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(US, AZ, 14 November)
This report from an Arizona B-stage cluster provides some central insights about how to motivate the friends in service and build trust and rapport with a target population. It also underscores the merit of immediately offering seekers and declarants consolidation activities they can contribute to.
● In order for people to commit to service, they need to feel that they “own” their role in the process. One way to achieve this is to ask them to do something specific and then report back on their experience. Keeping data is another way to help the friends take ownership of the process.
● Because we are holding study circles, children’s classes, home visits and devotional meetings at the same time every week in one neighborhood, the residents now know they can expect us to be there at that time. It has also helped the believers to participate in a collective effort based on unity of vision.
● Attentive consultation with the residents allowed us to understand that a key need of the community is an English class. So weekly afternoon English classes are being held and are well attended.
● In meeting the challenge to assist all members in the cluster to find their niche in the Five Year Plan, we have learned to focus on the guidance. This helps everyone understand that teaching can occur in a variety of venues.
● Because we are holding study circles, children’s classes, home visits and devotional meetings at the same time every week in one neighborhood, the residents now know they can expect us to be there at that time. It has also helped the believers to participate in a collective effort based on unity of vision.
● Attentive consultation with the residents allowed us to understand that a key need of the community is an English class. So weekly afternoon English classes are being held and are well attended.
● In meeting the challenge to assist all members in the cluster to find their niche in the Five Year Plan, we have learned to focus on the guidance. This helps everyone understand that teaching can occur in a variety of venues.
The new believers and family members are quickly involved in the core activities:
★ One had been studying the Faith for several years, including online. She contacted the National Center and it has been clear sailing ever since! Both she and her husband declared and registered their children. Currently at their home there is a weekly children’s class, junior youth group, and a Book 1 study circle occurring simultaneously!
★ Another couple enthusiastically declared their Faith during Anna’s presentation after hearing of the sacrifice and suffering of the Blessed Beauty. They immediately requested study sessions to learn more of their new Faith.
★ Three other young people declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh after hearing Anna’s presentation. Two of them immediately began studying Book 1 with their teacher. Another member of the family has been studying the Faith and always seeks us out when we are visiting the neighborhood. He is participating in a Book 1 study circle each week as well.
★ Another couple enthusiastically declared their Faith during Anna’s presentation after hearing of the sacrifice and suffering of the Blessed Beauty. They immediately requested study sessions to learn more of their new Faith.
★ Three other young people declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh after hearing Anna’s presentation. Two of them immediately began studying Book 1 with their teacher. Another member of the family has been studying the Faith and always seeks us out when we are visiting the neighborhood. He is participating in a Book 1 study circle each week as well.
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Abdu’l-Bahá returning to his home on Haparsim Street in Haifa
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Thousands upon thousands, embracing the diversity of the entire human family, are engaged in systematic study of the Creative Word in an environment that is at once serious and uplifting… As they call on one another in their homes and pay visits to families, friends and acquaintances, they enter into purposeful discussion on themes of spiritual import, deepen their knowledge of the Faith, share Baha’u'llah’s message, and welcome increasing numbers to join them in a mighty spiritual enterprise. Aware of the aspirations of the children of the world and their need for spiritual education, they extend their efforts widely to involve ever-growing contingents of participants in classes that become centres of attraction for the young and strengthen the roots of the Faith in society. They assist junior youth to navigate through a crucial stage of their lives and to become empowered to direct their energies toward the advancement of civilization.
– The Universal House of Justice, Ridván 2008
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(Excerpted and adapted from the teaching blog, report from an individual believer in West Valley, AZ (B) http://teaching.bahai.us/2008/11/building-trust-in-west-valley.html ) (Image reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community)
(US, VA, 23 July)
This is a remarkable report that illustrates how the confirmations from on High will shower upon whoever arises to carry out Bahá’u'lláh’s weighty ordinance to teach the children of the world. Specifically, it is about learning to apply the guidance given to us by the Universal House of Justice in the form of the Ruhi Institute course (Book 3) ‘Teaching Children’s Classes’.
With prayer, a group of teachers try to start a children’s class and one forms almost spontaneously! The openness of the families and the enthusiasm of the students are truly delightful.
