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

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.

 

Pastor and deacon join forces with Bahá’ís

Pastor and a deacon learn of Faith, deacon “shedding tears of joy,’ with “no ifs, ands, or buts, that this is from God:” Both want to join forces with Bahá’í community. Here’s the story that was shared.

A deacon and a pastor who were riding in the car together called 800-22UNITE. They had met two Bahá’ís on the train on the way from Chicago to a town in the south.

This deacon was on fire with excitement and said he was shedding tears of joy. He said he had 'no ifs, ands, or buts,' that this was from God. He had heard of the Faith before but not in depth. He and his companion on the train, a pastor from the south, have a “Universal Catholic” church that is a sect of Catholicism apart from Roman Catholicism. He had met two Bahá’í pioneers, a mother and daughter, pioneers in China and Singapore who were visiting a relative in the same town as the church. Both of these clergy were most touched by the message of unity of religions and mankind shared with them about the Bahai Faith. Both were eager to receive more information, so packets with cover letters were mailed out right away. The pastor also requested literature in Vietnamese and Thai because he will be traveling to Vietnam and Thailand in a few weeks and wants to share literature with others and meet the Bahá’ís there! The deacon is so excited to meet with Bahá’ís in Texas and Louisiana.

AN UPDATE: A local Bahá’í shared this update with the community.

I was able to talk to the pastor by phone today, after we met with the Bahá’í mother and daughter over lunch. A group plans to attend his Sunday service tomorrow. He also invited me to participate in his Bible Study class on Tuesday, and go out for coffee afterwards. [I plan to do so.] The pastor is very definitely interested in joining forces with the Bahá’í efforts in the community.  

Over dinner: I was profoundly affected by the youth!

One family shared this story about how they were touched by youth visiting them for dinner and sharing the spirit of fellowship and love!

A group of 12 youth arrived Friday and just left last night. They deepened on letters from the House of Justice,prayed and made plans for their three-week campaign. The booklet that was compiled must have been done by the Counselors. Two of the youth who are orchestrating the group had travelled to Montreal and received deepening there. Three of the youth were Native Americans. One Native American chanted prayers. It was out of this world! Before the youth left he chanted a gratitude song with his drum, and each youth came up to us and hugged us and thanked us for the weekend. I am still on cloud nine! It touched me most profoundly.

The impact of this visit continues to resonate . . .

I can't tell you strongly enough how profoundly I was affected by the Native American chanting. He would cry out from his heart and the while house would reverberate! Another youth plays for [a] youth Symphony. She played her violin for us. It was like being at a professional concert! I was eating dinner when she started to play her violin. I couldn't pick up my fork! Her music reverberated throughout the house and everyone became silent.  . . .  They are now out in the neighborhoods [inviting] preyouth to the animators classes, praying together 3 times a day and [studying together in] book 5. Things are changing nation-wide.

I Had Baha’i Beliefs Before I Knew the Faith Existed

Sometimes we receive several blessings at once. A response coordinator shared this story about a youth who contacted her through an online conversation and then enrolled in the Baha’i community the same day. She then heard some wonderful news about the Baha’i community where the young woman who just declared resides.

The coordinator began the conversation by text...

Hello! I am a member of the Baha’i Faith responding to your inquiry. Do you have questions? I look forward to hearing from you.

The young woman then responded:

Yes, is it a requirement to go to a prayer circle or can I worship independently because there are no Baha`i centers near me?

The coordinator explained that worship is between an individual and God, and includes more than prayer. The youth texted back:

Can you clarify? I agree with all the central beliefs, I actually had all Baha’i beliefs even before I knew the Faith existed, but I don't understand what obligatory prayer is or if there are any special ways to worship.

The coordinator then explained obligatory prayer and community devotions:

Sure, there are obligatory prayers that a Baha’i must say once every 24 hours. There are three obligatory prayers and you can choose one of the three. We do not have congregational prayer, but we do have devotionals where people gather and pray together, people from all religions.

She then explained the wider concept of worship in the Baha’i teachings:

There are no clergy in the Baha’i Faith. Worship is not just prayer but every act you do that is conducive to the well-being of mankind and for the love of God is considered worship. Your profession, your art is a divine gift, and a form of service.

The coordinator included a link to an app for Baha’i prayers. The young woman then responded:

Thank you. I think I want to join the Faith. What should I do next?

