Participating in Programs of Social & Spiritual Development Around
the World
by Alex Blakeson, Reggie Baskin and Doris
Phelan of the Office of Pioneering
Overview
The Bahá’í Faith is the second most widespread religion
in the world and its teachings greatly emphasize service to others —
raising it to the level of worship. The variety of ways that Bahá’ís
serve humanity are as diverse as both themselves and the needs in every
corner of the globe. The movement from one place to another to serve,
in which Bahá’ís always apply and share the teachings
of Bahá’ú’lláh, is known as “pioneering.”
Outline
Workshop participants spent the first half of the program studying,
in small groups, selections from the Bahá’í Writings
on the nature of the call to service (see document “Service to
Humanity four-page mini-course”, below), and the second half hearing
about the experiences of and reflections on pioneering from those who
are, or have been engaged in it. Presenters and their areas of service
were:
Mr. Beatriz, Steven and Vahid Beebe:
Projects of Education in Colombia
Mr. Ian Blood:
Grassroots service as a youth in Chadian villages
Ms. Chelsea Cleghon:
My experience teaching in Africa
Mr. Gil, Mrs. Maud, Mr. Andon and Mr. Kamran Grassely:
Living, serving and growing as a family in Paraguay
Dr. Holly Hanson:
Serving as Fulbright Scholar in Africa; learning about systems of education
Dr. Robert and Dr. Han Ju Kim-Farley:
Service with international social and economic development organizations
— focus on health, environment and religion
Ms. Ellen Parmelee:
Spiritual requirements for community-based service in Guyana
Ms. Amanda Provost:
A youth’s journey of service to youth in India, Chicago and China
Mrs. Martha Schweitz:
Law, justice and gender equality in Japan
Mr. Paul Schweitz:
The Bahá’í International Peace Relay run from Hiroshima to Nagasaki,
Japan - making the Bahá’í vision of peace a reality
Mr. Rexford Widmer:
African Business development & entrepreneurship
Ms. Jackie Schwart:
Family service in Honduras
Mr. Ravi Starr:
Youth service in Venezuela
Contact Information:
Office of Pioneering
Bahá’í National Center
1233 Central St.
Evanston, IL 60202
Phone: 847-733-3508
E-mail: pioneer@usbnc.org
Fax: 847-733-3509
