Gardener of Hearts

for seven months i have been quietly taking in Nairobi, unable to express the journey of connecting with the Oneness of the human race, in all that pertains to experiences, emotions, circumstances, difficulties and joy.  my life is completely full and yet ever-evolving into absorbing more and more people and activities into our lives.

World Religion Day devotional

it feels like the world is always opening itself with more and new wonderful opportunities to serve, love, readjust the lines that keep people socially separated, and most of all learn how to be a better human being.

with every new soul who crosses my path i am treading a path of justice, letting my heart burn with loving-kindness, and thinking of a way to be of service to him/her..

nairobi is a city in which to thrive.  many kenyans are involved in social action.  many ngo's are here with good intentions and high-minded endeavors.  many inter-racial couples and adoptions lend to it feeling progressive and integrative.  and many hard-working, humble souls imbue our lives with radiant acquiescence.

singing at the Baha'i Center

i haven't quite found the words in all these months to depict my own experience here.  it's definitely different than living in Cape Town or Accra yet in some ways it's the same -- because i am the same:  i love the heart of African people.  i look into eyes and see the Beauty of God emanating therefrom.  i see worn shoes and shoes that do not fit properly while observing the long journey taken each day.  i feel the pain while listening to story after story of people being orphaned at a young age.  i am never tired of seeing someone's face light up when greeted with a simple 'Jambo!' and at the same time i am disturbed that they are still surprised that an mzungu (white person) is greeting them.  and i desire for every child to grow up knowing they are 'a mine rich in gems of inestimable value'..

Alvin & his little brother who came for a devotional

we were living in an area of Nairobi for the first 6 months.  we used to walk our children to the school bus each morning at 6:30am.  we greeted people in kiSwahili.  at first they were skeptical and a bit unsure of our intention -- how could we be so friendly and happy they must have wondered.  this is true of the children as well.  but after a short time they knew we were genuine and they, too, started greeting us, sometimes even before we greeted them.  after a couple of months we would stop and meet people, getting to know their names, walking with them if we were going the same direction, and sometimes hugging each other with great warmth and joy.

sometimes i brought a little something to give the kids, like a notebook or a pencil.  they were so grateful and received it in a humble manner.  once we knew their names well they welcomed our affection and even looked forward to seeing us!  when we told them we were moving they were saddened.  by this time i had one of the boys' mom's number and they had come to our home for a devotional.  they expressed hope of seeing us again on 'their side' of the city -- we hope to cross their paths when helping a youth with his proposed service activity in the area where they live, Kawangware, one of the slums of Nairobi.

before we moved, i coordinated with the kids to come by during Ayyam-i-Ha to receive some cookies.  they didn't stay for a visit but were happy to come inside the compound and take some homemade cookies with them on their long walk home.   one of the boys who came by is an orphan.  he lives with his older brother.  i had noticed early on how torn his school sweater was. i let him know that when he came for cookies he could leave his sweater with me to mend and that i would give it to him the next morning.  the next morning i caught up with him before he was about to pass the bus stop.  he was indescribably happy to receive his mended sweater.  he kept turning around as he walked ahead; we continued to wave goodbye to him.  it was the last time we saw him before moving.  i have received sms's from 2 other kids since we've moved.  each time they want to know when we are coming to visit them.

i am still settling in to the new neighborhood.  i haven't met any local children but am developing relationships with neighbors and workers in the area.  life for me is about building community, thinking of 'rendering some service to every member of the human race' and taking care of my family.  it is also about planting seeds, both in the earth and in human hearts -- seeds that are destined to sprout and create more beauty in this world.  i'm concerned just as much about the soil of the human heart as i am mother earth upon which our feet tread.  i hope in time to be working with children, visiting their families' homes, having more gatherings in our home, and nurturing the seed of the human heart with the soil of my love.  i feel like a gardener of hearts..

arriving in Nairobi

"Striving means this: Ye must live and move according to the divine commands and behests, be united in loving with ecstasy and joy; do not take any rest but engage continually in the service of the Cause of God."

