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The Bahá'í Faith in St. Lucia begins with a mention by `Abdu'l-Bahá, then head of the religion, in 1916 as the Caribbean was among the places Bahá'ís should take the religion to. The first Bahá'í pioneers to the Windward Islands arrived in St. Lucia on 13 October 1953   while other pioneers arrived by 1964. The first St. Lucian became a Bahá'í in 1967 and the first Bahá'í Local Spiritual Assembly was elected in 1968. St. Thomas Bahá'í Newsletter, 03.i, lists the new believers as being enrolled as of September, 1966.

Hand of the Cause, Dhikru'llah Khadem, visited on May 27–28, 1983, for the first election of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of St. Lucia. Since then Bahá'ís have participated in several projects for the benefit of the wider community. The 2001 St. Lucian census reports 0.1% of the island,

while Bahá'ís claim that over the years about 2,620 individuals have registered as Bahá'ís living in St. Lucia.

Pre-history
`Abdu'l-Bahá, the son of the founder of the religion, wrote a series of letters, or tablets, to the followers of the religion in the United States in 1916-1917; these letters were compiled together in the book titled Tablets of the Divine Plan. The sixth of the tablets was the first to mention Latin American regions and was written on April 8, 1916, but was delayed in being presented in the United States until 1919—after the end of the First World War and the Spanish flu. The first actions on the part of Bahá'í community towards Latin America were that of a few individuals who made trips to Mexico and South America near or before this unveiling in 1919, including Mr. and Mrs. Frankland, and Roy C. Wilhelm, and Martha Root. The sixth tablet was translated and presented by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab on April 4, 1919, and published in Star of the West magazine on December 12, 1919. "His Holiness Christ says: Travel ye to the East and to the West of the world and summon the people to the Kingdom of God.…(travel to) the Islands of the West Indies, such as Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, the Islands of the Lesser Antilles (which includes St. Lucia), Bahama Islands, even the small Watling Island, have great importance… " In 1927 Leonora Armstrong was the first Bahá'í to visit and give lectures about the Bahá'í Faith in many Latin American countries as part of her plan to compliment and complete Martha Root's unfulfilled intention of visiting all the Latin American countries for the purpose of presenting the religion.

Seven Year Plan and succeeding decades
Shoghi Effendi wrote a cable on May 1, 1936 to the Bahá'í Annual Convention of the United States and Canada, and asked for the systematic implementation of `Abdu'l-Bahá's vision to begin. In his cable he wrote: "Appeal to assembled delegates ponder historic appeal voiced by `Abdu'l-Bahá in Tablets of the Divine Plan. Urge earnest deliberation with incoming National Assembly to insure its complete fulfilment. First century of Bahá'í Era drawing to a close. Humanity entering outer fringes most perilous stage its existence. Opportunities of present hour unimaginably precious. Would to God every State within American Republic and every Republic in American continent might ere termination of this glorious century embrace the light of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh and establish structural basis of His World Order. " Following the May 1 cable, another cable from Shoghi Effendi came on May 19 calling for ''permanent pioneers to be established in all the countries of Latin America.  The Bahá'í National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada appointed the Inter-America Committee to take charge of the preparations. During the 1937 Bahá'í North American Convention, Shoghi Effendi cabled advising the convention to prolong their deliberations to permit the delegates and the National Assembly to consult on a plan that would enable Bahá'ís to go to Latin America as well as to include the completion of the outer structure of the Bahá'í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois. In 1937 the First Seven Year Plan  (1937–44), which was an international plan designed by Shoghi Effendi, gave the American Bahá'ís the goal of establishing the Bahá'í Faith in every country in Latin America. With the spread of American Bahá'ís in Latin American, Bahá'í communities and Local Spiritual Assemblies began to form in 1938 across the rest of Latin America.''

The Bahá'í Faith reaches the shores of St. Lucia
(insert photo) Esther Evans, one of the first Bahá'ís on St. Lucia It took 109 years for conditions in the world to be such that the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh could reach St. Lucia. It took from the time of the Declaration of the Báb in 1844 until the arrival of Esther Evans in 1953 for this to occur. On 13 October 1953 Esther Evans and Lillian Middlemast arrived from the United States as Bahá'í pioneers. They were the first Bahá'ís on St Lucia. They first stayed at the Villa Beach Hotel. Middlemast had to return shortly thereafter to the United States, and Evans stayed for the rest of her life. She is buried at Choc Cemetery. Because of their special services to the Bahá'í Faith as the first Bahá'ís to arrive there, both Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Middlemast were given the title of Knight of Bahá'u'lláh by Shoghi Effendi, then head of the religion. (insert photo) This scroll, at the Bahá'í World Centre, lists the names of all the Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, and at the bottom centre shows Esther Evan's name. Esther recounts how she would be invited to dinners "“When people would ask the question about the Bahá'í Faith… They listen and then I would get such answers as, “It all sounds very wonderful but of course, you know, I wouldn’t want to belong to any religion that wasn't well established.” “ .” Once in a great while someone who was having a little difficulty, would come to me and say, “I must belong to your Faith or get interested in your Faith because…” But they wanted solace.  It never materialized for them joining the Faith…”.”  “…. I couldn’t push… only I kept thinking was, “I’ll try to be the best kind of Bahá'í I can be… “  “When I was working at the hotel, I had been able to tell people who were passing through, and they would come and chat with me at the shop,…and they would tell me, when they go home, they’re going to investigate it…”" "“Esther Evans died at her post 36 years later, on 17 October 1989 at the age of 90.”"

