The American Bahá’í/Volume 6/Issue 3/Text
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Pilgrimages to House of Worship announced[edit]
Applications are now being accepted on a first-come, first-served basis for two scheduled, small-scale, experimental pilgrimages to the House of Worship in Wilmette.
The first pilgrimage is scheduled to take place at the National Center between June 19–22; the second, between August 28–31.
“The main purpose of the pilgrimages will be to give the friends an opportunity to visit the House of Worship, to pray and meditate at this holy site, and to learn more about the functioning of the National Center,” said Ray Collins, Manager of the House of Worship Activities Office.
Each pilgrimage will begin on Thursday afternoon and end the following Sunday afternoon, Mr. Collins said.
The activities planned for the visitors include:
- an exhibit drawn from the National Archives;
- a tour of the National Center, National Bahá’í Committee offices, Bahá’í Publishing Trust, and the Bahá’í Home;
- a guided tour of the House of Worship and a presentation on its history and construction;
- dinner with the staff of the National Center; and
- lunch at the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds with representatives of the National Assembly.
“There will be much free time in the schedule to allow for private prayer and meditation,” Mr. Collins said.
Lodging for participants has been secured two blocks from the House of Worship, at the National College of Education, which will be in recess at the times scheduled for the pilgrimages. The cost will be $7 per person per day.
Individual Bahá’ís are responsible for their own travel arrangements if their applications are accepted. No special arrangements for children are to be made.
To apply for either period, fill out the application form on page 2, and mail to the House of Worship Activities Office, 112 Linden Ave., Wilmette, IL 60091. Additional information will be mailed to those who are registered for the pilgrimages.
Mr. Collins said the House of Worship Activities Committee would like to see the pilgrimages become regular events at the National Center.
“The intent of these pilgrimages is as serious as visits to the World Center,” he said. “All Bahá’ís can’t get to Haifa at this time for one reason or another. Maybe these pilgrimages to the National Center can serve as a prelude to going to the World Center on pilgrimage. The House of Worship is the holiest House of Worship ever constructed, and there are still thousands of Bahá’ís who have never visited here. These programs may provide that opportunity.”
Spring World Order will focus on Women’s Year[edit]
The spring issue of World Order magazine, which carries several articles on the subject of women and their role in society, will be used extensively in proclamation activities by the National Teaching Committee.
The spring World Order will contain an editorial on the equality of men and women, a compilation of documents prepared by the Bahá’í International Community explaining the Bahá’í teaching on the status of women, and a review essay by Gayle Morrison on several widely read books on the subject of women and their role in American society.
Top: A view of the displays in the House of Worship. The large planter set in the center of the display area and surrounded by a low bench enables visitors to rest, read the literature on display, and meditate. Below: A second view of the display area which was renovated in the spring of last year.
The World Order editorial board has said that additional articles and materials on the subject of women will be published in forthcoming issues during the remainder of International Women’s Year 1975.
“We are putting emphasis on this issue of the magazine because the material it contains from the Bahá’í International Community is a definitive statement on the role of women in society as understood from the Bahá’í writings,” said John Berry, Secretary of the National Teaching Committee. “For there to be effective proclamation during the remainder of International Women’s Year, the friends will have to become well-versed in what the writings say about women, and they will have to present these views to the public at large. This issue of World Order can help them do both.”
He said the National Teaching Committee will recommend to each Local Spiritual Assembly that discussion classes on the role of women in society be conducted in its community and that the materials published in World Order be used in guiding the discussions.
Encouraging reports of youth activities[edit]
The National Youth Committee has recorded what it calls “encouraging progress” in the conduct of the Two Year Youth Program, its Secretary reports.
“The most impressive increase is in the area of domestic circuit teaching projects,” Philip Christensen said. “Whereas in January we only had 24 circuit teaching projects on record, by the end of February we had 131.”
The new figures reflect two things, he said. The first: “we are getting better reports from Spiritual Assemblies, District Teaching Committees, and the youth themselves.” The second: “there seems to be an increasing awareness of the goals of the Two-Year Youth Program, and the youth seem to be doing something about it.”
Other encouraging signs, according to Dr. Christensen, were reports of two teaching trips by youth each lasting more than two months, and the formation of a growing number of college clubs.
The youth plan calls for at least ten teaching trips of more than two months to be completed by youth, and it requires the formation of at least 350 college clubs.
As of the end of February, 195 college clubs were reported as functioning, Dr. Christensen said. At the time of the last report in January, only 81 clubs had reported their formation to the Youth Committee.
“The college clubs themselves and the Local Assemblies that formed them are telling us that they exist,” he said. “Unfortunately, the college year is almost over. Next year we hope to receive reports from the field on the formation of these college clubs promptly.” The youth have until September 1, 1976, to win their goals.
The Youth Committee also reported the formation of seven local youth clubs. The concept of a youth club was introduced with the Two-Year Youth Program, which establishes a goal for the formation of 100 such clubs around the country.
“The youth club is different from a college club,” Dr. Christensen said. “The purpose of a college club is to teach the Faith. The purpose of a youth club is to help improve the quality of Bahá’í life. The youth clubs are designed to give Bahá’í youth a Bahá’í peer group, a refuge from the old world in which they have to live.”
Periodical subscription rates to increase May 1[edit]
Effective May 1, the subscription prices for Bahá’í News, World Order, and Child’s Way will be increased to cover higher production costs for paper stock, printing, and other services.
“We regret that it has been necessary to raise the subscription prices of the periodicals,” said William Geissler, Secretary of the National Information Committee, “but the costs of all materials and production services have increased significantly over the past two years, and there is no sign that the trend is abating.” For example, a new increase in the price of postage is soon to go into effect.
“The Bahá’í periodicals have attempted to keep the subscription prices down,” Mr. Geissler said.
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Some of the staff members taking part in the seminar were (from left to right): Diane Grey, Eileen Norman, Philip Christensen, Sám Sohrab, Russ Busey, and Cindie Hurley.
National Center staff attends management seminar[edit]
Committee Secretaries and a selected portion of the National Center staff recently attended a daylong seminar on budget and management conducted by the Office of the Treasurer.
“This seminar was an effort to relate well-proven business practices to the administration of the National Bahá’í Center, to facilitate the planning and winning of goals and objectives in the most efficient manner possible,” said Stephen Jackson, Assistant to the Treasurer.
The seminar was planned after a meeting late last year between the National Assembly and the heads of staff, called to discuss the inadequate level of contributions to the Fund and to explore ways of cutting expenditures.
One of the important suggestions at that meeting was that the National Center should become more familiar with proven techniques of management, Mr. Jackson explained.
“At the National Center we operate under limited resources of time, people, and treasury,” he said. “We must be creative about using what the world has to offer in terms of management technique. We have difficult goals to accomplish and few resources to apply to the task. Calling on proven business procedures for assistance can be of great benefit.”
The seminar was held at a nearby Howard Johnson’s Inn. The session was well attended, and participants indicated they had found the content fruitful.
One of the management theories discussed was that of Management by Objectives, developed by the well-known business professor and consultant Peter Drucker.
In a related action, the National Assembly recently assigned two of its members to participate in an in-depth national course in business management practices, to determine what procedures could be profitably applied to administration by all segments of the Bahá’í community.
New radio series completed[edit]
A 13-week series of half-hour radio programs on the Bahá’í Faith has been completed at the National Center and is ready for distribution to Spiritual Assemblies and Bahá’í groups that can obtain public service time to use them.
The programs—directed to Top 40 and FM audiences—were prepared to take advantage of public service time made available by most radio stations.
The format combines selections of popular music with commentary on such themes as the equality of men and women, children and the family, progressive revelation, the life of Bahá’u’lláh, the need for world unity, etc.