~ Abdu'l-Baha

we have arrived in Nairobi, Kenya!  the air is cool and fresh.  the greenery is lush and beautiful.  the landscape is full of rolling hills, tile roofs, old vans that serve as transport for most people, and roadside markets.  we haven't driven around too much but what we saw was a mixture of South Africa and Ghana -- a mixture of material development and underdevelopment combined with layers of African culture.  i love it!

i have already begun to connect with the people we are meeting -- it's as if the invisible magnetic force of love is operating between our souls through the warm and friendly greetings, smiles and helpfulness being shared.

it feels great to be back in Africa again after a wonderful holiday with family in America.  holiday is always the best time to enjoy family and rejuvenate myself with rest and recreation, but when it ends i become eager again to serve humanity in as many ways as i can each day, striving to put myself aside and be concerned with the needs of others.

like most places in this beautiful world, Kenya has its extremes of wealth and poverty, its prejudices of religion, class and race, and its battle against crime, injustice and terrorism.  i can feel the presence of security (where our car was examined with a machine that looked underneath for a bomb before entering the parking lot to a mall) which is both comforting and disconcerting.  i have seen the density of slums that sprawl far too long into the distance while driving to the kids' new school.  most houses and flats have bars on the windows, high walls along the perimeter and electric wires secured on top of the walls.  trucks and vans pollute the air with noxious fumes.  trees and flowering plants decorate most areas of the city with natural beauty and color, and serious facial expressions beam with radiance whenever i direct my genuine smile at them..

i can feel my heart being drawn to all of the possibilities that are to come in time as i begin arising to make new friendships and serve the community here.  good relationships and deeds that benefit other people are the gems that permeate the spirit of oneness in this world.  the joy and beauty of life is derived from this aspect of our oneness.  it is in this way that i feel most happy and grateful to be here..

"Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements."

~ Baha'u'llah

summer holiday

we're leaving tomorrow on a 10-day trip to Jamaica to be with relatives and have some fun in the sun together.  we're full of gratitude and joy for being able to have this time with my husband's father who is taking us 'back home' for his last time (now that he is 87 years old).  we continue to think about our days in Ghana while preparing for a new life in Kenya.  it's a bounty to have this time to pause before becoming immersed again as busy servants of God..

leaving. friends. Ghana

"God has created man lofty and noble, made him a dominant factor in creation. He has specialized man with supreme bestowals, conferred upon him mind, perception, memory, abstraction and the powers of the senses. These gifts of God to man were intended to make him the manifestation of divine virtues, a radiant light in the world of creation, a source of life and the agency of constructiveness in the infinite fields of existence."

~ Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 352

Emil Ampong (aka World Peace) with his keyhole garden

if anyone has moved from one country to another, it involves more than packing and arranging one's necessary documents.  there is a much deeper process at work.  it involves reflecting on all that was experienced, the highs and the lows, the good and the bad, while constantly wondering about the new land and culture about to be discovered..

as i prepare to move once again, this time from Ghana to Kenya, my thoughts and actions are centered upon those souls with whom i have been blessed to meet and know well.  despite the difficulties i faced living here, and the challenges which came from everyday life in a developing country, i met many beautiful gems of souls who i will miss and remember with gratitude and joy.  these souls enabled my journey in Ghana to be woven with a thread of joy..

while sitting on a small, wooden chair with the children's class recently, i began observing the young souls sitting around the table.  they are a sample of what life is like here for most children.  one child had his toes hanging over his sandals and the other had very worn sneakers without socks.  two were tending to their younger sibling like parents instead of being able to be just children.  they struggle and bear their difficulties quietly.  they take a broken pencil tip and use a plain razor to carve out a new point.  they all have the sweetest smiles but need a lot of encouragement and ability to make them laugh before they will smile for a camera.  they are taught to respect adults in a way of always deferring so they find it difficult to speak what they think or feel.  most attend public schools which are shamefully inadequate in every way, so their educational experience falls far behind those of the middle and upper classes of the world.  as the girls become jr. youth, they are expected to help with their mother's work (usually selling goods) so their free time is very limited, while the boys are mostly free to roam around and play football most of the time (making it easier for boys to attend jr. youth groups than girls no matter how much the mothers agree to a time that is supposed to be best).  they all wear uniforms to school and feel proud to attend school.  they share and take care of each other most of the time because adult supervision is not a common reality..

