The Five Year Plan 2011-2016 (Summary)/Enhancing Institutional Capacity

Capacity

he process of establishing new programmes of growth and strengthening existing ones during the Five Year Plan demanded a “feat of strength and coordination”*’ on the part of institutions and agencies, and “a shared spirit of collaboration among the Plan’s three protagonists—the individual, the community, and the institutions”.*° By encouraging individual initiative within the framework of the Plan and fostering a dynamic pattern of community life, institutions and agencies at the local, cluster, regional, and national levels demonstrated increasingly higher degrees of capacity and maturity. Many became adept at helping the friends to understand conditions in their localities and to apply the guidance of the Universal House of Justice. Through systematically reflecting on experience and documenting

Enhancing Institutional

A regional institutional meetin: in the north of Italy.

and disseminating relevant knowledge and approaches, the institutions were able to analyse insights in light of what was being learned worldwide and refine existing arrangements to welcome the contributions of a rising number of individuals. The overwhelming need to respond to the energy released through the youth conferences and the process of accompanying young people in large numbers also challenged institutions to press forward in a spirit of learning.

Development of Local Spiritual Assemblies

In many cities and villages where the community-building process advanced, Local Spiritual Assemblies learned to work closely with cluster agencies to facilitate the

58 The Five Year Plan 2011-2016: Summary of Achievements and Learning [Page 59]spiritual education of children and junior youth, foster opportunities for communal worship, and encourage believers to take part in teaching activities to diffuse the Word

of God. Whether guiding and supporting

the youth to serve enthusiastically, or interacting with the wider society, now more cognizant of the activities of the Baha’i community, these Spiritual Assemblies won the affection and respect of both members of the community and other local inhabitants. In some instances, Regional Baha’i Councils organized gatherings for all Assemblies in a cluster or region to help Assembly members gain a clearer vision of the Plan and their role in establishing a healthy pattern of community life.

Another key development at the local level was the further decentralization of the Nineteen Day Feast, especially in areas with large Baha’i populations or with limited transportation infrastructure. The occasion of the Feast continued to serve as an intimate gathering, where community members

came together to pray, socialize, and consult and reflect on the activities in the locality. Recognizing the importance of participation in the Feast, Local Assemblies in some clusters mobilized teams to visit believers who could not attend and to share with them what was discussed.

Enhancing Capacity at the Cluster Level

As clusters moved along a developmental path, effective approaches and formal mechanisms for supporting all areas of action emerged or were further strengthened. In instances where large-scale growth was within reach, schemes of coordination evolved to respond to a diversity of circumstances. In clusters that might have had one coordinator for each educational programme and an Area Teaching Committee with only a few members, a growing number of experienced individuals reinforced the work of these agencies. At the same time, meetings to reflect on experience and exchange information became more systematic in approach. In clusters with

a large number of core activities, teams

of coordinators regularly met to discuss

the strength of the entire educational process and worked to disseminate the knowledge and insights gained from the field in gatherings of tutors, teachers, and animators. Area Teaching Committees, too, rose to a new level of functioning, gaining experience in mobilizing the believers in collective teaching efforts, promoting the multiplication of devotional gatherings, and encouraging home visits across the cluster.

Advancing the Process of Entry by Troops

A cluster agencies’ meeting in East Kanchanpur, Nepal.

59 [Page 60]Evolution of a Scheme of Coordination in Delhi, India

At the start of the Plan, the Delhi cluster in India had over 150 core activities with about 1,250 participants. Through earnest effort and systematic reflection, the community was able to sustain by the end of the Plan over 1,000 core activities with some 7,000 participants. Much of the progress in raising up a steady flow of human resources to support the growth process came from youth residing in small pockets

of the city, who were invited to contribute to

the communitybuilding process. By introducing from the outset the concept

of being a collaborator who would assist other friends to arise and serve, the cluster agencies motivated youth, once they became animators or children’s class teachers, to help others in their area to tread a path of service.

Through institute campaigns,

weekly meetings, and regular - ~ youth gatherings, the number

of those studying Book 7 and facilitating new study circles

in neighbourhoods grew significantly. This growth led the friends to start thinking about

a system for accompanying

large numbers. The substantial progress in the community

60

called for an adjustment in

the scheme of coordination. A system was put in place whereby a small number of coordinators for each of the programmes for the spiritual empowerment of junior youth and the spiritual education of children, together with a team of collaborators, worked with groups of friends serving at the grassroots.

wane ae oe FEES

those serving, their capabilities, and the proximity of their homes to the activities they were supporting.

