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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, in his "Tablets of the The Divine Plan". 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.

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 striven to develop as individual Bahá'ís, as a Bahá'í community, and as Bahá'í institutions. They would see their development as a growing understanding and interaction between these three constitute parts. Part of that process and interaction has also been the striving to participated in projects for the benefit of the wider community.

The Bahá'í Community in St. Lucia would see itself as moving along the process of development outlined by a quote by Shoghi Effendi. The Guradian of The Baha'i Faith, the grandson of 'Abdu'l-Baha, and head of the Faith from 1921-1953; which outlines the stages of growth as ones of “… obscurity, proscription, emancipation,  and recognition”

Pre-history
These series of of letters, or tablets written by `Abdu'l-Bahá, to the followers of the religion in the United States in 1916-1917; were compiled together in the book titled Tablets of the Divine Plan. The sixth of the tablets was the first to mention Latin America 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. The first actions on the part of Bahá'í community towards Latin America was that of a few individuals who made trips to Mexico and South America near to or just before this unveiling in 1919. These individuals included 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. It states:

"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 from 1938 across the rest of Latin America.

The Bahá'í Faith reaches the shores of St. Lucia
On 13 October 1953 Esther Evans and Lillian Middlemast, arose in response to the call as part of Ten Year Crusade, to arise and fulfill the remaing goals of "The Tablets of The Divine Plan". They 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.

There is a scroll, at the Bahá'í World Centre, which lists the names of all the Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, and at the bottom centre it lists Esther Evan's and Lillian Middlemast's names for The Windward Islands. 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 (in St. Lucia), 36 years (after her arrival), 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 ===== With the arrival of the Trutzas, in 1965 a new significant change occurred with the first confirmed records of those St. Lucians who were receptive and open to becoming Bahá’ís. Philip Trutza; Henrietta and their children Sammy, Robert Paul, and Ann settled in Castries. In its’ presentation, on line, of "the Bahá’Í Faith in St. Lucia", The International Bahá'í Community dates the St. Lucian community from this period. “The Bahá’í Faith was first established in Saint Lucia in the 1960s.” 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.

First St. Lucian to become a Bahá'í
The first record of a St. Lucian to become a Bahá'í. On 3 May 1967 the first St. Lucian is recorded as enrolling. This was Patsy Vincent, a youth of 16 years of age, of Pavee Road, Castries. 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. St. Thomas Bahá'í Newsletter, 03.i, lists the new believers as being enrolled as of September, 1966. 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
One of the signs of growing strength of a community is its ability to reach out to others, living further away. Kolstoe, who both lived in St. Lucia for a while and wrote pieces on The Baha'i Faith in St. Lucia states: ''“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.”''

A sign of St. Lucia's growing strength as a Baha'i community would be, 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. It was not however until the 1990s that the first resident St. Lucian Baha'is began to travel teach elsewhere, with Guy Marcos, his wife Moni and Urmie Persaud (Persaud being a citizen of St. Lucia (born in Guyana)) all living in St. Lucia. They did a travel teaching trip to Dominica.

Bahá'í Local Spiritual Assemblies
Another sign of growing strength is the community shifting from a few individuals to becoming more institutionalized. ''“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 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. (At that time) Sixty-four Spiritual Assembly areas (had) been identified. “'' Many of these areas would now be considered neighborhoods which are a part of a larger Local Spiritual Assembly area.

Over time the understanding of what are the reasonable consistent borders for Local Assemblies in St. Lucia has evolved. 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 has divided its’ self into. “ The St. Lucian Government divides St. Lucia into ten city, town, village, or district councils. These Assembly areas would be 1.) all the Castries Constituencies forming the Castries City Council, 2.) both of the Vieux Fort constituencies forming the Vieux Fort Council, 3.) both of the Dennery constituencies forming the Dennery Council,  and 4.) both of The Micoud  constituencies forming the Micoud Council. The others constituency areas forming single councils 5.)Soufrier 6.) Choiseul 7.)Laborie and 8.) Gros Islet except for the Canaries - Anse La Raye constituency which is divided into two village councils thus forming 9.) Canaries and 10.)Anse La Raye. In St. Lucia as each of these areas 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’ many neighborhoods. Most 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 neighborhood.

