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Macau Bahá'í Community in the Early Years
by Barbara R. Sims
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chapter 10 | start page | single page | chapter 12 |  |
Chapter 11
We cannot find evidence that those Bahá'ís who were posthumously designated as Hands of the Cause, Miss Martha Root and Mrs. Keith Ransom-Kehler stopped in Macau, although they were in Hong Kong. Hand of the Cause Mr. Siegfried Schopflocher was also in Hong Kong for a week in 1927 but made no mention of Macau in the articles of his trip as printed in the Star of the West. It seems that several Bahá'ís in those very early days approached mainland China through Hong Kong, but they did not go to Macau.
According to our research, the first Hand of the Cause to visit Macau was Mr. Zikru'llah Khadem, on November 20, 1953. At that time there was only one Bahá'í living in Macau, Knight of Bahá'u'lláh Mrs. Frances Heller. Of that visit she wrote, "(I) received a telegram informing me of the arrival of our beloved Hand of the Cause and Bahá'í brother Mr. Khadem. I could not go to meet him for there was a typhoon warning. . . sat at home praying to speak to him over the telephone at least. About 6:30 A.M. my door began to rattle and who should be there but Mr. Khadem". Mrs. Heller herself had arrived in Macau only a month previously. She took him around to meet her neighbors. Mr. Khadem visited for the second time November 16, 1955.
Mr. Jalal Khazeh visited Macau on July 9 and 10, 1957, Mr. Shu'a'u'llah Ala'i December 9, 1959, Mr. A.Q. Faizi in January 1969, Dr. Ramat'u'llah Muhajir in 1972 and probably both earlier and later, Mr. Collis Featherstone made a one day trip to Macau May 17, 1966. In July 1968 he went to Macau with Counsellors Mumtazi and Yan Kee Leong. He again visited in 1972, and also later. Miss Alexander first visited on November 25, 1960. It was reported that she met all the Bahá'ís. Ruhiyyih Khanum included Macau in her itinerary several times, starting in 1972.
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It is thought that Mr. Zikru'llah Khadem was the first Hand of the Cause to visit Macau. This photo was taken during his second visit. He and wife arrived at 6 P.M. November 16, 1955 and left the next day. The Bahá'ís celebrated their arrival with a dinner at Long Kei restaurant with fifteen people attending, which included five non-Bahá'ís. After dinner Mr. Khadem spoke at a meeting at the Scherer's residence with 19 people attending, including eight non-Bahá'ís.
The Khadems were travelling throughout the Orient after attending the first Asian Regional Teaching Conference in Nikko, Japan.
Here Mr. Khadem, standing second from the right, is shown at the Scherer's residence. Mrs. Khadem is not in the photo. The Persian girl, Miss Haddat, sitting in front, was accompanying the Khadems on their trip.
The first visit of Hand of the Cause Mr. Khadem to Macau was in November 1953. At that time the only Bahá'í there was Mrs. Frances Heller. Mr. Khadem was visiting various Asian countries after attending the Asian Intercontinental Teaching Conference in New Delhi, October 1953.
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On July 9 and 10, 1957 Hand of the Cause Mr. Jalal Khazeh visited Macau on his way back to Teheran from Japan, where he had attended the first National Convention of the Bahá'ís of North East Asia. A special meeting was held in Macau and, according to records, Mr. Khazeh gave an inspiring talk to six Bahá'ís and nine inquirers.
Seated. Miss Catherine Liu, Mrs. Annie Liu, Mr. Khazeh, Mr. T.S. Lee, Mrs. Scherer and Mrs. Margaret Chang. Sitting on the floor is Mr. Yim. Standing. Dr. T.C. Liu, Mr. John Chang, Mr. Scherer, Mr. Joaquim Canhita, Mr. Lee, Mr. T.S. Chiao, Mr. Min Lee and Mr. Chu.
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Hand of the Cause Mr. Shu'a'u'llah Ala'i visited Macau December 9, 1959. He arrived at 6 P.M. and left at midnight.
The Bahá'í community of Macau held a meeting for the Bahá'ís and their friends at Mr. Chang's house. After the meeting everyone was entertained at a dinner given by Mr. Azizi at Long Kei restaurant. Seated. left to right: Mrs. Koo, Mrs. Pang, Mrs. Margaret Chang, Mr. Ala'i, Mrs. Yim and Mr. Yip. Standing: Mr. John Chang, Mr. Z.C. Yip, Mr. Jimmie Yuen, Mr. T.M. Wu, Mr. H. Azizi and Mr. Harry Yim.
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Hand of the Cause Mr. A.Q. Faizi visited Macau for one day in January 1969. He is shown here observing the sights. As he gazed at the mainland (in the middle background) the compiler recalls him saying he would like to live in Macau, near China.
The statue shown here is of Mr. Jorges Alvares, the first Portuguese to set foot in China, but that was in Hong Kong, not Macau.
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Mr. A.Q. Faizi speaking with one of the Bahá'ís in front of Mr. Yim's antique shop in Macau.
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Hand of the Cause Dr. Ramat'u'llah Muhajir (far right) visited Macau in the 1970s. From the left is Dr. Lai, Mr. Lawrence Ip, Mr. Charles Duncan and Mrs. Lai.
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Hand of the Cause Mr. Collis Featherstone is shown visiting with some of the Macau Bahá'ís in August 1972. From the left, Dr. and Mrs. Lai's child. Mr. Charles Duncan, Mr. Harry Yim, Mr. Featherstone, Mrs. Lai, Dr. Lai, Mr. H. Azizi and Mrs. Baby Cruz Mockon.
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Hand of the Cause Mr. Featherstone is shown in front of Harry Yim's shop "Bazar China". This photo was taken August 23, 1972. From the left: Mrs. Baby Cruz Mockon, Mr. H. Azizi, Mr. Featherstone, Mr. David Mockon and Mr. Yim.
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