the children i have come to love dearly have that indescribable African spirit which radiates through them in gentle and all-pervasive ways.  in a similar way amongst the Xhosa children, it took many months of being ever so patient with their quiet, non-responsive manner of engaging in dialogue before the friendships were able to blossom.  in addition to being able to trust me, i feel that most of the children growing up in poverty have not been able to develop their self-esteem well enough.  the complexity of the relationship involves me being white, but more than any other factor, i believe they haven't received unconditional love from the society around them.  this is the magnet and glue which has served to bond us.  my love for them is what brings out the joyful radiance when we are together.  i truly see the Beauty of God in them; when i look into their eyes and connect with them at the soulful level they can feel it..their soul responds to it.  this is how i live here: spreading the love of God from my heart to others' hearts, one soul at a time, until relationships turn into friendships and eternal bonds of spiritual unity..

from left to right: Jude, Magdelene, Emil, Eunice & Gideon

hanging out with the junior youth is pure delight.  we have shared so many moments of joy and laughter, of thoughtful reflections and sharings, as well as devotions full of singing, drumming and reciting.  i am in the process of interviewing each of them on the camera video, asking them what they remember most about our 2 years together.  when we had our last group session, i asked them what they have learned since being in the group.  their comments included responses like: it is better to prefer others before yourself;  be more kind to everyone, not just people like yourself; and strive for excellence.  one told me a story of how he now had a good friend who was Muslim (he is a Christian).  listening to their responses was quite touching; i felt as if they really are learning the principles of spiritual education even though they didn't talk too much in most of the sessions.  i recently received a card full of hearts and expressions of love from Magdelene; she is one of the most amazing girls i have ever met because of her love for God, purity of heart and insightful mind...

saying goodbye to the Kayanja family

our family was also blessed to meet 2 families at school who are from Uganda.  our 3 families supported each other through the difficulties we all faced from how Ghana functions as a whole.  we developed friendships that will last a lifetime.  meeting them was the best part of attending BIS Ghana.  we lifted our spirits by encouraging each other through tests and difficulties, reminding each other of the blessings that come when we bear and endure.  i would listen to their stories and no longer feel alone in my struggle to deal with how things occur here.

our family grew much closer together these past two years because we spent most of our time at home after work and school.  when we first moved here we felt adventurous.  we drove out to the 'botanical gardens', up the coast to a beach 'resort', and on the other side of the city through hectic traffic to visit a junior youth group.  after experiencing congested roads and poor quality attractions we lost our interest in exploring further throughout the regions of Ghana.  except for a weekly trip to eat at a restaurant, we found nothing to do in Accra.  there were no parks with grass to have a picnic, or a clean and free stretch of beach to enjoy the ocean.  it has been only recently that we discovered DUNK, the NGO dedicated to improving the lives of kids through basketball.  we started bringing the kids and enjoying the community spirit of our boys playing basketball with the local kids who were part of the program.  those experiences are my favorite because it's all about relationship building, character development and having fun together.

DUNK tournament

looking back at how we felt limited in terms of traveling throughout Ghana i can see how it benefited us; we were able to develop closer relationships with our neighbors because we were around all the time.  i would take a walk to buy groceries and hang out.  before long i was known as 'aunty Pamela' instead of 'obruni' (white person).  i became a part of the neighborhood.  this is where most of the acts of service to God were shared -- singing with children, building trust with the jr. youth, playing soccer with everyone, bringing baked goodies to share, offering devotions in our home, listening to stories and the hardships of life, and developing a garden to grow food.  i enjoyed driving and riding my bike on the terracotta-colored dirt roads, buying local dishes on the side of the road, watching the goats play, having children run up to our car window and give us a pounded fist with a bright smile, and being surrounded by beautiful patterns on clothes and in the stores all throughout the city.

these memories are what i'll remember most about Ghana..

enjoying academic success of our children with the Kayanja family at the BIS graduation

