I had no intentions of making an entry today. Honestly, I’m worn out. I gave two talks today at two colleges about Project Conversion and my Zoroastrian month begins in a little under three hours.
But something amazing happened this evening at the last talk–in my Intro to World Religions class–that made this whole month worth the effort.
My Baha’i Mentor is the only Baha’i that we know of within many, many miles. She is a diaspora all to herself. In fact, I have been her sole Baha’i companion for the whole month. She lit up when I arrived every week at her home for Study Circle, ready to share the wisdom of her faith. We laughed over tea and delved into the teachings of Baha’u'llah. I could tell there was something missing every time we visited the Baha’i community in “Triangle” one and half hours north of us; the way she interacted with her Baha’i family, it was like a family reunion with gatherings too rare for comfort.
I wanted to do something for her to repay her for the kindness and dedication she showed for me and Project Conversion. I wanted to give her a Baha’i community of her own.
But this is near to impossible. How can a non-Baha’i (though my Baha’i friends call me otherwise) help someone come–or at least become interested–in the faith? Turns out, all I have to do is teach. The message does the rest.
So tonight, as I finished giving my last talk about the Baha’i Faith in the last hours of the last days of the month, I showed the class the Baha’i Declaration Card and a registration card asking for more information about the faith. One woman approached me and asked to fill out the card, and if possible, to speak to my Mentor. I was floored. This was the spark I was looking for. The spark that could become a new Baha’i. She filled out the card and I will personally hand it to my Mentor tomorrow afternoon. I called my Mentor about what had happened and I could feel the joy flowing off her voice. Not because she might get the chance to “convert” someone, but because she gets the chance to share her faith.
So, looks like I have been the best Baha’i I can be to the end. It’s been a wonderful month, an insightful month, and folks…we are only two months in. Who knows what’s around the corner. When I wake up, I’ll be a Zoroastrian. Until then,
Allah-u-Abha!
