This is about some of my projects in my neighborhood. I'm using some new ideas
that are partly inspired by my study of One Common Faith.
One of my projects is learning to bring more of the spirit of God into
community life. One of my strategies is to bring more of the spirit of God into
my life, and to put more of myself into community life.
(more spirit of God in my life)*(more of myself in community life) =
(more spirit of God in community life)
I've been working most of my life to bring more of the spirit of God into my
life by praying, studying Baha'i writings and other materials, trying to put
them into practice, participating in Baha'i community life, and serving goals
and plans of Baha'i institutions. Now the training institutes are helping me
practice and promote all
that much better.
Recently I've had some new ideas about putting more of myself into the
community life of my neighborhood, in service and development projects. Two of
my service projects have been reading to children, and doing skits to entertain
some neighbors. Another is picking up trash off the street and sidewalk. One of
my development projects is strengthening my friendships with my neighbors. I'm
learning to stop and talk to people more often, walking between my house and
the bus and the corner store.
November 12, soon after I started thinking about what neighbors can do together
to strengthen our friendships, someone was shot to death in the middle of the
afternoon, in the intersection at the other end of my block. I thought of going
over to that corner and saying some prayers, and the idea came to me that one
thing neighbors might do together is pray. I went up and down the streets
around my block, telling my neighbors that I was going to say some prayers at
that corner the following Saturday, about the time of the shooting, inviting
them to come and pray with me.
I stood at that corner for an hour last Saturday, November 19, reading prayers,
for children, for people who have died, for the neighborhood, and for humanity.
One person came and stood with me for a few minutes. A few others passed by and
asked for copies of the prayers I was reading.
After that, I wrote this, to give to my neighbors:
----
Ideas for a stronger and healthier neighborhood
One way I see to have a stronger and healthier neighborhood is to have stronger
and healthier friendships between neighbors. One way I see for neighbors to
have stronger and healthier friendships is to spend time together doing things
that interest them.
Below is a list of some things that interest me, that I would do with
neighbors. If you see anything that interests you, please let me know, and
please let me know if you have any other interests that you would share with
neighbors.
(my name, address, and phone number)
Some things that interest me,
that I would do with neighbors:
1. Activities with children, like reading, games, and crafts.
2. Origami, and other paper crafts.
3. Neighborhood variety shows and fairs.
4. Workshops, especially:
- Teaching children responsible behavior (Lee Canter lessons)
- Moral and spiritual education of children
- Cooperative games and sports
- Mentoring
- Spiritual growth
5. Prayers.
6. Sidewalk art.
7. Jigsaw puzzles.
8. Monopoly, Clue, and other board games.
9. Gardening and yard work.
10. Cleaning up streets and sidewalks.
11. Walking to the market or around the block.
12. Sitting on the front porch.
----
Meanwhile, I'm planning to spend more time outside, in front of my house and
here and there in the neighborhood, doing paper crafts, reading to children,
doing sidewalk art, picking up trash in the street and on the sidewalk, jumping
rope, playing with a yo-yo or frisbee, entertaining neighbors with skits, and
whatever else I can think of that neighbors might do together.
To get ideas of what neighbors might do together, I've been thinking about what
people do in other communities, like a religious community or a city. That's
where I got some of the ideas above. For example, thinking of the art exhibits
in my city gave me the idea to display some of my paper crafts in front of my
house.
Jim
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