As each stage of the educational process took root and flourished in the cluster, over time the friends were able to sustain some 200 junior youth groups and 250 children’s classes. A similar arrangement was put in place to strengthen human resource development and to support hosts of devotional meetings. Through the organization of regular meetings for reflection and the sharing of resources, the experience gained in Delhi was disseminated throughout India. Many of the 36 clusters

i aiaiee,

Poster depicting the scheme of coordination for | in the country

devotional gatherings in Delhi, India.

Thus, a growing network of collaborators supported an expanding number of activities. Notably, individuals serving

in this capacity continued to

~ facilitate their own particular

core activity, enabling them to stay directly connected to the unfolding learning process. This organic system relied heavily on ties of friendship. It also took into account practical matters, such as the time available to

that reached over 100 core activities during this Plan—including a dozen that had over 200 core activities—

directly benefited from the

lessons learned in Delhi.

The Five Year Plan 2011-2016: Summary of Achievements and Learning [Page 61]Growing Capacities of Local Spiritual Assemblies

in Advanced Clusters

When the growth process became well established in

a locality—with a sizeable percentage of the population becoming involved in core activities and many inhabitants formally joining the Faith—the Teachings began to penetrate and transform the life of

that locality. Local Spiritual Assemblies actively reflected on the well-being of the community, sometimes alongside local leaders. In such a community, the understanding of a Local Spiritual Assembly as an institution with moral authority could be increasingly discerned among both the Baha’is and

the society at large. A few examples are provided in the accounts below.

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The Daga cluster in Papua New Guinea has just over 30 Local Spiritual Assemblies serving a total population of 8,000, of whom nearly half are Baha’is. “The Assemblies in the cluster”, noted one Auxiliary Board member, “consider the Five Year Plan not on a small scale, but rather on a large scale. They understand that the Plan needs to be deeply rooted within an ongoing process.” During Assembly meetings, ample time was devoted to consulting about Baha’u’llah and His Teachings. Friends serving on the Assemblies saw

their function as an act of loving service to Him and noted the significance of an Assembly’s role in the development of the educational process in the community. For example, if parents were unable to educate a child, the Assembly viewed itself as being responsible before God to ensure this need was met. If an Assembly noted that a children’s class was not taking place, it would meet with the teachers and parents to reflect on the value of spiritual education and to consult on how to resume the class. Local Assemblies also helped prepare for smaller reflection meetings that led up to the cluster-wide reflection gatherings.

The Local Assemblies in Daga were aware of the importance of the institute

Community members consult about how to contribute to the

process for every individual in the community and saw to it that all members had an opportunity to participate in at least one study circle. To infuse a devotional spirit into community life, the Assemblies encouraged the believers and their friends

to deepen on themes in the prayers of Baha’u’llah, the

Bab, and ‘Abdu’l-Baha, such

as forgiveness, detachment,

and assistance.

Kk

By the time the Five Year Plan had concluded, there were over 250 core activities with nearly 3,000 participants in the Alouli cluster in India. The pattern of community life was particularly vibrant in the Hatwan village, a community of some 12,000 inhabitants,

betterment of their community in Daga, Papua New Guinea.

Advancing the Process of Entry by Troops

61 [Page 62]which alone had more than 100 The personal involvement neighbourhoods. The Assembly

core activities with over 1,000 of the members of the Local also nurtured the devotional participants. The Local Spiritual | Assembly in the activities of the character of the community, Assembly of Hatwan supported Plan—from serving as study encouraged participation in the coordinators in sustaining circle tutors and children’s the cluster reflection meetings the educational activities in the class teachers to participating and teaching activities, shared village, especially the children’s in teaching campaigns—helped information about the institute classes. Since those serving as to advance both the institution process through Nineteen Day children’s class teachers and and the community. During each _‘ Feast letters, and ensured that animators of junior youth groups _ cycle, the Assembly collaborated the younger members of the were mostly young people, with cluster agencies to help community participated in

a team of Local Assembly growing numbers of youth children’s classes and junior members met with their parents and adults to become involved youth groups and that their

to help them better understand in the community-building parents were involved as well. the critical role their sons and process and to form groups

daughters were playing in that could serve together in

contributing to the betterment of the community. When necessary, this team also met with the parents of the children and junior youth participating in the activities.

