Ballyrory House in Claudy (district of Londonderry)was the venue for a meeting of young minds and hearts in August. This gathering of nineteen youth was organised by the Baháí Council for Northern Ireland and assisted greatly by Auxiliary Board Member Ann OSullivan.
The aim of the weekend was guided by the letter from the Universal House of Justice to the friends gathered at the Youth Conference in the United Kingdom, 1 January 2010:.
'Your earnestness, your energy, your intrepid determination not to shirk the demands of this Day mark you out for this all-important undertaking. Ably trained, spiritually enkindled, and eager for experience, you have arisen to seize the initiative in your immediate surroundings and beyond. The need for you to apply yourselves to service in two capacities in particular--as teachers of children's classes and as animators of junior youth groups--has never been more apparent
Beyond these specific fields of activity, you must not refrain from acquainting your peers with the potent, the compelling, the world-embracing mission with which you are charged.'
The youth present contributed greatly to the studying of the above message and selected parts of 2010 Ridván message from the Universal House of Justice:
..understanding the implications of the Revelation, both in terms of individual growth and social progress, increases manifold when study and service are joined and carried out concurrently. There, in the field of service, knowledge is tested, questions arise out of practice, and new levels of understanding are achieved. (Paragraph 9 of the 2010 Ridván message)
''It signals the significant strengthening of a culture in which learning is the mode of operation, a mode that fosters the informed participation of more and more people in a united effort to apply Bahá'u'lláh's teachings to the construction of a divine civilization, which the Guardian states is the primary mission of the Faith. (Paragraph 19 of the 2010 Ridván message)
The youth shared and reflected on their experiences in the field of junior youth empowerment programmes. Their feedback on building this momentum and improving the quality of these gatherings was most useful to the Baháí Council. Great craic was had by all and participation was total. The inspiring and fun weekend was capped of with individual youth pledging to get involved in running or assisting childrens classes and junior youth groups, some pledged to share the vision of the weekend with their peers and others pledged to start the training offered by the Ruhi Institute.
No doubt our institutions and committees (North and South) will assist these youth to be at the vanguard of the work of the Cause.
Friends gathered at a recent meeting in Newtownabbey to discuss pioneering and hear about opportunities for UK Baháís to serve the Faith overseas.
Current UK Pioneering Goal: To fulfill its goal of 250 pioneers for this Five Year Plan, the UK Bahá'í community must raise up another 61 short or long-term pioneers. Can you arise? 1. Take a Year of Service; 2. Move to another country for 6 months or more (in special circumstances, 3 months may be sufficient).
The Baháí Council For Northern Ireland sends it best wishes to recent and imminent pioneers Arjang & Edwina Agahi (Templepatrick to the Far East), John Anderson (Banbridge to the Far East), Courtnay Giffin (Markethill to Tonga), Mahan Hashemi-zadeh (Newtownabbey to Sweden), Nason Maani (Coleraine to the Far East), Dobby & Naryan & Viny Robinson (Coleraine to the Far East) and Eddie & Marie Whiteside (Newtownards to Cyprus). These friends have contributed to the goal of 250 pioneers (short and long term) set by the National Spiritual Assembly in this current Five Year Plan.
The Baháí Council For Northern Ireland remembers at each meeting the friends from Northern Ireland who have pioneered around the world.
They that have forsaken their country for the purpose of teaching Our Cause these shall the Faithful Spirit strengthen through its power . . .Such a service is indeed the prince of all goodly deeds and the ornament of every goodly act. Baháulláh
BACK TO CONTENTS PAGE