In the Words of Nazaneen

 Nazaneen, a surgery resident in DC, had a great idea to celebrate her birthday and help change the world at the same time, so we decided to talk with her. Here's what she had to say about her birthday party, building the Chile Temple, and the secret of right living in the US.

Fundamentals: Where are you from?
Nazaneen: I grew up mostly in Buffalo, New York but was born in London.  My parents are from England and Iran.

F: What brought you to the DC area? What do you do there?

N: I came to DC a few years ago when I finished medical school, to do my residency.  I’m doing it in Otolaryngology, which means ear/nose/throat surgery.

F: Were you born into a Baha'i family or did you find the Baha'i Faith later in life (or both)?

N: I was born into a Baha'i family, though I guess at some point I guess we all claim the Faith as our own.  My Iranian great-grandmother was the first Baha'i in our family. To learn more about the Faith she had to bribe a little neighborhood Baha'i kid with bread to get more information.  Can you imagine?  My dad learned of the Faith through my mom.  He got a twofer with my mother – a sweet wife and a new Revelation! 

F: We heard that for a recent birthday you held a fundraiser for the Chile Temple. How did that come about?

N: I wanted to do something special for my birthday and at the same time a few of my friends had been talking about having some sort of a Chile Temple fundraiser, so the two ideas came together.  My friends donated money in lieu of a gift, and I gave them a small gift in return.  I was completely touched and shocked at the response. The great surprise was when our treasurer called me with the total amount contributed – over $1,500!!  I was so impressed by that level of generosity from my friends. 

F: It seems that to do something like that there has to be some kind of relationship to this international effort to build the Chile Temple and what the House is asking the Baha’i world to do. What does the Chile Temple mean to you?

N: One of the best years of my life was my Year of Service in Otavalo, Ecuador at an elementary school.  So I do feel a strong personal connection with South America since it was a place of service.  The places we serve are so special, since they are the spots of sincere effort where blessings and confirmations come down upon us.  So you can imagine that this South American Temple holds special meaning for me.  I’m very excited for the South Americans—I think they will be proud of their House of Worship and have a sense of ownership as they should.  They as a people have had so much taken away from them historically and are so deserving of this gift from the Baha’i world. 

F: Shoghi Effendi wrote that the “secret to right living” is to be “continually giving out for the good of our fellows undeterred by the fear of poverty and reliant on the unfailing bounty of the Source of all wealth and all good.” What does it mean to you to be undeterred by the fear of poverty and reliant on the unfailing Source of all wealth?

N: Well, living in one of the most materialistic countries of the world, we American Baha’is have a special charge to be conscious of moderation.  A big problem in the US is that the media seems to convince us that we need all the things they are selling – it encourages expensive habits.  We just need to be on top of this and be smarter than those forces that tell us we need this and that. One Baha’i family I know lives in this way and has given so much to the Fund that they were audited by the IRS since they thought the donation amount reported in their taxes may have been fabricated.  Isn’t that great?

Another of my friends decided to give a really large amount of money when he was in high school.  Even his parents were a bit shocked, it was a big contribution to come from a kid.  Soon afterwards, he got a full scholarship to his university and he feels that was a direct confirmation from his donation.  What’s more, he was able to use that scholarship money to fund teaching trips abroad, which was fulfilling as a Baha’i and also gave him amazing international experience, helpful for career advancement.  All those experiences snowballed into more scholarships for other endeavors, and it appears the blessings from that single act keep showering down.  He was truly repaid many times over for his donation.  This is what it means to be “undeterred by the fear of poverty” and the incredible confirmations that we can attract, and it’s also a good example of the power of a youth’s heartfelt contribution. It’s amazing how the material and spiritual are linked!

The best way to believe this quote on “the secret to right living” is to try it yourself.  Make your calculations, and give very sacrificially to the Fund – really mean it, from the most sincere spot in your heart, praying for detachment – and see what happens.  The blessings are very real, even if they take time to come!  

Comments

[Mitko]

Dear Nazaneen, what an inspiring story! Our community already misses you! Thanks for the shining example of service and sacrifice!

[Tannaz]

Just wanted to add a detail to the Chile Temple fundraiser story. The small gift that Nazaneen mentions she gave to her friends in return for a donation was a bookmark she made. It had an image from the Chile Temple and a quote related to teaching.

[Marya]

I was truly touched by the stories shared here and will suggest to the Treasurer in my community that the interview be shared at Feast. Thank you for starting this zine! I have been thinking about many things related to the fund and am now very encouraged.