The bonds of friendship

A Bahai in a *C-stage cluster in the Southwestern Region shares some thoughts about how the bonds of friendship can assist in teaching the Faith. Two families, originally connected through their children, became friends. This eventually led to conversations about the Faith, and then to three declarations.

My most successful teaching experiences have been by making friends with the person first.

My sons kept bringing home a friend of theirs from school. The friend began spending the night with us and became like a part of our family. One day when two of his older brothers came to visit, he saw the Greatest Name and asked why we had “The Glory of God” on our wall. I looked at him and said, “You can read Arabic?” He said yes, that he spoke several languages. My husband and I explained the Faith to him until 3 o’clock in the morning. They went home and came back the next morning asking if we had declaration cards they could sign. They had stayed up all night discussing the Faith. Both brothers, and the wife of one of them, declared.

I might mention that both my husband and I are white and our son’s friend and his family are African-American. They were surprised at first that he had become close friends with a white family. This experience reinforces the importance of becoming friends. People become very curious about your philosophy and values and are more open to hearing about the Faith.

In His Service,

HC