Nwando, our next door neighbor from Nigeria, and our guards, Melvyn & Uncle Fred

Baha'i friends

kids building a keyhole garden

hanging clothes to dry

kuri kuri

inside a ripe cocoa pod

Ama with Sholomite sleeping on her lap

Augustin, our driver, and Uncle Fred, our guard

sister Grace and her family - they owned the local grocery store down the road

Boadi Ampong - last time together saying goodbye, in front of the maize field

Emil being silly wearing his sister's glasses

we shared such a kinship; it was very hard to say goodbye to Monica

Joshua Ampong, one of the cutest boys in the world :)

Gideon, our first neighbor friend who became part of our family

Eric and Joshua on the compound wall where they live

little Joshua in his jammies feeling proud of their keyhole garden

Monica showing me what was growing in the garden

Emil took care of Joshua with kindness and joy all of the time

Catherine Ampong getting her hair braided

just before leaving Accra

our last hugs

though it was difficult living in Ghana most of the time, it was never difficult to share these friendships.  God puts people on our path wherever we live.  i feel most blessed to have met these friends because i am a richer person for knowing them..

mother's day ~ a surprise gift

    "If the mother is educated then her children will be well taught. When the mother is wise, then will the children be led into the path of wisdom. If the mother be religious she will show her children how they should love God. If the mother is moral she guides her little ones into the ways of uprightness.

    It is clear therefore that the future generation depends on the mothers of today."

    
 ~ Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 161

i woke up yesterday not expecting anything special for Mother's Day.  my husband is out of town and the kids are not inundated with media marketing here in Ghana so they forget these kinds of things.

all i felt throughout the day was gratitude for our family.  we have built a foundation of love that surpasses all of the temporary tests of life and it made me deeply happy and thankful..

my heart was focused on bringing joy to the mamas down the road by baking them a heart-shaped cake to share.  i found myself thinking of my Xhosa mama friends whose lives are full of hardships and i sent them all an sms to wish them a happy Mother's Day.  my heart was full of thankfulness for my mom, my step-mom, and my dear friends -- all from whom i have been nurtured and loved, supported and inspired, uplifted and enriched.  to me, it was a day of feeling interconnected with all mothers in the world and remembering the exalted station we have in the sight of God.  i called my mom and step-mom, wrote a few friends and reached out to many of my African sisters..it was a good day.

tonight i received an unexpected surprise from my 12 year old son: a belated Mother's Day card.  he decided to make me a card with these words inside because he didn't remember yesterday:

i couldn't be more thankful for my son's reflections today.  what a gift from his soul to mine.  certainly i have many moments of doubting my words of good counsel, or regretting my tone of voice, and becoming impatient when the moments become overwhelming.  these words are a sign of how the love and grace of God is all-pervasive in our lives as we continually strive to be better as mothers and fathers.

A Tranquil Heart

“The greatest bestowal in the world of existence is a tranquil heart, and it is impossible for man to obtain a tranquil heart save through the good pleasure of the Lord.  That is, a man may so adorn the temple of his being with lofty attributes and philanthropic deeds as to be pleasing at the Threshold of the Almighty.  This is the only Path and there is no other Path.  My point is this:  Let all your thoughts, your ideals, your aims and purposes revolve day and night around one common object – that is, to live in accord with the good pleasure of the Lord.  Then all the doors of felicity will be opened before your faces, you will become successful in all your undertakings, and you will be confirmed in all your accomplishments.  The basic principle is the good pleasure of the Lord:  and the good pleasure of God is obtained through a tranquil heart, and the tranquility of the heart is only gained by living in accord with the Divine Teachings and Exhortations.  When a person attains to this station he is contented and peaceful.  Then he will become prosperous in all affairs and enter into Paradise.”

 ~ Abdu'l-Baha, Star of the West, vol.16, p.401

garden view outside the Shrine of the Bab

Just hearing the word 'tranquil' lends to a calmness of my being.  It is the one virtue of my soul that seems to stretch as I breathe in deeply and embrace the moments as they come throughout the day.  It is also the one virtue that is almost nonexistent in moments when life seems to bombard me with chaos and the shortcomings of human character.  I cherish those moments when I am riding the wave of tranquility while all else around me is crashing and stumbling, arguing and deceiving, hurting and hating.  But it is not easy for me to always ride those waves..