=
Bahá'ís travelling to St. Lucia to promulgate the religion and Bahá'ís who came and settled ===== During the intervening years, until the Trutzas arrived, a number of travel teachers came to St. Lucia. [??? Is there a reference to how many or whom????]  It was not until 1964 that the next pioneers came to settled in St. Lucia and not until 1965 that the Trutzas arrived, Philip Trutza; Henrietta and their children Sammy, Robert Paul, and Ann. They settled and a new significant change occurred with the first confirmed records of those St. Lucians who were receptive and open to becoming Bahá’ís. During Esther Evan’s time she had made many efforts to present the Faith to the expatriate and the prominent people circles within which she moved. In its’ presentation, on line, of the Bahá’Í Faith in St. Lucia The International Bahá'í Community, at the moment, dates the St. Lucian community from this period. “The Bahá’í Faith was first established in Saint Lucia in the 1960s.”

First St. Lucian to become a Bahá'í
It took 14 years from the arrival of Esther for the first record of a St. Lucian to become a Bahá'í. Veronica Shinglton Smith who became a Bahá'í in ….???.... Talks of going to tea parties with Esther and hearing about The Bahá'í Faith. Check out with Veronica????

On 3 May 1967 the first recorded person born in St. Lucia to enrolled as a Bahá'í occured, this was Patsy Vincent, a youth of 16 years of age, of Pavee Road, Castries 123 years after the Deceleration of The Báb. The first adult believers are being enrolled as of September. Cecil Johannas of Hospital Road Castries is listed as the first adult St. Lucian to join the religion. The first formal meetings, three times a week, began in Castries at the home of the Trutza’s on Pavee Road. On Mondays there were open devotional meetings, Tuesdays and Fridays “firesides” (discussion gatherings in which some aspect of the Bahá'í Faith is presented), and Sunday were outreach activities to outlying districts, Roseau, Jacmell, Choiseul, and Laborie

pioneers / travel teachers
"“From the arrival of Esther Evans and Lillian Middlemast in 1957 through the 20th century, there have been more than 50 pioneers to St. Lucia who stayed for varying lengths of time. During this same period, the island received over 100 travel teachers including seven Hands of the Cause.”" It took …???.. Years for …. St Lucians to travel elsewhere [need reference check ????]  No St Lucian has yet to pioneer overseas or home front pioneer, within St. Lucia. St. Lucian Bahá'ís have moved to other islands and places, for work, and have not considered themselves “pioneers” nor wished to be so considered.

Mrs.Trutza began going to other islands to travel teach almost immediately upon her arrival as a pioneer in St. Lucia. She was elected to The National Spiritual Assembly of The Leeward, Windward, and Virgin Islands in 1968.

[????First St Lucian resident/citizen ???? Left St. Lucia and travel taught elsewhere????]"In 1990's Guy Marcos, his wife Moni and Urmie Persaud all living in St. Lucia and Urmie was a citizen of St. Lucia (born in Guyana) did a travel teaching trip to Dominica."

[????First person born in St. Lucia ???? Left St. Lucia and travel taught elsewhere Sparks of Peace????]

Bahá'í Local Spiritual Assemblies
"“By 1968 there had been a number of enrolments (26 in the year) and there was a sufficient number of Bahá’ís to start a formal Bahá’í group in Castries. “" It took another year, until 1969, from the acceptance by the first St. Lucian Bahá'í until the first Local Spiritual Assembly formed. American Baha'i News reports this occurring by 1968 This had been a goal of National Baha'i Communities in the west for a long time. That first Bahá'í Spiritual Assembly was elected in Roseau, which includes Jacmel, and the first registered group (less than nine adults) of Bahá'ís forms in Castries.