The coordinator encouraged the youth to call her directly so that they could have a conversation about the fundamental verities of the Faith. She did and they talked for about an hour, and then joined the Baha’i community!

Not only are the youth’s parents supportive of her decision, but “out of the blue,” the coordinator received a call from a Baha’i in the very same community where the youth just declared.

The news? The Baha’is called to inform the coordinator that their community was able to form a Spiritual Assembly, the local Baha’i governing council, after several years. Though she is too young to be elected to the Assembly, she will receive the nurturing and support of a brand new one within her community!

The response coordinator wrote:

It just happened to be in the community this young lady who has just enrolled lives in! This is so typical of the Concourse on High assisting. I don't usually panic because Baha'u'llah is always there. (Sometimes I think I am just numb.)

In the book Paris Talks, ‘Abdu’l-Baha states:

In the Bahá'í Cause arts, sciences and all crafts are counted as worship. The man who makes a piece of notepaper to the best of his ability, conscientiously, concentrating all his forces on perfecting it, is giving praise to God. Briefly, all effort and exertion put forth by man from the fullness of his heart is worship, if it is prompted by the highest motives and the will to do service to humanity. This is worship: to serve mankind and to minister to the needs of the people. Service is prayer. (Paris Talks, p. 176)

SED: Creating community unity through the Drive-In Theatre

Irene shared this news about her community and a creative way that one volunteer stepped forward to create community unity using a Drive-In Theatre!

I'm thinking of another project getting little notice:  The [city] Drive -In Theatre.  It is an initiative of one quiet person . . . with a purpose of creating community unity within different neighborhoods . . .  [He] contacts the various neighborhood community centers and available fire stations and sets Saturday night dates with them during the summer in which he will bring video equipment and family theme movies, set up an outside screen or use the side wall of the center, advertise the film that will be showing, both in the neighborhood and online, inviting the neighbors to bring their lawn chairs, their children and come and meet their neighbors and watch free old favorite movies.  The community centers are hungry for this kind of service.  The project requires maintaining contact with local police patrols, community centers, fire station staff and local businesses, maintaining his personal equipment and developing a long and growing email contact list.  It is fun.

SED: Local activities that benefited charities and agencies like "Tail Wagging Tutors"!

Sharon from Florida shares news of activities that have been underway in her community . . . 

I was pleased and happy to complete the National Statistical Offices survey request for Social Economic Activities in [our] Cluster.   Over the past year there have been a number of projects reported to me as the Statistical Officer that exemplify this Baha'i Communities commitment to outreach.   We saw a number of one-time activities that benefited local charities and agencies like the collection of food, clothing, and sporting equipment.  There was the creation of beautiful crocheted blankets, braided bracelets and hand painted rocks for critical ill adults and children.  We have Baha’is sharing principals of love and unity in yoga classes and monthly picnics that stress the importance of friendship and community building.  We have teams of specially trained dogs and owners engaged in a weekly literacy program "Tail Wagging Tutors" at the local library that impact 20-40 children.   Each month a new virtue and song is emphasized so these children are being exposed to moral and spiritual concepts.  This project has been in place weekly for 20 months and without fail.  We have a second therapy dog team [nearby] that visit nursing homes, rehab and juvenile units to just bring a smile to those they meet.   A few of these activities were newsworthy and received newspaper coverage. 

Sharon also looks to the future and importance of information sharing . . .

All of these activities are a vital part of that spirit of Baha'u'llahs that ask us to be generous with our time and resources and to always help those in need.  It is wonderful that the Department of Statistics at the World Center is interested in our efforts.  As such I will encourage our local community to continue reporting these valuable and far reaching efforts.

SED: A Bahai-inspired educational endeavor CGIE!

Keyvan responded to the request for information about social and economic endeavors (SED) in his community.  He shared this with us!

 

"[I] do have had a non profit Baha'i inspired educational organizations called Center for Global Integrated Education (CGIE). We do have trainings and working with college interns to facilitate integrated education of children and their parents, junior youth and youth and empower the community at large through it.

You can see some of our activities on our two websites and Facebook

www.cgie.org/blog

www.kidsidebyside.org

The mission of Center for Global Integrated Education, Inc. (CGIE) as a non-profit organization is . . . 

to develop, support, and promote integrated educational programs and materials; to foster the development of full human potential; encourage the preservation of global natural resources; and inspire the creation of unity among diverse peoples of the world.