For the community members—both Baha'is and their friends—the Local Spiritual Assembly of Hatwan was an institution to turn to for help in organizing Baha’i weddings and large devotional gatherings for the sick and the recently departed. The Local Assembly was also perceived as a promoter of unity and was called on to help resolve occasional disputes.

A neighbourhood reflection meeting in Toronto, Canada.

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Over the course of the Plan, the Local Spiritual Assembly of Toronto, Canada, took steps to develop its understanding and institutional capacity to facilitate growth in the cluster. Instrumental to this process was close collaboration with

the Auxiliary Board members. A gathering for junior youth animators and children’s class teachers in the Hatwan village of the Alouli cluster in India.

62 The Five Year Plan 2011-2016: Summary of Achievements and Learning [Page 63]Enhancing Capacity at the Regional Level

The critical role a Regional Baha’i Council can play in the advancement of the

growth process in a country prompted an increase in the number of these institutions worldwide, from 170 at the outset of the Plan to 203, in nearly 60 countries, at its conclusion. In some parts of the world, such as Romania and Ukraine, nascent entities at the regional level emerged through the creation of regional institute teams, regional growth teams, or regional teams focused

on the junior youth spiritual empowerment programme. Although not formal structures, these teams helped disseminate information and experience, and paved the way for the eventual formation of a Regional Baha’i Council. Where Regional Councils had already been established, similar teams prepared the ground for the formation of regional training institutes, as was the case in Myanmar.

Training institutes and Regional Councils continued to collaborate in guiding and supporting clusters and providing resources, as necessary. Together they held gatherings at the regional level where institutions and friends serving in clusters consulted on lessons learned in order to advance their understanding of key concepts of the Plan, read the reality of the region, and devise strategies. The training institutes worked with teams of coordinators to achieve the movement of a “steady, ever-widening stream of individuals through the courses

of the institute”, while Regional Councils, in collaboration with Area Teaching Committees, gave impetus to the “collective capacity to manifest a pattern of life in conformity with the teachings of the Faith”.*° In some regions of the United Kingdom, the Regional Council and training institute board, in collaboration with the Auxiliary

Advancing the Process of Entry by Troops

Board members and regional coordinators, organized gatherings with institute coordinators, cluster growth facilitators, members of Area Teaching Committees, and others serving in the clusters. The topics of consultation included assisting individuals to study the sequence of courses and begin a core activity, devising measures for accompanying these friends in their field of service, and carrying out ongoing activities for training and capacity building.

In over 40 countries, there was at least one Regional Baha’i Council that was working

Members of a regional growth team study and plan together in Vietnam.

with 10 or more programmes of growth.

In addition, some 14 Regional Councils at the forefront of learning had programmes

of growth in 50 or more clusters by the end of the Plan. Supporting a wide spectrum

of clusters compelled these Councils to be rigorous and creative in their work to “refine mechanisms that serve to further the pattern of growth unfolding at the cluster level”."'

To more effectively follow the movement

of clusters in such regions, several clusters would be organized into a group according to their proximity, culture, language, and socio-economic circumstances. The regional institutions then provided for the timely emergence of sub-regional structures and the provision of resources that helped to create the necessary environment for growth to

63 [Page 64]flourish. These were referred to, variously, as sub-regions, zones, or units of clusters. They were generally organized around

a strong cluster, which was able to offer support to neighbouring communities.

In the Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Delhi region in north-eastern India, a goal was set to achieve 70 programmes of growth by Ridvan 2016, up from 22 at the beginning of the Plan. The region has a land area of almost 300,000 square kilometres and a population of over 200 million. During the Five Year Plan ending in 2011, the Regional Baha’i Council and other institutions realized through consultation that to sustain growth in all the clusters, the friends in this vast area would require closer accompanying. Therefore, the Council formed three subregions to allow for greater support to each goal cluster, and after further growth in subsequent years, the Council readjusted the boundaries to form seven sub-regions, each with an advanced cluster that was a reservoir of human resources and experience. In time, each sub-region had a team of coordinators and a sub-regional development facilitator. The resource persons for two learning sites for the junior youth spiritual empowerment programme located in the region offered support to the programme in each area,

and at least one cluster in each sub-region was associated to one of the learning sites. Friends from neighbouring clusters were also invited to visit and learn from the experience in the learning sites.