While the door-to-door teaching was going on, two adults, four youth, and two children gathered at a small park on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. They set up picnic blankets in the shade under a tree and asked Baha’u'llah to send some children. Immediately, three boys approached the teachers and were invited to attend the children’s class. It turns out the mother of one of the boys had declared her belief in Bahá’u’lláh a couple months ago! They were very excited, so two Baha’i youth accompanied them to their homes, explained what the children’s classes were, and the parents and care-givers happily agreed to sign permission slips.
A few moments later, the teachers noticed some children in the front yard of a near-by home. Two Baha’i youth approached the mother, showed them the invitation to the children’s classes in Spanish, and received permission for her three children to join the class. Ten minutes later, the woman’s sister brought her two daughters to the class as well. So, within 15 minutes, there was a class of 8 children, all eagerly sitting on the picnic blankets ready for the class.
The teachers used the lessons from Ruhi Book 3 and taught the children a prayer, some songs, and a quotation by Baha’u'llah about unity. They ended the lessons with cooperative games and coloring. Two mothers stood nearby and enjoyed listening to the lesson and encouraging their children to participate. One mother rushed to her home in the middle of the lesson and came back with a pitcher of juice and some cups so all the children could have something to drink.
On Saturday, the children were asked to memorize the quotation by the next day. Sure enough, on Sunday, five children were completely prepared to share the quotation they had ALL memorized. All eight children who attended on Saturday came rushing back to the class the next day, ready for more, and all the children were invited to attend future classes as well. The children ranged in ages from 4 years to 10 years old, and they were all brilliant stars!
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Children and their teacher in Colombia
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Man is the supreme Talisman. Lack of a proper education hath, however, deprived him of that which he doth inherently possess. Through a word proceeding out of the mouth of God he was called into being; by one word more he was guided to recognize the Source of his education; by yet another word his station and destiny were safeguarded. The Great Being saith: Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom…
- Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 259-60
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(From an update from the Intensive Program of Growth in the A-stage Loudon County, VA cluster) (http://teaching.bahai.us/2008/07/another-gem-from-loudoun-county-va.html) (Image reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community)
(US, Northeast, July 2008 )
The following is a list of possible avenues of service (though by no means exhaustive) that we ALL can consider carrying out in our lives (or better: make habits of). In this way we will fulfill directly the purpose of our creation, according to Bahá’u'lláh, “to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization”:
- Setting up time to speak with friends and give them parts or all of Anna’s Presentation
- Reaching out to neighbors and inviting them to dinner and discussion about the Faith with prayers
- Starting a neighborhood children’s class
- Sharing and discussing a prayer with a friend or co-worker
- Hanging out in coffee shops and starting conversations with people about the Faith and religion
The means to carry out each of these vital services have (potentially) been given us through group study of the Ruhi institute books, notably Books one, two, three and six. In applying the knowledge gained through such studies, assistance is meant to be at hand for the participants in the form of a tutor who has completed the prescribed practices (as in the avenues above) himself, and who should be ready to support and walk together with us in taking our initial steps along these paths. Ultimately, through persistent and courages practice, we should become able to sustain these activities on our own initiative. The House of Justice wrote in 2005:
A discernible outcome of the emphasis on capacity building has been a steady increase in the exercise of individual initiative… Endeavours are pursued in a humble posture of learning within the framework defined by the Plan.
(Universal House of Justice, 27 December 2005, my emphasis)
And in this year’s Ridvan message we read:
In previous messages we have referred to the impetus that the institute process imparts to the exercise of initiative by the individual believer. The friends in every continent are engaged in study of the Writings for the explicit purpose of learning to apply the teachings to the growth of the Faith. Remarkable numbers are now shouldering responsibility for the spiritual vitality of their communities; energetically, they are carrying out those acts of service befitting a healthy pattern of growth. As they have persevered in the field of service to the Cause, maintaining a humble posture of learning, their courage and wisdom, zeal and acuity, fervour and circumspection, determination and trust in God have combined all the more to reinforce one another.
(Universal House of Justice, Ridvan 2008, my emphasis)
“A humble posture of learning” is one of the recurring themes in the House’s messages of late. Can you name others?
