Richmond Hill/Toronto Youth Activities

Dear Bredren and Sistren of the Toronto area. As you are all aware, I am back home in richmondhill, jobless as a bumb, lazy as the lions at African lion safari, and waiting to pounce...like...those lions...at african lion safari. I want to do some activities for the community. I got together with another youth from toronto, and we brainstormed...Here are some things I could get doing. Please, if you think you would be interested, have any questions, suggestions, etc., just leave a comment:

- Movie nights --> We watch a movie with a meaningful theme and we have an organized thoughtout discussion afterwards.
- Weekly devotionals --> We could simply get together and say prayers for different occasions.
- Weekly DEEPotionals --> This is a modified devotional developed in London. Basically, its a deepening on a certain topic, as well as a devotional. These are well organized and planned. Includes music, visual presentations and good atmosphere.
- Ruhi --> Anyone needing to complete any of the ruhi books, I am more than willing to tutor them.
- Capture the Flag/Manhunt/Mafia/Boulder-dash/imrov game nights. Just a good occasion to get some good ol' bonding going on.
- Weekly deepenings --> We could study books like "Some answered questions", The Book of Certitude, or even the Bible.

Could use all the support I can get.
If you are interested in any of these and are from the Toronto area, por favor, leave me a comment!

Clubbin' Review...

My last two blogs may not have seemed 'everyday' practical for many people, so I thought I'd comment on something almost EVERYONE has experienced by this age. Clubbing...I am still under 18, and my 19+ friends (yea...I'm Cooool) go clubbing and really enjoy themselves. Sounds like it would be lots of fun...but I always asked myself...when I'm over 18, will I be a fan of clubbing? Is it right? I am a Baha'i (www.bahaiworld.org) and the Baha'i Faith upholds standards of Excellence. I do not want to tell people "Yes, I am Baha'i", but not truly believe in it, not fully trust the Faith, and ignore certain principles as I please...so if I went clubbing...would I be contradicting my beliefs? I had my first clubbing experience (over 19 experience with my bros ID...ahem) not too long ago to understand whether clubbing WOULD be against the Baha'i Faith. The Baha'i Faith does not prohibit 'dancing', but promotes chastity, and prohibits alcohol consumption. I will recount my story by occasionally adding a one word sentence; "Interesting" to try and promote analysis of the previous sentence to decipher for yourself whether the event is 'good' or 'bad'. A number of friends and myself were headed for Jacks..and just as we entered the back parkinglot...a man was thrown out the back...with a bloody face, engaged in a conflict with one of the bouncers. Interesting. After about 10 minutes of freezing our butts off outside, we made our way inside and onto the dance floor. I found out something that very moment...Damn...I REALLY like to DANCE! Even when I'm tired, I can squeeze out some good energy and dance. I started to look around...girls dancing on guys, guys dancing on girls, girls dancing on girls. Interesting. Unexpectedly, one of the very friends I was with began to search for a girl to grind with...Very interesting. My friend was dancing and someone steped on his shoe....so he gave him a nudge to get off his shoe. The guy turns around, and gives him an intimidating look...followed by the hand sign language for peace (Who DOES THAT?). Interesting...As I was looking around the club with my super tall neck, I spotted some friends I had seen before at school. One was leaning back...looking all cool, and when I made eye contact I gave him a nice smile and wave. I got a half smile, with the two finger salute...Inteerresssting. I quickly came to find that people act differently in the club, another more intimidating personality comes out. I think dancing is great!...I love to dance! Yes! Dancing! But clubs...they arent for dancing. Should I be promoting such a place that has people with bloody faces coming out that back of the building? Should I be supporting a place that turns sweet kind people into intimidating, 'cool' people? Should I support a place where I can see girls/guys yelling at other girls/guys, or girls/guys yelling at other guys/girls because they say "You took mah MAN" or "I saw you dancin' wit HER/HIM!". The only reason I would continue going clubbing in HIGH moderation is because all my friends go, and its an integral part of society. It's unfortunate that clubbing isn't just about dancing and EVERYONE having fun...but still knowing the boundaries. Maybe its possible to go clubbing with a bunch of friends, and mind our own businesses and have our own fun...but still...I am supporting the Cause of Clubbing. In Conclusion...Mostly...I think clubbing would be contradicting my beliefs...is it contradicting yours? Add comments por favor.