In the most advanced of the seven subregions, the regional institute board appointed training institute teams whose tasks were to ensure the effective flow of funds, maintain financial accounts, and appoint cluster coordinators. Reflection meetings were frequently organized at the sub-regional level, and twice a year the Regional Council, the training institute

board, and the Auxiliary Board members gathered all the sub-regional coordinators for consultation and reflection. This warm, ongoing collaboration led to a rise in the capacity of the friends to advance the work of expansion and consolidation in the clusters and enabled the friends to surpass their goal of 70 programmes of growth, achieving 105 by the conclusion

of the Plan.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the South Kivu region experienced outstanding growth during this Plan, advancing from 29 programmes of growth to 106. In the first few years of this period, the Regional Baha’i Council recognized

the potential for rapid progress and divided the region into five sub-regions of about 20 clusters each. Teams of coordinators were formed in some of the sub-regions, and by Ridvan 2016 plans were made to put in place such coordinating teams in all five areas. These new structures made the task of the Council to follow the progress of the clusters more manageable and enabled it to provide closer support. By the final two years of the Plan, around 20 clusters had over 100 core activities. A number of common elements contributed to the increase in clusters embracing large numbers: regular cycles of activity, which strengthened the capabilities of cluster agencies; study of guidance from the Universal House of Justice by many believers; the presence of a strong institute with dozens of capable tutors; a focus on fostering the community-building process in villages and neighbourhoods; a strong devotional character; and a heightened awareness of the need for coherence

among all the activities.

64 The Five Year Plan 2011-2016: Summary of Achievements and Learning [Page 65]Enhancing Capacity at the National Level

National Spiritual Assemblies increasingly developed their capacity to direct, unify, coordinate, and stimulate the activities of individuals and institutions within their jurisdictions. As they continued to reflect on the guidance of the Universal House of Justice, they demonstrated greater ability to analyse the conditions and opportunities in their countries and to formulate national strategies within the framework of the Plan. They were supported in these efforts through their collaboration with the Continental Counsellors, who assisted them in identifying areas of learning and shared relevant insights from around the Baha’i world. Institutional meetings and other reflection gatherings at the national level— either newly established or ongoing from previous years—further helped National Assemblies to grasp more fully what

was taking place at the grassroots of the community and to determine how they could encourage and refine the unfolding process of expansion and consolidation.

National Spiritual Assemblies throughout the world operated in a broad variety of circumstances. In countries where Regional Baha’i Councils were yet to be established, National Assemblies considered the entire territory under their jurisdiction when creating structures to assist the work of the institute, to facilitate efforts in emerging clusters, and to strengthen Area Teaching Committees. Among the steps taken was the appointment of teams of believers who were asked to bolster the training of human resources and facilitate the movement of friends from stronger clusters to emerging ones to help establish new programmes

of growth or strengthen existing ones. As mentioned in the previous section, in some places these teams were a precursor to

Advancing the Process of Entry by Troops

A meeting in Cotonou, Benin, between cluster agencies and members of the National Spiritual Assembly.

the eventual formation of formal regional structures. In small countries without Regional Councils, similar tasks were carried out by a working group, at times referred to as a national growth team.

In this Plan, 11 National Assemblies were each working with 6 or more Regional Baha’i Councils. To respond to the demands and complexity of the growth process in these large countries—for example, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, and the United States, each of which had more than 500 programmes of growth by the end of the Plan—the institutions established mechanisms to follow the process of human resource development and organized periodic meetings for institutions and individuals from several regions to learn from one another’s experiences.

The community in the United States, which has a total of close to 900 clusters, set a goal to more than double the number of programmes of growth during the Plan, operating at whatever level of intensity, from around 250 to 619. At the midpoint of the Plan, the National Spiritual Assembly reflected on how to synthesize the lessons being learned in all regions, the number of which had recently increased from

6 to 10. By October 2013, the National Assembly decided to establish a Learning

65 [Page 66]

Desk served by one staff member. The Learning Desk helped the Assembly become fully acquainted with developments at the grassroots and ensured that insights and experiences gained could flow between

the local and national levels and across

the many regions. In the first few months, the Desk was primarily concerned with obtaining an initial sense of the progress of the Plan throughout the country; the individual serving the Desk attended various meetings to become familiar with the work of the Auxiliary Board members, the Regional Baha’i Councils, the regional training institutes, and the learning sites for the junior youth spiritual empowerment programme. The Desk’s first report was prepared in collaboration with Secretaries of Regional Councils and with regional institute coordinators, and described efforts under way in each region along a few lines of action. This report helped the National Assembly attain a broad picture of the progress of the Plan across the country

and enlightened its consultations on

how to foster institutional capacity and advance the clusters. To build unity of

A national institutional meeting in Sri Lanka.

vision and facilitate the sharing of insights, the Assembly began hosting an annual national gathering for regional institutions and coordinators.

