We are a B-Cluster...YEAH!!!!

Saturday - January 21, 2009

Our cluster reflection meeting largely centered on our new B-cluster status and what it meant. We had a celebration, lots of food before the meeting, and then cake during the meeting. It was a wonderful event. Our ABM, Dan Reimer, answered all questions, we talked about what it meant for our core activities and the general growth of the cluster. We analyzed statistics of where we were 18 months ago as far as activities and the tremendous progress we had made in that time. Then we reviewed our pledges from the previous meeting, shared experiences, and made new pledges.

After the meeting, we had a tutor gathering (our first ever). All 17 tutors in the cluster were present! And after that, we had a meeting of our core team. It was intense. One could already feel the impact of this bold step that our cluster had just taken forward!

Video by Leila Seradj based on UHJ Letter

"Let them not..." from Leila Seradj on Vimeo

Her words:

"I made this video using photos from bahai.org/attaining : images of Baha'is from five continents engaging in common yet diverse activity. Text from a recent message dated 20 October 2008 from the Universal House of Justice (the international governing body of the worldwide Baha'i community) to the Baha'is of the world.

The song is called "Spiritual Medley" by the Harvard Kuumba Singers."

Plight of Iranian Baha'is in Iran

Iranian Baha'is have suffered for over a century, and continue to suffer, persecution at the hands of Iranian authorities in Iran. Recently, seven of them were rounded up and put in prison for almost a year, and are now facing a trial. Their only "crime" is that they are Baha'is. Yet, the Muslim authorities heap unfounded accusations on them, including spying for Israel and propaganda against the Islamic Republic.

All over the world Baha'is and even non-Baha'is are raising awareness of this injustice. Baha'is are also organizing prayer gatherings everywhere on behalf of these seven Baha'i friends. Please remember them in your prayers and thoughts.

To read more about this situation, please click here.

Rainn Wilson, a Baha'i, wrote an article about this on CNN. He's an actor in the TV comedy, The Office. Click here to read his article.

Ice Storm in NW Arkansas

It started Tuesday, 27 January for about a week!

It was awful. It was the worst ice storm Arkansas had seen in a very long time. No power in some parts for a week and up to 2 weeks after that. It was sleek and dangerous. So many trees were destroyed or simply lost several limbs. Everything took on a diamond-like quality for a while...you know, all white and shimmery.

Our neighborhood - it was like a ghost town

The willow tree near the pond in front of our house just bent over from the weight of the ice.

The trees looked pitiful

While the grass shimmered

Most trees looked like they had diamonds on their branches

Power lines were down

The roads were a mess

The streams all looked white

Aaron's truck was part covered in ice. Fortunately we park his car outside our garage because it is difficult to have both his truck and my car in at the same time. That was a good thing because my car was stuck in the garage, and since I didn't know that you could disable the electric power trigger and manually lift up the garage door, we had to use Aaron's car to run all our errands (which mostly comprised eating out, since there was no power to run our electric cooker).

We finally escaped to civilization in Oklahoma. They too had suffered a serious snow storm but had thawed out most of the roads and had electricity. We went to my aunt's home on Friday and returned to Arkansas on Sunday. By then, there was electricity in our neck of the town.My cousins - Samgwa'a & Samgella My aunt - Ma Angeline

With my sweetheart