’í homes with these attributes, our Faith will grow by leaps and bounds.

Here are the words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: “Make your home a haven of rest and peace. Be hospitable and let the doors of your home be open to faces of friends and strangers. Welcome every guest with radiant grace and let each feel that it is his own home.”

A Bahá’í home is a magnet for teaching the Faith. If we have hundreds of these homes, the Faith will grow. Let’s try it.

Margaret Ruhe

Haifa, Israel

Consolidation is vital

To the Editor:

We are at a stage in the development of the Faith where the inactivity of a large number of Bahá’ís cannot be overlooked or ignored.

The Faith has expanded dramatically, and yet our expansion seems not to have brought with it added funds.

Numerically we are growing larger, but our participation has not significantly grown. Why?

While expanding, we have neglected consolidation. The beloved Guardian emphasized that expansion and consolidation “are twin and inseparable aspects of teaching. ...”

In other words, we must not expand at the expense of consolidation, and vice versa.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá said, “Look ye not upon the fewness of your numbers ...” Why then is there a huge rush to increase our numbers when what we want are people whose “faith stands on a rock. ...”

We don’t have much time before the advent of the Lesser Peace. Are we ready? We must take a good long look at ourselves.

As it now appears, a considerable number of Bahá’ís are not active, and if we can’t handle the few that we have now, can we handle the masses who will eventually respond to the call?

We must consolidate, but we must not stop expanding; the two go hand in hand.

We cannot afford to bring in people who will end up merely as Bahá’ís on the rolls and not in spirit or in soul. We must continue to teach these people even after they declare. They must be deepened on the Bahá’í principles and teachings.

Galen Valentine

Mesquite, Texas

IN MEMORIAM

Calla M. Alcorn Hermiston, OR October 8, 1986	Qasim Foster W. Hartford, CT October 28, 1986	Harold Matheson Oakland, CA September 2, 1986
Melvin Alexander Austell, GA October 14, 1986	Mildred Hamby Nashville, TN 1983	Irma L. Mays Springfield, IL October 21, 1986
Karl Anderson Hubbardston, MA November 4, 1986	Shahin Hardwick Sacramento, CA September 26, 1986	William McKinney Visalia, CA Date Unknown
Elizabeth Ashraf Miami, FL May 15, 1984	Mary Hatcher Sanford, ME October 22, 1986	Assadollah Modiri Lawrence, KS November 10, 1985
Ruth Ashworth Topeka, KS October 28, 1986	Frank Henry Bryan, TX July 21, 1985	Seyyed Najmabadi Cambridge, MA October 26, 1986
Agnes Ayers Los Alamos, NM 1978	Frank Hilgart Lima, OH Date Unknown	Kenneth Patterson Tucson, AZ August 17, 1985
Levator Batts Huntsville, AL Date Unknown	Pearline Hockett Latta, SC July 1986	Vera Pierce Palo Alto, CA Date Unknown
Lisette Berger Geyserville, CA September 17, 1986	Jamal Kazemzadeh Skokie, IL October 6, 1986	Albert Romero Mobridge, SD 1985
Ruth Blackburn Bloomfield, CT November 1985	Zikrullah Khadem Skokie, IL November 13, 1986	Cora Schulte Topeka, KS October 10, 1986
Carolyn (Emma) Dew Philadelphia, PA September 23, 1986	Francina King Florence, SC September 1986	Ruth Showalter Cloverdale, CA October 29, 1986
Rosalie Dog Eagle Eagle Butte, SD 1986	Andrea LaBlanc Bishop, CA September 1986	David R. Smith Scottsdale, AZ 1985
Alean Drawhorn Latta, SC 1983	Frances Latham Cottonwood, AZ July 11, 1986	Bonnie Stanifer Pueblo, CO June 23, 1986
Mary Beal Edson Palm Springs, CA October 21, 1986	Evelyn S. Magoun Delhi, LA November 7, 1985	Roy Willis Decatur, IL November 1986
Mansur Fares Greensboro, NC October 7, 1986	Mahtab Mahmoodzadeh Mableton, GA Date Unknown	Dean Worley Mill Valley, CA September 30, 1986
Jacqueline Ford Kansas City, MO October 9, 1986

[Page 32]Korea, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Turkey, El Salvador, Spain and the U.S. The two Saturday evening meetings were open to the public. At both, guitarist Carlos Medina of El Salvador, a great friend of the Bahá’ís, performed while Mrs. Faika McNally, a Bahá’í from Raleigh, played Turkish music and danced.

On the weekends of March 29-30 and April 5-6, the Bahá’ís of Cumberland County, North Carolina, sponsored a second series of weekend workshops for training tutors in the Laubach method for teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). Six tutors including three Bahá’ís were certified. Participants were from

DYCs

from page 7

California North 2: Heather Sullivan, 707-433-1456.

California South 1: Partoe Khademi, 213-493-4281.

California South 2A: Mina Sabet, 714-947-5426.

California South 3: John Lambertus, 805-969-6353.

California South 4: Amy Schechter, 619-464-6761.

Colorado Northeast: Brian Walker, 303-786-4559.

Colorado Southeast: Nafys Samandari, 303-598-8121.

Connecticut: Frankie Robinson, 203-747-2918.

Florida Central: Yvette Grannis, 305-469-2500.

Florida North: Alan Hoffman, 904-224-2242.

Florida Southeast: Andra Grant, 305-741-3920.