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the American Bahá’í THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í is published monthly by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091. Material must be received by the 1st of the month prior to publication. Black and white glossy prints should be included with material whenever possible. Articles and news written in a clear and concise manner are welcomed from individuals as well as the various institutions of the Cause. Address all mail to: The American Bahá’í Editorial Office, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091. Copyright © 1974, National Spiritual assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World Rights Reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. |
The series was produced by the National Bahá’í Information Office. The announcer for this first series is a Bahá’í disc jockey and producer from Seattle, Burl Barer. Mr. Barer has had extensive experience as a radio announcer, both in Washington state and other parts of the country.
Other radio programs, some of shorter duration and directed to different audiences, are being developed by the Information Office. News will appear in The American Bahá’í as they become available.
The Information Office also reports the availability of a series of five-minute Spanish programs on different Bahá’í subjects. This series, prepared for the Information Office by the Palm Springs Spiritual Assembly in California, is done in a friendly, conversational manner. The announcer is Femolina Dunbar, a Bahá’í of Spanish-speaking background, with radio experience in Central America. A collection of 30-second radio ads on the Faith, stressing the oneness of mankind, are also available for use. This series was used at the St. Louis Conference and is for paid advertisements, not public service spots. Some communities have managed to have these aired as public service announcements, however.
The Information Office says that additional spot announcements are planned for release shortly.
Magazine to be used in proclamation[edit]
(Continued from page 1)
The Committee will also encourage all individuals to conduct personal teaching efforts during this special year and to use this issue of World Order among the materials they distribute, he said.
Among other possible uses of this issue of World Order are: placement in libraries, distribution to women’s groups, proclamations to local dignitaries or clergy, distribution at high schools and colleges, gifts to personal friends.
Single copies of World Order will be made available in quantities by the Publishing Trust. A special price for single copies of this issue will be set to encourage its use in proclamation.
The National Information Office also suggests that this issue can be distributed to all local newspaper, radio, and television editors in the communities with very profitable results. “It not only provides information about a subject currently of interest to the press, but it also is a way of graphically demonstrating that Bahá’ís seek excellence in all fields they enter—in this case, the field of publishing, which should be of interest to editors,” said William Geissler, Secretary of the National Information Committee. “It would not be a bad idea for those communities that can afford it to give the religion editors they work closely with an annual subscription to the magazine. The articles published by World Order could certainly suggest possibilities for local follow-up stories to enterprising editors,” he said. “Even if there were no such tangible immediate results, the magazine would help to keep informed a segment of the population that will become increasingly important to the Faith.”
Subscription prices to increase[edit]
(Continued from page 1)
“The last price adjustment was approximately four years ago. During that time, the National Assembly has heavily subsidized the publication of periodicals. The increases will help to make the publications more self-sufficient,” he said.
After May 1, a one-year subscription to Bahá’í News will cost $8; two years, $15.
A one-year subscription to World Order, a quarterly magazine, will cost $6; two years, $11.
A one-year subscription to Child’s Way, a Bahá’í magazine for children, will cost $5; two years, $9.50.
Bahá’í College Clubs: Have You Reported to the National Youth Office This Year?
Conferences on family life scheduled throughout spring[edit]
The first of a series of family life conferences was held in San Francisco February 14–16 by the National Education Committee.
“The conference was designed to assist families in developing Bahá’í characteristics in their homes,” said Committee Secretary Eileen Norman. “It was meant to assist parents in training children and in developing the distinctive character of Bahá’í life.”
Local Spiritual Assemblies in central and northern California were invited to send representatives to the conference in San Francisco. Approximately 60 Assemblies responded; more than 100 people attended.
After a brief opening address by James Nelson, workshops were organized: how to set up children’s classes; fun and games; children’s materials and their uses; consultation and the family; preparation for a life of service; Bahá’í marriage; parent effectiveness—Bahá’í style; and the family as a cohesive unit.
The participants learned to use special materials which had been prepared for the workshops. They, in turn, are expected to demonstrate the materials at similar workshops in their own communities in the future. The workshop materials were prepared for the Education Committee by Bahá’ís with experience and knowledge in the areas covered, Mrs. Norman said. They are the first of a series of materials the Committee has planned for use by the community.
Additional family life conferences will be conducted in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C., Mrs. Norman said. Attendance will be by invitation only.
“The comments the friends made about this event were very favorable,” the Committee Secretary said. “They said they had waited a long time for these materials and that the content could be immediately applied to their own lives. After a workshop on parent effectiveness, one woman said she had had occasion to apply what she had learned in class and was amazed that it worked so well.”
The National Education Committee was formed shortly before the St. Louis Conference last August. One of its first assignments was to absorb the functions of the National Bahá’í Schools Committee, from which it inherited supervision of 20 functioning Bahá’í schools. In the past several months, the Education Committee has briefed all the councils and committees appointed to administer the various schools. One item on the briefing agendas was the consideration of developing innovative approaches to Bahá’í education, Mrs. Norman said.
“The Committee is also interested in the development of sequential curricula at the summer schools,” she explained. This would mean that a Bahá’í school would find a teacher with knowledge of a particular subject who would make a long-term commitment to teach a course at a particular school. Each year the course would build upon the material presented the previous year, becoming progressively more detailed and complex. Enrollment in the course would be conditioned upon completion of all previous material in that sequence.
During 1975, the summer schools will emphasize the Five Year Plan in courses and materials prepared. At some of the summer schools, a special course on the Fund will be taught by representatives of the Office of the Treasurer of the National Assembly, Mrs. Norman said.
“In addition, renewed emphasis will be given to the development of children’s activities at summer schools,” she continued. “For a long time, children’s activities have been an afterthought. This year they will be a first thought.” Some Bahá’í schools have already appointed committees to work on children’s programs, she said.
“It is the Committee’s hope that the Bahá’í schools will give the friends an opportunity to experience the consequences of Bahá’í community life over a period of time,” Mrs. Norman explained. “They should offer the believers an opportunity to participate in that experience within a controlled environment.”
1. National Education Committee member Deborah Christensen leads a workshop on children’s materials and their uses, which was held in a grammar school library.
2. Education Committee Secretary Eileen Norman addresses a plenary session at the conference. Donald Streets, the Committee’s Chairman, is seated on the first row in the center of the photograph.
3. Children’s activities were an important part of the San Francisco Family Life Conference. They were patterned after the activities at the St. Louis Conference. There were crafts and games, and a field trip to the city zoo and the aquarium.
4. James Nelson gives a brief opening address at the Family Life Conference in San Francisco. The television at left was used to present a videotaped deepening session with the Hand of the Cause Abu’l-Qásim Faizí, prepared during his visit to the United States last year. The program—on the education of children—was taped by the National Bahá’í Information Office as part of a continuing program of video productions. Video programs prepared at the National Center will presently be distributed by the Publishing Trust.
Committee seeks pioneers for Indian communities[edit]
An effort to recruit pioneers — especially Indian Bahá’ís — has been launched by the American Indian Teaching Committee, established by the National Assembly in October 1974. (See The American Bahá’í of that month.)
In a special appeal to Indian Bahá’ís, the committee recalled a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to a native Canadian believer who returned to teach the Faith among his people. It said:
“The Guardian hopes that ere long many of these original Canadians will take an active part in the Bahá’í affairs and arise to redeem their brethren from the obscurity and despondency into which they have fallen.”
The committee also suggested that Persian believers in the United States, because of their experience in a different culture, could take advantage of as yet unexploited opportunities in pioneering to Indian areas.
The committee is seeking two pioneers — preferably married couples — for each of the areas listed below. Single Bahá’ís may settle in some areas, as indicated.