As the Learning Desk was expanded to include a second person, its work evolved. The staff joined reflection gatherings with friends serving on cluster agencies ina given region. They visited clusters and regions to better understand the conditions in the communities, to have one-on-one conversations with friends serving on institutions and agencies, and to bring together small groups of friends from across a few regions to explore certain topics

in depth. The Desk helped the National Assembly stay abreast of developments

by preparing descriptions of particular experiences and approaches being pursued in different regions; analysed reports of trends and patterns unfolding in the country; and drafted compilations of guidance, discussion questions, case studies, and agendas for national meetings hosted by the Assembly. This process involved close collaboration with the Secretary of the National Assembly,

66 The Five Year Plan 2011-2016: Summary of Achievements and Learning [Page 67]the Counsellors, other agencies of the National Assembly such as the National Statistics Office, and institutions at the regional and local levels. At the conclusion of the Plan, the goal of having 619 clusters with programmes of growth was surpassed to reach 625 such clusters across the regions.

Although the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada had made efforts to systematize what was being learned in the communitybuilding process and to respond to the diverse needs of growth, it realized that it needed to be closer connected to the regions to remain current with the developments across the country. The National Assembly decided to have the National Secretary, sometimes accompanied by other Assembly members, regularly visit the various regions and participate in regional meetings. The Secretary shared these experiences with the National Assembly and maintained regular contact with the Secretaries of the Regional Baha’i Councils. As its knowledge of the progress of the Faith across the regions grew, the Assembly began to see how useful it

was to have a set of questions to guide the members’ participation in regional meetings and interactions with Regional Councils. After a year of functioning in this way,

the National Assembly reflected on the insights gained and consulted on how to further strengthen the system for learning

at the national level. It felt that an initial step would be to collect and disseminate narratives sharing lessons, experiences, and statistics from clusters that were making good progress and to create opportunities for the friends serving these clusters to learn from one another. To this end, at the close of the Plan, the Assembly identified individuals from a few clusters who could prepare case studies for analysis at a national gathering. National Assemblies continued to build their administrative capacity in relation

to the stewardship of their resources and

Advancing the Process of Entry by Troops

the operations of their National Offices.

The need to systematize the body of knowledge accumulating in these areas

led to the creation at the Baha’i World Centre of the Office for the Development

of Administrative Systems. This Office oversees the work of resource persons assigned by the Universal House of Justice to specific National Assemblies in order to assist them and their agencies as they strive to learn how sound administrative systems— including those related to the flow of guidance, information, and funds, and to the management of properties—enabled them to respond to the demands of growth and carry out their work with greater efficiency and vigour. At the end of the Plan, 83 resource persons for administrative, financial, and property-related matters were serving 65 National Spiritual Assemblies. In some countries, resource persons were asked to give special attention to building the capacity of Regional Baha’i Councils to manage their administrative and financial operations. In addition, for some National Assemblies not assisted by resource persons, seminars about matters related to the properties of the Faith were organized in various regions of the world for selected individuals.

In India, the National Spiritual Assembly adopted a strategic approach to the development of properties which placed property needs within the overall context

of the Plan, taking into account the future growth of the Faith and available resources. In preparing a plan for properties, the National Assembly, in collaboration with the Counsellors, analysed its needs generally within the following categories: the seats

of the institutions, the training institute at the national or regional level, and clusterlevel demands. As part of its strategy for property development, the Assembly decided to construct, over a decade, appropriate facilities in 50 clusters where a large number

67 [Page 68]Strengthening the Financial System of a National Community

The National Spiritual Assembly of Italy formed a working group to prepare a document regarding the development of its system of financial administration. This document captured the vision

of the future structure of the national and regional treasury offices and the operation of

the system, and included a concrete plan of action that was put in place after the National Assembly approved

the document.

