A collection of just some of the Social and Economic (SED) endeavors that took place in the United States and each represents examples of fixed duration activities.  Many of these are the result of junior youth group activities.

• Street clean up and recycling project, Chicago, IL*
• Fundraiser for a mom with cancer in Santa Rosa, CA*
• Abrahamic Women's presentation on the role of women in their Faith in University Hts, OH
• Adopt-a-Highway cleanup project in Selden, NY
• Art Camp for Kids in Rockford, IL
• Tree planting in Lake Oswego, OR*
• Community garden and food bank in Fargo ND,
• Ayyam-i-Ha donation of food to an emergency pantry in Burlington, VT
• Free health clinic by volunteer doctor(s) for those without insurance, in Fairfax, VA
• Donation of toiletries and non-food items to women/children’s center in South Bend, IN
• Parade float of youth with a sign “No room in my heart for prejudice” in Gresham, OR
• Planted trees and shrubs in bird sanctuary Forest Preserve in Waukegan, IL
• Beach cleanup in Shoreline, WA
• Book donations to book bank in Lake Bluff, IL*
• Bikes for the World collection and repair charity in Greenbelt, MD
• Bingo in a nursing home in Fort Smith, AR*
• Blessing Bags stuffed with basic needs for homeless in Reno NV*
• Virtue rocks and hot cocoa give-away by children’s class in Bellingham, WA
• Stop Bullying campaign in Albuquerque, NM*
• Slave Cemetery restoration in Hendersonville, TN
• Children’s Peace Garden in Dayton, OH
• Climate Change panel discussion in Gainesville FL
• Clothing drive in Louisville, KY*
• Sewing warm hats for cancer patients in Blackfoot, ID
• Fundraiser for Ugandan Bahá’í School in Manhattan Beach, CA
• Dedication of historic Black park in Mcallen, TX
• Navajo Canyon Habitat Restoration in San Diego, CA
• Food drive in Renton, WA*
• Suicide Prevention in Washington, DC
• Meal preparation for homeless in Evanston, IL*
• Making comfort bags for foster children in Spanaway, WA
• Free English conversation classes for migrants and refugees in Spokane, WA
• Girls Rising spiritual study and positive social activities in Peekskill, NY
• Good Guides mentoring program in Peoria, IL
• Gospel Music workshops in Los Angeles, CA
• Healing the Racial Divide community dialogue and service series in Decatur, GA
• Health screening camp for the homeless in Vienna, VA
• Making hygiene kits for homeless children in Encino, CA
• Pancake breakfast in Upland, CA*
• Pet support drive for the Humane Society in Casa Grande, AZ
• Police against violence community discussion in High Point, NC
• Public discourse on race unity in Alexandria, VA
• Empowerment of women workshop in Clearwater, FL
• Spanish translators for community health clinic in Woodstock, VA
• Soul Food Sundays monthly character-development classes for youth in Ellington, CT
• Overcoming violence through an arts conference in Chicago, IL
• Dental health project in Portland, OR*
• Trafficking/protection of minors multi-Assembly study session in Rancho Cucamonga, CA

*Denotes a junior youth group project

New Baha’i youth, teaching from “the middle of the woods,” an answer to prayers

Seth, 17, called the Baha’i House of Worship asking how to become a Baha’i.  He shared "I truly believe Baha'i is best for me."

He said he is from a small town in Georgia “in the middle of the woods.”  He is the only Baha'i there and teaching many.  Presently he is engaged with teaching his atheist friend who asked several questions about the Faith and has taught his ROTC Sergeant who asked about his Kitab-i-Aqdas book.

A Baha’i who met him shared “He is an amazing 17 year old from Southern Georgia, about 2 hours from Atlanta,  who has studied many different religions and is attracted to the message of Baha'u'llah because of its unity of all races and people.  He also believes in Progressive Revelation and sees how all religions are connected.” 