The committee is particularly seeking “sensitive, attuned” Bahá’ís who exhibit some of the qualifications referred to by the Guardian in this passage:
“Sound judgment, a great deal of patience and forbearance, faith and nobility of conduct, must distinguish the pioneers, and be their helpers in accomplishing the object of their journey to these far places.”
“We are reminded,” the committee wrote, “of the great potentialities of the original inhabitants and their rights ‘... and the duty of the non-Indian Bahá’ís, to see that they receive the Message of God for this day.’ ”
Nebraska[edit]
Omaha Reservation — Tribal Headquarters — Macy
Macy was the site of the first Indian Assembly in the United States. The beloved Guardian corresponded with this one-time Assembly over 27 years ago. The committee is seeking Bahá’ís possessing great patience and inner strength to settle on this reservation which is perhaps the most difficult of the goal areas. Although job opportunities are rare, it may be possible to find teaching or public health positions in nearby Winnebago or to commute to Sioux City, Iowa or South Sioux City, Nebraska. This would be a good post for a retired individual or couple.
Mississippi[edit]
Choctaw Reservation — Tribal Headquarters — Philadelphia
The Indian Teaching Committee reports that a sincere, eager Bahá’í family awaits the support of Bahá’ís to work towards the establishment of a Local Spiritual Assembly. Employment may be available in the state forestry program, in schools and hospitals. Single men or women as well as a married couple would be welcome here. It would not be a difficult post for elderly Bahá’ís.
[edit]
Opportunities often arise in this area and the committee suddenly finds new pioneers in residence: the committee requests that all inquiries and news of firm commitments be channeled through the auxiliary committee for these reservations to assure coordination and briefing on the plans and objectives of this committee. Contact the Navajo-Hopi Teaching Committee, Mrs. Audrie Reynolds, Secretary, P.O. Box 448, Fort Wingate, New Mexico 87316.
Montana[edit]
The following reservations in Montana are in need of strong, married couples or single men; settlement in these areas by single women is not advisable. Transportation is essential. Employment may be available for qualified individuals and specialists in teaching, social services, public health, federal agriculture programs, or coal mining near Northern Cheyenne.
Fort Peck Reservation — Tribal Headquarters — Poplar
This reservation is populated primarily by Assiniboine and Sioux Indians. Although Poplar once had a Local Assembly and there are 30 Bahá’ís listed in that community, there is no Assembly at this time. Resident Bahá’ís have requested support for renewed activity, such as proclamations, firesides, and deepening classes with the goal of re-establishing the Local Assembly.
Northern Cheyenne Reservation — Tribal Headquarters — Lame Deer
Over 25 Bahá’ís reside here. Deepened Bahá’ís capable of sustaining activity are needed to attain the goal of re-establishing the Local Spiritual Assembly.
Blackfeet Reservation — Tribal Headquarters — Browning
More than 25 Bahá’ís live in this area. A Local Assembly is yet to be formed; consolidation activities are needed.
Utah[edit]
Uintah and Ouray Reservation — Tribal Headquarters — Fort Duchesne
A small group of deepened Ute Bahá’ís requests the assistance and support of loving pioneers for regular Bahá’í activities. A married couple or single men or women would be welcomed to help sustain teaching efforts to raise the group to Assembly status. Employment may be available in public and Bureau of Indian Affairs schools and in public health services.
For further information[edit]
For further information on these homefront pioneering goals or on material about other such areas, write the American Indian Teaching Committee, Mrs. Cathy Cook, Secretary, 7863 S. Cardinal, Tucson, AZ 85706. Descriptions of the area, its Bahá’í history and employment contacts are available upon request.
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2 columns (20 picas) by 100 lines;
without additional information box—80 lines
3 columns (30 picas) by 137 lines;
without additional information box—113 lines
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The Bahá’í Faith unifies mankind. These Bahá’ís—followers of Bahá’u’lláh, Prophet-Founder of the Bahá’í Faith—like their fellow believers in more than 300 countries and territories, are committed to helping to achieve the unity of mankind. “That which the Lord hath ordained as the sovereign remedy and mightiest instrument for the healing of all the world is the union of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common Faith,” said Bahá’u’lláh, Who suffered many years of imprisonment and exile to the Holy Land for promoting the principle of the oneness of mankind. If you are interested in this central teaching of the Bahá’í Faith, contact the Bahá’ís in this community and ask them to tell you more about Bahá’u’lláh. |
Special Instructions
- The box at the bottom of each ad has been provided so that your local fireside or community events may be promoted. If you do not need this space, cut it away, being careful not to remove the borderline of the ad.
- The copy in the special box should be set by the newspaper. The size of the type should not be larger than the headline, “The Bahá’í Faith unifies mankind.” A preferred type style is Helvetica Medium in caps and lower case.
- When the ad you will use is removed from the sheet, please take care that the border (black line around ad) is left intact. The type describing the size of the ad should also be removed. A good practice would be to leave some space, 1/16 of an inch for instance, around the borders of the ad for the convenience of the newspapers.
Newspaper materials ready for distribution[edit]
This ad, the first of a series of newspaper materials to be produced by the National Spiritual Assembly, is now ready for distribution to Local Assemblies and Bahá’í groups for use as local newspaper publicity.
The ad on the left is 2 columns by 100 lines, the one on the right 3 columns by 137 lines. The ad is also available in a 4 column by 177 line, and a 5 column by 215 line format.
The ads are camera-ready for use in offset newspapers. The box at the bottom of the ad is to add information about the local community or local events. The type for the box can be set by the newspaper itself.
Materials from the National Information Office will soon be distributed by the Publishing Trust. Until arrangements can be made, however, Assemblies and groups may obtain copies of the ad from the National Bahá’í Information Office, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091.
The Information Office suggests that this new ad might be appropriate for communities to use during the Riḍván period, which will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the formation of our National Spiritual Assembly.
Summer projects[edit]
“Erelong will God adorn the beginning of the Book of Existence with the mention of His loved ones who have suffered tribulation in His path, and journeyed through the countries in His name and for His praise. Whoso hath attained their presence will glory in their meeting, and all that dwell in every land will be illumined by their memory.”
A number of teaching circuits are being planned for this summer in the United States as well as international goal areas. Coordinated by the National Youth Committee and the International Goals Committee, respectively, the projects offer every Bahá’í, whether youth or adult, the opportunity to travel, to experience a variety of living conditions, languages, and cultures, and to teach the Faith in a new and perhaps more intense way. Circuit teaching projects also offer an excellent opportunity to prepare for pioneering. The practical teaching and administrative experience the volunteers acquire often serve as encouragement to settle in a permanent pioneering post.
The 1975 projects are particularly significant because they will be the first to be carried out in response to the goals set for the American Bahá’í community in the Five Year Plan. As the first summer projects planned during the Two Year Youth Program, 1975 circuits provide Bahá’í youth with excellent opportunities to meet some of their most challenging goals — particularly those calling for the completion of 75 international circuit teaching trips and 10 domestic teaching trips lasting more than two months.
On the homefront[edit]
Bahá’ís of all ages are welcome to participate in the teaching projects coordinated by the National Youth Committee on the homefront this summer. Communities in five states — in California, Illinois, New York, Colorado, and Minnesota — will host teaching projects lasting from mid-June through August this year. Special attention will be given to those states chosen for concentrated efforts during the Five Year Plan. Each project will be sponsored by a Local Spiritual Assembly or a District or Regional Teaching Committee. The sponsoring body will plan and supervise each project. Most host-communities will provide housing for project workers; the volunteers will be responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from the project site, for eating arrangements, and for any other miscellaneous expense. The Youth Committee estimates that the cost per project worker (excluding transportation) will be at least $3.00 per day.
