Have you discovered Facebook?

I just recently discovered Facebook when I heard the CEO speak at TIECON'07 in the Bay Area. I was fascinated and signed up. Then I received an invite from Chuck Cooper on Facebook and before long I was fascinated.

I have been having so much fun since I have been able to find so many of my long lost Baha'i friends (from Washington DC, Singapore, etc). Many I did not even know where they were and then I found them on FAcebook. There are so many Baha'i groups on Facebook and through those list I am finding more and more friends and people of common interests. I also found a plug-in application called "Writings of the Baha'i Faith" that automatically generates a new quote from the Faith each time I log in, giving me the ability to do my daily readings online...what a great idea!

So if you have not already discovered the new wonderful world of Facebook, go to http://www.facebook.com/ and sign up for an account and look me up! Discover this new world many other Baha'is have been using to connect to new friends and reconnect with old ones. I have been so involved in that, that I have not been good about updating this site. My dear sister gave me the wonderful idea of writing about my experiences on Facebook so I jumped at her idea and did so.

Happy Facebooking!

Prayers, Pancakes on Poi'hu beach (PPP)

Every first Sunday of every month, the Baha'is of Kauai have dawn prayers at Poipu beach and have a pancake breakfast after that. What a great idea. We just could not miss it, so we got the children up the early morning and headed for the beach. Normally they did prayers first but this time to accomodate the children, they offered breakfast first. After that we had a lovely treat to so many wonderful prayers including Hawaiian chanting from Liz Hahn. I am encouraging Liz to put her chants online so more of us can hear it. Liz interestingly is a Baha'i we stayed with 15 years ago (as we knew her through BCCA) and we were catching up again now after all these years.

Often, there are other groups also meeting at the beach who are also invited to join in. Sometimes it is the Alcoholics Anonymous groups, or this time a church group holding a service for the homeless. Pancakes are always a good way to get fellowship and service started. I think this a great idea of sharing food and devotions with others, and the consistency of doing it once every month, means getting the word out to join is easy. I do hope to get another chance to join in sometime soon.

Poi'pu beach is not only a lovely beach to snorkel and swim for young and old, it is also home to the almost extinct monk seals and green turtles (both protected by law). It is really a remarkable beach and a must see for anyone to Kauai.

After that lovely start to the day, Ole a Baha'i from Colombia living in Kauai, who was also at the dawn prayers and in whose house Feast was held, was a great host to us. He runs a successful business called ATV Tours (http://www.kauaiatv.com/). It is a really cool and fun way to see Kauai as you travel around in a semi-automatic jeep and go through mud roads to either a reservoir or a waterfall for a swim. I will truly recommend it. He also has a paint ball field, where you can have fun getting dirty with paint ball guns.

PS. Ole is looking for people to come work at his place (especially those who already have the right paperwork to work in the US), especially during the peak holiday periods like summer. He would like to invite Baha'i youth(have to be at least 16), who would like to spend time in Kauai to work, where there are lots of opportunities to teach and serve. For instance, Liz Hahn who works at a Trust also needs help to document Baha'i gravesites (for historical reasons) in Kauai. Many great Baha'is in Kauai, take for instance Ole who has many fascinating stories about his role in the growth of the Faith in Colombia.

Do pass the word on that Ole needs help. Kauai truly rocks and I will highly recommend this as your chance to really experience the Garden Island and meet people from around the world. For your free time-Lots of snorkelling sites and scuba too. Hiking trails or just hang loose at the beach or teach the Faith after work. Either way, great way to experience the Aloha spirit and really get involved, not just be another tourist.

Allah'u'Abha and Aloha from Kauai

Last night, we were so happy to connect up with the Baha'is on Kauai to share Nineteen Day Feast with. It was such a special experience. Such diversity in the community- we met people who had moved to Kauai from South California, Palau, Hungary, Maryland, Colombia, etc.

The hospitality was so touching and our children felt right at home. Even the dogs joined in the prayer circle, much to my children's delight. During consultation, it was nice to see that we are all part of the same global family endeavouring to bring Unity and Peace on Earth.

Some of the readings from the evening prayers that touched me were around how the world is in dire need of spiritual healing and we all need to do our part to help it, that all good comes from God and bad from ourselves, and that it is not sufficient to know the theory of what needs to be done to bring about unity, but it is important to practice it. To walk the talk. That we need to work on having true unity and true understanding, so we become the beacon of light of God. Radiating God's love for Heaven on Earth.