Persistence!!!

This couple from the New York, NY (A) cluster could have given up after initial setbacks in their efforts to establish a junior youth group. But their determination to continue supporting the activities of the Five Year Plan highlights the importance of both persistence and flexibility in achieving eventual success.

“My wife and I moved across the cluster to help start a junior youth program at a local middle school. The school had welcomed a Bahá’í initiative to start a junior youth program using the animator books. We were very excited. We moved in and tried to follow up but one obstacle after another arose from the school. We kept praying and hoping for a door to open. While we waited we got to know the Bahá’ís who lived in the neighborhood and began sharing the Faith with our neighbors. It became clear the school was in slow motion and they finally suggested we try again next summer.

We were disappointed and decided to try to start a Ruhi book 1 in our home instead. We visited a few people we had met and discovered that they had junior youth interested in doing some activities. Within the week we had the first session! We had the Book 1 in our living room and the junior youth and animators started Breezes of Confirmation in the bedroom. It was wonderful! We started with prayers all together and sang a children’s song in Hindi, which was hilarious because no one could get the words and hand gestures right. At the end of the session we all came back together to share prayers and quotes. It turns out both groups had memorized the same quote: “…let your heart burn with loving kindness for all who may cross your path.” We laughed in amazement and then enjoyed refreshments.

Over time, we did home visits to share more about Bahá’u’lláh with the seekers and get to know some of the parents better. Keeping things simple, with just a few people in our home, has turned out to be wonderful. We wished the school opportunity had worked out but look at what Bahá’u’lláh did: He helped all the participants truly connect their hearts together as we deepened on His beautiful teachings. It was truly a breeze of confirmation.”