A youth work/study project at the National Bahá’í Center is also being scheduled for this summer, from August 3-15. Volunteers will work in offices at the Center and attend classes on the theory and practice of the Administrative Order. Living arrangements will be the same as for the teaching projects — housing will be provided, but meals will not. Work/study volunteers are encouraged to use their trips to and from Wilmette to teach.
To apply for any of these youth projects write to the National Bahá’í Youth Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091 or call 312/256-4400. Applicants will be sent a form and their Local Spiritual Assemblies (or District Teaching Committee) will be asked to write a recommendation.
All details currently available about domestic teaching projects are listed below. For further information, see the April and May issues of The American Bahá’í.
The village of Bluefields on the western coast of Nicaragua, which was visited by project workers in the summer of 1974.
Participants in a summer project in Nicaragua last year were left to right: Jeffrey Gates, Linda Westbrook (nee Berggren), Glenna Rogers, Ruth Holder, and Ernest Martin.
California — Three projects are being planned for California. One will be in San Diego from June 27-July 27. Volunteers must be able to commit themselves to participation in this project for the whole month. Another will be in Los Angeles during July and August and will focus on teaching youth (in a coffee house atmosphere) and minorities. A third project is planned for the Sierra Nevada region in eastern California.
Illinois — The teaching emphasis in Illinois will be on opening new counties in rural areas. At least one project will be scheduled in July and early August.
New York — There will be two summer projects in New York. One will be in New York City from July 4-31. The other will be in the western part of the state, in Hamburg, from August 15-23, to help with teaching work at a county fair.
Colorado — A summer project in Eastern Colorado will also involve teaching at county fairs in the unopened parts of the district.
Minnesota — A mass teaching project will take place in Olmsted County (near Rochester) from June 30-August 10.
Overseas[edit]
Volunteers interested in participating in teaching projects abroad should contact the International Goals Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091. In addition to the formally scheduled projects outlined below, the Goals Committee is accepting applications from Bahá’ís who would assist efforts in India, the Windward Islands, and France. The Committee emphasized the need for volunteer assistance from Bahá’ís with proficiency in the language of the project area.
Northwest Africa[edit]
A summer youth project for Dahomey, Niger, and Togo is being organized by the International Goals Committee. The purpose of the project will be, according to the National Assembly for that region, “to bring the Message of Bahá’u’lláh for the first time to the distant parts of each country, and to enroll and consolidate Bahá’ís in newly opened goal areas.” Only French-speaking Bahá’ís who are over 18 will be considered for this project. “Older people will balance the groups and the villagers respond well to them as equals and people of authority,” the National Assembly said. “However, it will be necessary to travel long distances and perhaps to remain in remote areas for several days with the simplest of lodgings and food.”
The estimated cost for a 45-day period would be $1360: $400 for living expenses and $960 for round-trip transportation (standard fare) between New York and Dahomey. Additional expenses would, of course, include travel between your home and New York.
Bolivia[edit]
A one-year international teaching project launched by the National Assembly of Bolivia in January will focus during the period of its unfoldment on strengthening Local Spiritual Assemblies in the land-locked Andean country, on creating child education programs, and on fostering “Bahá’í homes” among the nation’s believers.
The Bolivian National Assembly has invited Bahá’ís from every country to take leave of their jobs or studies until the end of the project at Riḍván 1976, to come to Bolivia, the first South American country to experience mass enrollment, and to assist in winning the goals of the Five Year Plan.
The National Assembly will also welcome volunteers who can contribute shorter periods to the project, but it suggests that three months is the minimum time which will permit participants to reap some practical benefits from their training.
The estimated cost for participating in the teaching project for the summer is approximately $1,200. About $400 will cover living expenses; the remainder will be consumed in travel. This estimate was made with life in rural areas in mind. The costs could as much as double if volunteers decided to spend their time in Bolivia’s cities, where the prices of necessities are much higher. Knowledge of Spanish, Quechua, or Aymará would be helpful, but it is not essential for participation.
This project has received the support of the Continental Board of Counsellors for South America and of the Auxiliary Boards of Bolivia and the Hand of the Cause Raḥmatu’llah Muhájir during his recent visit to Bolivia offered valuable suggestions for conducting the project.
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The first mass acceptance of the Faith among the country’s Indian people took place 19 years ago. The great majority of believers in the country today are from the Quechua and Aymará tribes. There are now more than 750 Spiritual Assemblies in Bolivia, and Bahá’ís in more than 4,000 localities.
“This rapid growth in such a short period of time gives some indication of the immense possibilities for further growth and development,” the National Spiritual Assembly wrote. “However, a continuing lack of sufficient numbers of Bahá’í teachers and administrators is presently threatening to interrupt the steady advance of the teaching work now in operation.”
Brazil[edit]
The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Brazil has asked for assistance from teachers who can work with their National and Local Youth Committees in circuit teaching activities throughout the country with emphasis on reaching university students. A knowledge of Portuguese, Spanish, or English is required. The approximate transportation cost from Miami: 14-28 day excursion fare — $600 and 29-45 day excursion — $550.
In the past[edit]
Summer teaching projects last year took Bahá’ís to Europe, India, and the Americas. The following comments are excerpted from letters written by participants in these projects to the International Goals Committee.
The project was a wonderful experience and I am very thankful that I was able to go. It was an excellent way to see what long-term pioneering will be like, which is the main reason I wanted to go. I also see now what tremendous opportunities await those who will arise to pioneer permanently. The trip was a peerless way of learning to live in and accept a different culture. No matter how much you read about another country, you just don’t know what it’s like until you go there. I found that it broadened my outlook on life tremendously as well as giving me a more total view of the Faith throughout the world.
This has been the most wonderful summer of my life; the joy of meeting Bahá’ís from all corners of the earth and the realization of the profound unity of the entire Bahá’í family is overwhelming. I can’t help but think that Bahá’u’lláh repays us 100-fold for every effort made in His service. I learned so much more about what it is to be a Bahá’í, how to live the life, and what a wealth of aids Bahá’u’lláh has given us to overcome any obstacles in the realization of His mandate....
Since my return, the only way I have been able to sum up the summer’s experience is by telling others to go. Bahá’u’lláh has reserved a choice cup of the wine of His bounty for His servants who arise to travel in His Cause. I long to be able to adequately describe these blessings so that others will realize that it is not a sacrifice to go circuit teaching — rather it is a most great gift from our God.
I don’t want you to think that the trip was all roses. I’ve never had such a test. The first couple of weeks I spent a lot of time feeling pretty insecure and afraid. We weren’t praying much then. As the weeks went by and I didn’t get sick and die and was able to do some teaching I realized the necessity for relying on Bahá’u’lláh. I only hope and pray that I can keep that kind of awareness....
So here we are, flea-bitten, mosquito-pestered, but healthy, alive and learning a lot ... for example we have had up to three different meetings in three separate towns in a single day; awakened at 4 a.m. for a bumpy four-hour bus ride; proclaimed the Faith to groups of over 120 people through skits, songs, demonstrations, and audio-visual materials; organized and conducted institutes and deepening classes; met the most wonderful native Bahá’ís and pioneers; traveled to Bahá’í activities in outlying towns on a Honda over dusty, rocky, unpaved roads; improved our Spanish; tried all sorts of new food and learned how various crops and animals are grown and raised; but most important, we have been privileged to learn much about ourselves, about the people here, about the spiritual, economic, and social condition of the world, and about the Cause of God.
