New believer registers self and children online

Almost every day, individuals are taking the opportunity to declare their belief in Bahá’u’lláh online at the public Web site www.bahai.us. The following story of an online declaration has several elements that are worthy of reflection. First, this individual had been previously studying the Faith several years ago, and her interest was reactivated by a home visit from a teaching team. Second, she wanted to register her children in the Faith as well, and this was also accomplished online. (Repeat that: you can register your children in the Faith online!) Third, friends at the national, regional and cluster levels worked together to ensure that her enrollment—and her children’s enrollment—was completed in a smooth and timely manner. The following emails tell the story.

Email 1 to regional seeker response specialist:

Dear J,

Congratulations on another online declaration in your region!

Two questions: Do you know if this new believer has attended any core activities? If so, you can record this in the SRS database. . . .

Second, you mentioned that __ wants to register her children. Do you mean that she wants to register them as Bahá'ís, or simply register them for a children's class? They can of course be registered online, just as she did for herself. She should note in the comments section of the form that she is the parent of the child, for each registration.

Warmly,

L

Email 2 from the regional seeker response specialist:

Dear L and A

This is exciting!

I’m copying this message to the area teaching committee secretary, who has been __’s teacher. I know __ attended a few gatherings a while back. A, could you shed some light on if they were core activities?

Also, in speaking with A yesterday, he indicated that __ had provided him with all the info for her children for them to be registered as Bahá’ís. I took him online to see if we could figure out how to do the registration there, but couldn't remember where we indicated the parental intentions.

So now, with the information L has provided, A can go to the site I showed you at www.bahai.us and enter in each child. Then write in the comments section that 1) you're submitting it on behalf of __, 2) include the text of __’s email requesting that her children be registered.

The Local Spiritual Assembly secretary also got back to me indicating that she thought she finalized __’s enrollment through eMembership, but there seems to be a little hiccup in the process.

I hope this helps and we can see it through to completion over the next day or so.

Warmly,

J

Email 3 from the area teaching committee secretary:

Hi J,

I just finished registering __’s children. I added in the comments section the email request from __. Please let me know if this suffices or if I need to do anything else.

The gatherings that __ previously attended were children’s classes and devotionals, and I think also a fireside. This took place 3-4 years ago. Then during a recent IPG, a teaching team happened to go to her home and she was immediately responsive. Ya-Bahá’u’l-Abha!

Many thanks,

A

Email 4 from the regional specialist:

Thank you, A!

I got the registrations and they look good. I just need to insert __’s Bahá’í ID number, once I get it. I’ll check with the Local Spiritual Assembly secretary and then we’ll get it finalized promptly.

Great work!

J