Artwork

"Canyon Cat", Acrylic on slate

Portrait of a Navajo girl, watercolor

Brilliant Stars

A photographic representation of some Children's Classes in Fort Defiance and Houck

Prayer for Children: "O God, guide me, protect me, make of me a shining lamp and a brilliant star. Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful."
'Abdu'l-Baha

"O Friend! In the garden of thy heart, plant naught but the rose of love." Baha'u'llah, Lesson 3 of Children's Class material

Something about chihuahuas and Children's Classes, they seem to mix well...

"O Son of Spirit! My first counsel is this: Possess a pure, kindly, and radiant heart." Baha'u'llah, memorization in Lesson 1 of Children's Class material

"Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before himself." Baha'u'llah, memorization in Lesson 6 of Children's Class material

Year of Service Interview: Australia (2)

The Baha'i House of Worship in Australia

5.What are some pointers you would give to those looking to do a year or shorter period of service?
I think going in with an open mind and heart is the most important thing for service. Going with a pure motive to just serve God, everything else will fall into place. It’s amazing all of the different people I met. I truly feel like I was given the opportunity to go to Australia because I was meant to be there at that time with those specific people. I think the bottom line is to just do it. School will always be there, and work too, but a chance to go serve as a youth won’t always be an opportunity someone can take.

6. What were your living arrangements?
At the House of Worship in Sydney they have youth houses set up for service youth to stay in. So in my application process they scheduled me to live in the girls youth house for nine months.

7. Describe an average day on your year of service.
An average day is hard to describe because my roles and jobs kept changing as I was there. Being at the temple was a very special opportunity because there are many jobs that youth can do. First, I started guiding and gardening, then bookstore and reception work. Most days went from 8am-5pm. With gardening, we usually raked the path, pulled weeds, planted flowers or plants, cleaned the shed, and cleaned the office and the visitors’ center. These tasks were rotated throughout the week, so each day was a different task. With guiding, that’s when we would talk to the visitors that would come to the temple about the Baha’i Faith, and the temple itself. Bookstore work was mainly selling books to the visitors, and also re-shelving new books. As a receptionist I was taking in calls to the National Baha’i Office, and transferring them to different departments, along with replying to emails, and sorting mail. All of these jobs happened during the day, and so during the evening many of the service youth would participate in community activities. We set up a regular devotional gathering, a few Ruhi study circles, children’s classes, and participated in the children’s classes that are taught in state schools, that’s called BESS (Baha’i Education in State Schools). So there weren’t too many ‘average’ days. My schedule frequently changed the longer I stayed.

Year of Service Interview: Australia

The following is the first of many interviews to come with other youth around the world who have been on a year of service. I post these interviews specifically for other youth contemplating doing their own year of service who don't know yet where they want to go or if they should go. The interviews hopefully shed light on some of the questions that arise for those seeking the life-changing adventures that a year of service can offer.

The Baha’i youth featured in the below interview chose to serve for a year in Australia. She is now in college and serving her community in Colorado. I know you will enjoy her comments and insights into the true meaning of service.

Youth serving at the House of Worship in Australia

1. What drew you to Sydney, Australia as a place to serve?
When I was looking for places to serve, I really wasn’t set on anywhere specific. I knew I wanted to go internationally, but I didn’t know where. So I started with Google, and looked up “Baha’i youth year of service”. As I was reading through the lists, Australia just seemed to keep popping up. So the more I thought about going to Australia, the more I liked the idea. I looked online at the Australian Baha’i National website, and found the application, and applied. The next thing I knew I had a phone interview and was accepted to serve. I felt that it being such a smooth process was a confirmation of my choice to go to Sydney.

2. How has your life changed as a result of service?
Everything about my life changed after my year in Australia. After high school, I needed a break from school, and I had heard so many wonderful stories from friends that had done a year of service, and how life changing it was for them. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I decided to take the risk and travel all the way across the world by myself. By being able to dedicate my full time to service, I was able to see the true necessity of a community based on service to each other. Since I was at a Baha’i House of Worship in Sydney, I was able to pray there every day and contemplate about my life and future. As my year in Australia drew to a close, I realized how much I had grown in that year and become more aware of my own personal strengths and weaknesses. Also, being able to travel outside of the country I had grown up in gave me a better view of the world around me.

3. What was the greatest test you faced and how did you overcome it?
For me I didn’t really have one big test that I had to overcome. There were some conflicts that arose while being in a small house with seven other girls, but those were resolved through communication and organization. I guess another thing that was stressful for me was the fact that my plan for school after Australia completely changed while I was there. So instead of knowing exactly what I was doing when I got back to the U.S., I had to figure it out while I was still in Australia. In retrospect, it doesn’t seem like a huge test, but I know while I was there it was definitely stressful.

