Chinese New Year effort attracts public to devotional gatherings

From Nelson comes a report on how the spirit of service to the Chinese community and the unity of all the friends created wonderful opportunities at a Chinese New Year event in Nelson recently.

A Chinese friend of the Faith who has been attending devotional gatherings invited the Bahá’ís to have a stall about the Faith to let people know that Chinese are spiritual and open to religion.

Collaboration with friends in various parts of New Zealand and overseas led to the very quick preparation of professional-looking information cards in both English and Chinese. They displayed simple uplifting quotations and contact details and lots of these were given out to those who engaged in conversations with the team at the stall.

News of the event spread quickly before the day, and many people were attracted to come and find out what was at the stall. Numerous elevated conversations occurred and now there are more people interested to join the next “3D” gathering (devotions, dessert and discussion where there is sharing of prayer/karakia, poems, stories, songs, music etc.)

Before a pot-luck dinner “Blessed is the Spot” was chanted in Mandarin. There was a real sense of reverence as many closed their eyes in respect. This then led to yet more wonderful conversations.

“Thank you to all those who supported us in so many ways!” writes one of the Nelson organisers, who was delighted that people came from West Coast, Christchurch, and Nelson, and that an overseas visitor even flew from Auckland in support.