The Power of Service Projects in the Study Circle Process -- Courtesy of Patricia Haley-Tsui, Canada

Book 5 - everyone's excited - a newly available book in the study series. Grade 2 children's classes. A book where all the participants get to conduct a class, with the available materials, songs and projects.

But what to do about a service project? Hmmmm Tutor Heather Tate, a Registered Nurse by professional, in tune to the Burnaby community, and perhaps inspired by the quote " let deeds not words should be your adorning" registered our group of 8 with the Burnaby Christmas bureau, to sponsor a family of 3.

This was more to this, than meets the eye. We had to find out our family's likes, dislikes, food allergies, restrictions, etc. We had to agree to spend $200 on their needs.

So we all dug deep, purchasing items, gifts, foods and then make an appointment with the family head to make our delivery.

Unbeknown to us, the lady of the house, a young single mother of 2,  contacted the Christmas bureau to inquire about who was sponsoring her and her two young daughters. The Christmas bureau advised her that it was not a family who was sponsoring her, as is usually the case, but rather a group from the community. The lady asked "Who". The Christmas bureau was taken aback by her question. Then the sponsored lady asked, "Well, can you at least tell me this - are they Christians?" The Christmas bureau replied ‘No, they are not'. The lady then asked, ‘ Well, then why are they doing this? And who are they?' The Christmas bureau, becoming a bit anxious and not sure what to say to her, advised her that it was confidential.

Upon arriving with packages, a car loaded with good cheer, our two ruhi book 5 representatives were invited inside. As the Ruhi collaborators made 3 trips back and forth between house and car, the lady of the house kept repeating, "Oh my God!" in excitement at the generosity shown to her and her 2 young daughters.

The lady was more curious than ever and asked many questions about the service project and then the Faith. The collaborators told her the basic principles of the Faith. She responded that she is searching for a  place which would exert a good influence onto her 2 young daughters.

She continued to press the ruhi collaborators about information on the Baha'i Faith.

Not wanting to push ourselves onto her, nor to make the Christmas bureau think that we were using them as a vehicle for teaching the Faith, we did not tell the lady at the home visit, about the children's classes.  Instead, the two Ruhi students decided that in the new year they will contact her again and inform her of our children's classes.

The lady had never heard about the Faith, and could not even pronounce it. But the seed that was planted, by the Ruhi book 5 service project, just may bear some wonderful fruit.

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