Tranquility of heart is a state of being that comes and goes in daily life.  It is a balancing act to maintain that deep serenity as life's challenging circumstances and happenings oftentimes easily disturb it.  I love this quote because it brings tranquility to my consciousness in a way of having the power to choose how to respond to the tests of life rather than react to them.  I feel empowered to draw upon the virtues latent in my soul and use them as my spiritual swords to combat the negative forces that are affecting me.  This quote strengthens my ability to remain still while moving, to remain focused while disturbed, and to remain calm while upset.  

All I truly desire in this life is God's good pleasure.  The difficulties, injustices and sufferings of life are meant to strengthen our souls as we practice using our spiritual powers rather than being defeated by the enslavement of our material traits -- anger, frustration, impatience, etc.  The more I can fix my gaze, my perspective and my vision on attaining the good pleasure of God, the more I will tap into remaining calm, considerate, courteous, forgiving, patient, long-suffering, etc. because I am ever aware of God's desire for how to best be His servant.  This is best demonstrated as a parent but even in our safe-haven of a family, I lose my balance and succumb to my lower nature and express anger and frustration.

I carried this quote in my heart all day yesterday while our children were at school.  I was preparing myself for the moment when a conflict may arise between them.  I was determined to demonstrate tranquility; I wasn't going to let it be a wave I might miss riding.  My consciousness was so heightened, so aware of needing to be patient, wise and compassionate that when they started yelling at each other about something they both felt very strongly about, I was able to keep that inner peace.  I listened.  I let them vent their anger without becoming upset at their anger and hurtful words.  I asked them to silently reflect.  I encouraged the best in them.  I waited patiently for them to let the anger dissipate.  After a while (that seemed long but worth it!) they had sincerely apologized and the storm was over.  The calm resumed and soon became joy again.  They needed me to listen and give them the strength they have within them to look at their own shortcomings and not be stuck in the rut of blaming the other person.  The more I can demonstrate a tranquil heart in our family life, the better I am able to manage the greater struggles of disunity and disintegration that face humanity -- and certainly humanity needs to be healed by the powerful force of a tranquil heart.

Create in me a pure heart, O my God, and renew a tranquil conscience within me, O my Hope! Through the spirit of power confirm Thou me in Thy Cause, O my Best-Beloved, and by the light of Thy glory reveal unto me Thy path, O Thou the Goal of my desire! Through the power of Thy transcendent might lift me up unto the heaven of Thy holiness, O Source of my being, and by the breezes of Thine eternity gladden me, O Thou Who art my God! Let Thine everlasting melodies breathe tranquility on me, O my Companion, and let the riches of Thine ancient countenance deliver me from all except Thee, O my Master, and let the tidings of the revelation of Thine incorruptible Essence bring me joy, O Thou Who art the most manifest of the manifest and the most hidden of the hidden!

~ Bahá'u'lláh

Accra ~ not the jewel of West Africa

i think most people who have never lived in Ghana have the wrong view of what it is like.  yes, it is basically a peaceful land without obvious tensions amongst different peoples.  yes, the Chinese are here building new highways and roads; there is a variety of restaurants and shops scattered all throughout the city, and a second 'mall' has opened.  and yes, it has successfully held democratic elections since its independence.  but it is definitely not a place i would call a jewel, nor a world-class destination..

we live in Accra.  we have recently seen it described online as 'the Jewel of West Africa 'and becoming a 'world class destination' -- a great place to spend one's money for a holiday vacation.  to anyone i know, whether living in poverty, of the working class, or an ex-pat from another country who lives in a big house, Ghana is 'collapsing', 'falling apart' and compared to 'what it was like living here in the 1940's..'  perhaps the difference is actually living here, rather than being a visitor for a short time who is surrounded by the luxuries of the hotel and tour bus..

i cannot speak for what it's like in any area outside of Accra, nor can i speak for the traveler who stays at a posh hotel with the pool and spa, or the wealthy people and high government officials who navigate through life here at a level far beyond reality to the rest of us.  what the rest of us are experiencing living here is a common experience:  the country is not functioning well at all.