Baha'is had been praying in that area recently and were very excited to hear of Seth's interest in the Faith, an answer to their prayers!

 

 

 

 

“Whoso openeth his lips in this Day..."

“Whoso openeth his lips in this Day and maketh mention of the name of his Lord, the hosts of Divine inspiration shall descend upon him from the heaven of My name..”  --Baha'u'llah

After a Baha'i opened his lips about the Baha'i Faith, Laura of Tacoma, WA accepted the Teachings and registered online followed by her husband 4 days later.  Laura shared a little bit about her spiritual path:

She explained she was raised Christian and believed in God and that Jesus was a “Great Messenger of God,” but never felt that was the right path for her, and had not been involved in a religious community for a few years because she could find no like-minded people. She says she always thought everybody was equal, not that men were better able. She never understood why people disliked other religions - to her "it's all the same God."

Laura said she had heard of the Baha’i Faith several years ago, but last week while walking in her neighborhood, her son ran to play with some boys, and their father, Joseph, began to talk to her about the Baha’i Faith. She then searched online, reading about the Baha’i Faith on Wikipedia, bahai.org, and bahai.us, and requested more information online. They were invited to a devotional, which they really enjoyed, and found very comfortable. Laura says she believes the teachings of Baha'u'llah are God’s teachings for today, and that the Baha’i Faith “made sense… it sparked something in me… it felt right.”

Four days later her husband also registered online after realizing that the Baha'i teachings were what he had believed for a long time. He said he was reluctant to sign up at first because he believed the religions all had the same weight and didn't want to commit, saying he was one religion.  He said he is in a rock band, just got a record deal and hopes to be able to work in what he loves. He was told about current efforts to put Baha'i Writings to music, and was very interested in getting involved in that.    

 

 

 

Seekers immediately participating in service

Abigail of Washington DC is a new Baha’i who is currently going to devotions and firesides and wants to start a study circle. 

In late January 2017, Abigail viewed the Rainn Wilson interview with Oprah. She then was so desperate to contact Baha'is she made a profile on 'Baha'i Singles' She made contact with a Baha'i named Hassan serving in South Carolina full time. Abigail made a visit to the DC Baha'i Center Sunday morning devotional program at the DC Baha'i Center where she met some other Baha'is. Abigail has a family background involving Evangelical Christianity. The Baha'i she met at the DC Center comes from the very same background and may be a strong resource for her in the future.

In the meantime, the Baha’i she met on the website, Hassan, made arrangements to travel to DC to meet Abigail.  The Area Teaching Committee Secretary put Hassan into contact with fellow ATC member doing home visits just that morning.So Abigail & Hassan did home visits together.

This is the second recent seeker that was able to meet a Baha'i and participate in a service activity the same day. This is a fascinating development within the cluster where seekers are able to participate in diverse activities during their initial meetings with Baha'is. Before it was being invited to a devotional or fireside. Now it is participating in a junior youth group activity, a children's class or, in this case, accompanying a home visit. 

SED Endeavors: More examples in the United States - 15 "fixed" and 7 "sustained"

More examples of FIXED duration projects underway across the United States in Riḍván 2016

• Gatherings to discuss such topics as the equality of men and women, education of children, parenting, and health, in Rockville MD
• Homework assistance in an apartment complex, in Bethlehem, PA
• Toiletries for homeless girls and youth, a service project in Pleasanton, CA
• A one-week service camp for children with projects for several organizations, in Corvallis OR
• Using arts as a means of building community, a collaboration in Clarkston, GA
• Making Collars for and Visiting Guide Dog Puppies, in Manatee County, FL (a junior youth project)
• A food drive for local food bank, in Peachtree Corners, GA (a junior youth project)
• An environmental trail clean-up, in Chula Vista, CA (a junior youth project)
• A health camp for junior youth, in Boston, MA
• A lemonade stand fundraiser for a local children’s hospital, in Arlington, MA
• Participation in a City-wide Roadside Clean-up Day, in Marquette, MI
• Carmel Baha'i School for Youth and Jr. Youth: Building Vibrant Communities summer camp in Fall Creek, OR
• An Indigenous Gathering, hosted by the Continental Board of Counselors in Houck, AZ
• Planting a garden with kids, in Edinburg, TX
• Volunteering at a soup kitchen in Evanston, IL

More examples of some SUSTAINED ENDEAVORS reported within the United States . . .

