Friends from all over Northern Luzon recently held a Regional Conference last April 8-10, 2011 in order to derive in-depth understanding of the recent Dec. 28, 2011 Message from the Universal House of Justice. Attending were 173 adults and youths coming from several provinces and towns.
To describe concisely the impression of participants at the conclusion of the conference, as one young participant commented in Facebook, “we are super inspired!”.
Transformation to higher levels
A better insight of such transformation in spirit can be gleaned from another participant, thru her Facebook comment - “isang Regional Conference pala ang kailangan ng Northern Luzon para mas lalong ma-inspire sa paglilingkod ang mga kaibigan”. Implying that many Bahá’í friends in the region are already engaged in community-building activities – either as tutors in Study Circles, animators in junior youth programmes, teachers in children’s classes, or as participants in any of these three training areas, aside from involvement in devotional gatherings and home visits(to discuss themes from a Bahá’í perspective). In those three days, the lengthy Dec. 28 Message described the process of transformation of lives throughout the world from initially being in touch with the Holy Writings of Bahá’u’lláh then furthered building of capacities as they went thru the eight books currently in Ruhi Courses, the confirmation of acquiring such capacities as they undertook various paths of service – to benefit their immediate neighborhoods or some villages in distant clusters. And after three days, most participants concluded that they can do more!
Opening Programmes of Growth in New Clusters
A perspective in understanding this collective increase in capacity among the friends in Northern Luzon can be obtained from these remarks of a participant. “The story of Northern Luzon friends is familiar story of the eagle who thought he was a chicken.”
The Eagle who thought he was a Chicken
Once an egg was laid by a mother eagle on a mountain top, when this egg accidentally rolled down to the valley below and into a nest where a hen laid eggs. In time, the eggs hatched – into several chicks with one odd eagle among them. This poor eagle, having lived among humble chickens, therefore thought that his purpose in life was to scamper along the ground for grains and other morsels. Providentially, one day an eagle flying high spotted this odd bird among his potential prey. Out of curiosity, this ‘saviour’ bird flew down and asked this eagle who ‘had turned into a chicken’ - “why do you live a lowly life on the ground and among these chickens when you can live a sublime life high up in the sky? “ Having realized his true potential, this bird left the lower existence ‘among chickens’ to take his place among the ‘kings of the skies’.
“The story of Northern Luzon friends is very much similar to the story above. Prior to this conference, most had very little confidence in their collective pacacity. Most were contented with having achieved programmes of growth in five clusters (areas).
At the conclusion of the conference, however, participants had realized their true potential – that the past years had provided them substantial knowledge and experience in community building. In the ensuing call for volunteers, 80 individuals responded and after short planning a decision to establish programmes of growth in 32 new clusters(areas) was adopted. Thus this ‘eagle’ among the various regions in Philippines will set the precedence on soaring to higher sublime heights of service to mankind.”
Conference Side-story
Indeed, this Bahá’í-inspired community-building programme is irrepressible. As in a movie, while there is main plot, spawned are numerous sub-plots.
During group break-out sessions which was by clusters (areas), often noticed was a small group of mere three friends from the cluster of San Isidro. They assessed that no programme of growth had been established in their cluster – as only devotional gatherings were being held. Nevertheless, this did not deter the three from making plans during the conference. Theirs were to start several core activities in Baluarte plus establishment of programmes of growth in three additional clusters. Reflecting on their own personal circumstances, they reckoned that having numerous close relatives living in other towns gives them oppurtunities to share and involve them into the Bahá’í-led community-building activities.
Thus, only three days after the conference ended, these three updated that in their own cluster of San Isidro, a Study Circle on Book 1 with seven participants had been started!
