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Unfolding Destiny
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Pages 300-303
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Letter of 4 June 1953
Africa Committee
Dear Bahá'í Sister:
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Your letters of June 27, August 4, August 18, September 19,
October 9 and November 27, 1952, with enclosures, have been
received, and the beloved Guardian has instructed me to answer
you on his behalf.
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Your letter of May 25th has also been received. He of course
meant French Equatorial Africa, but condensed it for the sake of
the cable. The Belgian Congo is naturally separate.
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As many of your questions and reports dealt with pre-Conference
complications, which, thanks to the grace of
Bahá'u'lláh, were all satisfactorily removed, I will not touch
upon them in this letter.
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The Guardian was immensely pleased and relieved when it
became clear that the Bahá'ís had obtained visas for Uganda, and
were attending in large numbers, and that hotel accommodation
was available.
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From the report he has received from Mr. Ioas and pilgrims,
the Conference was undoubtedly a tremendous success, and
befittingly inaugurated the round of celebrations during this
Holy Year.
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It is a great pity that there should have been so much
unfavourable publicity connected with the public meeting
associated with the Conference, and its attendance. One cannot,
however, help but feel that such an attitude was inevitable sooner
or later, because there is no doubt that the missionaries are
beginning to feel the keenest resentment and a certain degree of
alarm, due to the success of our teaching methods in Africa.
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Your committee will no doubt face, in the days to come,
many grave problems; but the Guardian feels sure that, whatever
happens, and whatever attacks are made upon the Faith and its
pioneers, the net result cannot but be good for us in the long run,
and can only serve to hasten the spread of the Cause.
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He feels that your committee has every right to feel immensely
proud, and grateful to God, for the success of your unremitting
labours over such a long period of time.
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He was most happy to hear that Mr. Dudley Smith Kutendele
is planning to go and teach the Faith in Nyasaland, and will pray
that his efforts may meet with success in the end.
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Your understanding of the treatment of polygamist converts
to the Faith is quite correct, but of course if anyone who is a
Bahá'í wishes to marry more than one wife, he cannot do so. If
they should disobey this law, then the cases must be handled in
the same way as the Persians do, which is that these persons who
become polygamists, break the laws of marriage.
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As regards your question about the proper designation for the
huts which will be used by the believers in villages, as Bahá'í
Centres, he thinks that, for the time being, until a more dignified
structure can be erected, they should be called "Bahá'í Centre",
and not Hazíratu'l-Quds--the correct name is Hazíratu'l-Quds
and not Hazírá.
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He was immensely pleased over the example shown by Enos
Epyeru, in withdrawing from political affiliation, and feels that
some of the African friends are showing a most exemplary spirit
of devotion and loyalty. He feels that a great potential strength
lies in these new African believers.
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No doubt your committee will be faced with problems, due
to the inexperience of some of these people in administrative
matters, but, through loving guidance, and the wisdom of those
who are associated with them on the spot, these minor things can
be satisfactorily taken care of, and the main thing, the
establishment of assemblies and groups, be carried out
successfully.
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The Guardian was indeed delighted over `Alí Nakhjavání's
trip to the Teso district. The purity of his spirit, the intensity of
his devotion, and the longing in his heart to bring the Faith to his
African brothers, all of which he so clearly showed forth in his
actions, were no doubt the great factors which enkindled the
first fires in the hearts of the believers in that land, and which
have spread so swiftly and have been the cause of such joy to our
beloved Guardian.
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The Guardian considers that the settling of all the virgin
territories all over the world is the most important of the goals
given to any of the National Assemblies, and that it should be
given precedence. Indeed, he is hoping that the one hundred and
thirty territories still unopened may all be settled by pioneers
this year, if possible.
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It is not necessary for a National Assembly to confine itself to
the placing of pioneers from its own community in its goal
areas--it may draw on other Bahá'í communities for pioneers
for its goal territories, as well, and vice versa. In other words,
pioneers from the British Isles may be sent to territories under
the administrative jurisdiction of other National Bodies than the
British National Assembly, and pioneers may be accepted for
British posts who are not members of the British community.
The important thing is to achieve the goals.
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The Guardian is urging the bodies associated with the work
in Africa to disperse their forces, and not endeavour to build up
large communities. Otherwise, there will be a large number of
pioneers in one place, while other goal countries may be left
entirely without a pioneer.
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As regards the translations for Africa, he has urged the
American National Spiritual Assembly, in connection with the
printing of Bahá'í literature in the languages allotted to that
continent, to give you any help it can.
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The Guardian feels confident that, by proper concentration of
effort and exchange of information between the committees
responsible for getting the pioneers out to Africa, the ways and
means will be forthcoming to achieve our objectives this year.
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You may rest assured that his prayers will continue to be
offered for the work you are performing, and that he most
deeply appreciates the conscientious and tireless devotion of all
the members of your committee, a devotion which has enabled
the Conference to take place with such success.
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With loving Bahá'í greetings....
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P.S. In reading over this letter, I see that I have not done
justice to the deep feeling of appreciation our beloved Guardian
has for the wonderful spirit shown by Mr. Banání and his wife,
as well as by Philip Hainsworth and Mr. and Mrs. Collison. The
services of all of those friends cannot be overestimated, nor those
of the devoted pioneers in Kenya and Tanganyika.
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[From the Guardian:]
May the Almighty bless, sustain and guide you in your highly
meritorious endeavours, remove all obstacles from your path, and
enable you to lend a great impetus to the historic work being achieved
in the African Continent.
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Your true and grateful brother,
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Shoghi
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