Denied Education?

Religious persecution...not a big problem? Maybe not soo much in North America, but in many countries, it is. Baha'is make the largest religious minority in Iran (having over 400 000 Baha'is), and are all denied a high level education in the country. Iran is fully capable and does give out higher education to all of its other major religions, but simply refuses to give the same privledges to a Baha'i. Why? Whats wrong with Baha'is? Well...lets investigate what the Baha'is believe in, maybe they believe something very contraversial and wrong...Baha'is believe in equality of man and woman, equality of all races, Independent investigation of the Truth, One God, and they believe that all religions are equal, all coming from One God teaching what we need to know for that day and age, like the teachers of a school. (For more info: www.bahaiworld.org). Unless I have missed something, there is clearly nothing wrong with the Religion. What is it then? As any other religion of the past, when they have first started, they had to face a great deal of prejudice, suffering and sacrifice. The Baha'i Faith, sitting at 162 years old, is still relatively new, and is still experiencing these prejudices. The Iranian government has executed many thousands of Bahais (they imprisoned my grandfather for 7 years), and still cause them suffering. They do not allow the Baha'is to have their meetings, get significant jobs, or get higher education. Fine...they don't want the Baha'is in their institutions of higher learning?...Baha'is have even made efforts to create their own institutions of higher learning, but such efforts were blocked by the Iranian government. Because of this, a group of us at Western and a number of other universities have been asked to send letters to the institutions of Iran, to tell them to stop, and hopefuly this international pressure can bring this prejudice to an end. For more info: http://denial.bahai.org/ , www.deniededucation.com. Please add your comments.



After the Islamic Revolution, the Iranian government sought to destroy the Bahá’í leadership. In August 1980, the entire membership of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Iran, shown here, “disappeared.” All are presumed to have been killed.

Religion Cause War?

We hear everyday of different conflicting religions, different religions being persecuted and being treated differently than the mass population. Suicide bombings have been going on in Israel for a very long period of time because of these wars between different religions. Would we be better off without religion? Is it religion that causes these wars? Is the fact that there are soo many different religions the cause of these wars? If you ask me, I would say no. Religions do not even contradict eachother in their essence of having all humanity to funcion as one whole, in peace. Lets take a look at it this way. If every person followed the rules and principles of their own religions, there would be no more alcohol, drugs, use of weapons, adultry, racism, or prejudice. Those are only SOME of the things that all religions agree are 'immoral' and should not be included in daily activites. Why are all of these things still present? Why do we still have conflicting religions? I DONT KNOW, it doesn't add up. If religions don't say to use guns, alcohol, adultry, etc. then...why do people still do it? Clearly its humanities DEVIATION from religion that causes conflict, and not religion itself! It's the curruption that we add to religion that causes 'religion' to become impure. True? or not true? Add to the comments, tell me what you think.

God Spoke to me...