• The Mona Foundation, an educational program in Kirkland, WA (visit: https://www.monafoundation.org/)
• A Bahá’í Choir for World Peace, in Baltimore, MD
• The Bahá’í Chair for World Peace, at the University of Maryland, MD (visit: http://www.bahaichair.umd.edu/)
• The Unity Museum, an educational endeavor, in Seattle, WA (visit: http://unitymuseum.org/)
• A scholarship Fund to local community college, by the Local Assembly of Walla Walla, WA
• A recording studio which promotes wholesome musical arts, spoken word, and oral history in Dallas, TX
• Parent University in Savannah, GA (visit:  https://www.facebook.com/ParentUniversitySav/)

SED Endeavors in the USA - 30 examples of FIXED duration projects & 5 examples of SUSTAINED endeavors

A collection of just some of the Social and Economic (SED) endeavors that took place over the past year, represent examples of fixed duration activities. Many of them are the result of junior youth group (JYG) activities.

• Assembled "survival kits" for homeless youth shelter clients, in Seattle, WA (a JYG project)
• Assisting with Soup Kitchen at a homeless shelter, in Denver CO (a JYG project)
• Adopt-a-mile road clean up, in Alpharetta GA (a JYG project)
• Produced a video about the environment and recycling by an elementary school, in Chicago, IL
• Tai Kwan Do classes for children & junior youth, in Conway, SC
• A science & religion workshop hosted at Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute, in Hemingway, SC
• Forest stewardship, in Northbrook, IL
• Tree planting, wall painting, volunteering at breast cancer walk, volunteering at an animal shelter, in Fresno, CA (JYG projects)
• Made bird feeders for nursing home and school, in Lewisville, TX (a JYG project)
• Homework Assistance Thursday at the San Diego CA Bahá’í Center
• Manicures at a nursing home, in Nashville, TN (a JYG project)
• Beach clean-up, in Richmond, CA (a JYG project)
• Mistletoe Sale to benefit homeless shelter, in Cottage Grove, OR (a JYG project)
• Food for Lane County food bank, an agricultural-community garden project, in Eugene, OR
• Syrian Refugee project, in Phoenix, AZ
• Blankets for seniors in assisted living centers, in Grand Rapids, MI (a youth and young adults project)
• Education is not a crime campaign, in Rancho Mirage, CA
• Slave Cemetery Clean-up, in Hendersonville, TN
• Made blankets, took them to homeless shelter serving families, in Des Moines, IA (a JYG project)
• Car wash fundraiser for trip to the UN to benefit refugees, in Hopewell, NJ (a JYG project)
• Participation in city-wide planning to identify issues and create solutions, in Rockford, IL
• Disaster prep workshop, for health & safety, in Vancouver, WA
• Teach knitting and crocheting to students in after school program, in Florence, OR
• Seminar on “What is Our Path of Service for the Betterment of the World?” in Adamstown, MD
• Ayyam-i-Ha Pet drive, collected supplies for humane society shelter, in Casa Grande, AZ
• Participation in a peace event organized by Interfaith Council, in La Mesa, CA
• Organized children’s activities during school breaks at the Maplewood Library, in Rochester, NY
• Panel discussion on World Religions, at Ball State University in Muncie, IN
• Painted outdoor furniture and cleaned up retreat center, in Dallas, TX
• Stuffed “Blessing Bags” with basic needs to handout to homeless, in Everett, WA (a JYG project)
• Carmel Baha'i School for Youth and Jr. Youth: Building Vibrant Communities summer camp in Fall Creek, OR

Some examples of sustained endeavors reported this year.