In the growth and strengthening of any community it is important to note significant people who have aided in its development and deepening.

Hands of the Cause of God to visit St. Lucia
A number of Hands of The Cause have visited St. Lucia. These individuals are considered to have achieved a distinguished rank in service to the religion, and their visits to the island would deepen the faith of the Bahá'ís. 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. 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.

John Kolstoe notes in his writings that: “The work of the Institutions of the Hands of the Cause (in St Lucia) has been augmented by at least 15 visits by members of the Continental Board of Counselors during that same period.”   This period referred to is up to the formation of the National Assembly of The Bahá'ís of St. Lucia in 1983 and these visits by Counselors would have continued in frequency since.

With the visit of Ruhiyyih Khanum and the subsequent division of The National Spiritual Assembly of the Leeward, Windward, and Virgin Islands into two; The National Spiritual Assembly of Barbados and Windward Islands, and The National Spiritual Assembly of The Leeward, Windward and Virgin Is. where formed. This was another sign of the growing institutional and community strength of both the Caribbean region and ultimately St. Lucia its' self as it became a separate national assembly.

Regional Caribbean 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.

National Spiritual Assemblies which have been responsible for St. Lucia

 * 1952 South America and North America
 * 1957 The Greater Antilles
 * 1962 Jamaica
 * 1964 The United States of America. The region was reorganized among the Bahá'ís of Leeward, Windward and Virgin Islands with its seat in Charlotte Amalie.
 * 1967 Leeward, Windward, and Virgin Islands.
 * 1972 Barbados and Windward Islands, which included Barbados, St. Lucia, Saint Vincent, Grenada and other Windward Islands.
 * 1981 The Windward Islands From that date, 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 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 the administrative 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…”

"the maturity of a Spiritual Assembly cannot be assessed by the regularity of its meetings and the efficiency of its functioning alone. Rather its strength must be measured, to a large extent, by the vitality of the spiritual and social life of the community it serves—a growing community that welcomes the constructive contributions of both those who are formally enrolled and those who are not. It is gratifying to see that current approaches, methods and instruments are providing the means for Local Spiritual Assemblies (would apply to all Assemblies both Local and national), even those newly formed, to fulfil these responsibilities as they set about to ensure that the requirements of the ... Plan are adequately met in their localities. Indeed, the Assembly's proper involvement with the Plan becomes crucial to every attempt to embrace large numbers—itself a requisite for the manifestation of the full range of its powers and capacities."

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 it has not been visited by Bahá'ís. When one studies the movement of Bahá'í Travel Teachers and Pioneers within St. Lucia. , no one in St. Lucia could claim they have not had the opportunity to hear about The Bahá'í Faith. Thus The Bahá'ís of St. Lucia would recognize that to strengthen its’ presence further, to spread its' self more evenly is a process for all the Bahá'ís, to arise in living the Bahá'í life in all of its aspects; to be a model and an example to others and in being open to having meaningful conversations with all who express any interest.

The Hands visiting continued
While many Bahá'ís in St. Lucia would consider the visit of The Hands of The Cause to be historically similar to a visit by one of The Disciples of Jesus immediately after His death. There are Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh, 19 believers appointed by Bahá'u'lláh during His life, and they had a station similar to the apostles of Jesus. However they are different from and not of the station of The Hands of The Cause.

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.

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!”"

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.

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.

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.

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.

By 1983 The Bahá'í Community of St.Lucia had reached a stage of maturity that it could elect its' own national spiritual assembly.