As a starting point, the National Assembly focused on strengthening its budgeting process. In the past, the National Treasurer had been asked to prepare the national budget for the review of the Assembly. However, through consultation, the Assembly realized that an effective and financially sound budget needed to be based on a well-conceived plan. In particular, if the national budget was to provide adequate resources for the prosecution of the teaching work, the budgeting process had to respond to the complex nature of planning for expansion and consolidation current within the Baha’i community. The Assembly felt that this planning had to go beyond the mere enumeration of goals to include an analysis of approaches to be adopted and lines of action to be followed.

The National Assembly established a budgeting process that began in the clusters, in which agencies at that level

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determined their financial needs in accord with the plans and activities in the cluster. Three of the most advanced clusters were assisted to prepare their budgets in light of their plan. These budgets were then submitted

to the Regional Bahai Council and included in the budget for the entire region. The National Assembly then invited all institutions and agencies at the regional level to participate in an annual planning and budgeting meeting that took place over two days. Subsequently, the budgets of the Regional Councils and other agencies were incorporated into the national budget. Thus, the national budget that was prepared reflected the actual needs of the Councils and cluster agencies, rather than being based on the application of

a fixed formula.

If it was to effectively carry out its many responsibilities mentioned above, the Assembly realized that appropriate structures at the national level needed to be strengthened.

In addition to the cashier and accountant who were supporting the National Treasurer, the Assembly recognized the need to have a coordinator for the Treasury Office.

After preparing a document regarding its system of financial administration, the National Spiritual Assembly of Tanzania

set out to implement the provisions. The most pressing concern of the Assembly

was that the system would be able to facilitate the flow of funds within the community, particularly to support activities at the grassroots. The Assembly gave attention to a number

of processes: educating the believers about the significance of giving to the Fund; preparing budgets in light of plans; approving, disbursing, and reporting on funds; and carrying out audits. After many aspects of the system were strengthened at the national level, the Assembly focused on improving the system at the regional level and took steps to establish regional treasury offices.

Although much had been done, the National Assembly was aware that as the community grew and became more complex, the processes and structures would also become more sophisticated to satisfy the demands of growth. In addition, the Assembly learned that although strengthening the system included a number of very practical steps, refining it in a way that supports the work at the grassroots would involve a long-term process of capacity building.

The Five Year Plan 2011-2016: Summary of Achievements and Learning [Page 69]

of people participated in activities, with priority given to buildings in rural areas. The function of each facility would define its location, size, and layout. The Assembly started by consulting with the Regional Baha’i Councils, and the Councils identified teams who could oversee these projects.

In Sahar, India, where construction was set to begin, a building task force comprising five Baha’is was formed. In addition, the agencies serving the cluster, along with two Auxiliary Board members, were heavily involved in determining needs

and mobilizing the friends to support this endeavour in whatever way they could. A list of 1,000 households in the cluster was prepared, and every home was visited. The families visited were asked to consider how they could contribute to the development of the property. The response to these visits was wholehearted. Many families contributed by offering labour, materials, meals for the workers, and funds. For example, the brother of one of the Baha’is offered a plot of land at one-third of its market value. The sense of ownership and resourcefulness among the Baha’is in the community was strong, as was evident in the central role they played in the construction of the property.

Advancing the Process of Entry by Troops

A gathering for assistants to Auxiliary Board members in Colombia.

The Institution of the Counsellors

In the institution of the Counsellors, the Universal House of Justice has explained, “the Baha’i community has a system through which the lessons learned in the remotest parts of the planet can benefit the worldwide process of learning in which every follower of Baha’u’llah can take part”.*? As this Plan unfolded, the Continental Counsellors and Auxiliary Board members encouraged a heightened spirit of collaboration and mutual support among individuals, institutions, and communities. They also raised awareness about the provisions of

the Plan, promoted the spiritual health of Baha’i communities, and encouraged individual initiative. Their dedicated

efforts helped to ensure coherence among the elements of the Plan and to safeguard the integrity of the unfolding processes.

In the past five years, Auxiliary Board members in particular worked tirelessly to understand how best to encourage and accompany the friends from a wide range of clusters. In doing so, they worked

with some 8,000 believers who served as assistants to Auxiliary Board members. Identifying, training, and accompanying a growing number of assistants continued to be approached in a mode of learning. In many regions, the Auxiliary Board members held regular gatherings for their assistants to consult, reflect, and plan together.

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