Florida Southwest: Zarrin Caldwell, 813-977-7947.

Georgia Northeast: Massih Kharazmi, 404-427-7921.

Georgia Northwest: Mahtab Mahmoodzadeh, 404-944-3519.

Georgia South: Mary Hunter, 912-883-6929.

Idaho South: Aaron Hudson, 208-336-6517.

Illinois North 1: Kim Arp, 815-741-1299.

Illinois North 2: Sisi Eftekhari, 312-866-7826.

Illinois South: Rene Vinson, 217-787-3719.

Indiana: Khalil Stewart, 812-339-3552.

Iowa: Jane Rodriguez, 319-895-8821.

Kansas: Barbara Berrest, 316-685-9579.

Kentucky: Megan Sykes, 502-897-9258.

Louisiana: Jahanyar Khorsandi, 504-454-6544.

Maine: Bill Grover, coordinator, 207-439-2898.

Massachusetts East: Olga Risk, 617-924-3153.

Massachusetts West: Hillary Vaughn, 208-772-7640.

Michigan: Lily Nazerian, 517-351-8475.

Minnesota North: Peymana Missaghi, 218-751-8232.

Minnesota South: Shahram Mahabadi, 612-545-7304.

Mississippi: Michelle Reimer, 601-856-2964.

Missouri: Matt Mayfield, 314-443-8387.

Nebraska: David Glyn, 402-339-4118.

Nevada North: Jonathan Risley, 702-355-8772.

Nevada South: Payam Sahihi, 702-877-4841.

New Hampshire: Mickey Khavari, 603-431-8566.

New Jersey: Susan Zivari, 201-652-3179.

New York East: Dee Dee Rhodes, 716-265-3943.

New York West: Becky Dibble, 716-244-8107.

North Dakota: Karen Henrikson, coordinator, 701-663-2997.

Ohio North: Diana Briggs, 216-678-0226.

Ohio South: Mace Rosen, 513-767-9468.

Oklahoma East/Arkansas: Elham Saba Yazdanpour, 918-455-6001.

Oklahoma West: Jane Resnick and Lori Wasson, coordinators, 405-495-1081 and 405-495-8656.

Oregon East: Marcia Veach, coordinator, 503-388-1467.

Oregon South/California North: Duke Willis, 916-493-2377.

Oregon Northwest: Navvab Pike, 503-646-4471.

Pennsylvania: Kathy Etemad, 215-527-3114.

Rhode Island: Kambeze Etemad, 401-863-4596.

South Dakota: Russell Stewart, 605-624-2859.

Tennessee East: Mandana Sepahi, 615-523-0137.

Tennessee West: John Bailey, 901-682-9510.

Texas Central: Eric Welch, 512-258-2408.

Texas East 1: Tahirih Price, 214-699-0686.

Texas East 2: Neda Sauji, 713-486-5274.

Texas North: Dee Dee Clam, 806-359-6505.

Texas South: Roya Khademi-Seysan, 512-631-2028.

Utah: Russ Coover, 801-292-4534.

Vermont: Alex Blake, 802-257-7751.

Washington Northwest: Jeremy Blossey, 206-481-4762.

Wisconsin N/Upper Michigan: Gita Rayga, 715-723-7918.

Wisconsin South: Eric Ehn, 414-646-3639.

Any Bahá’í can give to the Fund— adult or child National Bahá’í Fund Wilmette, IL 60091

MOVING? TELL US YOUR NEW ADDRESS

To avoid unnecessary delays in receiving your copy of THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í, send your new address and your mailing label to the OFFICE OF MEMBERSHIP & RECORDS, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, as soon as you know where you are going to move and what your new address will be.

This form may be used for one person or your entire family. Please be sure to list FULL NAMES and I.D. NUMBERS for all individuals, ages 15 years or older, who will be affected by this change.

A
1. ID# ____________ Title _____ Full name—Please DO NOT use nicknames ______________________________
2. ID# ____________ Title _____ Full name _________________________________________________________
3. ID# ____________ Title _____ Full name _________________________________________________________
4. ID# ____________ Title _____ Full name _________________________________________________________

B—NEW RESIDENCE ADDRESS:	C—NEW MAIL ADDRESS:
P.O. Box or other Mailing Address ____________________
City ________________ State _____ Zip __________

D—NEW COMMUNITY:
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G
[ ] We receive extra copies because: [ ] we do not have the same last name. [ ] We do not want extra copies, so please cancel the copy for the person(s) whose name(s) and I.D. number(s) are listed above.	[ ] the last names and addresses on our address labels do not match exactly. We have listed above the full names of all family members as they should appear on the national records, their I.D. numbers, and the corrections so that we will receive only one copy.	[ ] Our household receives only one copy of The American Bahá’í. I wish to receive my own copy as well, and have listed my name, I.D. number and address above so that I may be put on the mailing list to receive my own copy.

BAHÁ’Í NATIONAL CENTER Wilmette, Illinois 60091

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID WILMETTE, IL. PERMIT NO. 479

On September 28, about 20 Bahá’ís from the Hampton Roads, Virginia, area took part in the Sandcastle Classic, a sand-sculpting competition at Virginia Beach that is the culmination of the week-long Neptune Festival, a celebration of the sea. Several hundred spectators admired and photographed the Bahá’í entry, two doves above the waves and the inscription 'Peace, a Wave of the Future.' (Photo by Pat Eel-man)