Children´s Classes all over the world Bahaí

Bahá'í children's classes Of all our treasures, the most precious are our children! Local Bahá'í communities around New Zealand invite all children to join their regular children's classes.

What are the basic themes taught in these classes? knowledge of God — the loving Creator of all the spiritual nature of all people the importance of prayer moral and character education development of the virtues — the divine qualities within each child respect for parents and elders the importance of family elimination of all prejudice celebration of unity in diversity the essential oneness of all the world's major religions world peace begins with each one of us men and women are equal service to others is the best way to worship God Learning to practise the virtues is central to the programme in Bahá'í children's classes. Trustworthiness Purity Friendliness Service Politeness Determination Cooperation Generosity Courtesy Courage Self-discipline Perseverance Creativity Cleanliness These are just some of the virtues highlighted in Bahá'í children's classes. Education must be spiritual as well as material. Spiritual education embodies those virtues or attributes which, when kindled in the hearts and minds of children, not only guide their morals, but also enhance their material education. We must love and respect people from all religions. All the major religions have sprung from the same Source and all have played their part in God's unfolding guidance to mankind. The children will learn about the Bahá'í Faith and will study the lives of the Founders of all the world's great Faiths and their basic teachings. How are Bahá'í children's classes carried out? The children's class programme is well organised, systematic, and follows a curriculum that is designed to meet the needs of children at different age levels. Teachers in charge of classes are all approved by the Bahá'í Assembly and all have minimum training. Teachers have assistants to ensure the smooth running of the classes. Art! Music! Dance! Drama! All classes endeavour to make use of the arts – especially music and singing. Homework? Yes! The virtues must be practised every day at home and in the wider community and memorisation of prayers and of other passages is regarded as important. The Bahá'í teachings put great emphasis on deeds not words. What about the parents? Parents are invited to study all the materials and lesson plans in the curriculum. These are available for all parents. Parents are also very welcome to attend the classes and to assist the teachers with supervision. Are there any costs? There are no course fees but there may be a small charge to cover the costs of materials used by the children. Who can I contact to enrol my children and or to find out more about these classes? Many local Bahá'í communities around the world hold children's classes. To get in touch with the community nearest you, please see the Bahá'í World website, for contact details of the Bahá'ís in your country. http://www.bahai.org/dir/contact more info about the Bahai Faith: www.bahai.org

"Broken Land" A song for Haiti from Bahai Youth Canada.

This song was written by two Bahai youth from Canada, JC and Karim, in response to recent events in Haiti.

www.bahai.org

The Baha'i community looks upon the natural world as a unified system in which all beings are connected together whether they are plants, animals or microbes. Cooperation and reciprocity are seen as essential attributes of coexistence in nature. Change is natural and continual in all life but disruptive and powerful change caused by human greed, reckless behaviour and ruthless consumption patterns does not give nature time to adapt.

Baha'i writings illustrate the concept of interconnectedness of nature: "Although outwardly cataclysms are hard to understand and to endure, yet there lies a great wisdom behind them which appears later. All the visible material events are inter-related with invisible spiritual forces. The infinite phenomena of creation are as interdependent as the links of a chain. When certain links become rusty, they are broken by unseen forces, to be replaced by newer and better ones. There are certain colossal events which transpire in the world of humanity which are required by the nature of the times".

The heartbreaking tragedy that has befallen the nation of Haiti has stirred the world with compassion and prompted an outpouring of support. Governments and international humanitarian agencies are mounting an urgent and complex relief operation to provide much-needed food, water, medical supplies and other life-saving interventions to the millions who have been affected by the earthquake.

Our care and concern encompasses the entire nation of Haiti, both in its hour of dire need and in the coming months and years of long-term reconstruction. While such devastating natural disasters fill us with feelings of awe and consternation, we find hope in the thought that through these tests, humanity is brought closer together. The Baha'i writings on suffering and tests state:
"... When such a crisis sweeps over the world no person should hope to remain intact. We belong to an organic unit and when one part of the organism suffers all the rest of the body will feel its consequence. This is in fact the reason why Baha'u'llah calls our attention to the unity of mankind. But as Bahá'ís we should not let such hardship weaken our hope in the future... "