Barbara
I can understand that moving can have a beneficial influence on ones spiritual life and outlook. I have lived in communities that only met with "themselves" and sometimes had many activities that were attended by only a few of the same people and seldom anyone new. many of those activities were planning meetings but nothing ever got done. I was experiencing the burnout that Dick is experiencing now. So I went to China.
Now every day is a new experience and I have many opportunities to share my faith with others. I have been here now for four years and my faith is stronger now than at anytime before. There are a small number of Baha'is in my community but we seldom meet with each other yet we keep in touch, partly because we can have no organized Baha'i activities her in China.
I maintain contact with the Baha'i community through forums like this on the Internet. Yet I am very happy and satisfied with that. Being away from the community makes me rely on Baha'u'llah more directly I think. I enjoy my work teaching English and am strengthened by teaching the Faith to others. I felt all of my 69 years when I was in the states and now that i am 73 I feel like a young man of 45. Finding a new career and changing my environment has done wonders for me and my Faith.
Peace and Unity
Roger
At 02:00 PM 6/1/2004, you wrote:
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Subject: RE: Community vitality and political dissent
From: Barbara Clements <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Mon, 31 May 2004 21:56:15 -0500 X-Message-Number: 37
When I was burned out, I moved and became an isolated believer (the move was due to my husband's job, not my decision). For three years I didn't feel the pressure to organize or do something. Then I moved to a small community where I went back to being the person who organizes everything, but on a much smaller scale. Now there are only two Baha'is where I live and I am embarking on a new career that will get me involved in making a difference in my city. Will I attract other people and will someone finally declare here in the Bible Belt? I don't know, but I know will be making a difference and I will be making a difference because I am a Baha'i. I certainly wouldn't be doing this for any other reason. What I plan is 180 degrees from my personal preferences and safety zone.
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