From Mount Carmel to Budapest — Bahá'í Aotearoa

After many years of devoted service to the Bahá’í community in Aotearoa and, more recently, at the Bahá’í World Centre, Heather Simpson has embarked on a new chapter of service. Having completed seven years working in the Research Department at the World Centre in February 2026, and following an uplifting pilgrimage at the World Centre, Heather has now set out as an international pioneer to Budapest, Hungary.

The following introductory notes provide a brief overview of Heather’s life and service, followed by a personal letter in which she reflects on her time on Mount Carmel and her hopes as she begins this new stage of service.

Introduction

Heather was born and educated in Auckland. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1971 and a law degree in 1975. She worked in general legal practice in Thames for 12 years before being appointed a District Court Judge in 1986. She specialised in youth court work. Heather became a Bahá'í in 1983 and served in an administrative capacity at a local, national, and continental level in the Bahá'í community for most of those years right up until she left Aotearoa in 2018 to serve at the World Centre. In February 2026 she retired from this service in the research department and, in consultation with the senior institutions of the Faith, she has now embarked on international pioneering.

Heather has travelled extensively in her capacity as a Bahá'í but also while serving as a member of the judiciary in New Zealand. She attended women judges international conferences, including one held in Uganda, Africa. Heather also attended the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, China in 1995. According to the United Nations, this “was the most important of the four conferences on women held between 1975-1995, because it built on political agreements that had been reached at the three previous global conferences on women, and it consolidated five decades of legal advances aimed at securing the equality of women with men in law and in practice”.

Heather received the Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen’s Birthday Honours of 2002 for her services as a District Court Judge and her contributions to the legal field in New Zealand.

The many friends in New Zealand who know, or know of, Heather undoubtedly wish her well as she embarks on her new arena of service.

With Pilgrimage group at the House of the Master

Letter from Heather Simpson

February 23 2026

Dear Friends

Seven years and seven months at the Bahá'í World Centre sped by so fast that I can hardly believe that I was there for so long. I was very busy but it was not all work as I was able to travel to different parts of Israel where I admired the scenery so different from New Zealand; I attended concerts and visited museums and other places of historical and cultural interest.

In Israel there is no Bahá'í community, but at the Bahá'í World Centre there are celebrations on Holy Days and many opportunities to study the Writings through Ruhi courses and also by gathering in small groups to read some of the books revealed by Baha’u’llah. One of the special privileges of life on Mount Carmel is to be able to visit the Shrines regularly and I have taken every opportunity to do so.

As my project came to an end, I turned my attention to other forms of Bahá'í service. After consultation with the Teaching Centre and with the Counsellors serving in Eastern Europe, I was guided to pioneer to Budapest. I have never been to that city before and I do not know anyone there. I do not speak Hungarian but I am relying on the unseen divine assistance. I am looking forward to this new adventure and will write again when I am settled at my pioneering post.

Warmest Love

Heather