• WLGI, radio Bahá’í (http://wlgi.org/) in Hemingway, SC
• Tahirih justice Center (http://www.tahirih.org/), for protection of immigrant women & girls, in Falls Church, VA
• Multicultural Health education for minorities, in Sarasota, FL
• Health for Humanity (http://www.healthforhumanity.us/), bringing together people and resources to solve problems, in New York, NY
• The Children’s Theater Company (www.facebook.com/CTCNYC),  bring out the voices of children and youth for positive change, in New York, NY

Examples of SED Endeavors across the USA

Some examples of social and economic development endeavors underway across the country . . .

o   Planting a garden in a neighborhood in Naples FL with another organization

o   Offering seminars and scholarships through the Esperanza Foundation in Portola CA

o   Church-sponsored talks, potluck and speakers on MLK Day in Scottsville VA

o   “To Light a Candle” documentary on religious and educational freedom, across the USA

o   Roadside cleanup in Grand Rapids MN

o   “Education is not a Crime” seminar and consultations, across the USA

o   Pet rescue volunteer service in Trophy Club TX

o   Clothing drive in Camas WA

o   Student Virtues Aware program to high school students in La Crescenta CA

o   Tutoring program in Bethlehem PA

o   Earth Day Fair on climate change in Milford MI

o   Race Equality Discourse in Rocklin CA

o   Brilliant Stars Park cleanup in Fontana CA

o   Trash Bash neighborhood cleanup in Richardson TX

"I am 19 years old and . . . I am so happy"

Ken contacted the Bahá’ís and shared this about his discovery of the teachings of the Faith. He is now engaged with other youth within his university.

I am 19 years old and for years [I] have researched endlessly [about] religions and their beliefs. I have read many scriptures and have even taken courses in order to provide an idea of what faith I truly believe in my heart. I had not found it until last night when I had a revelation after reading an article about unity of faith. And that was by a Christian! All of my stress and internal turmoil was immediately alleviated. I am so happy. Soul filled with true joy, and I have been led to this faith :)

 

 

The laws within the Bahá’í Faith are timely at this time in human history

Karri is in her mid-20s.  She registered her decision to become a Bahá’í on www.bahai.us. The local Bahá’í who called her to talk about the decision to declare shared this about how she became engaged in community life.

Her interest in the Bahá’í Faith began three years ago, during a World Religions class in which each person was instructed to attend services from three different faiths of their choice, and one of Karri's choices was the Bahá’í Faith.  She has already studied the books “Reflections on the Life of the Spirit” and “Arising to Serve” with a local Bahá’í.  She also attends prayer devotionals in the community.  Her interest in the Faith included the fact that she is a social worker and she feels the laws within the Bahá’í Faith are timely for society at large at this time in human history. 

 

 

The Bahá’í Faith: "It's a good fit."

Jenna decided she wanted to become a member of the Bahá’í  Faith and registered her declaration online at www.bahai.us.  Here is what she shared about her initial interests in learning more about the Faith.

“I am interested in exploring the Bahai Faith. I have recently spoken with a friend about beliefs of the Bahai Faith, and it seems to make more sense to me than Christianity. I have long struggled with the idea of organized religion, so have done very little to pursue connection with one particular church. I believe there is one God, and I crave a personal relationship with Him.  . . . phone contact would be best, as my husband would be skeptical about my interest with Bahai.”

The Bahá’ís who met with her share this about Jenna's journey.