I'm sure you have all seen those TV shows or TV ads.."God spoke to me"..."God sent down this woman", "God cured my cancer"...etc. Well...I can attest to such claims. Many people have heard the voice of God in their prayers...while on their knees begging for mercy...and in the most sacred and meditative of moments...but my experience was a bit different. God spoke to me on the Volleyball Court. A group of substantial Athletes...gathered and decided to form an exceptional volleyball team..co-ed competative...we named our team "Are you hungry?". We lost our first game today, no sweat, just win the next two. We won the next game with a condemning lead, which gave us great confidence for our third game. ( For all you volley-ballas out there...the third game goes to 15). We were exerting absolute dominance...winning by double their score! The other team spiked the ball, tipped my fingers, and went out. The Ref did not see me touch the ball, and called it as our point. I came out and said the truth, that I had touched the ball....since the quote "Truthfulness is the Foundation of All Human Virtues" was flashing out at me from Ruhi book 1. I felt like "damn...there...I did something honest...so in the end, we should win." The score became 14 to 8 for us...Time for us to win!...was what we were all thinking...We had many opportunities to finish the game...perfect sets...not being aggressive...waiting for them to make mistakes...and it was not working in our benefit. Then...came the very moment that God spoke to me...the very Glorious moment that motivated me to write this very blog...It was our time to finish the game. A perfect set to finish the game was given to me...wait...me??...or...my brother?....Hell no!!....IM TAKING THIS!!...IM GOING TO FINISH IT!...My Ego...selfishness....cause me...and my brother...to both jump and try and hit the ball at the same time...resulting in a twin tower collision (we are both tall) and a fatal collapse...The point was not taken....at that very moment...God said to me "Youuuuu Egotistical, Selfish, Son of A ...!" I had realized...maybe Truthfulness IS the foundation of all human virtues...but other virtues, like being selfless, will help build the outter structure of such a foundation. As a result...we lost the game...one of the most painful...heartbreaking events that I have experience...in a while. Lesson Learnt?: Be less Selfish and egotisical FOOL....jeez...look at the pic in my LAST BLOG FOR HEAVENS SAKE!

Peace out,
Erfan

King Erfan?

Western has been quite...an experience!...and THAT you can probably guess from my picture. I'm sure you are all familiar with the term of being 'knighted', which has been done for many centuries by the Royalties. The term you may NOT be familiar with....is being 'royalted'! That is right...I now have KING status at the residence of Alumni House. I got such a position by doing a very noble deed...doing something that takes lots of courage..and dedication...and a trained heart. I competed in a talent show against the rest of the res!

The Moment of Truth...

This was it...the time I had been waiting for. The most important of all. I was from Canada...and I´d better represent...not only that...but the Vafaie family was been known for dominating in this amongst the Dorchesterarians. We were inside...but with the outdoor hot breeze wafting in. Sweat was coming out of every crevice of my body. I stared my opponent down...as he stared at me. I was NOT about to let my family down. This was no game of...golf...or...curling...this was some true...professional Venezuelian pingpong. The paddles were not in best shape..but I would have to deal with it. Sweat was constantly falling into my eyes...making the pingpong ball look nebulous. I knew that my opponent was facing these same difficulties...but he had been trained under these conditions...and I was no longer in the Vafaies house...I was on HIS territory. Despite the fact that he had played about 10 games in a row...and was started to look tired...I still let me family down. BLAST! A bunch of the youth had taken me downtown to one of their universities where we played some volleyball and pingpong. I would just DIE going to university here...because playing even just PINGPONG will leave you sweating like you were doing 1000 meter dashes due to the excruciating heat.
About 5 of the youth here have just completed book 2...and there are still another 10 youth in the process. Our dance workshop practices are doing O...K... Attendence is very inconsistent...but I have been able to get 2 youth coming consistently and who know almost all of the step moves. We will be performing in a week in Cabudare (where Bahiyyih is now serving) for a 2 day conference. (5 hour drive for a 2 day conference!! Dios!) The youth from here are also going to perform Guita!...which is Maracaibos traditional music.
