The purpose of this conference, (along with the other 41 conferences around the world) was to celebrate the achievements of the Baha'i global community, as well as to discuss the current needs of the Faith.
It's becoming more clear to the world that civilization must advance spiritually as well as materially. It is our goal at this time, as Baha'is, to focus on providing classes for children, junior youth and youth, assisting them in the development of spiritual faculties, hosting devotional gatherings (gatherings with the purpose of praying), and joining or facilitating study circles (a way of systematically studying the the Word of God and then translating it into action in the form of service to humanity).
On our way back, Sasha fell asleep and it gave James and I the chance to talk a lot. We realized how much work there is to be done, and how we can be a part of this "global enterprise".
It was inspiring to see this new baha'i culture: an incredibly active, vibrant and diverse community. We've come to see that, as Baha'is, we are not just peaceful, passive members of society who talk about unity. We are followers of the Promised One of all ages who are actively working towards building a new civilization through systematic and sustainable processes.
It was inspiring to see so many people working towards the same goal.
"By the rectitude of their conduct, the sincerity of their love for their fellow human beings, and the ardour of their desire to serve the peoples of the world, may they vindicate the truth proclaimed by Baha'u'llah that humanity is one." - The Universal House of Justice
Here are some pictures of only a few of the many people we saw and met.
Sasha with her friends:
With my friends whom I haven't seen in ten years!
Alain and Russell with their beautiful daughter:
And here with Colin:
Sasha with her old friend Ayyan:
Colin and Jason :
One of the friends from our local community, Babak:
Our sweet friend from Chile, Gabriela:
Trading hats:
There was no program for the children, so Gabriela and I rounded them up for a little while, and had a little class with songs and games:
2 comments:
Nice post! I'm glad that you and James are so inspired and have a clear vision of the road ahead. Sjona and I just got back from the LA Baha'i conference and are also inspired.
Yes there is a lot of work to be done. I think the biggest challenge and opportunity is getting everybody involved in a form of service that compliments their natural skills and interests. Here in Albuquerque there are a lot of people who don't like door to door teaching. Fortunately that is the easy part; the hard part is the consolidation phase, which requires diligent follow up and integration of new Baha'is and seekers into community life.
Well said ARIA!
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