Jenna has a daughter who will be seven in a few weeks. She considered registering her daughter as well, but wanted to be sure that the father was in agreement before doing so.  The daughter is currently attending children's classes at a local church in order to have some spiritual exposure.  She and her daughter have read Bahá’í prayers together; she is looking for parenting support among the Bahá’ís.  She has also reconnected with the old high school friend who first introduced her to the Faith almost 2 years ago.  Jenna is an educator and finds that the message of the Bahá’í Faith about the beauty of diversity and the goal of a unified world resonates with her both spiritually and professionally.  She shared with me that, "It's a good fit."

 

From further conversation to finding friends with common interests

Jennifer called 800-22UNITE (800-228-6483) for more information about the Bahá’í Faith.  This is what she shared about herself.

“My mother has been involved in Bahá'í for many years [and] we were discussing a lot of things and she suggested it again to me so I decided to call. I like the idea of the betterment of relationship of cultures.”

The friends in the community were happy to call her back and meet with her. This is what they shared.

Jennifer attended our devotional on Saturday. She showed much interest, had questions about the brochures I gave her, and she has connected with a Bahá’í in the community with whom she has many similar interests.

 

How the Baha'is of Baltimore responded to the crises

In April 2015, the tragic death of Freddie Gray plunged the city of Baltimore into turmoil.  Although much public attention was placed on the symptoms of civil unrest, protests and in some cases, violence, conversations across the city increasingly brought into light the unmet need for unity as an underlying condition. In neighborhoods, communities and a city working to continue on a path of development, the ties that brought groups of people together to work towards a common cause despite differences of age, class, race, religion or other social boundaries were called on to contribute to reconstruction of the city, in bricks and in spirit.   

In the acute phase of unrest, the Local Spiritual Assembly began consulting on how efforts could be made to contribute to the city’s development, and began with a call over email to community members to decentralize [activities] into neighborhood gatherings open to all, to create a space for learning and consultation. This began a process . . .  structures of the Bahá’í community were able to provide a scaffold for building bonds of friendship, unity, and community development. 

The response of the Baha’i community to crises in Baltimore City included several lines of mobilization by . . .  

·        adapting the current framework of activities to meet the needs of unity in neighborhoods

·        expansion of activities to meet these needs

·        mobilizing groups of people who have been serving together to carry out conversations and acts of service

·        working alongside other groups to contribute to community development

·        use of social media for conversations and outreach

In exploration of ongoing activities . . .

•        Feast was adapted into "unity" Feasts, resulting in an increase in participation, both from community members and generality of friends.

•        The Holy Day event was adapted to discussion about ongoing crises in Baltimore City.

•        Devotionals were both adapted and expanded to address needs for unity.

•        Study circles were adaptable to provide a space for discussion.

•        Junior youth were mobilized to be of service and to carry out conversations in the city. In both cases, members of the public expressed appreciation for services and voices of the young.

•        Home visits and quality of connections within increased during the most acute phase of the crisis.

 

SED: Dialogue on Race & Ethnicity in Baltimore

The friends in Baltimore share how they responded to questions about race.

We were invited to join with the First Unitarian church of Baltimore in an ADORE (a dialogue on race and ethnicity) on Friday, May 1st. From the Baha’i Community we had youth and junior youth and adults [many from the wider community joined us].  We initially shared a pot luck meal together and were able to meet the members of the church as well as their other guests. Then we gathered and everyone introduced themselves. Interestingly, almost all the youth were from the Baha’i Community. There were also members of other Unitarian churches from around the area and members of the Maryland Ethical Society and some individuals that did not identify themselves with any organization. We then all watched a TED talk that focused on institutional racism. This was very informative; the audience then was divided in groups of 2 for a 15 minute dialogue to come up with a message to help Baltimore city's problems of racism. Everyone was told to pick a person that they did not know before and a different age group than themselves. This encouraged our youth to hold dialogues with adults.

At the end of the small group conversations, then people had a chance to share what they talked about. Every one of the youths that attended from the Baha'i community, bravely raised their hands and shared their thoughts. Even the youth that are usually quiet during youth group felt empowered to share. This was impressive sight to hear them eloquently express their thought and paths of action with a large group of people they had never met before.