despite all the hype about discovering oil and selling it to foreign nations, the nation has progressively gotten worse over the past several years.  fuel (for generators), electricity and water are all very scarce.  traffic is terrible -- there is no public transportation system provided for those without cars.  jobs are very difficult to find.  unemployment is high.  almost everyone in the middle-class struggles to send their children to a simple private school because of the exorbitant rates, while public schools are renowned for being ill-equipped to effectively provide an education to the masses who have no alternative.  the masses of youth who cannot afford to attend secondary schools (which are not free) end up without any chance of receiving a GED and are left behind this ever-evolving world of exclusivity for the privileged.

many people who have pipes going into their homes have water flowing only once a week.  all classes of people pay to have a water company to come and fill up a huge tank or two to supply water to the home and/or neighborhood.  most of the time the company brings bore water instead of the filtered water that is processed throughout the city pipes.  they will charge you the same amount of money but you will see a discoloration and have a slight odor and salty taste to the water. 

it's been 35 hours since the electricity in our neighborhood went out.  we are the only house that has a generator.  in the past 2 months, the usual amount of time for 'lights out' averages 10-12 hours.  it has been rotating between nights and days.  this is a common phenomenon but it is getting more frequent and unreliable (despite how we prepay for electricity).  as thankful and grateful as i am that we actually have a generator and enough fuel to keep it going, i cannot separate myself from others and accept this extreme condition for the masses.  even if they don't have electricity in their home, they will be able to see at night from street lights and walk to the corner shop to watch a tv program together; they will be able to charge their phone at someone else's house and drink cold water from the shop..

yesterday when i went to visit my neighbor -- who lives in a wooden shack that sits on cement blocks and who has no electricity or running water -- i was intrigued to hear her start talking about how the government doesn't care about its people.  she knows that greed and corruption of money are 2 reasons why systems break down.  she knows that after 50 years after independence, the country could have progressed more than it has.  she realizes that pipes and wires that were set up a long time ago require maintenance and replacement.  but more than anything, she trusts and believes wholeheartedly that those people who are irresponsible and selfish will reap what they sow.  i listened and shared that commonly held feeling by Ghanaians that it is a shame how so much of the wealth of this nation is being consumed by the selfish desires of a small minority of people.

in addition to these basic systems falling apart, there are a few more things about living in Accra vs. passing through as a tourist which detract from its description as a 'jewel'.  it does not have a beautiful downtown area to walk through, or any of the attractive features of cities like Kampala, Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.  there is not one public park to have a picnic or kick the soccer ball on a grassy field.  the beaches of Accra are polluted, the roads are falling apart and very congested most of the time, and the food and housing are extremely expensive compared to most other African cities.  of all the families we have met from the kids' school, many have chosen to leave, while others are discontent and feel there is nothing to do as a family except stay at home or go visit another family (unless you are willing and able to spend a lot of money to go to a sports center or swim at a hotel, etc.)..

for as long as i live here, i am choosing to appreciate what i do enjoy and appreciate about Accra.  i like buying local food for a small amount of money, being able to get a drum custom made from the craft market, and enjoying some good music.  i appreciate meeting many goodhearted, God-loving souls and an abundance of bright-eyed, smiling children who appreciate you being friendly to them.  it's a short list but it's essential to be content wherever we live, no matter the circumstances or how far it is from being like a precious jewel.  this is how i am striving to live here in Accra..

celebrating Ayyam-i-Ha

the days of Ha -- Ayyam-i-Ha -- are upon us and our family has prepared by making decorations, thinking of ways to be of service in our neighborhood, and creating joyful activities to share as a family in the afternoons and evenings when our children are home from school.

last night when the sun set, it was time to initiate the festivities.  our youngest son lit 2 candles and we asked the children to hide in the pantry while my husband hid the gifts around the house.  before finding the gifts, he read a special rhyme to each of them, giving them a clue where the gift was hidden.  he times them on a stopwatch and makes it a game so that at the end of 4 nights, the child with the fastest time gets to be the first to choose one of three balloons which have different amounts of money hidden inside.

after opening the simple gifts each night, we do a fun activity together and eat delicious homemade cookies and cakes together.  last night the fun activity was dancing together and making it like a party with the lights out (except for the blinking Christmas lights that we use only during Ayyam-i-Ha).  the other activities we have planned are a treasure hunt, a hand-painting poster, watching a movie together and eating dinner at a restaurant.