4. What was your happiest moment on your year of service?
I distinctly remember going into the House of Worship by myself at night, and just the feeling of peacefulness and serenity I will never forget. Being able to go and say as many prayers as I wanted, and just being able to feel that spirit was such a beautiful thing. I can remember a specific time when my service had reached an especially stressful point, and I went and said the Tablet of Ahmad on each of the nine sides. As I continued to pray I could feel my worries and fears just melt away.
To be continued….

Camping in Canyon de Chelly

Unless guided by a Navajo or certified park guide, all visitors to Canyon de Chelly must be satisfied with a drive along the top of the canyon and stops at overlooks, each of which are striking and breathtaking in beauty. Thanks to a Navajo Baha’i family with land in the canyon, a few NABI staff and volunteers had the bounty of spending a night in the canyon.

Spider Rock, home of Spider Woman, who taught the people how to weave

A few of us hiked down while others drove in with a truck loaded with food, water, and tent gear. Those who hiked experienced a rubble-strewn and occasionally steep trail which bottomed out and followed a creek bed along the canyon’s base. The creek bed was overgrown with tamarisk and Russian olive, and Western Bluebirds flew over our heads in small flocks as we walked. A Red-tailed Hawk let out a scream, no doubt sitting on a canyon ledge, the rust red of its tail complimenting the terra cotta canyon walls. As we walked along our guide pointed out the dark streaks along the canyon walls, called desert varnish. The Navajo say these streaks are the canyon’s hair. Our guide told us that if a girl washes her hair in the water which collects in the natural wells on the canyon top, it is said her hair will grow long like the canyon’s.

After setting up our tents, another volunteer and I played our flutes at different points near the campsite. The sound of our flutes echoed across the canyon. Then we all had a dinner of Navajo tacos (after learning how to make fry bread). And of course, we made s’mores. Anna Feria, programs coordinator at NABI, taught us to make chocolate bananas over the fire (see instructions below). We spent the night singing and talking as the moon cast its warm glow over the canyon walls. Now that’s what I call a perfect night, spent with kindred spirits. :)


I’m Buildin’ Me A Home (part of a song we learned at trainings in Pheonix):

If you see me praying
I’m buildin’ me a home
Well if you see me praying
I’m buildin’ me a home
Cuz this earthly house
Is gonna soon decay
And I’ve got to have
Some place to stay

Rae and Nani at the campfire






* How to make a chocolate bananaphone! Perfect for camping trips (could be used in junior youth group activities, especially sleepover events). It may be helpful to place a grill over the fire, although the bananas can be placed directly on coals. Cut banana on the inside of the bend to create a space where you can wedge chocolate chunks inside. Use broken up Hershey bar or other chocolate to place inside the cut. Wrap banana in aluminum foil (do not take the skin off!) and place over fire or coals. Let cook until chocolate is melted on the inside. Use spoon to scoop chocolate-banana gooeyness out of the skin.

Poem: Morning Prayer

See the sun rays through the clouds,
The distant and misty rainbow.
Hear the gentle pitter-patter of the rain,
The thump of jackrabbit's over-sized feet,
Like a heartbeat against the Earth
As he races over the red-clay land.
Smell the dampened sage,
Let the sticky clay cling lovingly
To your humble sandals
Which have walked so far.

Now let us pray with radiance:
Creator, give this yearning heart
Hope to carry forward and courage
She is certainly the weakest creature
In this dust-ridden land
And like dust, will one day be blown
By the unexpected storm to
Far-away places

We grow with pain
Our souls thrive
After being uprooted
So give her detachment
From all things
Even the home
Even her dreams

She has become the eagle
Which soars over vistas and canyons
The beloved sun illuminating her wings
As she longs to come closer to its
Warming rays,
She is nearing its radiance
Yet infinitely far from the object
Of her desire.

Yes, her body is a hindrance
A mere cage
From which the bird of her soul
Longs to break lose
And stretch its wings

Let us pray with radiant yearning:
Illuminate our every action
O True Friend
We will all return to beauty
Hozho nahasdlii
Hozho nahasdlii
Hozho nahasdlii
Hozho nahasdlii

Artwork!!

Both need a lot of improvements, but here they are, from a girl who used to think she couldn't draw humans at all:

Navajo girl, watercolor

Radiant drummers, pen and ink