Central Luzon Regional Conference April 15-17, 2011

“I am the Sun of Wisdom and the Ocean of Knowledge. I cheer the faint and revive the dead. I am the guiding Light that illumineth the way.  I am the Royal Falcon on the arm of the Almighty. I unfold the drooping wings of every broken bird and start it on its flight”. – Bahá’u’lláh

The above quotation may aptly describe the feelings of every empowered participant of this inspiring conference held in Bagong Sikat,  San Jose City,  Central Luzon. One hundred ninety-three adults, youths, and children residing from several villages, towns and provinces in this flat, fertile agricultural plain on the island of Luzon gathered together to study in-depth for three days recent messages from the Universal House of Justice -  the December 28, 2011 message,  Ridvan 2010 message,  January 1, 2011 message.

In recent years,  several clusters (areas) in this region heeded the call by the Universal House of Justice to arise,  invite and accompany their fellow citizens undertake the education processes of transformation and capacity building.  Indeed, in pockets of areas where receptive populations reside,  groups in tens attended study circles, junior youth programmes,  children’s classes and devotional meetings.  The initiatives, which all started small, had grown large in certain areas,  barely in some towns, and nil in many places. Nevertheless, the pattern of enlisting grass-roots in building a divine civilization with its generated learning had been set in place by its band of faithful believers.

Whatever realization and transformation on the participants in those three days is difficult to describe in brief, concise words. One hundred thirty-six youths and adults stepped forward to volunteer for several weeks and months in  opening  twenty-eight additional clusters within the region (plus another cluster from the region of Northern Luzon)  to programmes of growth.   Furthermore,  from the barangay of Bagong Sikat,  individuals, and members of the Local Spiritual Assembly envisioned a concrete plan enlisting every household within their barrio into the programme.  This development offers us a glimpse of large-scale expansion of this capacity-building process wherein before entry was by tens and now it is by hundreds.

Today many believers from Central Luzon say  “sila ay mga lawin na”.  Watch out and see what these soaring eagles will achieve in the immediate months.