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"lighten and uplift
them, so that they may soar on the wings of the Divine verses"
-Baha'u'llah
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Lively
festivities in Lesotho
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MASERU,
Lesotho, 3 December 2003 (BWNS) --
Lively performances of dance, music and
storytelling were highlights of the 50th
anniversary celebrations of the Baha'i Faith in
Lesotho, held from 10-12 October 2003.
The
Butha Buthe Baha'i choir and the Men's Choir
from Lesotho sang several times throughout the
program, as did the Swaziland Baha'i choir.
A
visiting arts group from South Africa, Beyond
Words, performed many dances. They also depicted
the lives of the first Lesotho Baha'is in a play
written for the occasion.
At
times during the event, all the participants
were dancing and singing together in harmony. |
The elderly and the young participated at the
golden jubilee celebrations of the Baha'i Faith
in Lesotho.
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Following a
reception at the national Baha'i center, more than 170
Baha'is gathered at the Lesotho Sun Hotel for two days
of celebrations. Guests came from South Africa and
Swaziland.
Lesotho
Television covered part of the proceedings.
Present at
the event was a member of the Continental Board of
Counselors, Enos Makhele of South Africa, who spoke
about the historical significance of the anniversary.
After an
address by the chairman of the National Spiritual
Assembly, Nontsiki Mashologo, participants learned from
a slide presentation about some significant Baha'i
activities during the past 50 years, such as visits by
traveling teachers, youth conferences, and children's
classes.
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One
of those major events was the visit from 19 July
to 4 August, 1972, of Madame Ruhiyyih Rabbani, a
Hand of the Cause of God and the widow of the
Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, Shoghi Effendi.
The
first National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is
of Lesotho was formed in 1971. There are now 26
Local Spiritual Assemblies, and Baha'is live in
more than 470 localities.
The
Lesotho Baha'is hold regular children's classes,
study circles, and devotional meetings. There is
also a youth enrichment program, which encourages
young people to identify their problems and
empowers them to find solutions. |
One of the Lesotho choirs at the festivities. |
At the
jubilee, Mapeko Mofolo, the secretary of the National
Assembly, told stories about the early days of the
Baha'i Faith in Lesotho.
The first
Baha'is to arrive in Basutoland (as Lesotho was once
called) were Frederick and Elizabeth Laws, a couple from
the United States.
They
arrived on 13 October 1953, just three days before the
end of the Holy Year at the beginning of a ten-year plan
to take the Baha'i teachings around the world.
For their
services, they each received the accolade, Knight of
Baha'u'llah, from Shoghi Effendi.
The Laws
soon won the hearts of the local people. Mrs. Laws
became known simply as "Malerato" (Mother of
Love) and Mr. Laws as "Lerato" (Love).
Elizabeth and Frederick Laws in the 1940s, before
they became Knights of Baha'u'llah to Lesotho. |
They
soon met Chadwick and Mary Mohapi, a couple in
their sixties.
"The
Mohapis asked us to live in their village, and
gave us a round, thatched hut with a clay floor.
The rondavel was about 16 feet in diameter. We
laid a tarpaper floor and moved in," Mrs.
Laws later recalled.
On 6
September, 1954, after learning about the faith
from Mr. and Mrs. Laws every evening for five
weeks, Mr. and Mrs. Mohapi became Baha'is, the
first local believers of their country.
Subsequently,
despite difficulties with language, many local
people were enthusiastic to learn about the Baha'i
Faith.
"Our
mighty Lord takes our inadequate words, our puny
efforts, and causes them to bring great
results," Mrs. Laws wrote.
"Those
who hear go out to tell many others -- the chain
is endless to eternity." |
Mr. and
Mrs. Laws stayed in Basutoland for 30 months. Mr. Laws
could not get a work permit so they left for South
Africa in early 1956. By that time there were 85 Baha'is
in Lesotho and five Local Spiritual Assemblies.
They later
moved to Gambia and then to Liberia to assist the Baha'i
communities in each of those countries.
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| Published in Bahá'í
World News Service |
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