 

Precious Souls Engaged in Community Building

In the Great Plains region of the United States, a wife and husband made the decision to study other religions besides their previous church. Living in a community where there were Baha'is, a family introduced them to the Teachings of Baha'u'llah. Even though the Baha'i family eventually moved away, the couple continued their investigation of the Faith online. The wife and her husband eventually contacted other Baha'is in the area, and decided to join the community as members.

A Baha'i friend of this energetic couple shared how these two new believers had immediately begun to serve their new community: “They are both involved in core activities with the other Baha'is in the area. They all have home visits constantly every week. There isn't a week that goes by when they don't visit their other Baha'i friends.”

Amazingly, the couple's service to the Baha'i community does not stop here. They then decided to move to another city in their state in order to become “home-front pioneers” because there were few believers there. In fact, in deciding where they would move next, they chose a community in order to help form a local Spiritual Assembly!

The same Baha'i friend related that the couple visited another community:

“...to see how children classes are handled here. They are taking all the great things they have learned back to their home community. [They] plan to start children classes with children in their [own] neighborhood. These two have done so much to help contribute back to their community and they both have emphasized how they want to continue giving back.”

“Thank you for sharing their wonderful activities,” wrote a member of the Auxiliary Board for their region. “It’s exciting that these precious souls are so engaged in the community building and learning processes.”

Stay tuned: Watch for the next story about these dynamic new community members in a few days!

Social and Economic Development: An expression of faith in action

“Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.” ~ Baha'u'llah

Bahá’í development projects are a global enterprise where Bahá'ís act locally to learn to translate Bahá'u'lláh’s teachings into action to resolve problems.  Organic urban gardens . . . a children's theatre company . . .child and junior youth day camps . . . literacy programs . . . community peace festivals . . . community beautification projects . . . a parent university . . . women on the move . . . These are just some of the endeavors underway across the United States that illustrate lines of action taken through grassroots initiatives and evolutionary growth.  Such activities undertaken by Bahá’í communities range in scale and sustainability. Each strives to put in place community-wide learning and capacity building while addressing immediate needs.

Share here examples of endeavors that channel the talents and energies of individuals in your community in service to humanity.

A new believer shares: “I think of Baha'i as a way of life”

A woman, who is a polyglot and a professional linguist, visited the Baha'i World Centre in Haifa Israel. She shared this message when reaching out to the American Baha'is at www.bahai.us:

“I visited the Baha'i Centre in Haifa last year. Since then, I wanted to get involved with Baha'i religion. I was contacted last year by a member, but could not answer as I had to travel abroad for family reasons. Now I would like to meet with someone to get more information.”

A Baha'i who lives near the woman reached out to her by visiting her home, leaving a prayer book, and how to contact her for more information. The Baha'i later shared that:

“I had a wonderful conversation on the phone with her this evening. I learned that since her visit to the Baha'i Centre in Haifa last year she has considered herself a Baha'i.”

With her husband, the Baha'i made another visit to the woman’s home. Together they discussed the fundamental verities of the Baha'i Faith, engaging in a conversation like Anna that they learned themselves while studying from the sixth book in the Ruhi sequence of courses. The woman posed a question about Baha'i identity:

My husband and I had a wonderful visit. Her only question was 'What does one do as a Baha'i?'

To investigate this question, the woman along with the Baha’i and her husband joined together to study the course “Reflections on the Life of the Spirit” which discusses the principles of service to the community, meditation on the Word of God, spiritual growth, and the importance of daily prayer.

Already this new believer has begun to serve her community by hosting a study group within her home. She has begun to identify herself as a Baha'i, and is demonstrating knowledge of the Baha'i teachings. The Baha’i shared that she is now an enrolled member of the community.

At the end of the evening she expressed one reservation. She said 'I have trouble thinking of this as a religion. I think of Baha'i as a way of life.' We talked some more about that in terms of ‘What is the definition of religion?’

Bahais believe...

“To be a Baha'i simply means to love all the world; to love humanity and try to serve it; to work for universal peace and universal brotherhood.” - Abdul-Baha

Youth Who Declared Online: “Where has this been all my life?”

Here is a brief story from the Midwest region who encountered the Faith online thanks to an important Baha’i number—see below—and declared her belief online.