After this discussion the Unitarian Minster shared a few words and let everyone in an exercise of breathing in and breathing out. Then we were invited to join this dialogue again on June 12th. The members of the Unitarian church then held lighted candles and went outside to stand in a vigil and sing songs about Unity. Some of the Baha'i Community members joined in as well.

This was very educational for the junior youth group and it was very refreshing for the Unitarian Church to have the youth involved. Speaking to one of the members, she stated that they are [learning about] engaging their youth, and she was interested in activities to join our youths together. She may bring her daughter to the next junior youth group meeting on Friday.

SED: Samples of endeavors reported for 2015

Some examples of social and economic development endeavors underway across the country . . .

o   Planting a garden in a neighborhood in Naples FL with another organization

o   Offering seminars and scholarships through the Esperanza Foundation in Portola CA

o   Church-sponsored talks, potluck and speakers on MLK Day in Scottsville VA

o   “To Light a Candle” documentary on religious and educational freedom, across the USA

o   Roadside cleanup in Grand Rapids MN

o   “Education is not a Crime” seminar and consultations, across the USA

o   Pet rescue volunteer service in Trophy Club TX

o   Clothing drive in Camas WA

o   Student Virtues Aware program to high school students in La Crescenta CA

o   Tutoring program in Bethlehem PA

o   Earth Day Fair on climate change in Milford MI

o   Race Equality Discourse in Rocklin CA

o   Brilliant Stars Park cleanup in Fontana CA

o   Trash Bash neighborhood cleanup in Richardson TX

SED in Ithaca NY: "We still have time"

The Ithaca Junior Youth Group was formed in November 2010, and since then the participants have been involved in different service project in the community: 

o   They’ve performed step dances in several local Festivals (like the Food Justice Summit, the Boricua Festival or Juneteenth) to raise awareness about the power of youth to make changes and the potency of united work.

o   They’ve raised money for several causes - some of them sponsored by local organizations (like the SPCA of Tompkins County or Green Star Community Projects), and some of them international (like Hope is Life Foundation and one of their schools in Haiti, or Mujeres Solares in Costa Rica).

o   They’ve supported local efforts to ban the use of plastic bags in Ithaca by organizing video forums in their neighborhood and their own middle school classrooms, collecting signatures, and participating in public meetings to support this cause.

In 2012 it started in Ithaca a project organized by the Public Art Commission (PAT) called "21 Boxes", which according to that commission: "[the] Artwork displayed on electrical boxes functions as a form of communication to a moving audience with the goal of creating a safe, inclusive and inspired urban environment. Successful proposals will foster community good will and become a beacon of neighborhood pride." That project has been happening every year since then.

The participants of the group, all of them very artistic oriented, felt in love with the idea of painting one box, using it as a way to share a positive message with the people of Ithaca. By the end of 2013 they submitted a proposal which was approved, and they painted during May and June of 2014. The process of thinking of what to paint it was itself a great experience of consultation and reflection. This is how they described their mural:

"With our mural, called 'We still have time', the Junior Youth Group illustrates our desire for a happy future where people live in harmony with each other and nature, thus we created an image of a bright future. The buildings are powered by alternative energy. People get around the cities on foot, bike, and mass transit. Unity is depicted by little people holding hands and kids feeling safe to play outdoors.”

All of this is painted along the bottom of the painting/drawing in black silhouette, without color. The sky is a gorgeous collaboration of stars and beautiful colors, the style similar to starry night. A small fun detail that will appeal to youth is a TARDIS time machine from “Doctor Who” flying through the sky, which plays on the idea of time and the future."