===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, the community, the individuals, and the institutions to be such that St. Lucia could form its own National Spiritual Assembly on May 27 – 28, 1983. At that convention, Dhikru’llah Khadem (Hand of the Cause of God), represented The Universal House of Justice for the formation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of St. Lucia. It took place on the Morne. Other special guests were Counsellor Ruth Pringle and Auxiliary Board member Shirley Yarbrough. That inagural convention was also honored by the presence of Esther Evans, who had brought the Faith to St. Lucia 30 years before. In total fifty guests were present which included the delegates.

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). . The Bahá'ís of St. Lucia would have considered it a great honor to have Mr Khadem visit. He was in St. Lucia several days and met with the Bahá'í friends and persons who were interested in the Faith. There was a large article about him and the event in the Voice.

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.

The early history of any group is a succession of firsts.

Other Firsts
For most people the role of religion is to make holy their weddings, births, coming of age and funerals. These personal Bahá'í laws while a fundamental part of The Baha'i Faith, are not the totality of The Baha'i laws for this age of mankind's life on this planet, nor the sole reason for The Baha'i Faith's existence. It is of course also true that the increasing capacity of the individuals, the community and the institutions to live by the laws of their faith is a sign of the growing strength and influence of that religion.

Bahá'í marriages
” While Bahá’í marriages have not been officially recognized, the government appointed a Bahá’í with the authority to solemnize marriages” . In St. Lucia this would be a Civil Status Officer approved by the Ministry of Justice in St. Lucia. On 26 November 1980 Tim and Helen Delphus, both of Gros Islet, had the first Bahá'í wedding in St Lucia.

Baby Naming Ceremony
“Naming ceremonies for children, in lieu of baptisms, are accepted by the government (of St. Lucia) as the basis for issuing birth certificates.”

"Regarding your question whether there is any special ceremony which the believers should perform when they wish to "name" a baby; the Teachings do not provide for any ceremony whatever on such occasions. We have no "baptismal service" in the Cause, such as the Christians have. There would be no objection, however, for the friends to come together on such happy occasions, provided they do not hold an official public ceremony, and provided also they strictly avoid uniformity and rigidity in all such practices." (19 January 1997 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to a National Spiritual Assembly)

The very first "Baha'i Baby Naming Cermony" of a Baha'i child would of been for Badi Bloodworth, born in St. Lucia 5th of April 1980, of Canadian Baha'i pioneer parents. Cusheen Duboulay, the son of Cadosia Duboulay, was born on 7 August 1986, would of been the first Baha'i baby born to a St. Lucian citizen to of had a baby naming ceremony, which occurred in December 1986 at Negar and Barwize Babahanni's home in San Souci where Moses Henery had been the Civil Status Officer. It is sad that Cusheen is also the first person born St. Lucian to be buried as a Bahá'í.

Burials
The First person to be buried as a Bahá'í on the island, was Wayne Hoover, 10 November 1978,, a travel teacher from America.

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.

The First adult Bahá'í funerals,of a St. Lucian born took place within a month of each other. On the 11 February 1994 Moses Henery passed away, and then John Loader on the 26 March 1994. There is a difference between the Baha'i burial laws for a child and that of an adult.

"In brief, the Bahá'í law for the burial of the dead states that it is forbidden to carry the body for more than one hour's journey from the place of death; that the body should be wrapped in a shroud of silk or cotton, and on its finger should be placed a ring bearing the inscription "I came forth from God, and return unto Him, detached from all save Him, holding fast to His Name, the Merciful, the Compassionate"; and that the coffin should be of crystal, stone or hard fine wood. A specific Prayer for the Dead (see note 10) is ordained, to be said before interment. As affirmed by `Abdu'l-Bahá and the Guardian, this law precludes cremation of the dead. The formal prayer and the ring are meant to be used for those who have attained the age of maturity, i.e. 15 years of age" (Q and A 70) ("The Kitáb-i-Aqdas, The Most Holy Book, Bahá'u'lláh", Haifa: Bahá'í World Centre, 1992, p. 229)

Bahá'í Literature in 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.