We have a new youth declarant who actually signed up online. She has been contacted and came with her parents to a Holy Day party last Friday. She brought her dad and stepmother too. She didn't know this, but there are so many connections. Her stepmom is Muslim. She has worked at a company since she came to the U.S. more than 15 years ago, which is owned by a Persian Baha'i. The stepmom has been aware of the Faith for a long time. Completely separately, the youth found and studied the Faith online and declared before she met any Baha'is. She has been brought up learning about numerous faith traditions. Her birthday is on the ninth of the month, so she has always been drawn to the number 9. She was Googling 9 sided symbols when the Baha'i Faith kept coming up. She studied about the Faith and said ‘where has this been all my life?’ Wow!

Regarding Baha’i youth who enter the arena of service, Baha’u’llah writes:

Blessed is he who in the prime of his youth and the heyday of his life will arise to serve the Cause of the Lord of the beginning and of the end, and adorn his heart with His love. The manifestation of such a grace is greater than the creation of the heavens and of the earth. Blessed are the steadfast and well is it with those who are firm.

(The Compilation of Compilations vol II, p. 415)

An Atheist: Baha'is “Instrumental” in Bringing People Together

The Baha'is in the northwest United States received this message from a self-described 'spiritual atheist.' The inquirer writes how the Baha'is were “instrumental” in bringing people together, and shares that many like him “would like to see more understanding among all of us.”

                                                                                                   

I am not interested in joining any group but I am interested in unity of a broad nature. Years ago the Bahai's were instrumental in bringing people of all faiths and beliefs together at the local county building. Is that happening anywhere in the area? Is it possible to have it happen again in our area? I am a spiritual atheist and it is possible. Do not laugh. And even so, there are those of my ilk who would like to see more understanding among all of us. Your group tried to do this in the past and I do think it did have somewhat of a positive effect. It would be great if a group like yours would spearhead something like this again. Just a suggestion. The world and it's people are growing more and more apart and if we do not do something to halt it we will be worse off for it. Just a thought.

In the Arabic Hidden Words, Baha'u'llah writes:

O CHILDREN OF MEN! Know ye not why We created you all from the same dust? That no one should exalt himself over the other. Ponder at all times in your hearts how ye were created. Since We have created you all from one same substance it is incumbent on you to be even as one soul, to walk with the same feet, eat with the same mouth and dwell in the same land, that from your inmost being, by your deeds and actions, the signs of oneness and the essence of detachment may be made manifest. Such is My counsel to you, O concourse of light! Heed ye this counsel that ye may obtain the fruit of holiness from the tree of wondrous glory.

A Cancer Survivor: His demeanor, faith and character—just amazing

This is a story of a cancer survivor who, sadly, witnessed a Baha'i suffering from terminal cancer. The Baha'i chose to end treatment, knowing that his body would succumb.

The cancer survivor writes about this experience:

I am a cancer survivor and I am in a cancer support group. There is a friend within my group who has cancer and has been through many treatments. The time had come where treatment is no longer helping. He has decided to end treatment. This friend is a member of the Baha'i Faith. His demeanor, faith and character—it is just amazing. I have never seen anything like this. He is ready for his passing, smiles and talks about it.

The cancer survivor then requested information on the Baha'is in the vicinity.

In the Arabic Hidden Words, Baha'u'llah writes:

O Son of The Supreme! I have made death a messenger of joy to thee. Wherefore dost thou grieve? I made the light to shed on thee its splendor. Why dost thou veil thyself therefrom?

Assisting Seekers of Truth – An “Amazing Experience,” Part 2

Last week the Teaching Blog shared the uplifting story of a woman who volunteered to contact seekers and accompany them on their spiritual journey. She shares:

I am an outgoing person and I cannot imagine a more exciting and rewarding service than assisting those who are seeking the Truth.

The Baha'i attempted to contact her next seeker three times—persistence—and finally left a message. She writes:

We spoke for 27 minutes and she thanked me over and over for leaving a message. It was as if she didn't know what to do next when she got the message. This seeker hesitated when I invited her to my home to learn about the Faith. So I invited her to a community center. When she understood where I live she said that she passed my neighborhood twice a week on the way to the local acupuncture school and that she lived very close to me. She was warming up!

The Baha'i then shared that her husband gives classes at the acupuncture school, and has a career with a government agency. Lo and behold, the seeker excitedly shared that her father works at that agency as well!