It took until April 1970, for the first Local Spiritual Assembly to form in Castries, the capital of St. Lucia. Which has continued to exist every year since. It is interesting that this development, the formation of the first Local Spiritual Assembly of Roseau, occurred in the Rosseau Valley, which included Jacmel and was therefore connected to opposition with the beginning of the establishment of The Bahá'í Faith on the island. "“There were more than 20 local Spiritual Assemblies by the time the first National Spiritual Assembly was elected in 1983. By 1990 there were 31. Sixty-four Spiritual Assembly areas have been identified.  “" Many of these areas would now be considered neighbourhoods which are a part of a larger Local Spiritual Assembly area. Over time the understanding of, the functioning of, and the purpose of these Local Spiritual Assemblies has developed in St. Lucia; as well as the understanding of what are the reasonable consistent borders for Local Assemblies in St. Lucia. St. Lucia at present has three Local Spiritual Assemblies, with a potential for ten. A Local Spiritual Assembly area is defined as the smallest self-governance division that the country itself has divided its’ self into. “  The St. Lucian Government divides St. Lucia into ten city, town, village, or district councils. In 2010 The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of St. Lucia revisited the division of Local Spiritual Assembly areas in St. Lucia and in consultation with the Universal House of Justice found out the number of local Councils was now 10 and what their boundaries where. There are 17 member of parliament constituency boundaries, however  all the Castries Constituencies form the Castries City Council, both of the Vieux Fort constituencies form the Vieux Fort Council,  both of the Dennery constituencies form the Dennery Council,  and both of The Micoud  constituencies form the Micoud Council. The others constituency areas form single councils for each of those areas,  except for Canaries  - Anse La Raye  constituency which is divided into two village councils. Thus making 10 possible “smallest self- government areas” or possible Local Spiritual Assembly areas. (Get permission from Pat to post these answers to her web page) (Get permission from Pat to post these answers to her web page)

As each area becomes a Local Spiritual Assembly, that Local Spiritual Assembly would strive to ensure the Bahá'í Community exists or has a presence in each of its’ neighbourhoods. Many Bahá'í activities including study circles, children’s classes , junior youth groups , and devotionals are based upon and organized by the Bahá'ís living in a neighbourhood.

Hands of the Cause of God to visit St. Lucia
These individuals are considered to have achieved a distinguished rank in service to the religion, and their visits to the island moved many Bahá'ís deeply. Among the ones to visit St. Lucia was Hand of the Cause Ruhiyyih Khanum when she toured the Caribbean islands for five weeks in 1970. (insert photo) When Ruhiyyih Khanum was in St. Lucia, she met with the Regional National Assembly. It was at that meeting that she suggested that the Caribbean be divided into two National Assembly areas. The National Assembly really did not agree, feeling the area was too weak to sustain separate National Spiritual Assemblies. However, it was right after that the area was, indeed, put into two separate National Spiritual Assemblies.

"“The work of the Institutions of the Hands of the Cause has been augmented by at least 15 visits by members of the Continental Board of Counsellors during that same period.”"

This is up to the formation of the National Assembly of The Bahá'ís of St. Lucia in 1983 and these visits by Counsellors have continued in frequency since.

Inter-National development
As far back as 1951 the Bahá'ís had been organized into a regional National Assembly for the combination of Mexico, Central America and the Antilles islands. From 1966 the region was reorganized among the Bahá'ís of Leeward, Windward and Virgin Islands with its seat in Charlotte Amalie.

National Spiritual Assemblies which have been responsible for St. Lucia
[???Do I insert photos Pat’s of each NSA????]
 * 1952 South America and North America ->[??? I think this name need revision...???]
 * 1957 The Greater Antilles
 * 1962 Jamaica (1961?)

[????This next reference does not seem to match ????? From 1972 the regional assembly was reorganized for Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Grenada and other Windward Islands. ??????] See [url = http://bahai-library.com/hassall_nsas_years_formation ] lists formation of NSAs by dates 1967 is date for LWandVI (see American Bahá'í News, it gives 1967 as date for Leeward, Windward, and Virgin Islands National Assembly)
 * 1964 The United States of America
 * 1967 Leeward, Windward, and Virgin Islands

From that date, 1981, The St. Lucian Bahá'í Community became part of the National Spiritual Assembly of The Bahá'ís of the Windward Islands. In the next three years this National Spiritual Assembly first split into two forming the National Spiritual Assembly of Grenada and St. Vincent and the National Spiritual Assembly of St. Lucia and Dominica. Then in 1983, St. Lucia formed its own national assembly. The process of strengthening and expanding that institutional framework continues in St. Lucia as is outlined by Shoghi Effendi, The Guardian of The Bahá'í Faith in, “God Passes By where he states, "“…and how the present generation of their followers have commenced to erect the framework of its institutions…”" This is of course an on-going process which will extend far into the future in St. Lucia. Just as it had taken time for the Bahá'í Faith to reach the shores of St. Lucia it is taking time for it to be firmly established in each part of St. Lucia. There is no area in St. Lucia that is not close enough or within reasonable distance, that has not been visited by Bahá'ís. When one studies the movement of Bahá'í Travel Teachers and Pioneers to St. Lucia. , no one in St. Lucia could claim they have not had the opportunity to hear about The Bahá'í Faith. To strengthen its’ presence further, to spread it more evenly is a process for all the Bahá'ís, in living the Bahá'í life in all of its aspects as a model and example to others and in being open to having meaningful conversations with all who express any interest.
 * 1981 The Windward Islands
 * 1982 St. Lucia and Dominica together form a separate National Spiritual Assembly
 * 1983 St. Lucia

