Faith

Voyage of discovery

"In 1984, pregnant with my son, I was asked to monitor an artists' workshop in Vanuatu sponsored by the Institute where I worked at the University of the South Pacific, based in Suva, Fiji. 

"It was conceived and organised by Pilioko (from Wallis and Futuna) and Michoutouchkine (a Russian emmigré) and, while there, I got on especially well with two women running the jewellery workshop - one a Hispanic American, the other a Black American. These two had spent 17 years as Bahá'í pioneers in Senegal and had fascinating stories to tell.

"I was sincere in my belief in Christ and still am, however, I had become reflective and critical about the Church's dogma, splits, past aggressions and present-day rituals.  When these two women gave me a book, Thief in the Night by William Sears, to read, I couldn't put it down as I followed a man's gripping spiritual voyage of discovery.

Spiritually above it

"Back in Fiji, life was busy: a full-time job, additional responsibilities such as secretary of Suva's Amateur Dramatic Society and a new baby. Lots to think about and time passed.

This split the country and families and, in one fell swoop, Fiji-Indians felt they had become second-class citizens. Everyone's nerves were on edge; informers were everywhere; you just didn't know who it was safe to talk to.

"Against this background, I identified seven people of various backgrounds (including a mother and daughter I already knew) who seemed spiritually above it all: a mix of Fiji-Indians, a Canadian, Fiji-Europeans and an American couple. 

"Soon Christmas came around and I took some of the Christmas cake I'd made to the mother and daughter and, to my astonishment, all seven were there!

"I had no idea they knew each other. It was a Bahá'í feast. A British woman and the Canadian's doctor husband were also there. To say I was intrigued would be an understatement.

"On visiting again a few days later, Doris, the mother, explained to me what a 'feast' was and said I'd be welcome to read any of her plentiful supply of Bahá'í books. 

"Over the next few weeks I read a lot and was really attracted to the central principle of unity, the idea of progressive revelation, the absence of church, clergy and ritual, and the emphasis on the equal status and worth of not only man and woman, but also of every person on the planet – 'roses of one garden'.

"I declared as a Bahá'í in March 1988, during the fast, and it has been my own spiritual voyage of discovery ever since."

Pat is now Vice Chair of Newcastle Local Spiritual Assembly.