I didn't understand why the churches were not in unity

“I had a job in a northern town of Indiana. It was a long way from where I lived and I had to drive to the job site. On the day the job started, I arrived early and had some time to kill. I was walking around the parking lot near where the job was and I saw a water logged piece of paper lying on the ground. I picked it up and it was a pamphlet about the Baha'i Faith. I carefully opened the pages and started to read the information. I started to think that this is what I believe. I was raised a Southern Baptist and didn't believe all that I was told. I didn't understand why the churches were not in unity . . .  I went online and found the Baha'i website and registered."

I was never a devout Christian to begin with . . .

“ . . . I was never a, "devout," Christian to begin with. After a lot of research and reading about the foundations of the Baha'i Faith, I really agree with a lot of them. I think one of the ones that stood out for me is that we are all one. Not necessarily segregated due to religious beliefs. I remember at Christmas, my uncle was asking why I didn't bring [my Baha’i boyfriend] with me. He was out of town visiting family, but also he does not celebrate Christmas. Then of course the whole family surrounded me, and asked me what his beliefs were. When I said he was a Baha'i, they were really confused and made some jokes about it. My mom and I have also talked about it, and she seemed to be really put off at first, and she said, "Well, I don't really know what that is... But if he doesn't believe in God, then . . ." I interrupted her, and corrected her. I think it just scared her a bit, because she was afraid I would end up with someone who does not believe in God! Lol. But I really like the fact that it unifies all social classes, nationality, culture, and religious beliefs. I feel like it focuses a lot on peace and kindness. Practicing patience, and serving your community, which are all things that I am very passionate about, as opposed to condemning people for their wrong doings  . . . .  I don't think any type of religion should do this to anyone . . .”

 

It made a lot of sense; it clicked for me

Julie shared . . .

“It made a lot of sense; it clicked with me.  I started going to weekly meetings that started with the Báb and 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Bahá’u'lláh and His journey and the Holy Land and the Universal House of Justice.  Someone shared a video about the youth conferences that went on and the fun activities that the youth activities did that made me excited about starting up some things here in Iowa.  My sister is working with some young girls and I've been interested in getting study groups together or community activities.   I learned more about Bahá’u’lláh, then I finally made a conclusion.  I really enjoy the faith.  It brings a lot of feelings and a lot of positive things have happened since I learned about it.  Every time I read the scriptures, it gives me positive feelings . . . I saw the video how we focus on the junior youth group age.

Even before I found the Faith I found there shouldn't be division of people because we’re all humans, all created by God for a reason.  That's why I felt lost in the Christian household.  That's why I'm glad I found the Bahá’í Faith.  It answered a lot of questions.  I didn't know which way to go and it just made so much sense and made me so happy.

It’s so exciting to learn about Bahá’u’lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá.  It’s the dawn of a new day, the dawn of a new cycle, great to be living in these times.”

 

 

I cannot overstate the degree to which this Faith has chamged my life

Anthony shared . . .

“One year ago today I took a blind step into the world of the Bahá’í Faith, this after becoming acquainted with it through a series of very brief evening broadcast spots on National Public Radio and having spent several months investigating it further online….Prior to the call back I received from a representative about 24 hours later, I had not met a single Bahá’í . . .

I was attracted to its explicit commitment to the unification of humanity, and its core principles of religious and scientific harmony, eradication of prejudice, equality of men and women, and proposal for a universal education, among others. I cannot overstate the degree to which this Faith has changed my life. I believe I have grown more in the short space of a year than in the past 5 years. From coasting through life depressed, isolated, and disenchanted, I had quickly emerged into an active member of my community and have cemented many strong friendships.

I have now made it a priority of mine to help guide the youth in my community along their own path of spiritual empowerment and enlightenment, as this is where we will begin to bear witness to the fruits of incipient change. I am overflowing with thankfulness and am duly humbled by the sheer level of enthusiasm and rapidity with which I have been accepted into the Baha’i family. I truly do feel like I have 'come back home'. Serving, fellowshipping, and worshipping among my brothers and sisters has endued me with a renewed sense of purpose and belonging. I heartily await what the future holds for me.”