=== First National Convention for the Bahá'ís of St. Lucia as an independent National Spiritual Assembly === It took 30 years, from the arrival of Esther Evans, for the conditions within St. Lucia and for the community, the individuals, and the institutions to be such that St. Lucia could form its own National Spiritual Assembly in 1983. (insert photo) 1983; May 27 – 28, Dhikru’llah Khadem (Hand of the Cause of God), visited for the formation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of St. Lucia.

(insert photo) Esther Evans, 3rd. from the left, at the national convention, in 1983 with friends and Hand of the Cause, Mr. Khadem, 2nd from right and Counsellor Ruth Pringle 2nd from left.

The first National Convention for the Bahá'ís of St. Lucia took place 27 - 28 May 1983 on the Morne. Hand of the Cause `Alí-Muhammad Varqá attended the inaugural election. (insert photo convention) (insert photo nsa) The members elected to the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of St. Lucia were: Larry Clark (Secretary) Tim Delphus, Frank Paccassi (Treasurer) Florus Lubin, Keith Bloodworth, Martin Devaux, Peter St. Rose, Vice-Chair, Barbara Hudson, and Pat Paccassi (Chairperson). Counsellor Ruth Pringle represented The Continental Boar of Counsellors. Mr Khadem’s visit was a great honour to St. Lucia. He was there several days and met with the friends and persons who were interested in the Faith. There was a large article about him and the event in the Voice. There were fifty guests and delegates present. The meeting was held on the Morne and Bahá'ís from all over St. Lucia attended this historic event. As was customary, the Continental Board of Counselors also sent a representative, Ruth Pringle, who was the Counsellor for St. Lucia. . The Bahá'í community of Dominica, which had been grouped with that of St. Lucia, as one National Assembly, also formed its own National Assembly, at this same time. Mr. Khadem, Counsellor Pringle, and the secretary of the mother National Spiritual Assembly of St. Lucia and Dominica, Pat Paccassi, went to Dominica and all three were present for the formation of Dominica's first National Spiritual Assembly.

weddings
"” While Bahá’í marriages have not been officially recognized, the government appointed a Bahá’í with the authority to solemnize marriages”." (insert photo) [????? First people on the island (from anywhere who lived anywhere)??? Who was married as Bahá'ís in St. Lucia ???? St Lucia is advertised as a wedding destination????ref.????] [???First St Lucian citizens ???? ] 1980 Tim and Helen Delphus had the first Bahá'í wedding in St Lucia. [????ck what named to use?? What else to include?????]

Baby Naming Ceremony
"“Naming ceremonies for children, in lieu of baptisms, are accepted by the government as the basis for issuing birth certificates.”" [????First baby on the island (from anywhere)??? Badi???] [?????First St Lucian citizen ????] Cusheen Duboulay, the son of Cadosia Duboulay, was born on 7 August 1986, had a baby naming ceremony in December 1986 at Negar and Barwize Babahanni's home in San Souci where Moses Henery had been the Civil Status Officer. (Get permission from Pat to post these answers to her web page) It is sad that Cusheen is also the first person born St. Lucian to be buried as a Bahá'í.

Burials
[????? First person to be buried as a Bahá'í on the island (from anywhere who lived anywhere)??? Wayne Hover ??? ref. Voice article??ref ?? ] [????First St Lucian citizen ????] The first Bahá'í burial of a St. Lucian took place on 4 January 1988 for Cusheen Duboulay. The son of Cadosia Duboulay, who had been born on 7 August 1986. Cadosia’s son was buried in Choc Cemetery [????First adult St. Lucian born Bahá'í ??Was this this John Loader ??? or Moses Henery??? Difference in burial of an adult and just a Bahá'í burial????]

The Hands visiting continued
When visiting St. Lucia, all of the Hands of the Cause of God were given interviews in the press, on the radio and television. They also said prayers at the grave sites of the Bahá'ís buried in Choc Cemetery. (insert photo) Oct 5, 1974, Dr. Rahmatu'lláh Muhájir (Hand of the Cause of God). Beverly March, a Jamaican Bahá'í Pioneer living in St. Lucia at this time interviewed Dr. Muhajir for Radio St. Lucia "March said afterwards that, “she was so nervous in the beginning she wasn’t sure she could speak.” The time however well exceeded the 15 minutes allotted, ending up 45 minutes long. The next morning the station manager called saying that it “was a very interesting talk, but a bit long!”"

