Tasting the elixir of pioneering
The featured image above is a detail from: ‘Vai Faimana ’oe Mo’ui’ by Minaira Fifita. Here is the whole artwork.
The North Island Regional Bahá’í Council has written a letter to all believers, outlining the pioneering needs of five priority clusters. This article includes links to videos about three of these clusters and stories from pioneers who have already arisen to serve in this way.
May 2020
The Regional Bahá’í Council sends you its loving greetings!
The goal set at the beginning of the Five Year Plan to have an intensive programme of growth in all 17 clusters was a challenging one. Currently there are still five clusters in the North Island which need to move from the first milestone along the continuum of development to the second by Riḍván 2021. Below are listed the clusters which are the priorities for the region, some of which are presented in videos:
• Wairarapa - Masterton
• South Waikato / Taupō
• Ruapehu - Taumarunui
• Waitomo / Ōtorohanga / Te Kuiti
• Eastern Bay of Plenty – Ōpōtiki
To achieve this goal, we will need pioneers to arise and move to these clusters. From our experience over the past four years we have learned that in order for a cluster to grow what is required is both stability and dynamism. Stability is achieved when a couple or family moves into an area and settles, and dynamism often comes from a youth who works closely with members of the local Bahá’í community to reach out to youth and their families and through loving accompaniment bring them into the community-building process.
The task of reaching the stage of an intensive programme of growth for each of the above clusters will take a “herculean effort” on the part of all of us, but we are confident that achieving the goals is within reach.
Now that the restrictions on our movement around the region have been lifted we wish you to consider how you can support the movement of pioneers. We now have the opportunity here in Aotearoa to orient and deploy pioneers when friends arise.
May we all take inspiration from the words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá:
At this time and at this period we must avail ourselves of this most great opportunity. We must not sit inactive for one moment; we must sever ourselves from composure, rest, tranquility, goods, property, life and attachment to material things. We must sacrifice everything to His Highness, the Possessor of existence, so that the powers of the Kingdom may show greater penetration and the brilliant effulgence in this New Cycle may illumine the worlds of mind and ideals. — 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of the Divine Plan
The Council stands ready to receive any offers to pioneer or to support pioneering however humble they may be. We encourage you to watch the videos shared in this letter which includes stories, interviews and a look at the physical layout of these goal areas.
It is the sincere hope of the North Island Regional Bahá’í Council that friends will arise and consider homefront pioneering and become part of the narrative which will describe New Zealand, Aotearoa as having reached the goals of the Five Year Plan.
Please contact the Pioneer Resource Coordinator: Lyndsey Ula — lyndsey.ula@gmail.com or the secretary of the Regional Bahá’í Council: rbc-north@bahai.org.nz
Arohanui,
Erica Zemke-Smith
Secretary
North Island Regional Bahá’í Council
Te Kaunihera Bahá’í ā-Rohe o Te Ika-a-Māui
Pioneering experiences
The following experiences have been shared by friends who pioneered to Thames and Taumarunui.
Experience of trust, faith and confirmation
Our pioneer journey began when Tezhar and I got engaged and were deciding where we wanted to settle together. We were inspired by our spiritual ancestors and the sacrifices they made to further the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh, so when we got engaged we knew that we wanted to pioneer to start our life together. We took into account all the current goal clusters and in consultation with the Auxiliary Board member we felt Thames would be the most sustainable option and where we could see ourselves long term. Knowing that it would be challenging to find a rental home in Thames we contacted a property manager who, within a few days, had two rentals for us to view. We drove to Thames the day the property manager called to view each rental. Within three days of viewing the property we had a place to live and felt confirmed that God wanted us in Thames. With no jobs we moved to Thames with our full trust in Bahá'u'lláh.
Within two months of serving and living in Thames, Tezhar got a job in his desired field. This whole process was fuelled through the example of spiritual forebears who laid down their lives for the Cause, we felt the urge to do the same and sacrifice our comfort for the Faith. We were saying the Tablet of Aḥmad every day, asking for assistance to guide us in the right path. Thanks be to God for confirming us in our efforts and guiding us to Thames where, despite challenges, we are learning about establishing an intensive programme of growth.
Arohanui, Ella and Tezhar Paymani
The pioneers themselves must realise that not only are they fulfilling the wishes of Bahá'u'lláh, and doing that which the Master Himself said he longed to do, namely, to go, if necessary on foot, and carry His father’s message to all the regions of the earth; but they are enhancing the prestige of the faith to a remarkable degree in the eyes of the public, and especially in the eyes of the officials. There is no doubt that the rapid forward march of the Faith recently has attracted a far greater measure of attention on the part of thoughtful people and people of position in society and in educational fields than has been the case for almost one hundred years.
