CommuNIqué - Newsletter of the Bahá'í Community in Northern Ireland
Issue 102 - 14 Sultán 161 BE - 1 February 2005 CE

 

FROM THE BAHÁ’Í COUNCIL

 

Dear Friends,

‘REACHING OUT’ - FORGING LINKS WITH THE WORLD

It has been said, in the past, that Northern Irish people are inward looking. This may or may not have been true. It is certainly not true for our small but dynamic Bahá’í community of some three hundred souls. Not only has a substantial part of our community been on pilgrimage but many have travelled to other countries over the years.

There now being Bahá'ís in every part of the world we can relate deeply when catastrophes occur. Our hearts have recently ‘reached out’ to all who have suffered in the tsunami disaster affecting so many lands, all of which have National Spiritual Assemblies. The Council is delighted to see that BASED-UK has launched its tsunami appeal. The money will be sent to these National Assemblies affected and used for long-term needs. We heard that the National Spiritual Assembly of India has donated 250,000 Rupees (about £3,000) to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund, and that a Bahá’í in Pondicherry (South-east India), who managed to swim to safety, has set up a relief effort there with the help of the Bahá’í community. He reports that there is enough food and water but hardly any medicines.

News came via one of the Lake family, in Indonesia at the time, “Just to let you know that so far as we know Mentawei, Padang, Bukittinggi, Jakarta have not been affected by the tsunami. Mentawei was the miracle case since it is along the chain of islands with Nias. Nias had over a hundred dead and massive damage. The high waves of over five meters did reach Mentawei but somehow the impact was negligible. We know that the friends in Mentawei are safe. We know that there is a special protection for them.”

Whatever disaster or problem arises in any country of the world – even if we do not know any one there - we can deeply empathise with their people, knowing that our brothers and sisters are living and working there for the same vision which we struggle to establish in Northern Ireland. We are beginning to see the reality of the earth truly being one country.

Another recent ‘reaching out’ was the excellent support given to the friends in Edinburgh. The Council is very proud of fact that fifteen Bahá'ís travelled, braving the elements, to experience the marvellous programme presented by the Spiritual Assembly of Edinburgh where those taking part walked in the footsteps of the Master. The Centre project there is our goal as much as the friends in Scotland or any other part of the United Kingdom.

Our youth, as well, have ‘reached out’ many, many times, travelling and serving in too many countries to mention! We are confident that, come what may, the friends within our growing community will continue to ‘reach out’ internationally, nationally and (especially) locally to our friends and neighbours, helping them to join us in our work for mankind.

With warmest greetings,
Bahá'í Council for Northern Ireland.

 

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