Staff Visit 2

Yesterday(30-01-19) was my second staff visit for this year to one of the Holy Places ( House of Adullah Pasha )for the Baha'is.

In this place where the child named Shoghi was born who was ordained to hold the destiny of the Faith in his hands for 36 years and to become its beloved Guardian. It was to this house that the historic first group of pilgrims from the West came to see the Master in winter of 1898-1899.

The Outer View of the House

Inner Courtyard of the House

Stairway from the inner court to the North Complex room of the House

Reception Room

Stairway from innercourt to the South complex room of the House

My FRIENDS VISIT

January 10, 9:00 PM. Jon and Jamshid Aflaooni arrived from U.S to Haifa for 3 days visit. Exactly 11 months since the last time we met in Turkey on February 2008.
Since they arrived on that night we started hanging out until 1:30 AM and the latest was 2:30 AM and get up at 10:00 AM. I let them visit their friends that are still serving at the World Center and friends that they already know back home that are now serving at the BAHA’I WORLD CENTER, while i'm preparing their food for dinner.
Also Paul and Ali Javid ,their cousin who came for 9 days pilgrimage, and that's the reason why Jon and Jamshid came to Holy land to join them for last 3 days of their pilgrimage.

Second day, Jon and I went to the Arc to show some development of the area that I’m responsible with and to the area that he were responsible with for over 2 years as a leader of one of the gardens crew, then after lunch we went to Akká, then to the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh afterwards.
Third day, it’s a rest day, but Jon and Jamy continuing their schedule, they went to Akká and Bahji.
Fourth Day, their last day of visit, the day when Ali and Paul join them including me to go to Bahji and walked around the gardens for their last time, who knows when this going to happen again.
All of us went to Tel-Aviv, spent time together, hanging out along the beach, eating, and dancing on the street every time we hear music specially Paul, showing us his hip-hop moves, and I really enjoyed the company of this two strange brother.
Ali and Paul Depart Israel the next day at 6:00AM.So we stay late ‘till 3:00AM and take them to the Airport. Then the following day, Jon and Jamy time to say goodbye to these special friends of mine and go back to their home sweet home.

Indoor Garden's Tour

Jon, Me, and Jamshid, their second day.

AKKO TOUR

Spending time in TEL-AVIV

ALADIN Restaurant in TEL-AVIV

Last Day in Tel-Aviv, along the beach

Departure day, going back to U.S.

Jonathan Aflatooni, my best friend. We served together in the Garden at the Baha'i world Center, and we live at the same flat for over 2 years.

Jamshid aflatooni, a man who loves eating, and bit the person that smaller than him. I first met him 3 years ago during his pilgrimage with his family.

Paul Javid, loves dancing as long as his body moves synchronized with the beat. A very friendly and happy person.

Ali Javid, loves his iPhone, surfing things like face book, map, travel, etc, while his walking ,talking, and eating.He used to serve in Security at the Baha'i World Center, 4 years ago.

AFTER ONE YEAR & THREE MONTHS

I invited them for a simple dinner; I cooked fried chicken coated with flour, egg, and corn flakes, noodle “pansit canton” with fresh vegetable, and vegetable soup. They haven’t been to my flat after more than a year after my birthday last year. We hang out till 10:00 at night.

Vernalyn Hipolito and Reynaldo Peralta

Staff Visit

Today is my first staff visit for this year and we went to the Mansion of Maza’ih, about four miles, a countryside north of the city of Akka, a lovely place surrounded by gardens. A place where Bahá’u’lláh spent 2 years of His time.

I went with lovely friends of mine, namely Alberto, Austin, Eamonn, Eminoni, my flat mate Luis, and my aunt Reming. After that, we went to the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh for spiritual nourishment. And to auntie Reming afterward for dinner.

Mansion Of Marza'ih

Interior of the Mansion

with auntie Reming

{L-R} Eamonn, Eminoni, Auntie, Austin Guy, Alberto

Eminoni Raivoka from Fiji Island

Luis Dechtiar from U.S



{L-R}Eamonn Vaughan(New Zealand) Eminoni Raivoka(Fiji) Austin Guy Bowden-Kerby(?)

At Last

Hayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, finally i found my memory, hahaha!
i haven't updated my blog for more than one year, and finally here i am again and I'm very happy and exited to post a new pictures and a glimpse of my memorable experienced here at the World Center. Yeheyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Test and Difficulties is...