— From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, June 20 1954. Bahá’í News no. 283. p. 1 September 1954
Taumarunui pioneers – Ruapehu cluster
Alláh-u-’Abhá
Our deep love for Bahá'u'lláh, His sufferings and ordeals to educate humanity with a new message from God for justice, peace and unity for all inspired us to make the move to serve as pioneers. While attending a pioneering workshop in the North Island Summer School our hearts were both cemented together to plan and make the move. So in 2017 we resigned from our jobs and in April we left our families, the Auckland community and the Otara neighbourhood to pioneer in Taumarunui. Feeling the warm spirit of Bahá'u'lláh we were happy and positive and although we had no jobs to go to we managed to find a warm home at a reasonable cost.
One month later, we had already made so many new friends. The connection with the Māori community came naturally as we joined an ‘Introduction to Te Reo’ class to learn the basics of the Māori language. A Māori organisation offered us full-time jobs, as a Youth Coach and a Whanau Ora Navigator. We were grateful to Bahá'u'lláh for the opportunity to share a little about the Bahá’í Faith and the purpose of moving here with our new CEO. We were also able to share with the CEO information on the community building programme and let him know we were accepting our jobs because of this connection. The CEO was happy to hear our stories and accepted our request to work part-time.
We feel the love of Bahá'u'lláh and His presence. Our spiritual well-being continues to grow. We have Feasts/devotional gatherings at home, celebrate Holy Days (including the bicentenaries) where the friends of the Faith and the neighbours join in.
We have the bounty to be connected to and work closely with the Taupō and Tokoroa community during combined cluster reflection meetings and Unit Convention. We share teaching and learning experiences and join Bahá’í celebrations which uplift and encourage our spirits to remain steadfast in the Faith.
We connect with the Hamilton friends by joining their cluster reflection meetings and Ruhi encounter gatherings and also join in youth and junior youth camps for the central North Island which are normally held in a Rotorua campsite.
We feel great warmth and gratitude to know that we are supported and checked in on from time to time by our beloved institutions, dear friends and co-workers from around the country.
It is a wonderful feeling knowing that we are protected by Bahá'u'lláh, so with that we wholeheartedly encourage anyone with hearts burning to pioneer to take the next step and make your move, Bahá’u’lláh will guide and protect you.
There are four adults in Ruapehu Cluster and one youth, who declared in October 2018. At the moment with COVID-19, we are utilising online technology like Zoom and WhatsApp to communicate with each other during Cluster reflection meetings, study circles, feast and devotions.
It is also recorded in the blessed Gospel: Travel ye throughout the world and call ye the people to the Kingdom of God. Now this is the time that you may arise and perform this most great service and become the cause of the guidance of innumerable souls. Thus through this superhuman service the rays of peace and conciliation may illumine and enlighten all the regions and the world of humanity may find peace and composure. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of the Divine Plan, 1977 Edition, p. 22
Warmest Bahá’í Love
Sauaga and Faafou Poliko
Such pioneer work is always difficult and unless we are strong-hearted and have faith in our cause, we are apt to be discouraged. We should always bear in mind that Bahá'u'lláh is always on the watch ready to come to our assistance if we only rise to serve Him with the spirit of self-consecration and absolute detachment his promises along those lines are very forceful and clear, we are only to act upon them.
— From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, November 11 1931.
Pioneering after restrictions have been lifted
If you are interested in pioneering, or in attending one of the pioneer orientations being organised, please contact the Council directly to let us know.
Erica Zemke-Smith 027 634 3049 rbc-north@bahai.org.nz or Lyndsey Ula, the Pioneer Resource Coordinator at 021 187 6216 or lyndsey.ula@gmail.com
In addition to pioneering, there are numerous other ways to support pioneering that an individual or a family can offer:
The community’s heightened awareness of the purpose of pioneering and its importance has led to the burgeoning of support for pioneers in a variety of forms, from tutors and teachers in neighbouring clusters working alongside them to friends contributing to their deputisation and providing in-kind assistance such as food and lodging. — Reflections on Growth - Number 41, June 2019, p.1
Being tutors or teachers in a neighbouring cluster
Working alongside teachers and tutors
Contributing to the deputisation of pioneers
Providing in-kind assistance, such as food and lodging.
While it carries great responsibilities and difficulties, yet its spiritual blessings are so great, they overshadow everything else; and the opportunities for special victories of the Faith so abundant, the soul who once tastes the elixir of pioneering service, seldom will do anything else.
— From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, June 5, 1954
Featured photo: ‘Vai Faimana ’oe Mo’ui’ (Artwork by Minaira Fifita)