Susan is once again very excited as many of the youth are starting to show their faces in the activities again. There seemed to be some problems causing disunity amongst the youth...some of which are ´girl guy´problems...such as relationships and bunch of people going for one person...and THATS why I currently dont have a girlfriend! Unless I´m 99% sure...I´m not going to do something that could end up in two broken hearts...and most importantly...the end of a great friendship that used to be. I find that many relationships these days are for pleasure...for the instant entertainment...and not thinking about the future. Whats the point? It will end up BAD! The way I see it...a relationship is a means of getting to know the other person better...not to satisfy your sexual desires, kissing or even hugs!...you still have mommy for that! Ahem....back to Venezuela...
I have been talking more with Peter (the pioneer here) to see what it really takes to be a succesful pioneer like himself. Peter lived in America...and was drafted into the army. When in the army...they were aloud to go to school as well. Peter decided to go into an ALL blacks school! (Peter is White). Peter was the only white person in the school...but all the people were very kind to him and welcomed him. Peter taught the Faith in that school as well as became friends with everyone...showing that there truly IS NO DIFFERENCE between the races of mankind. (Cant believe the ignorance of mankind sometimes!) The army general...or something upper class told recommended him not to attend the school anymore...because it looked bad for the army having a soldier going into an all blacks school. Peter ignored the recommendation, as he saw no real problem or threat. A couple weeks later...the school kicked him out and gave him back his money...obviously a work of the army...After Peter was done with the army...he left America by a cargo ship down to Venezuela. He didnt speak spanish...he had no guaranteed job...and he was only 27 years old! In Venezuela he eventually became a professor of engineering and is now retired. The story of Peter could be made into a movie! Like...one of those movies like Remember the Titans where it shows one man uniting all these races!! haha. Its incredible! I brought some puzzles from Canada...the type wheres in like a metal ring inside a loop...and you have to take the ring out. Peter was the only one who didnt ask for help...and he tried doing that puzzle for HOURS! This taught me that I better REALLY start working on perseverance if I´m wanting to become a good pioneer in the future, as well as taking something started, out to the finish. Peter is a man who really likes to talk!...and during dinner he has taught me some good lessons. He told me about how one great philosopher said that a man has hit maturity when he has found a cause worth working for...and Looses himself in it. Meaning that unless you find something worth living for...and become selfless in it...you have not reached maturity. This makes sense...whats the point in living...in having your own pleasure...if you die in 80 years and all is forgotten? Its only worthwhile to work for a cause.
Peters Daughter just returned from studying in America. She is going to be here for a week then is going to Equador where she will visit all the people she served with during her year of service. She is really awesome and a great translator! She took me out yesturday with a bunch of the youth and we did some sightseeing downtown...and in the ´tourist´ area where they had traditional style homes of maracaibo. After walking past a security guard with a shotgun...I felt safe to pull out my camera and take some pictures.
I have had a couple youth here tell me not to ever leave!!! I found it sooo sweet! The kindness and love that the youth show for me here is just tooo much for me to handle...that i dont know...how to handle it. haha. I REALLY wish I could speak flawless spanish...although my spanish is still getting better....i wish I could have good deep conversations with them. I have gotten to the point where I can tell some jokes and have made them all crack up at times!! Thats the most SATISFYING feeling...If I dont become a doctor...I want to go into some profession where I can just make people laugh!
I´m not going to be here in Venezuela for MUCH longer...and this may be my last email before I get back...and then I may send one more to describe my whole experience! I hope you are all doing well and I miss you all!
Have a great summer,
Love,
Erfan

