Dakota Baha'i's: Love Without Borders.: March 2013

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Ayyám-i-Há Rosebud & Mission-Antelope 2013

Dear Friends,

This is a picture of the Mission-Antelope and Rosebud Baha'is after an Ayyamiha dinner at the Rosebud IHS Housing home of Jaleh and Kevin Thranow. This same group of people were at the Feast of 'Ala' the next evening. Left to right standing adults are Charles Bennett, Juanita Anderson (Rhodd), Barb Bennett, Velma Little Eagle and Jaleh Thranow. Youth and sitting are Robert Rhodd, Cain, Jonathan Menard III and Kevin Thranow. Ben Rhodd was called to a meeting and was unable to attend. We hope that you had a Happy Ayyamiha and are beginning a blessed and uplifting Fast month.

On behalf of all of us,

Charles and Barbara Bennett

Friday, March 8, 2013

JY Rock on Standing Rock 2013! Yay!

Standing Rock JY 2013

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Mavis Nymon, Knight of Baha'u'llah

Mavis Nymon, 2002.

Togo Baha'is celebrate jubilee 22 August 2004 Baha’i World News Service

LOME, Togo — A message from one of the Baha'is who introduced the Baha'i Faith to Togo was a highlight of the jubilee celebrations held here.

"I love you all so much, pray for your spiritual growth and that you may continue in faith and teaching the Cause of Baha'u'llah -- the Cause of God," wrote Mavis Nymon, 82, who now lives in the United States and was unable to attend the celebrations in this West African country.

Ms. Nymon, originally from Fargo, North Dakota, was 32 years old when she and 59-year-old Vivian Wesson of Chicago, Illinois, took the message of the Baha'i Faith to what was then called French Togoland on 2 May 1954.

"What an unspeakably joyous occasion for us," she said. They had accomplished their goal of contributing to the Ten Year Plan (1953-1963) to establish the Faith in countries where there were no Baha'is. By the end of the decade the number of national communities had more than doubled.

In her letter Ms. Nymon described the help she and Ms. Wesson received from Togolese people and how, about one month after their arrival, they met another Baha'i there, David Tanyi, from Cameroon.

For introducing the Baha'i teachings to French Togoland, the three received the accolade Knight of Baha'u'llah from the then head of the Faith, Shoghi Effendi.

"I wanted to go to Africa since I was 16, and it was the great fulfillment of my life," Ms. Nymon later said. Later Ms. Nymon and Ms. Wesson moved to Liberia to assist the Baha'i community there.