As we draw closer and closer to Ridvan, there are two crucial goals on our hearts and minds for this current Five Year Plan, still to be achieved. These are our National Fund Goal of $28 million and our International Pioneering Goal of 1,300 souls to be dispatched across the globe. Both of these sacred undertakings draw us closer to our Lord and to all of humanity. The following words of our Supreme Body highlight this love we feel so well:

“We are certain that, through the consultations about the Plan in which you participate, your understanding will deepen and, conscious of the spiritual forces that support you, you will resolve to make this global enterprise a personal concern and become as occupied with the well-being of the human family as you are with that of your dearest kin.” (The Universal House of Justice, January 1, 2011)

This amount of love is one that runs deep and inspires believers to make sacrifices they would have never dreamed possible. We hope you will listen to the audio file we have included below of Hand of the Cause of God, William Sears, telling the story of dear Ella Bailey, whom the beloved Guardian named as a martyr due to her incredible love and sacrifice for the Faith of Baha'u'llah. What a wonderful illustration of how this love we cherish for humanity can move us to great spiritual heights!

We ask you, as local treasurers, to share the talk about Ella Bailey (click here) with your fellow believers and then consult about both of these goals and how we can each contribute our share, so that every receptive soul may be given the opportunity to hear the name of Baha’u’llah and join us in walking this path of service, a service that ultimately belongs to Him. May we all be inspired to offer services, the likes of which we have never previously conceived of.

“If thou seekest eternal glory, let thyself be humble and meek in the presence of the beloved of God; make thyself the servant of all, and serve all alike. The service of the friends belongs to God, not to them. Strive to become a source of harmony, spirituality and joyfulness to the hearts of the friends and the maid-servants of the Merciful. This is a cause of great satisfaction to Abdu’l-Baha.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v1, p. 61)