The history and growth of any group does not end with its' institutional establishment nor with a few of its' "firsts". The Bahá'í Faith in St. Lucia has continued to grow and deepen.

Following decades after St. Lucia was its own National Bahá'í Community
During this period The Bahá'í Community of St. Lucia dealt with the acquisition of a National Bahá'í Center and the beginnings of official recognition.

National Bahá'í Property in St. Lucia
In 1984 Collis Featherstone (Hand of the Cause of God), and his wife Madge visited St. Lucia, from Mar 29,to April 1. This visit coincided with the dedication of the property on the Morne that was to be the site of the first National Bahá'í Center 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 as the Counsellor Ruth Pringle, who 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 Center in Entrepot.

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 endeavor. 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.

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 fifteen minute taped TV interview; and a courtesy call on Minister of Education, who gave permission for her to speak in schools. In 1973: March. Shamsi Sedaghat started a free Bahá'í radio program which ran for a number of years.

Kolstoe writes that 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'' (to St. Lucia ) 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 (of the National Spiritual Assembly of The Bahá'ís of St. Lucia) was achieved through a special act of parliament in 1986.“''

In 1986 St Lucian government also helped "sponsor;

"The resolution adopted by the General Assembly (of The United Nations) 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 weekly articles have been regularly published since 2005. “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. “''

Just has there be periods of growing recognition there has also been periods of opposition.

Opposition
Kolstoe writes; “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. From the priest telling the believers to take their children out of his school if they wished to be Bahá'ís, which occurred in 1968, with the first opposition to the Bahá'ís in Jacmel. The regional National Spiritual Assembly of the Leeward, Windward, and Virgin Islands, with, at that time, jurisdiction over the Bahá'ís of St. Lucia, wrote to the Universal House of Justice about the possibility of starting a Bahá'í school in Jacmel. This was not to be, and with time it became clear the priest had no such power of the national St. Lucian education system.

Kolstoe continues;

''“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.”''

Just as there are cycles of crises and victory, which is one way in which the growing strength of a community can be seen. So to, can it been seen, in the rise of its members to connect themselves more closely with the World Center of their Faith. One way to do this is to visit the Bahá’í World Center.

St. Lucian Bahá'ís visiting the Bahá'í World Centre in Haifa, Israel
There are levels of visiting the Bahá'í World Center. One level is by individuals undertaking a Bahá'í pilgrimage.

The first Bahá’í living in St. Lucia that may of gone to The World Centre from St. Lucia could of been Henrietta Trutza as she could have gone to International Convention in 1968 as she was on the 1st NSA Leeward Windward and Virgin Islands. At the moment the first Bahá’í there is a record of would have been Patricia Paccassi going to the International Convention in 1978, as a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Barbados and the Windward Islands. There is a ‘Voice” article dated 1 June 1978 page 6

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 held in Sunny Acres open to all Bahá'ís.

In 1983: May 11, "The Voice" reports in a "Front page article": "Windward Island Bahá'ís" which shows a photo of Anthony 'Don'  Providence, St. Vincent, Stephanie & Keith  Bloodworth, Patricia & Frank Paccassi, who were living in St. Lucia; and all of whom attended The International Convention in Haifa.

In 1988 Mrs Claudette Antoine, Mr. Martin Devaux, Mr. Mosess Henery, and Mrs. Sidonia Joseph Irwin all St. Lucian born, attended The International Bahá'í Convention at the World Centre, along with all five other National Spiritual Assembly Members and would thus be the first born in St. Lucia Bahá'ís to have visited the Holy Centers of The Faith.

Julliette Auguste Day would of been the first Bahá'í born in St. Lucian to have gone on pilgrimage and to have worked at the Baha'i World Center. She and her husband went on pilgrimage in the spring of 1987 and then stayed for the summer to work. A number of other St. Lucians have gone on pilgrimage since and some worked for a period of time at The Baha'i World Center.