Suddenly, within a minute, I was no longer a stranger, the hesitation was gone and we talked about when she could come to my home. Again, it seemed that assistance from on high had unlocked the heart of the seeker.

She adds that:

One wonderful thing about the Seeker Response System is that it is local, we are neighbors with the seekers. So far it has not been difficult to find commonality and to overcome an initial lack of familiarity.

With the services that this Baha'i is giving to her community, can we not see what the Universal House of Justice speaks of in this passage? Regarding accompaniment, they write:

And in such a state souls labour together ceaselessly, delighting not so much in their own accomplishments but in the progress and services of others. So it is that their thoughts are centred at all times on helping one another scale the heights of service to His Cause and soar in the heaven of His knowledge.

The House of Justice emphasizes this growing practice by writing: “This is what we see in the present pattern of activity unfolding across the globe, propagated by young and old, by veteran and newly enrolled, working side by side.”

Thinking of the spiritual potential all around us, this Baha'i lady writes:

I am reminded that here in North America we are blessed by the footsteps of the Master and the knowledge that nowhere is the possibility for entry by troops greater than here. Please God we may achieve it!

And may we do so in that very spirit of love and sharing.

Assisting Seekers of Truth – An “Amazing Experience,” Part 1

Last year, a self-described “outgoing” woman volunteered to follow-up in her Baha'i community with a seeker that was referred to her in her community. She describes the invitation to respond to a seeker who asked to learn more about the Faith as “...an amazing experience.”

In its 2010 Ridvan message, having enumerated the main developments in the global Baha'i community, the Universal House of Justice describes “yet another advance at the level of culture,” a change with “far-reaching” implications: the importance of accompanying souls on their journey. The Supreme Institution writes about the merits of “accompaniment”:

It signals the significant strengthening of a culture in which learning is the mode of operation, a mode that fosters the informed participation of more and more people in a united effort to apply Bahá’u’lláh's teachings to the construction of a divine civilization, which the Guardian states is the primary mission of the Faith

The Baha'i reached out to the seeker, also a woman, and invited her to her home. Along with her husband, together they began a conversation like Anna (in Ruhi Book 6), sharing fundamental verities of the Baha'i Faith. After one session of looking together at the content in the “Reflections on the Life of the Spirit” (Ruhi Book 1), this Baha'i writes: “she declared.”

They met again, and this time the newly-declared Baha'i confided with her and her husband that she had a tragic, personal loss several years prior, and how the Bahai Writings provided her with comfort during a difficult time.

Later, after she had declared, she shared with us that after seven years of feeling no comfort, she felt so assisted by the Baha'i Writings and felt she was reading the Word of God. She said that in that moment she had made her decision to become a Baha'i,  it seemed as if the Concourse on High was guiding us to put what she needed into her hands.

The Baha'i writes that, “we presented her with two Writings from Abdu'l-Baha” regarding consolation.

Through accompaniment together, the journey continued for this new believer, as she later attended her first unity Feast with the Bahia community, and her own husband joined her. The Baha'i teacher shared the joy she observed about these new friends...

They were both radiant at the end and she commented that she would have a sore face tomorrow from all the smiling. They were overwhelmed with the love and the diversity of the friends.

The Universal House of Justice assures the Bahais of the transformative effect that the quality of relationships have among friends, and our communities:

In relationships among the friends, then, this development in culture finds expression in the quality of their interactions. Learning as a mode of operation requires that all assume a posture of humility, a condition in which one becomes forgetful of self, placing complete trust in God...

Through this Bahai, we can begin to see the quality of this interaction on her service to another...

I am an outgoing person and I cannot imagine a more exciting and rewarding service than assisting those who are seeking the Truth.

To be continued: Part 2 of Assisting Seekers of Truth

Junior Youth: A Community Transforming the World

In cluster after cluster around the country, the friends are learning more about the merits of the junior youth spiritual empowerment program, and its influence on the community and the household.

The Universal House of Justice in its November 14, 2012 message writes:

The merit of the junior youth spiritual empowerment program lies, first and foremost, in its effectiveness at enhancing the power of expression and the quality of spiritual perception within its participants and in assisting them to develop the capabilities necessary for a life of meaningful service to their communities. Repeated accounts from officials, parents, and young people themselves testify to the power of the program to shape character and bring forth the praiseworthy qualities latent in junior youth.

