Baha'i Blog Challenge

A Response to Abdu'l-Baha's Urging

A reflection of our Homefront Pioneers Experience

View from Township Road 422

On Monday, April 3, 2017, we arrived at our Homefront Pioneer destination. For three months we were housed in an isolated community thirty-five kilometres south-east of Rimbey, Alberta. We accepted an invitation to pioneer the area by the Alberta Baha'i Council.

We met several of the town’s people and introduced ourselves to them as newcomers. When one person asked, Why Rimbey? we shared that we were caring for a local couple’s home and pets. We added we were Baha’is who were hoping to learn about and participate in their community.

Later, at the dining table of the homeowners, we talked about the woman’s collection of protection idols such as her porcelain angels, voodoo dolls and gargoyles. She asked us how we felt about protection and how it was that we protected ourselves from the evils surrounding us. Frank took the opportunity to share with her that we are Baha’is and we protect ourselves with our Faith and prayers.

She asked, What is Baha’i?

Frank drew from his years of experience in the Faith and revealed to our listeners that Baha’is believe that we are now living in a new era where the most current prophet, Baha’u’llah, has provided to each of us messages that reveal the purpose of our lives in this time – to know and explore God’s spiritual virtues such as truthfulness, kindness, unity, love and justice. Our listeners came to the conclusion that if you are truthful, kind, loving and just, you are living a good life, a happy life.

Armed with the power of Thy name nothing can ever hurt me, and with Thy love in my heart all the world’s afflictions can in no wise alarm me. (Bahá’u’lláh, Prayers and Meditations by Bahá’u’lláh, p. 208)