(insert photo) 1977; March, Enoch Olinga (Hand of the Cause of God) and his wife Elizabeth, stayed at Planters Inn on Brazil St., Castries, capital of St. Lucia Perhaps Enoch Olinga is the Hand of the Cause who was most remembered by St. Lucians. He was the only African Hand. A big, happy, laughing man, who embraced everyone he met, he was also the youngest Hand, and it shocked the Bahá'ís everywhere when he and some of his family were murdered in Uganda in 1979. [?????In St. Lucia commemorations were held...ref. in news paper?///]

(insert photo) 1979; Oct., Dr. Rahmatu'lláh Muhájir (Hand of the Cause of God). During this second visit, several meetings were held for him. For one of these he spoke at a hall in La Clery, above a small grocery store. The hall was filled and Dr. Muhajir was very happy with the meeting. For the Bahá'ís it is sad to note that this trip was Dr. Muhajir’s last one. From St. Lucia he went to South America and had a heart attack while at a meeting in Quito, Ecuador. The other Hands all expected that the two youngest Hands, Mr. Olinga and Dr. Muhajir, would outlast them all.

(insert photo) 1980; Feb., John Robarts (Hand of the Cause of God), and his wife Audrey visited St. Lucia. Robarts' visit was filled with media interviews and sessions with the Bahá'ís on the Island.

(insert photo) In May 1981, `Alí-Muhammad Varqá (Hand of the Cause of God) visited St. Lucia going to radio stations and visiting Bahá'ís around the island, at Vigie, Dennery, and Jackmell.

National Bahá'í Property in St. Lucia
(insert photo) 1984; April, Collis Featherstone (Hand of the Cause of God), and his wife Madge. His visit, Mar 29,to Apr 1, 1984, coincided with the dedication of the property on the Morne that was to be the site of the first National Bahá'í Centre This event was also to have Knight of Bahá’u’lláh, Ester Evans who addressed the friends after Mr. Featherstone. A large group of Bahá'ís were present as well. The Counsellor Ruth Pringle, asked who was the "“oldest’ St. Lucia Bahá'í present, and was told that Juliana (neé Auguste) Day, (who was in her late teens) was the “oldest Bahá'í present” (that is, the St. Lucian person who had been a Bahá'í the longest who was present)." Juliana was then asked to begin with the first ceremonial dig into the dirt on the property. Complications arose with this site however, and several years later the National assembly bought the present National Centre in Entrepot.

(insert photo) Esther Evans on the Morne at the ground-breaking ceremony for the first national centre property in 1984. Hand of the Cause Featherstone at the left.

Did the community use a center in Jacmel and it was owned by Moses Henery? There are Arther Irwin photos

Six years later “The first National Bahá’í Centre was purchased in 1990.” Every religion has places of worship. In the Bahá'í Faith these sites, up until 2012 have been Continental Temples, and now would be either National Bahá'í Temples or Cluster level Bahá'í Temples. There are no temples in St. Lucia. This is a worldwide endeavour. See Bahá'í House of Worship).  Bahá'ís gather in their homes, or in rented spaces to worship together. Another way in which a national community becomes more firmly established in a country is through being"“enriched by pious endowments,”."

There have over the years been gifts of property made to The St Lucian Bahá'í Community however the non-Bahá'í families of these individuals have not been faithful to these wills and the St. Lucian Bahá'í Community has consistently chosen not to take legal action in contesting the will. [??? Ref ????]

OFFICIAL RECOGNITION - National St. Lucian Institutions and their relationship to The Bahá'í Faith
There has been an increasing response from civil authorities in St. Lucia to the Bahá'í Faith as is exemplified by, the acceptance, in 1968, by the head of state of the book "The Proclamation of Baha'u'llah". In 1976: October 25-November 1, Shamsi Sedaghat is interviewed by The Voice &  Radio Caribbean,  Radio St. Lucia. She also spoke at Rotary and Town Hall meetings; had a 15 min. taped TV interview; and a courtesy call on Minister of Education, who gave permission to speak in schools. In 1973: March. Shamsi Sedaghat started a free Bahá'í radio program which ran for ….???.... . Over the years"“Relations with the government have been friendly. There have been many formal presentations to highly placed officials . Of special note was the gift of a beautifully illuminated copy of “The Hidden Words” which was accepted by Queen Elizabeth during her visit in 1985. Following the publication of 'The Promise of World Peace' in 1986, formal presentations were made to the Governor General, the Prime Minister, all the Ministers, Members of Parliament, Senators and other prominent officials. Incorporation was achieved through a special act of parliament in 1986. “" In 1986 St Lucia was also helped "sponsor; "'The resolution adopted by the General Assembly was sponsored by Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Belgium,Canada, Costa Rica, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Samoa, St. Lucia and the United Kingdom.'" There has been a regular column in “The Voice”, one of the countries national newspapers. These articles have been regularly published  since [ ???? YYYY ???ref?? more details ??? pat???]  “The Voice on Line” also contains these articles .  The Voice has also run other Bahá'í related articles for example,"”13th February 2010“St. Lucia Raises its Voice for Religious Freedom”"-Submitted by Stephanie Bloodworth” Which also indicates that the Government of St. Lucia recognizes the human rights issue of the Bahá'ís in Iran and"“St. Lucia distinguished itself as the only Caribbean nation that voted in favour of the resolution on human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran at the 64th General Assembly of the United Nations. “"