each day, the children will get to write down on a 9-pointed star a service they performed for someone.  the only requirement is doing it with joy.  at the end of Ayyam-i-Ha we will read them out loud and celebrate a great sense of purposefulness and reward for doing good by helping others, especially those who are poor and needy.

while the children are at school, i have planned a gathering with a group of mothers in my neighborhood to bring them baked sweets and sobolo (a local sweet drink) while we hang out together.  all of them are struggling to survive and working very hard to support their families and raise their children.  it is this group of women with whom i will be hosting a gathering in our home for discussing the significance of mothers in the sight of God and their role in the spiritual education of their children.  i am looking forward to this next month.

another way for me to be of service this year is to buy Ghanaian meals prepared on the roadside and distribute them to various people i know who are struggling for their survival and whose lives are full of needs.  when visiting them, i will bring some of the cookies we made as well.

in a relatively short time in our new neighborhood, by the grace of God, i have felt able to connect with almost everyone i've met.  it is this spot on earth where God intended me to live at this time in my life, so i make every effort possible to be a channel of His love through being genuinely kind, caring, generous and joyful.  it feels like a blessing to have met these souls, as if they are a gift from God from whom my heart gets to experience great joy.  for me, Ayyam-i-Ha are the days of extending my heart to as many souls as i can with whom i have had the bounty of meeting, especially those whose lives experience such material hardships..

below are the descriptions of Ayyam-i-Ha in the Baha'i Writings:

• Days outside of time’ festival reveres eternal essence of God.

• From sunset Feb. 25 to sunset March 1, Baha’is will be exchanging gifts, getting together with friends and family, and engaging in acts of charity – activities that characterize the festival of Ayyam-i-Ha.

• The festival comes toward the end of the Baha’i year, which is divided into 19 months of 19 days each. These “intercalary” days, between the 18th and 19th months of the Baha’i calendar, are necessary to align the calendar with the 365-day Gregorian solar calendar.

•  Ayyam-i-Ha means “Days of Ha.” “Ha” has several meanings in Arabic, including reference to God or the “Essence of God.” Baha’is celebrate the sacred days of Ayyam-i-Ha through acts of love, fellowship, unity, charity and goodwill.

our family's hands

• The intercalary days of Ayyami-i-Ha “stand apart from the ordinary cycle of weeks and months and the human measure of time,”. “Thus Ayyam-i-Ha can be thought of as days outside of time, days that symbolize eternity, infinity and the mystery and unknowable Essence of God Himself.”

• Baha’u’llah has said of Ayyam-i-Ha: “It behoveth the people of Baha, throughout these days, to provide good cheer for themselves, their kindred and, beyond them, the poor and needy, and with joy and exultation to hail and glorify their Lord, to sing His praise and magnify His Name.”

•  Appropriately, Ayyam-i-Ha spiritually sets the stage for the annual Baha’i Fast, which goes from March 2 to March 20. Naw-Ruz, the Baha’i new year, begins on March 21, the first day of spring. 

Naw Ruz card exchange

thanks to All Done Monkey who initiated a Baha'i New Year card exchange, our 3 children were happy to make cards for kids their age who live in different parts of the world (Tonga, Australia and the US). 

everyone in the exchange makes a card, adds some kind of flower to it, even a photo of themselves if they like, and sends it to the address organized by All Done Monkey.  we don't have a printer for personal photos so we decided to add a special cared that has the Baha'i ringstone symbol on it as an added gift.

since we live in Ghana, we had to make sure that we made the cards well ahead of time so that by the time they are taken to a post office and mailed, they will arrive before March 21st, the Baha'i new year.

made by our 9 year old, with flowers from the garden

made by our 14 year old

 

Ayana pressed the bouganvillea and then covered them with contact paper

a medley of styles and ideas flourished amongst their various ages & our simple materials

what a great way to begin preparing for Naw Ruz with other Baha'i children around the world!  the creative process and gift-giving idea sparked our children's interest to wonder what they will receive, and from where and who it will come, in the weeks ahead.