Observations from Colombia: An Upcoming Series

Benefiting from the Experiences of Others

In its December 28, 2010 message the House of Justice reminds us that “[w]hile the friends in a cluster might well benefit from the experience of those who have already established the necessary pattern of action, it is only through continued action, reflection and consultation on their part that they will learn to read their own reality, see their own possibilities, make use of their own resources, and respond to the exigencies of large-scale expansion and consolidation to come.”  

Keeping this guidance in mind, we feel compelled to share some highlights from the report of an American believer who recently visited Colombia, which examines how the Bahá’í community in that country is learning to meet the requirements of sustained-large scale expansion.  The report shows that the cluster agencies there are using an array of approaches to engage the Bahá’ís in the process of community building in diverse settings.

During her visit, the believer participated in planning meetings for 3 different clusters, a home visit with a new believer, a meeting with a cluster institute coordinator and her assistants, a neighborhood children’s class, a tutor gathering, a book 2 study circle, a junior youth group, and a reflection gathering. There are some common practices highlighted in the report that contribute to unity of thought, consistency of action, and a dedication to learning at the cluster level.  And those are qualities that every Bahá’í effort should have. The report is brimming with observations, which we’ll share over the coming weeks.  Stay tuned for the first post from this report, next.