Recognition by Prominent People
Emelda Charles [will get credible support for ????ref???? Pat’s site and will get other.???] Mrs. Amelia Charles, wife of first Premier of St. Lucia, enrolled in the Faith…??? Will get ??? third party source. Not something from the NSA - something public. A newspaper article, something. .

Opposition
"“Opposition has been sporadic and not organized.”" Like the rise and fall of the waves of activity, and response, so there has been the rise and fall in the opposition the Bahá'í Faith in St. Lucia has experrienced. From the priest telling the believers to take their children out of his school if they wished to be Bahá'ís, By 1968 the first opposition to the Bahá'ís in Jacmel began when a priest tells Bahá'í families to withdraw their children from his school. The regional National Spiritual Assembly of the Leeward, Windward, and Virgin Islands, with jurisdiction over the Bahá'ís of St. Lucia, first elected in 1968, wrote to the Universal House of Justice about the possibility of starting the first Bahá'í school in Jacmel. "“Bahá’ís have received harassment from clergymen, non-Bahá’í family members, and peers. The general stance of the Catholic clergy has been to ignore the Faith. The Bishop was asked for the use of a Catholic facility for a summer school and all he said was that he would do nothing to help the Bahá’ís. There have been isolated cases of opposition as well as isolated cases of support. Some protestant clergymen have preached against the Faith in sermons on the radio and television. “" Esther in her presentations would say, "“ …there was a lot of pressure on people to remain in their churches. Often when someone was investigating the Faith they would be accompanied by a more senior church member to make sure the inquirer, remained an inquirer and did not convert.” “"

Bahá'í Literature and St. Lucian Krewol
There have been some attempts to raise the amount of Bahá'í literature available in Saint Lucian Creole French Moses Henery translated The “Noonday Prayer” into St. Lucian Krewol also known as Patois.

St. Lucian Bahá'ís visiting the Bahá'í World Centre in Haifa, Israel
Another way in which a national Bahá'í community becomes stronger is by members undertaking a pilgrimage. "“..And finally, we can even bear witness to the marked improvement in the conditions surrounding the pilgrimages performed by its devoted adherents …” “…pilgrimages originally arduous, perilous, tediously long, often made on foot, at times ending in disappointment,…”" are now for St. Lucian easier except for the financial cost. In October of 1982, The “Pilgrimage” film was donated to The Windward Islands area to be shared in each Island. It was first shown at an meeting open to all Bahá'ís. [????ref????] [?????First person on the island (from anywhere who went)??? Did Esther??? Go??? 1983: May 11, Front page article in "Voice" re: Windward Island Bahá'ís (Anthony 'Don' Providence, St. Vincent, Stephanie & Keith  Bloodworth, Patricia & Frank Paccassi, St. Lucia) who attended  International Convention in Haifa [PF25ALP] {???? Ref voice????] In 1988 Moses Henery and Clodette …???.., both St. Lucian born, attended The International Bahá'í Convention at the World Centre and could thus be the first born in St. Lucia Bahá'ís to have visited the Holy Centres of The Faith. (Get permission from Pat to post these answers to her web page)

Julliette Auguste Day would of been the first St. Lucian Bahá'í to have gone on pilgrimage and to have worked at the Baha'i World Center. Her and her husband, at the time, Dr. Marcus Day, went on pilgrimage in the spring of 1987 and then stayed for the summer to work. A number of others have gone since. (Get permission from Pat to post these answers to her web page)

Demographics
Just as there have been stages of development of The Bahá'í Faith worldwide. In St. Lucia there have also been and are stages of development for the community, for the individuals, and for the institutions. "The vast majority of the population (of St. Lucia) is Christian. About 67% of the residents are Roman Catholic, though only about 40% of all Catholics are active members. There is a substantial Protestant community comprised of Anglicans, Pentecostals, Seventh-Day Adventists, Baptists, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Methodists. There are small communities of Hindus, and Muslims, as well as small groups of Rastafarians and Bahá'ís. The constitution guarantees freedom of religion. The St. Lucia Christian Council, an interfaith group of Roman Catholics and mainline Protestants, has a close relationship with the government. Certain Christian holidays are recognized as national holidays.” "

The 2001 St. Lucian census reported “0.1%” of the population were Bahá'ís.