In terms of the effects of our efforts in this region, we’ve found ourselves incapable of assessing and measuring the immediate results, and we’re gradually learning what it means to be the sowers and not the reapers, including patience, detachment, and to shake the dust off our feet. There is so much to be done here, (I’ll bet everybody says that about the part of the Bahá’í world they’re familiar with) and the need for pioneers and constant visits from teachers is tremendous.
... it is the best thing I have ever experienced. It has inspired me to go pioneering soon and to plan on local or U.S. circuit teaching adventures. Please let me know if I may be of service to your committee during the next vacation.
News Briefs[edit]
School Committee holds institute on significance of holy days[edit]
The Southern California Bahá’í School Committee gathered with Bahá’í families in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles during the December holidays of 1974 to attend a school session devoted entirely to the study of how to celebrate the Bahá’í holy days. This was a family school and all ages participated. Sherrill Hughey presented the course on the significance and structure of the Badí‘ Calendar, the historical occurrences commemorated by the Bahá’í holy days, the spiritual significance of Bahá’í holy days and Feasts, the independent character of Bahá’í celebrations and commemorations, and the enrichment of the spiritual and material aspects of our celebrations. Michael Hughey, her husband, a well-known calligrapher, made beautifully colored calligraphed charts, one over nine feet long, which illustrated the sequence of the history of the Adamic Cycle and the Bahá’í Era by calendar. Several people, including Marian Lawyer and Kenneth and Mary Zemke, presented workshops on how to prepare for our Bahá’í holy days with invitations, decorations, gift-making, games, music, menus, and recipes. Discussions about the period of the Fast and about the commemorations of the ascensions of the Central Figures of our Faith were also included.
The School Committee had long desired to present a session for Bahá’ís on how to find more ways to joyously celebrate the holy days, and to meet the competition and the excitement of the holy days of other religions.
All those attending felt keenly the need for such instruction and stimulation and all returned to their homes and families with a new spirit and fresh ideas for both family and community celebrations and commemorations.
College club teaching efforts focused on foreign students[edit]
The Bahá’ís of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, have entered the winter session of school with high hopes of riding the crest of a wave of success in reaching the foreign students on campus.
Teaching efforts focusing on the foreign student population of approximately 600 began last October on United Nations Day when the NU Bahá’í club joined the Evanston Teaching Committee to host a dinner. About 50 students from more than a dozen countries enjoyed a relaxed atmosphere in which there was no formal or direct attempt to present the Bahá’í Faith. A brief talk on the significance of the United Nations, presented by William Geissler, the Secretary of the National Bahá’í Information Committee and an Evanston Bahá’í, and a brief performance of Persian music by the Haghighi brothers, noted Bahá’í musicians, were the only formal aspects of the evening.
A letter received shortly after the event and signed by several of the Portuguese students who attended attested to the success of the dinner, the Bahá’í club reported. One of the main feelings expressed by many of the foreign students was the loneliness of their lives in the United States and how much they appreciate this kind of hospitality. “There are so many dimensions to teaching the international students. The important thing is to let them know that you want to be their friends,” said Mike Porter, an NU Bahá’í.
At the end of January another event was held in
Visitors must apply for limited convention seats[edit]
The 1975 National Convention, which is scheduled for April 25-27, will be held in Foundation Hall of the House of Worship.
After the seating of the delegates, only 214 seats will remain for the use of observers and visitors. Therefore, any person other than a delegate wishing to attend the convention must apply to the National Spiritual Assembly by letter no later than April 1. Seats will be assigned on that date, and all applicants will be advised of the results.
All 171 delegates are expected to be present at the Convention. Spouses of delegates wishing to attend will be assigned seats provided they make a request in writing by April 1.
Meals will not be served in Foundation Hall for either the delegates or visitors.
Teaching the deaf[edit]
The National Teaching Committee is formulating plans for teaching the deaf. To assist in our efforts, we need resource people who have had prior experience in training and teaching the deaf and know sign language. Those who have had this type of experience and are interested in assisting, please write to us outlining your training and experience. National Teaching Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091
[Page 8]
(Continued from page 7)
which the foreign students themselves were invited to present music and dance from their own countries. In February four Ayyám-i-Há dinners were held in various homes to invite students to feel welcome in a home atmosphere.
The Evanston Bahá’í community has diligently prepared itself for teaching the many ethnic groups to be found in the city through deepening classes which have been held to inform the friends of the special characteristics of each group.
Staff positions open at Conifer Hill[edit]
The Conifer Hill Schools Committee has announced that three staff positions are open for the work/study program planned for this summer. This will be the fourth year Bahá’ís have journeyed to the camp high in the Colorado Rockies to spend time working to improve the grounds and facilities as well as in study and deepening in the Writings. The camp is scheduled for June 22-July 29. Four sessions are planned, including special days for a Family Camp from July 3-6.
The Committee is seeking people to serve as work foreman, chief cook, and assistant cook. The first position requires experience in plumbing, mechanics, and carpentry and a knowledge of the use, maintenance and repair of chain saws. The foreman must be able to relate to people as an instructor and supervisor also. He or she will be responsible for the maintenance of the camp’s water system and although there will not be a large logging project as there was last year, a few beetle-infested trees may need to be razed. The salary is $65 per week plus free room and board.
Two cooks will be required for the camp. Cooks should be skilled in the planning and preparation of nutritious, economical and tasty food for large groups of people. Although the Committee prefers the cooks to be available for all sessions, several different people may be employed if necessary. Salary for the head cook will be $65 per week plus room and board. The assistant cook will receive a scholarship for room and board.
Conifer Hill is located at an altitude of 8,000 feet in the Rocky Mountains thirty miles from Boulder, Colorado. It is provided for summer use by an individual Bahá’í. The facilities are rustic and the living is rugged. The dormitories have no heat and have canvas in the window areas. There are latrines and no electricity, but hot and cold water is provided for showers and running water is available in the camp kitchen. Summer weather in the Rockies can be chilly, so campers should bring warm clothing as well as summer apparel. During the Family Camp in July programs are planned for all age groups. Families should bring their own tents or other sleeping accommodations. There will not be programs or arrangements for children at other sessions, parents wishing to attend these camp sessions should make other arrangements for their children. For further information concerning the staff positions or costs, etc. please write: Conifer Hills Bahá’í Schools Committee, Mrs. Marilyn Fisher, Secretary, 437 Pine, Boulder, Colorado, 80302. Phone 303/443-6422.
Pathways to service[edit]
Why learn a foreign language?[edit]
By the National Bahá’í Youth Committee
Why should Bahá’í youth study foreign languages? There are at least two good reasons: to improve their chances for effective pioneering, and to improve their chances of finding rewarding jobs.
Foreign Languages and Pioneering
In spite of the growing need for American Bahá’í pioneers to other countries, it is becoming increasingly difficult to meet our pioneering goals. To meet this challenge, more and more qualified volunteers are needed. The International Goals Committee emphasizes two important assets which can help a Bahá’í become a successful pioneer: a useful profession, trade, or skill, and the ability to speak a foreign language.
Many Bahá’í youth now recognize the importance of finding a career. They are taking advantage of their schooling to learn the skills necessary to serve humankind. But the importance of language skills is not always as well understood.
It was ‘Abdu’l-Bahá who first explained that pioneers should speak other languages. In The Tablets of the Divine Plan (page 21), He says, “The teachers traveling in different directions must know the language of the country in which they will enter.” The wisdom of this command has been repeatedly proven in the field. For example, the Continental Board of Counsellors for Central America has written to prospective pioneers, “Without the language you simply will not be able to communicate with or teach the majority of the people, to serve on Assemblies or committees, or even to enjoy many of the pleasures of daily living.”