A Blessing

My past four and a half year at the World Center is quite difficult, and encouraging.
Difficult in a way that people of the world with different races came and unite in one place; in one purpose, which is to serve the Cause of God and to develop our own spiritual growth. On the other hand it is very encouraging because the more difficult to learn people’s background and to deal with them; the more you encourage yourself to do our best to build up fellowship and love with one another. Difficulties, trials, and challenges are considered as blessings because those are gift bestowed by God to make us stronger, firm, and steadfast to the faith in returns.

"Naturally there will be periods of distress and difficulty, and even severe test.; but if that person turns firmly towards the Divine Manifestation, studies carefully His Spiritual teachings and receives the blessings of the Holy Spirit, he will find that in reality these tests and difficulties have been the gifts of God to enable him to grow and develop."
(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 70)

RIDVAN DAY(21-03-07)

THE KING OF ALL FESTIVALS

First, the Festival of Ridvan, whichcommemorates Bahá'u'lláh's Declaration of His PropheticMission in the Garden of Ridvan in Baghdad during twelvedays in April/May 1863 and is referred to by Him as "the 225 King of Festivals" and, second, the Báb's Declaration, whichoccurred in May 1844 in Shiraz. The first, ninth and twelfthdays of the Festival of Ridvan are Holy Days (Q and A 1), as isthe day of the Declaration of the Báb.
(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 224)

Say Goodbye

A Farewell
Some people say, it’s difficult to say goodbye, and some people are happy that this sacred experience has ended; to be able to teach and share the experience they adsorbed from pilgrimage, spread the sweet savors of the words of God.

Breaking the Fast 2gether

ALWAYS AND 4EVER- This is one of the special moments that I won’t ever forget being here at World Center and being in this flat for few years. And one of them is observing the fast together with my flat mates, cooking every day, eating, and praying together.

Every year of fasting, most of the time I’m the one who prepared breakfast for all of us, and I love doing it. Then, I woke up my flat mates to be together. Above photo was taken this morning with Luis after we break the fast and pray. We usually eat fresh cooked food, but today I ate piece of bread with choco spread, perssimon, mango juice and water. Luis ate cereal with milk, orange juice and water because we run out of gas. While my other flat mate was still on bed, he just drink a lot of water and it make him feel better all day long. And most specially,this is the time to get more closer to them.

THE PASSAGES

Baha'u'llah revealed these passages for
the world of being.

THE ESSENCE OF LIGHT

The Essence light
Light is like the teaching of the Blessed Beauty, it illuminate the heart, spirit and soul of humankind. And when the light of God shine with the utmost splendor, the darkness turneth into light; ignorance into knowledge; hatred into love; and sorrow into happiness.


The light bulbs that I took at the House of Abdullah-Pasha catches my attention, and it came to my mind that even how small the light is, still has the power to lightened the surrounding in able to see and appreciate what is in there, and even how small it is when you place it in one big dark room, it is and it will ever be a center of attraction...that is the essence of my thought.

MOVING FOR THE NEXT DAY

It’s a long and tiring day, today is my 7th day of pilgrimage, and we went to the Ridvan garden and House of Abdullah Pasha .

AKKA WALK

Inside the Mosque


Mosque of al-Jazzar

Khan-i-'Avamid

Today, I went to the Prison City of Akká and it was a busy day for me. I’ve been here to the Holy land for almost five year and it’s my first time to walk by myself around the city. And it was a noisy day in a rejoicing way may be, because people are jumping from the wall to the water, playing a lively Arabic music, they are walking around with their family and friends, boat riding and other activities. I’ve been walking and walking for one and half hour until I found something new to my eyes, something that amazed me that after quite long years I’ve been to a place that I never ever been before like going inside the Mosque of al-Jazzar where Abdul-Bahá used to visit and one of the room at the edge of the court of the Mosque was occupied by the Master.

Pilgrimage

My First Pilgrimage

This event for being a Bahá’í is one of the precious gifts that bound to us by the Blessed Beauty. Pilgrimage is a sign of devotion and love for God, this is the journey of the soul that connect to our creator and the main purpose of this sacred experience is pray and meditate at the Holy Shrines of the Central figure of the faith, Baha’u’llah, the Báb and Abdu’l-Bahá and to visits the Baha’i Holy Places and some related to the history of the faith.

I’ve been here in the Most Sacred spot of earth, Israel for 4 years and eight months serving at the Baha’I World Center as a gardener in Mt. Carmel. I arrived on 07 July 2002, two days later I applied for pilgrimage during my orientation program, that’s the first thing I did on computer. And here it is, its time to experience this blessing to be on Pilgrimage. The Supreme Body of the Faith, The Universal House of Justice invited me on 12 of February 2007 to join the other pilgrims around the world for 9 days from 05-13 of March 2007.