The difference between the government statistics and The Bahá'í Communities’ own statistics are due to a number of reasons including; the reality The Bahá'í Faith is a grassroots non-professional religion. There are no clergy or “religious leaders”. The Bahá'í Faith is organized through the system of Local and National Spiritual Assemblies, as well as Counsellors and Auxiliary Board Members, all of whom are non-paid volunteers, until the community in an area grows to such a size that some of these positions necessitate some paid positions. St. Lucia would have no paid Bahá'í positions. [??? Letter NSA confirming?????] Thus within The Bahá'í Community, every individual is ultimately responsible for their own spiritual journey and state. This concept will take time to settle into the hearts and minds of the new believers. Thus there is a difference between the number of people who have said they wish to be Bahá'ís and the number of believers who “have a Bahá'í identify”.

Kolstoe reports that in 1990 the “STATUS OF THE BAHÁ’Í COMMUNITY as of 1990: General Population: 142,000 Enrolled Bahá’ís: 1,836  Percent of the population: 1.2%”

Historically there have been 2,620 people who have registered to be considered as Bahá'ís living in St. Lucia. Recently The Bahá'í Community has begun to keep a list of and work with those who claim to have a “Bahá'í identify”, that is 195. It is like in the early days of Christianity when the disciples had to go by the synagogues and call the Christian believers out. Because the Bahá'í Faith accepts that all faiths have truth as their base and thus are in truth part of one faith, there is not the same pressure to quickly separate oneself from one's former faith. Although people look to numbers as the proof of the truth of something, intellectually knowing what is true and what is false is a whole study of epistemology, which does not even begin to touch upon the internal understanding we have of the truth of something.

Modern community
There is an active Bahá'í community in St. Lucia. Bahá'ís get together regularly and often to worship, study sacred writings, celebrate Bahá'í Holy Days, and just to socialize. The Bahá'í writings address social issues as well as personal growth, and encourage its members to work to "carry forward an ever advancing civilization". Consequently, the Bahá'ís of St. Lucia also tend to be very involved in other community organizations -- particularly those which are in harmony with Bahá'í principles. Since its inception the religion has had involvement in socio-economic development The religion entered a new phase of activity when a message of the Universal House of Justice dated 20 October 1983 was released. Bahá'ís were urged to seek out ways, compatible with the Bahá'í teachings, in which they could become involved in the social and economic development of the communities in which they lived. Worldwide in 1979 there were 129 officially recognized Bahá'í socio-economic development projects. By 1987, the number of officially recognized development projects had increased to 1482. The Bahá’Í Faith in St. Lucia is "“emerging imperceptibly into the broad daylight of public recognition”"as can be seen from its’ evolving history.

St. Lucian Bahá'í social and economic endeavours over the years have included membership on the St. Lucian National Council of Women’s Voluntary Organizations. In the early 1980’s, Patricia Paccassi, was the first Bahá'í representative. After the first year she became the secretary for several years for which she received an award from the Council as one of the “25 Outstanding Women on St Lucia” presented at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence in 2001. When Patricia Paccassi left Juliana Auguste Day took over as the Bahá'í representative, and then Cadosia DuBoulay. Additionally the national inter-faith group "...". The Bahá'ís have worked in support of The Virtues Project; locally facilitated by Lynda Brooke, Joy Court, in St. Lucian schools. Stephanie Bloodworth with the St. Lucia National Foundation, and Betty Antoine (Faucher) facilitated it' use in a school in Black Bay. A Bahá'í doctor has also come and worked at St. Judes Hospital in the south of the island. Baha'is have initiated or been part of “Clean Up the neighbourhood” including a junior youth project in Augier, which obtained and painted trash cans in the south of the island. For many Bahá'í Holy Days, as a way to commemorate the day, the Bahá'ís have arranged for the visiting of the elderly and helping fix up their house and yard as part of being part of a Bahá'í institute activity, such as one of the core activities, study circles. junior youth groups. etc. this has also included visiting the hospital and saying prayers in south and visiting the homes for the elderly, and the hospitals, bringing gifts, saying prayers and singing in the north of the island. These are directly sponsored Bahá'í activities, or undertaken as Bahá'í representatives. In social and economic development there are also individuals who as Bahá'ís, undertake projects as individuals and do not directly connect the project to their Bahá'í beliefs or connections (Ref Marcus Day and his world wide work on Aids reduction)[ask NSA about inclusion] (get ref ??)