A glance at the pioneering goals for the United States will quickly demonstrate the importance of language skills for the pioneer. Of our 305 international goals, 207 are in countries where the primary language is not English. The languages spoken in these goal areas include Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (Southern dialect), Danish, Dutch, French, Finnish, German, Greek, Hindi, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Turkish. Of these, the most common are Spanish (95 goals) and French (51 goals).
Bahá’í students should carefully consider including at least one foreign language in their studies. Furthermore, once they have acquired a basic knowledge, they can also examine the possibility of studying in a goal country where they can polish their skills while filling a Five Year Plan goal, and the possibility of practicing the language on teaching trips to areas of the United States or the world where it is spoken. Such preparation will help win yet another goal of the Plan: for youth to “plan their lives to be of greatest service to the Faith.”
Foreign Languages and Careers
Not every Bahá’í, of course, becomes a foreign pioneer. But a foreign language can also be useful to those who serve on the homefront. Not only do language skills help domestic circuit teachers, they are also valuable in careers.
An article in the April 1974 issue of the Modern Language Journal points out that knowledge of one or more foreign languages improves one’s chance of finding a job. It explains:
- “The connection between foreign languages and jobs may not be obvious to people who assume that foreign languages are used only by interpreters, translators, or foreign language teachers. But if one has another skill — almost any other “marketable” skill — plus a foreign language, one’s chances of finding an interesting job are good, and often a lot better than for someone who doesn’t have any language skills at all. Today’s job market is difficult: employers can afford to be highly selective, and an extra skill often makes the difference. A good engineer who speaks German is more likely to be hired by a Swiss firm’s American branch than an engineer with equivalent qualifications who speaks nothing but English. A sales manager who knows Portuguese has a better chance of getting a higher-paid assignment in Brazil than one who doesn’t.”
Besides those careers which are directly related to language skills, there are many jobs in which these skills are needed as a supplement to technical, business, or professional skills. The article goes on to discuss the advantages of foreign languages for technical and engineering positions, business and commerce, financial personnel, secretarial and clerical work, civil service, law, library science, media, publishing, science, social work, travel and tourism, hotels and motels, and transportation.
In 1970 the Modern Language Association (MLA) surveyed business, industry, and service organizations. Seventy percent of the respondents said they do use, could use, or expect to use employees with foreign language skills. In some cases knowledge of a foreign language was a prerequisite for a specific position. In other cases it was a tool which could be used regularly, and in still others, it represented a desirable educational background. The MLA survey showed that many employers, when choosing between two equally qualified candidates, would hire the one who knows a foreign language.
Whether or not a Bahá’í ever goes pioneering, therefore, knowledge of one or more foreign languages is a useful skill. Just as the Faith needs successful pioneers, it also needs Bahá’ís who are successful in their professions, at home or abroad. Language skills can help meet both of these needs. Bahá’í youth should carefully consider this fact when they are planning their own education.
Career Bulletin
From time to time, as the National Bahá’í Youth Committee receives information about the service potential of specific careers, we will add these bulletins to the “Pathways to Service” feature. This month the focus is on dental hygienists.
According to the most recent forecast by the U.S. Department of Labor, almost 5,000 new dental hygienists will be needed yearly to 1985. The supply of these health workers, on the other hand, will be less than this number. Both full- and part-time jobs for dental hygienists, therefore, should be readily available in the United States. The International Goals Committee reports that this profession is still developing in many other countries. There are some jobs available now for prospective pioneers, and there should be more in the future. There are also many dental schools in other countries.
More information on this career is available in your library from the Occupational Outlook Handbook. Information on the pioneering prospects for dental hygienists or dental students can be obtained from the International Goals Committee.
Spanish section[edit]
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Parcela comprada cerca del lugar de descanso del Guardian ANUNCIAMOS COMPRA DE FAJA DE TERRENO EN CEMENTERIO GREAT NORTHERN, LONDRES, QUE DA FRENTE AL LUGAR DE DESCANSO DEL AMADO GUARDIÁN, ASEGURANDO PROTECCIÓN DEL SAGRADO SOLAR. OFRECEMOS ORACIONES DE GRATITUD EN EL SAGRADO UMBRAL. CASA UNIVERSAL DE JUSTICIA
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Proclamación sobre la mujer marcha adelante[edit]
Un extenso año de campaña para publicar las enseñanzas bahá’ís sobre el papel que va a tomar la mujer en la sociedad ha sido planeado por el Comité de Enseñanza Nacional.
La campaña coincide con el Año Internacional de la Mujer 1975, proclamado por las Naciones Unidas, el cual tiene como sus temas: igualdad, desarrollo y paz — el propósito central de la Carta de las Naciones Unidas.
El Comité de Enseñanza Nacional ha solicitado a toda la comunidad hacer mayores esfuerzos de proclamación en marzo, junio, septiembre y diciembre. Los temas para estos eventos serán: La Mujer y La Educación, La Mujer en la Familia y la Sociedad, La Mujer y La Paz, La Mujer en Evolución, respectivamente.
Información para la prensa será puesta a su disposición por medio de la Oficina de Información Nacional. Historias sobre el progreso del Año Internacional de la Mujer en la comunidad bahá’í aparecerán periódicamente en The American Bahá’í, junto con sugerencias para dirigir actividades de proclamación. Material para uso en la radio también será puesto a su disposición. Un nuevo folleto, “La Mujeres: Obteniendo Sus Derechos de Naturalidad,” escrito por Constance Conrader, ha sido impreso por la Publishing Trust y será útil para distribuirlo a los amantes de la verdad.
Otros materiales de la Publishing Trust incluirán un programa de profundización sobre la mujer, una película acerca del papel de la mujer en la historia bahá’í, y carteles con temas relatando al Año de la Mujer.
El Comité de Educación Nacional desarrollará clases para las escuelas bahá’ís, de verano e invierno, sobre la parte que ocupa la mujer según lo indican las escrituras bahá’ís.
El Comité de Enseñanza también recomienda que los bahá’ís participen en la celebración del Año Internacional de la Mujer, sin que las actividades suplanten los programas regulares de enseñanza. Los programas del Año de la Mujer, dice el Comité, deberían ser incorporados dentro de las normas regulares de proclamación en la comunidad.
Guía para conducir reuniones hogareñas[edit]
El Guardián enfatisó repetidamente durante su ministerio que les incumbe a los individuos creyentes tener reuniones en sus hogares con el propósito de hacer amistades y atraer adherentes a la fe. Las siguientes preguntas y respuestas sobre la manera de conducir la reunión hogareña fueron provistas por el Comité Nacional de Enseñanza para el uso de la comunidad.
¿Cual es la ‘ensenanza’ de las reuniones hogareñas?
La enseñanza de las reuniones hogareñas es una sencilla ocasión planeada y dirigida por un bahá’í o familia bahá’í, solos o con la ayuda de otros bahá’ís, con el propósito de atraer amigos íntimos o conocidos a la fe.
No existe una técnica establecida para conducir una reunión hogareña. Cada persona da las enseñanzas en su hogar conforme lo más natural para él. Para muchos, la conversación es más fácil que dar una charla. El carácter informal de la conversación conduce a discusión y preguntas. Las preguntas abren el camino a la enseñanza.
¿Son necesarias diferentes técnicas?
Desde que el interés individual y procedencia de cada persona difiere, casi que se necesita presentarle la fe a cada persona en distinta forma.
Es preferible que la reunión sea pequeña para que el anfitrión bahá’í tenga la oportunidad de establecer contacto personal con cada invitado. Por medio de la conversación se pueden conocer los intereses o problemas del individuo y determinar cómo mejor presentarle la Fe.
¿Que queremos decir con ‘ensenanza’?
