Ukrainian families strengthen community well-being

In the Lanark cluster in Ontario, newly arrived Ukrainian families have been working together to address the material and spiritual needs of their community.

The Bahá’í community of Carleton Place, Ont., a town located about 50 kilometres southwest of central Ottawa in the Lanark cluster, has welcomed several Ukrainian families who are now actively participating in the society-building efforts in the community, including children’s classes and junior youth groups.

During home visits, conversations between these families revolve around promoting the spiritual and material well-being of the community, and at times they lead to the Person of Bahá’u’lláh, His teachings and the history of the Faith.

Throughout their engagement with the educational activities, parents expressed their gratitude for the spiritual guidance that Bahá’í children’s classes and junior youth groups provide their families. Mothers participating in a study circle shared their appreciation for having access to the Bahá’í Writings and a space to study them together.

Junior youth commemorate the Martyrdom of the Báb on the first day of the camp. Photo: Parvaneh Rowshan.

In the summer, the Ukrainian friends organized a garage sale in collaboration with the greater community and raised over $3,000. The families consulted together and decided to contribute a portion of this fund towards a Bahá’í summer camp.

The parents actively supported the junior youth camp. The mothers planned and organized many of its components and provided meals as in-kind contributions to reduce expenses. For the service project, the camp participants and their parents helped a family to clean, paint and beautify a rundown apartment so it became suitable to live in.

Stories of individual transformations as an outcome of this summer camp abound. Mothers have shared that their children are happier and are transitioning better to life in Canada thanks to the camp. A 10-year-old shared that she now has a picture of the Master on her phone. She said, “I have my phone with me all the time, and when I have a difficult time at school, l will look at the picture of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and He will help me.”

– Parvaneh Rowshan