The present stage of The Bahá'í Faith in St. Lucia
“Summer/Winter Schools, Institutes, Conferences, the St. Lucia Bahá’í News, correspondence courses and a popular radio program have been presented regularly. These have been important for teaching, consolidation and proclamation. The Core Activities and Institute Process have been more recent, and effective, developments.”

“The work in St. Lucia is characterized by the ease of teaching. It is not unusual for people who are not registered as Bahá’ís to claim they are. There is a general love for the Bahá’í Prayers and songs even among the non-Bahá’ís. Consolidating gains has proved more difficult. The launching of the Institute Process in the early years of the 21st century spurred on a new burst of activity, primarily by St. Lucian Bahá’ís.”

In its’ present stage The Bahá'í Community, worldwide, has moved from striving to take the Message of Bahá'u'lláh to each of the countries of the world to dividing the world into smaller units called clusters and striving to strengthen the presence of The Bahá'í Faith in each cluster. St. Lucia in this stage, at first thought of its’ self as four different clusters and now works as one cluster, having two sectors, a north and a south. [letter NSA confirming ????]

Clusters
… to divide the territories under their jurisdiction into areas consisting of adjacent localities, called clusters, using criteria that were purely geographic and social and did not relate to the strength of local Bahá'í communities…."[2 Message dated 17 January 2003 written by the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá'ís of the world.]

1.1 Categorizing Clusters

Acknowledging that in some cases cluster boundaries would be only a "reasonable approximation," which might be modified through experience,..:” [27 April 2003 - The Universal House of Justice, Building Momentum: A Coherent Approach to Growth To all National Spiritual Assemblies.]

Neighbourhoods
Within a cluster the world wide Bahá'í community has recognized that it makes most sense to even further divide it down into neighbourhoods. "There are many countries …now makes it possible to focus attention on smaller geographic areas. Most of these will consist of a cluster of villages and towns, but, sometimes, a large city and its suburbs may constitute an area of this kind. Among the factors that determine the boundaries of a cluster are culture, language, patterns of transport, infrastructure, and the social and economic life of the inhabitants. The areas into which a region divides will fall into various categories of development. Some will not yet be open to the Faith, while others will contain a few isolated localities and groups; in some, established communities will be gaining strength through a vigorous institute process; in a few, strong communities of deepened believers will be in a position to take on the challenges of systematic and accelerated expansion and consolidation.” (The Universal House of Justice, Ridván 158, 2001 01 09, to the Conference of the Continental)"

The individual, the institutions, and the community
In this present stage, of Bahá'í development, in St. Lucia the individual Bahá'í would be striving to strengthen their own knowledge, commitment and skills so as to be able to reach out to the other "identified Bahá'ís", as well as the greater community. The St. Lucian Bahá'í community and its' institutions would be striving to encourage the individuals to arise in this endeavor and for others to come and join them in aiding the advancement of civilization. The St. Lucian Bahá'í Community has been seen for a long time as as independent "not even Christian", belief. Even though it embraces all religions. To only look at numbers, within the St. Lucian Bahá'í Community, is like the Jewish priests during the early stages of Christianity. “Why accept these few.” “They are the lowest”.

The interaction of the three constituents the individual, the institutions, and the community
Bahá'ís would see this stages of a Bahá'í Community lying in the interaction of three constituents; the individual, the community and the institutions. “... the three constituent participants in the upbuilding of the Order of Bahá'u'lláh -- the individual, the institution, and the community -- can foster such growth first … (by working together) by working towards embracing masses of new believers, …whose involvement in the work of the Cause will ensure a constant influx of new adherents, an uninterrupted evolution of Bahá'í Assemblies, and a steady consolidation of the community.” Letter from the Universal House of Justice, dated Ridvan ,1996, to the Bahá'ís of the World (Compilations, NSA USA - Developing Distinctive Baha'i Communities) As each becomes stronger the other two constituent parts become stronger, if one is weak the others are equally weak. The Bahá'í Community in St. Lucia would still be in the stage of emerging from obscurity. The quote by Shoghi Effendi that outlines the Bahá'í understand of the process of its’ development outlines the stages of growth as ones of “… obscurity, proscription, emancipation,  and recognition”  which is an on-going process Shoghi Effendi wrote; “We perceive a no less apparent evolution in the scope of its teachings,  at first designedly rigid, complex and severe,   subsequently recast, expanded, and liberalized under the succeeding Dispensation, later expounded, reaffirmed and amplified by an appointed Interpreter,  and lastly systematized and universally applied to both individuals and institutions” This is still an on-going process, all over the world and especially in St. Lucia, as individuals, communities, and institutions deepen in the teachings and apply those teachings to their lives, service and actions. The worldwide Bahá'í Community, and certainly The Bahá'í Community of St. Lucia, would see itself as "“ the forerunner of a divine, a slowly maturing civilization.”"