Existen dos clases de enseñanza. La primera clase de enseñanza es el acercamiento lógico. No importa cómo miremos los asuntos en el mundo, la fe bahá’í es el próximo paso en el desarrollo humano. Esta es la lógica que se usa en reuniones públicas.
La segunda es la enseñanza individual. Una persona siempre se impresiona más por la sinceridad, equilibrio y serenidad expresada por el creyente que por ninguna otra cosa. La curiosidad de la persona le hace buscar la fuente de la profundidad de paz y armonía que el creyente manifiesta, animando la búsqueda, y es entonces que la verdadera enseñanza empieza.
Estar cierto de la verdad, lleno de vitalidad y entusiasmo, es uno de los requisitos principales para enseñar la fe. Estas qualidades solo vienen del propio entendimiento del creyente de las verdades de la fe, y también del completo reconocimiento y aceptación de la Divina Manifestación de Sus enseñanzas.
Es de obligación que todos los individuos enseñan la Causa?
Si. La reunión hogareña es la respuesta directa al mandato universal de que todos los creyentes enseñen la Causa de Dios. Es además el mejor método para traer nuevas almas a la comunidad bahá’í. Es esencial que aumentemos el número de reuniones en cada localidad.
Un proyecto internacional lanzado en Bolívia[edit]
Un proyecto internacional de enseñanza lanzado por la Asamblea Espiritual Nacional de Bolivia en enero pasado hará enfoque, en el período de su despliegue, en fortalecer las Asambleas Locales en el territorio andino, la creación de programas educativos para niños y en nutrir el “hogar Bahá’í” entre los creyentes de la nación.
La Asamblea Nacional de Bolivia — el primer país sudamericano en experimentar la entrada de las masas a la Fe — invita a los bahá’ís de otros países a visitar a Bolivia y tomarse un descanso de sus empleos o estudios hasta la culminación del proyecto en Riḍván de 1976, con el objeto de ayudar a ganar las metas asignadas a aquel país bajo el Plan de Cinco Años.
De acuerdo con la Asamblea Nacional de Bolivia, la experiencia práctica y administrativa que los participantes voluntarios recibirán, les alentará a establecerse en un puesto fijo de pionero. La Asamblea Nacional acogerá también a aquellas personas que puedan emprender proyectos de corta duración, pero al mismo tiempo recomienda que estos sean no menos de tres meses, dado que este espacio de tiempo permitirá a los participantes aprovechar al máximo su entrenamiento.
Se ha estimado un costo total de $3,000 para el proyecto de un año. De esta suma, $2,100 cubrirán gastos de comida y alojamiento. El resto será para transporte. Este presupuesto está basado en la vivienda en áreas rurales. El mismo podría ascender al doble si los participantes decidieran permanecer en las ciudades de Bolivia, donde los precios son mucho más altos. Conocimiento del idioma español, quechua o aimara sería útil pero no esencial para participar en el proyecto.
La aceptación inicial de la fe por los indios del país tuvo lugar diecinueve años atrás. La mayor parte de los creyentes del país procede de las tribus quechua y aimara. El número de Asambleas locales en Bolivia excede 750, y las localidades donde residen bahá’ís superan a 4,000.
La Asamblea Nacional de Bolivia dice: “Este aumento rápido en tan corto tiempo indica la posibilidad de una futura expansión y desarrollo. No obstante, la falta de maestros y de administradores bahá’ís obstaculiza el progreso constante del trabajo de enseñanza en marcha.”
Sírvase escribir a su Asamblea Espiritual Nacional o al Comité Internacional de Metas si les interesa participar en este proyecto.
Una nueva comunidad en Patagonia[edit]
Estimulados por el gran éxito de dos conferencias zonales sobre el Plan de Cinco Años en Santiago y Valdivia, la comunidad bahá’í chilena ha revelado una abnegación y determinación para el cumplimiento inmediato de sus metas. Una meta saliente, dada por la amada Casa Universal de Justicia, es para llegar a una raza de hombres, conquistada y condenada al aislamiento y la extinción. Unos 25 miembros de esta tribu están en una aldea pescadora 900 kilómetros hacia el norte de Punta Arenas, Chile, en los canales de la Patagonia. Se llama Puerto Edén, cuyos otros habitantes, contando aproximadamente 250, dependen de la producción de una fábrica rústica para envasar cholguas (mejillones), o del comercio privado.
Fue a los descendientes de los Alacalufes, una raza cuya historia de lucha para sobrevivir en esta región brutal, que el Mensaje de Dios fue destinado a ser compartido durante este Plan Global.
Para obtener el permiso de las varias autoridades para el viaje, fue hecho un contacto previo en Punta Arenas con la hija de una de las familias indígenas, familia destinada a ser la primera de su tribu en abrazar la Causa.
Fue un viaje de 40 horas de Punta Arenas a través de los Estrechos Magallánicos y después hacia el norte subiendo los canales; el buque de carga llegó a la bahía de Puerto Edén a las seis de la manana. Después de salir el buque, el viajero bahá’í encontró alojamiento en una pieza chica de la escuela pública.
Dates to remember[edit]
March 1–April 30 Special Youth Goal: 50 teaching Circuits. Sponsored by the National Youth Committee.
March 22 Proclamation, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Chapel Hill and the Bahá’í Club of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
March 24–April 4 National Bahá’í Center Youth work/study project. Sponsored by the National Youth Committee.
March 27 Proclamation, Martinsville, Indiana. Sponsored by the District Teaching Committee of the Bahá’ís of Indiana.
March 28–30 Youth Conference, Lawrence, Kansas. Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Lawrence.
March 28–30 National Spiritual Assembly Meeting.
March 29 Family Life Seminar, Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Sponsored by the District Teaching Committee of the Bahá’ís of Southern Wisconsin.
March 29 Teacher Training Institute, Bowling Green, Ohio. Sponsored by the District Teaching Committee of the Bahá’ís of Northern Ohio.
March 29–30 Love and Unity Conference, Tacoma, Washington. Hosted by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Pierce County Commissioner’s District No. 3.
April 1 Deadline for receipt of materials for May issue of The American Bahá’í.
April 3–6 Pioneer Training Institute, Wilmette, Illinois. (By invitation only.)
April 4 Area-wide Proclamation, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. Speakers: Auxiliary Board member Jane Faily and National Spiritual Assembly member William Maxwell.
April 4–6 Institute on the Distinctive Character of Bahá’í Life, Springfield, Illinois. Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Springfield.
April 5 Proclamation, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Wauwatosa.
April 5 Proclamation and Consolidation Conference, Mineral Wells, Texas. Sponsored by the District Teaching Committee of the Bahá’ís of East Texas No. 1.
April 5–6 Proclamation, Port Townsend, Washington. Sponsored by the Western Washington District Teaching Committee.
April 6 Deepening Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia. Sponsored by the District Teaching Committee of the Bahá’ís of Southern Virginia.
April 9 Feast of Jalál (Glory).
April 11–13 Family Life Conference, Chicago, Illinois. Sponsored by the National Bahá’í Education Committee.
April 13 American Indian Teaching Seminar, Muckleshoot Reservation, Washington. Sponsored by the District Teaching Committee of the Bahá’ís of Western Washington.
April 16–19 United Nations Biennial Convention.
April 18–20 Family Life Conference, New York City, New York. Sponsored by the National Bahá’í Education Committee.
April 19 Music Workshop, Akron, Ohio. Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Akron.
April 21 First day of Riḍván, Holy Day on which work should be suspended.
April 21–May 2 Feast of Riḍván (Declaration of Bahá’u’lláh).
April 24 National Spiritual Assembly Meeting.
April 25–27 National Convention, Wilmette, Illinois.
April 28 Feast of Jamál (Beauty).
