LETTERS

I am writing to say "goodbye" to you all through the Journal as there is not enough time to write to everyone individually. We are leaving for Australia to join our three sons already living there and we will see whether it is the will of Bahá’u’lláh for us to stay permanently. Already many teaching activities are being planned for us over there.

Our recent teaching trip to Cyprus with a group of six devoted Bahá’í was very successful. A visit to Ipswich arranged by the Bahá’í friends there resulted in a meeting with the Mayor, a favourable newspaper article and a radio interview.

During the last seven years I have been travelling in this country and around the world continuously. With the support of your prayers, the prayers of the Universal House of Justice and the National Spiritual Assembly and the spirit of the martyrs, many doors which were previously closed to the Faith have been opened. Each time, upon my return from a teaching trip, I have written a report to the Universal House of Justice. From time to time the Bahá’í Journal has printed stories of my teaching activities.

These travels, with the help of Bahá’í communities, the media and many non-Bahá’ís have resulted in over 2,000 newspaper interviews and articles worldwide, over 400 television appearances and more that 1,000 radio interviews, talks at universities, colleges, schools and meetings arranged by various organisations. I have witnessed well in excess of 2,000 new Bahá’ís joining the Faith during these activities and many more have declared since then.

This has happened as a result of putting trust in Bahá’u’lláh and obeying the instructions from the Universal House of Justice. It has not been hampered by my poor command of the English language, nor by the lack of financial resources.

When we trust in Bahá’u’lláh and obey our Institutions, hearts will be set ablaze and doors will open. The dynamic power of Bahá’u’lláh’s message will overcome all obstacles. People are responsive and they are hungry for his message. I have witnessed this happening everywhere with people from every background. I have shared the message on aeroplanes, trains, buses, on the street, in parks, in airport waiting lounges, in plane cockpits, at weddings, you mention it, people are ready and waiting!

As the Universal House of Justice says in the Ridván message, 156 - "The days pass swiftly as the twinkle of a star" - the time is now and we cannot afford to waste even one minute. I will be praying for the success of your teaching activities.

I can be contacted through the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia.

Olya Roohizadegan

This is such a common sense idea that I wonder why I didn’t think of it before. When you lend someone a book to introduce them to the Bahá’í Faith read it yourself as well! - even though you have read it before.

When I was first investigating the Faith I read "Elements of the Bahá’í Faith" by Joseph Shepherd and enjoyed it so much that I often recommend that book to others. It seems to me that if one of my friends is learning about the Faith through the chapters of a certain book then I can travel on that journey with them by reading it at the same time. This will give us specific points to discuss and we can compare ideas about the issues raised.

If we are able to share the Faith in this way there is much more opportunity for learning and closeness than by giving someone a book and leaving them to get on with it.

Those of us who are too busy to read books could just give out leaflets! (joke).

Anne Maund

Carole and I were recently on holiday in the Southwest of England, and on our return journey to Orkney we spent a few days with Mrs Shomais Afnan in Stratford-upon-Avon district. During the visit we paid our respects at Dr Abbas Afnan’s grave. It brought back the fondest of memories.

He and Shomais introduced us to our wonderful Faith almost forty years ago when, along with their children Massoud and Tarone, they pioneered to Burnley. Their household radiated love in all directions. The spirit of harmony was at times electrifying and it invariably attracted all the early Burnley Bahá’ís like a magnet. We simply couldn’t keep away. Something like fifty people became Bahá’ís during their time there and Abbas and Shomais lived their lives in a spirit of service to us all. The intensity of their devotion left an indelible impression on us which we have not forgotten to this day.

My abiding memory of Abbas was the undiluted quality of innocence which permeated everything he did. It was not the innocence of childhood or naivety, but instead that of a mature unblemished spirit that impressed itself on us all, and it protected Abbas in all his activities, particularly when the Faith or he himself was under attack.

Abbas and Shomais created an early ‘entry by troops’ in Burnley by tireless work, willing sacrifice, and making a spiritual atmosphere in their home, each in their unique way, which we had never encountered before. They were team players of the highest calibre, each the counterpart of the other. Their sacrifice was amply rewarded and still the seeds of that glorious time are growing across the world.

Peter and Carole Fothergill