Deprived! (Venezuela email #4)

I must say...all the time I have spent here has made me realize...how DEPRIVED they are of XBOX here! NO XBOX! NONE! But...they do play one game we are all familiar with! Frogger! But this version is much more difficult. You don´t have a top down view...you have a first person view. The cars go a lot faster, and they react by braking or turning if you are on the road. Your also not a frog who can leap one whole lane at a time..and SOME people play it HIGHEST difficulty by carrying lots of things and wearing high heels and crossing the highway where traffic merges...oh...and you only have one life. Personally...I have not played this so called ´game´...as I do not feel it safe to cross the highways of Maracaibo...nor have I needed to...yet.
I´m starting to get used to the excruciating heat here! If the temperature EVER hits 28-29 degrees at night...WOW...its a BEAUTIFUL night! As I look at myself in the mirror, I don´t think I have lost any body mass...because if I did...as you all know...I would cease to exist.
We have continued with Ruhi books here...and the youth themselves suggested that we do INTENSIVE Ruhi...which left Susan in shock...as she said that the youth were never THAT eager to do Ruhi and she felt as though she was always pushing THEM! We had pretty much a PACKED day of Ruhi from 3pm till 9pm, where I had a chance to tutor two youth for a couple hours! It was quite difficult...as there were moments of silence as I tried to make up a question relating to the read paragraphs.
We havent had too many more dance practices yet. The McLarens (the family I´m staying with) are gone for the weekend to see the Voices of Bahá, which is a choir consisting of 80 people from all over the World...and they are pretty much doing a huge Tour...singing all over the place right now. Beacause of the absence of the McLarens...we haven´t been able to hold much here...except for some childrens classes...speaking of which...yesturday was Día de niños! Day of the children, national celebration! We all went to another Bahais house where there were over 20 children...and they all got presents...we danced...they played musical chairs! The kids were very cute! They would constantly come up to me and ask me what their names are in English.
When I first came to Venezuela...I knew I´d NEVER be walking the streets during the night! NO WAY JOSE! (Hosay). Mom...Dad...this is when you two stop reading! Bye!...
Ahem...as I was saying....(mom..dad...i know your still reading..please!) Reinaldo (the youth staying at this house with me currently! Great guy...knows some english!) and I have actually walked the streets a number of times during the night! The night life here is actually quite amusing! Everyone´s got their chairs outside, kids are on the street playing soccer...it actually didnt seem as dangerous as they all made it seem. You would never see a girl walking alone though...they were usually accompanied by a MACHO man! The other night though...(thursday day...the McLarens had just left..) I was waiting for Reinaldo at around 11:30 pm. I was afraid that I wouldnt hear the doorbell from inside...so I waited outside...but inside the metal bar and cemented gates of the house. As I sat there...I heard something that I have heard quite a bit around here. Fireworks are very popular around here...I don´t like the fact that they are popular...because it kind of helps disguise the sound of a gunshot...and THIS firework...sounded a bit different... I thought to myself ´nah...cant be NOTHING! Its just fireworks......right?´...three minutes later...I could hear the sound of the ambulance in the background...by this time...I was already trying to recall all of the moves that Jet Li does to unarm his opponents...just incase I would have to use it if someone came to the gates with a gun...since the ´guard´dogs here seem quite incompetant. One is constantly dancing on is back to scratch off ticks...while the other is the size of a squirrel....as cute as one too! Soon after the sound of the ambulance...I heard two consecutive pistol shots...´PAH....PAH...´...by this time...I had a knife in each hand...and a backup knife in my sock. ( Only kidding!...Jet Li doesnt use knives! He uses his hands!) That.....got me saying the LONGER Protection prayers...I figure...It´d be worth it!
The youth and children here just LOVE my digital camera! Everytime I take a picture...they have to zoom in AS FAR as they can...and analyze every pixel of the picture...thats why I try to avoid taking pictures of LOTS of kids...otherwise...my camera will be covered in half digested, saliva filled chocolat.
Mom and Dad...this part is also not for you...as it is VERY bad....
I´ve pretty much become a pro at washing dishes now! When there are activities here..the dishes just PILE UP like you dont believe...and since I usually have nothing to do after the activities are over...I wash the dishes! If there is ONE thing that I can say that I have done consistently and helped out with here...is helped the McLarens WASH their dishes!
One thing that I have found very interesting is the fact that Home visits are a part of their lives here. In Canada...in our cluster meetings (if some of you have no idea what I´m talking about...feel free to email me and ask me) we talk about how important it is to have home visits...and we set goals for home visits....HERE...its like...´alright...lets go around the streets and visit this person...that person...´, and they will all invite you to sit down...have a drink of Coke or water...etc. I remember one of the ways that clusters are divided is by transportation availability...and its interesting to see that this whole ´sector´ is all walking distance away! All of the 20 youth...20 children...all walking distance away! Its SOOOO NICE and CONVENIENT that way! Want to have a social? Walk around...tell everyone to just join ya! And they all walk around with you and you come back home and watch some movies or something. They dont tell eachother about activities by phone here...they walk around and tell them all individually! I find it to be much more effective...and has served to make me understand maybe why the LEM site hasnt been soo successful (once again...if you are confused...email me!), because we send out these MASS emails (like this one) to invite people to things...but its MUCH more effective if a friend invites you personally...by coming to your door or a phone call! Lesson #1 Learnt! ( About time!).
Reinaldo and I are about to walk to his house to feed his dogs (he lives in an apartment with two BIG dogs). One of them is a Wolf Dog....VERY beautiful creature and it HOWLS like a WOLF!! Its incredible! ( I missed my chance to see a monkey back in Barquisimeto! I´m still jealous of you for that Faran!)

Miss you all and love you all lots,
Erfan