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Resting places of The Purest Branch (Mirzá Mihdí) and Navváb, the wife of Bahá’u'lláh, in the Monument Gardens on Mount Carmel
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In truth, the hearts of men are edified through the power of the tongue, even as houses and cities are built up by the hand and other means. We have assigned to every end a means for its accomplishment; avail yourselves thereof, and place your trust and confidence in God, the Omniscient, the All-Wise.
- Bahá’u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, §160
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(Suggestions given by an Area Teaching Committee (ATC) in the Northeast for those not participating in the door-to-door teaching campaign of the Expansion Phase of their Intensive Program of Growth, adapted and expanded) (Image reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community)
(US, NV, 2 June)
Here is an inspiring story of a believer who arose with a teaching partner to teach a children’s class, and how they were confirmed in their service:
I have been teaching children’s classes since the beginning of the last cycle. It’s been three months now and each time I go to the neighborhood the same thing happens: the second I set foot on the property all the children from my class start to gather around and want to know what’s going on! Most of the kids in the class are not Bahá’ís. So, I decided to do two things today. First, to talk to the families of the children about the Bahá’í Faith, and second, to have the children in my class introduce me to new families who may want to send their kids to the class. With that, we went out.
As the children in our class gathered around we asked them if they wanted more of their friends to help us. They all gladly agreed! All of the doors were now open to us as the children guided us to every building and insisted that we not miss any of their friends! I was delighted to see that already these children had friends of every background. I was further delighted to see an eight year old Spanish speaker in my class insist on going with us to every house. He even spoke to all the families that I wouldn’t have been able to reach. We were even going to doors where people had previously indicated they were not interested in hearing about the Faith. My prayer partner looked at me and asked ‘Do you think we should go to these homes?’ Before I could reply the children started knocking on the doors. For the next hour and half we visited eight homes with wonderful results. ALL of them wanted their children to attend the class. Just like that our class tripled in size!
(Report from the Area Teaching Committee in the Southern Nevada “A” stage cluster)
As we read in “Anna’s presentation”, one of the laws of the Faith is the education of children. In the words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá:
Therefore, the beloved of God and the maid-servants of the Merciful must train their children with life and heart and teach them in the school of virtue and perfection. They must not be lax in this matter; they must not be inefficient. Truly, if a babe did not live at all it were better than to let it grow ignorant, for that innocent babe, in later life, would become afflicted with innumerable defects, responsible to and questioned by God, reproached and rejected by the people. What a sin this would be and what an omission!
(Bahá’í World Faith, p. 398-399)
The following letter written on behalf of the Guardian will inspire any would-be teacher to arise to carry out this vital service (just think of the children in your family or neighborhood!):
If the friends always waited until they were fully qualified to do any particular task, the work of the Cause would be almost at a standstill! But the very act of striving to serve, however unworthy one may feel, attracts the blessings of God and enables one to become more fitted for the task.
Today the need is so great on the part of humanity to hear of the Divine Message, that the believers must plunge into the work, wherever and however they can, heedless of their own shortcomings, but ever heedful of the crying need of their fellow-men to hear of the teachings in their darkest hour of travail.
(From a letter dated 4 May 1942 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, Guidelines for Teaching, #1952)
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Hand of the Cause of God Rahmatu’lláh Muhájir with children
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(http://teaching.bahai.us/2008/06/day-5-of-southern-nevada-s-expansion.html) (Image reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community)
Regular core activities and training in Anna’s presentation lay a foundation for successful teaching efforts
(US, CA, 1 May)
The following report from a recently launched intensive program of growth shows how core activities nourish the teaching efforts of the believers:
Today is day number one for door-to-door teaching at one apartment complex where one of the friends has been teaching a children’s class for over a year. There are about 200 adults and children in this complex, and more than 30 are already part of the community of interest.
This evening two of the friends started teaching. They knocked on one door of a home where family members are already participating in study circles and children’s classes. During this visit, three people declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh.
For certain, a new spirit is permeating this cluster. Friends are calling and asking to receive training on delivering Anna’s presentation more effectively; young adults have recently called and asked to consult on how to be more outward looking and how to use Anna’s presentation, and the Local Assemblies are quickly and nimbly responding to the Plan and to collaboration.
(Report from the Santa Clara County West “A” stage cluster)
(http://teaching.bahai.us/2008/05/story-received-april-26-620-pm-in-many.html)