In the end people connect response and numbers with the strength of a community or an idea.

Demographics
Encycloipedia.com reports:

"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 Government census reports 0.1% of the island were Bahá'ís. Bahá'ís claim that over the years about 2,620 individuals have registered as Bahá'ís living in St. Lucia.

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. 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. The Bahá'í Faith is organized through the system of Local and National Spiritual Assemblies, as well as Counselors 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. Thus within The Bahá'í Community, every individual is ultimately responsible for their own spiritual journey and state. Therefore unlike in most church based organizations, where one would count the number of seats filled or those registered, to be a Bahá'í is to be like a "lay minister" in another organization. Thus that comparison would be more valid. This concept will take time to settle into the hearts and minds of the new Bahá'í 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”.

Recently The Bahá'í Community has begun to keep a list of and work with those who claim to have a “Bahá'í identify”, which in 2012 was 195. .

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 one has have of the truth of something irregardless of the position of others.

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 Faith in St. Lucia is “emerging imperceptibly into the broad daylight of public recognition” as can be seen from its’ evolving history. Thus the present day Bahá'í Community is an ongoing living organization.

Modern community
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". The Bahá'ís in St. Lucia would be striving to understand and to fulfill this in their lives. Consequently, the Bahá'ís of St. Lucia also tend to be 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.

St. Lucian Bahá'í social and economic development endeavors 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 made efforts to be part of 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 this purpose. 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. Activities would include visiting the homes for the elderly, the hospitals, bringing gifts, saying prayers and singing. Such activities are encouraged as part of a Bahá'í institute activity, such as one of the core activities, study circles. junior youth groups. These activities encourage being of "service".

The present stage of The Bahá'í Faith in St. Lucia
Kolstoe has writen that over the years the St. Lucian Baha'i Community has organized or arranged “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 (a) more recent, and effective, developments.”''

He continues by stateing: ''“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 Communituy of St. Lucia as part of the worldwide community, has moved in its' thinking from striving to take the Message of Bahá'u'lláh to each of the countries of the world into dividing the world into smaller units called clusters and striving to strengthen the presence of The Bahá'í Faith in each cluster. St. Lucia at the beginning of this process thought of its’ self as four different clusters and now works as one cluster, having two sectors, a north and a south.

Clusters
The area and size of each cluster is for the national asseembly "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…." Message dated 17 January 2003 written by the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá'ís of the world. "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) " It was also clear to the national asseembly that in "Categorizing Clusters" (that it needed to) "Acknowledge... 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.]  Within its' cluster the St. Lucian Baha'i Community  along with world wide Bahá'í community has recognized that it makes most sense to even further divide the cluster down into neighborhoods. Most local activity occurs within a neighborhood. Bahá'ís of St. lucia would see this stages of a Bahá'í Community lying in the interaction of three constituents; the individual, the community and the institutions.

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 Community has been seen for a long time as as independent "not even Christian", belief. Even though it embraces all religions. The St. Lucian Baha'i Community would take heart from the references in the Writings of 'Abu'l-Baha in which he sates. ''"We must not be discouraged by the smallness of our numbers." “It was not until many years after His (Christ’s) ascension that they knew who He was, and at the time of His ascension He had only a very few disciples; only a comparatively small following believed His precepts and followed His laws. The ignorant said, 'Who is this individual; He has only a few disciples!' But those who knew said: 'He is the Sun who will shine in the East and in the West, He is the Manifestation who shall give life to the world”'' The St. Lucian Bahá'í Community would believe that its' growth depends upon the interaction of the Baha'i individuals, the Bahá'í community, and the Bahá'í institutions.

The interaction of the three constituents the individual, the institutions, and the community
“... 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. There is a quote by Shoghi Effendi that outlines the Bahá'í understand of the process of its’ development. It outlines the stages of growth as ones of “… obscurity, proscription, emancipation,  and recognition”  which is an on-going process 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.”