Recently, a mother with three children registered her belief in the Baha'i Faith on line at www.bahai.us, along with her children. She first heard about the Baha'i Faith when she was 10 years old from her sister who has now been a Baha'i for over 30 years.

Raised as a Roman Catholic, she eventually converted to Islam, and appreciated the Faith as a way of life and the restatement of spiritual laws brought by Muhammad.

She lived overseas while practicing Islam. However, she felt that she lacked a spirit of unity and community and looked up the Baha'is when she moved back stateside to the West Coast.

The regional seeker response coordinator in touch with this family of receptive souls shares:

One child participates in a junior youth group, and another child is attending the area toddler class. The mother is [also] already well connected to her local Baha'i community—attending a devotional gathering and participating in a Ruhi Book 1 study which she hosts in her home. As she has learned about Baha'u'llah, and His Teachings on progressive Revelation, she said ‘it all made perfect sense’ and she sees that she's been taking steps towards becoming a Baha'i all her life. She is so grateful that she and her children are now part of a community that is working to transform the world!

Enduring Results: “Everything made sense”

In its 28 December 2010 letter, the Universal House of Justice exhorts the Baha’is worldwide to:

…hold fast to the conviction that a direct presentation of the Faith, when carried out at a sufficient level of depth and reinforced by a sound approach to consolidation, can bring enduring results.

A married couple living the western United States recently entered the Baha’i community along with their children. Both hail from different countries in Europe, and both benefited from a direct presentation of the Faith, along with official follow-up, which had wonderful and enduring results.

As you’ll see, the wife became attracted through online research, and the husband's interactions with his wife and the Baha’i responding to their inquiry helped him embrace the Faith.

Despite living in the U.S. since the 90s, the wife regularly watches television from her native country in Europe. Last year she saw on report on woman and an Iranian Baha’i who married. She was particularly impressed by what the groom said about the Baha’i principle of gender equality.

So impressed, in fact, that she started researching the Baha’i Faith online. The Baha’is who followed up on her inquiries reported her as saying that “what she found out was exactly what she's always believed.”

The response coordinator shared that she:

…spent the entire day researching the Faith and knew all about the covenant, administrative order, and Baha'i laws, (e.g. prayer. and abstaining from alcohol). She really found out a lot and everything made sense to her. She mentioned the Twin Manifestations and that the Faith started in 1844. She was looking into the history of the Faith as well as the Teachings.

By the end of the same month, the wife declared her faith online and registered her children as well. In addition to her husband's interest and later enrollment, the wife's mother also registered online her interest in learning more about the Baha’i Faith.

In the same letter of December 28^th, the House of Justice asks the Baha’is to “strain every nerve” to ensure that the system we are working so hard to build “does not close in on itself but progressively expands to embrace more and more people.” In light of this married couple's sincere and open attraction to the Baha’i Teachings, the next sentence that the House of Justice pens is quite poignant:

Let them not lose sight of the remarkable receptivity they found—nay, the sense of eager expectation that awaited them—as they gained confidence in their ability to interact with people of all walks of life and converse with them about the Person of Bahá’u’lláh and His Revelation.

The response coordinator did have the opportunity to speak with the husband about “the Person of Bahá’u’lláh and His Revelation,” in the form of Anna’s Presentation, from Ruhi Book 6. The coordinator noted that he agreed with everything, affirmed the Baha’i laws that they discussed, and spoke about obligatory prayer.

The husband shared that as he grew up he became more uncomfortable with his upbringing in church, and had always believed in the unity of religion and of humankind. After his wife's enrollment, he began to read several Baha’i books and speak with her about joining the Faith. After contact with the regional coordinator, they decided to confirm his enrollment!

The oneness of humankind was also key in the wife's acceptance of the Faith, as the coordinator learned. Her prior marriage was with an African American man, with whom she had several children. The elimination of prejudice, the coordinator related, is something that she has always believed in.

After his enrollment in the community, the husband shared:

My wife and kids just became members and I have decided to join the Baha'i Faith as well. Thank you very much for all the work!

And, indeed, our work entails creating a community large enough to answer the needs of society and accepting more new members like this family. The Universal House of Justice writes:

…let them not forget the lessons of the past which left no doubt that a relatively small band of active supporters of the Cause, no matter how resourceful, no matter how consecrated, cannot attend to the needs of communities comprising hundreds, much less thousands, of men, women and children.