Saturday, March 13, 2010

Be like the farmer.

As I sign in to our blog, and look straight away to the title "Caribbean Breezes of Confirmation", I am constantly reminded of all the confirmations that we have experienced in this great task set before us in the Central Cluster in Trinidad. We know and are aware that these confirmations come through the effort that we put forth, but at times it seems to me that confirmations come in mysterious ways - where we find opportunities given to us that seem to come with little or no effort put forth to receive them. I feel that this is due to many interrelated forces - some that we know of (like the rise in receptivity in the world) and others that are not so clear, like the power of prayer for example. One thing we can be certain of is that if we only arise to serve the Cause of Baha'u'llah, things will start to fall in to place.

A couple weeks ago, Andy and I had been discussing something that we had heard the Counselor comment on during the initial training for the Caribbean Initiatve - that we should really try to look for educated youth to help carry on the work of the Cause and that they would prove a source of great growth for the community. We were really noticing that the youth that we had talked to so far seemed to be heading right in this direction. One thing we really hoped for was to be able to work with more of these youth and see where they would lead the community.

A little later on, we received an email from one of the Baha'is that there was someone interested in learning more about the Faith that lived in our area and who we should contact. Andy called him up and it turned out that he was a youth in the university here and lived only a couple driving minutes away from where we are living. He came over to our house the next week and we were able to have a really nice conversation together about the Faith. We could tell he was very interested. After he left, we laughed about how we didn't even need to go out and look for these youth anymore - they were coming to us! (Previously the guy who now helps out with the Jr. Youth group, actually brought up the subject to us, rather than us bringing it up to him!)

The following week this youth, Steve, came again and we were able to start Book 1 that day. Afterward he told us that he had just found out something that was surprising to both us and him...He had been talking to his mother about learning of the Faith, when she told him that he used to go to a Baha'i children's class when he was a child. The seeds that must have been planted in his heart during that time...have now led him back to the faith again.

So now we must be like the farmer and try to irrigate the fields where previous seeds have been planted and nurture the plants that are now growing.

~

I am, O my God, but a tiny seed which Thou hast sown in the soil of Thy love, and caused to spring forth by the hand of Thy bounty. This seed craveth, therefore, in its inmost being, for the waters of Thy mercy and the living fountain of Thy grace. Send down upon it, from the heaven of Thy loving-kindness, that which will enable it to flourish beneath Thy shadow and within the borders of Thy court. Thou art He Who watereth the hearts of all that have recognized Thee from Thy plenteous stream and the fountain of Thy living waters.

~ Baha'u'llah

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