April 29 Ninth day of Riḍván, Holy Day on which work should be suspended.
May 1 Deadline for receipt of materials for June issue of The American Bahá’í.
May 2 Twelfth day of Riḍván, Holy Day on which work should be suspended.
May 9–11 Family Life Conference, Los Angeles, California. Sponsored by the National Bahá’í Education Committee.
May 10–11 Auxiliary Board Team Conference, University of Iowa, Iowa City. Theme: The Individual, the Covenant, and the Five Year Plan. Hosted by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Iowa City.
May 14 Proclamation, Muncie, Indiana. Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Muncie.
May 15–22 Bahá’í Information Week, Dover, Delaware. Sponsored by the Del/Mar/Va District Teaching Committee.
May 16–18 National Spiritual Assembly Meeting.
May 17 Feast of ‘Aẓamat (Grandeur).
May 23 Declaration of the Báb, Holy Day on which work should be suspended.
May 29 Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh, Holy Day on which work should be suspended.
June 1 Deadline for receipt of materials for July issue of The American Bahá’í.
June 5 Feast of Núr (light).
June 8–15 Fifth Annual Western Regional Bahá’í Musicians’ Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah. Sponsored by the District Teaching Committee of the Bahá’ís of Utah.
June 9 Race Unity Day.
June 19–22 National Bahá’í Center Pilgrimage. Participants must register in advance.
June 24 Feast of Raḥmat (Mercy).
June 27–July 27 Month long teaching project, San Diego, California. Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of San Diego and the Regional Teaching Committee of the Bahá’ís of California.
June 28–29 Proclamation, Paradise, California. Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Paradise, J.D. California.
Los primeros bahá’ís de Puerto Eden[edit]
(Continued from page 9)
y éste fue su hogar por dos semanas. Cada día visitó a los habitantes del puerto, con preferencia a los Alacalufes.
En ese tiempo, llegó el maestro viajero, muchos de los Alacalufes fueron juntando cholguas (mejillones) y leña para sus jornadas periódicas de tres meses por los canales alevesos. Sin embargo, el Llamado de Dios llegó a los corazones de seis adultos, tres jóvenes y muchos niños, quienes ahora forman la comunidad bahá’í de Puerto Edén.
(Sacado del Boletín Bahá’í editado por el Cuerpo Continental de Consejeros en América del Sur)
New Bahá’í Film and Filmstrip Program in Spanish and English[edit]
Step by Step (English)
Paso a Paso (Spanish)
Step by Step, a new proclamation and deepening film with soundtrack in both Spanish and English, is now available for purchase and rental. The film, entitled Paso a Paso in Spanish, depicts the growth of the Bahá’í Faith among Indians, blacks, and Latins in Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, and Panama. Focusing on a number of Bahá’ís from diverse backgrounds, the film records their views on such widely varied topics as prophecy, the unity of mankind, world peace, universal governing institutions, and a divine civilization. The Bahá’ís discuss clearly, simply, and directly how the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh is unifying all mankind, step by step, through the infusion of Divine Love.
Designed for use on television, this new film is also suitable for public meetings and other proclamation events. The film is an excellent tool for achieving the Five Year Plan goal of expanding the teaching work among those of Spanish-speaking background. Produced by Kiva Films. 16mm, color and sound. 29 minutes. Note: All 16mm film orders require payment in advance.
2-06-72 Step by Step | prices below |
2-06-71 Paso a Paso | prices below |
Three-day rental fee (three showings) | $20.00 NET |
Fee for each additional showing up to maximum of six* | $8.00 NET |
Purchase price | $165.00 NET |
Purchase price if bought within 30 days of rental (75% of three-day rental fee applied to purchase price) | $150.00 NET |
*Because films deteriorate quickly if not inspected, cleaned, and repaired frequently, no rented film may be projected more than six times.
A scene from the new film “Step by Step”
The 1963 International Bahá’í Convention and the World Congress
An inspiring program which describes the first election, in the Holy Land, of the Universal House of Justice, and the historic gathering which followed at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England. Available as a filmstrip program for the first time in March 1975. Contains recorded and printed narration in both Spanish and English. Color. 82 frames.
6-02-70 | $9.50 |
BAHÁ’Í LITERATURE[edit]
Women: Attaining Their Birthright by Constance Conrader
Women: Attaining Their Birthright is a valuable new booklet on the equality of men and women. Its publication coincides with the year, 1975, designated by the United Nations as International Women’s Year—a year-long observance to which the National Spiritual Assembly has pledged the support of the American Bahá’í community.
The booklet begins with a brief synopsis of the station of women throughout history. It then sketches some of the early stirrings of the struggle for women’s rights in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, focusing in detail on the momentous happenings of the nineteenth century. The pamphlet contains several pages on Ṭáhirih, the sole woman among the Báb’s eighteen disciples, and describes her extraordinary role at the Conference of Badasht in 1848.
Women: Attaining Their Birthright provides an excellent summary of a Bahá’í view of the station of women and of the equality of the sexes and contains many extracts from the Writings, a number from sources no longer in print. Ideal for teaching non-Bahá’ís and deepening Bahá’ís, particularly during 1975, United Nations’ International Women’s Year. Attractive purple and rose cover design by Scott Bivans. Reprinted from World Order, 6, no. 4 (Summer 1972). Slimline format. 33 pp.
7-40-73 | $.35; 10/$3.25 |
The Secret of Divine Civilization by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
The Secret of Divine Civilization, out of stock since August 1974, is once again available. The book, written one hundred years ago, consists of a message to the rulers and people of Persia, whose once-glorious civilization had been reduced to pitiful weakness. Far from being of interest only to Persians, however, the book is useful for all who seek to build a new world order, for the principles set forth in it are those which—when applied—will be the basis of a true and enduring civilization. Translated by Marzieh Gail. Introduction by Horace Holley. Frontispiece of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. 116 pp. Index.
7-06-06 cloth | $3.50 |
The Reality of Man
by Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
The popular compilation The Reality of Man, unavailable since September 1974, is now back in stock. The book contains selections from Bahá’u’lláh’s Words of Wisdom and from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Writings on the soul, mind, and eternal life. Printed on cream stock with rich brown end sheets. Excellent for those wishing to probe more deeply into the true nature of man. Also a thoughtful gift for seekers and for new Bahá’ís. 52 pp.
7-15-26 cloth | $1.75 |
TWO NEW PAPER EDITIONS AVAILABLE
Two important and popular titles—The Dawn-Breakers and Bahá’í Administration—are available for the first time in paperback editions.
The Dawn-Breakers: Nabil’s Narrative of the Early Days of the Bahá’í Revelation |
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by Nabíl-i-A’ẓam |
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7-31-53 cloth | $12.00 |
7-31-54 paper | $8.00 |
| Bahá’í Administration by Shoghi Effendi | |
7-08-04 cloth | $4.00 |
7-08-05 paper | $2.50 |
SPECIAL MATERIALS[edit]
Mankind is One jigsaw puzzle
Looking for great entertainment that doesn’t use electricity? Try the new “Mankind is One” jigsaw puzzle! The orange, black, and white puzzle is 10½ inches in diameter and has 52 pieces. Makes an excellent educational gift for children, both Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í. Fun for adults too!
6-40-20 | $3.00 |
Correction
The Bikoh filmstrip and slide projector, which was advertised in The American Bahá’í editions of February 1975 and October 1974 as operable off four different power sources, has been found to be operable off only three power sources: 120-volt house current and 6- and 12-volt wet cell battery current. The Bikoh is not designed to operate off 240-volt house current. We regret any inconvenience the incorrect information may have caused.
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Pilgrimages to the Holiest
House of Worship to begin in June