(prepared 2002)
What was the original moving force and generating impulse behind the establishment of the Bahá’í Faith in Latin America? It is essential to go back to the years 1916-1917, to the Tablets of the Divine Plan, revealed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. These Tablets, or letters, were directed to the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada, conferring upon them the mission of taking the Message of Bahá’u’lláh to all parts of the world, including the Latin American countries. In the first of these Tablets El Salvador is mentioned. (1) ‘Abdu’l-Bahá announced, “If one breath of life be blown over them, great results will issue therefrom.” (2) El Salvador is again mentioned by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the last Tablet He revealed, (3) as one of the places to which Bahá’ís must go and “shine forth”, and that “This is the most great work!” (4)
The Tablets of the Divine Plan remained almost inoperative with respect to Latin America for some twenty years. Then the Divine clock marked the hour for the Divine Plan of the Master to be converted into reality. It began with the Guardian’s cable of 1936 calling for permanent pioneers in the Latin American countries and the Antilles. (5) In “The Awakening of Latin America” in Shoghi Effendi’s first book “The Advent of Divine Justice”, (December 1938) the Guardian asked for immediate settlement of pioneers in every country in Latin America and encouraged the Bahá’ís to “introduce the Faith, however tentatively... to El Salvador...” (6)
Then October 25, 1939 Johnny Eichenauer a Bahá’í from Phoenix, Arizona arrived by ship to El Salvador (7) to share the healing Message of Bahá’u’lláh that all of humankind is one race and is destined to live in peace and harmony.
He wrote articles in Spanish that were published in the newspapers, and he answered the opinions of the local thinkers. (8) Within a few days Mr. Teodoro Bernal, a 73-year-old man, living in a village at the eastern end of the country, wrote Johnny saying that he had been living these principles for more than twenty years and he wanted to be a Bahá’í. (9)
And that, is the beginning of the history of the Bahá’í Faith in this Central American country.
On November 9, Johnny wrote, “I’m here in San Salvador pioneering, and Clarence Iverson (Johnny’s cousin also from Phoenix) (10) is coming to join me. You will probably be interested to know that there are eight declared Bahá’ís here. The first believer (in the capital, San Salvador) is a good friend of mine, especially because he speaks English and can interpret my words into Spanish…. I will probably enter a private high school here and work half a day and devote the other half to working for the Faith. I work all day long now and don’t get everything done.” (11)
Clarence Iverson came three months later (12) and together they were a very successful team (13) Johnny wrote, “Our contacts have been many, from poets to peasants and government workers to teachers. . . During the day we make juices, study the Writings, write letters, make visits, and an hour each morning and evening we go to commercial school. Occasionally we go to a movie or go on excursion.” (14) They would have one or two people to their boarding house room to talk about the Faith. (15) “A few people came into the Faith but most drifted away.” (16)
Johnny was the youngest pioneer to rise up and leave the U.S. at that time. He was only seventeen! (17) Clarence was 26 when he arrived. (18)
Throughout the years, various Bahá’ís from America and Latin American countries came to live or visit, with the specific purpose of teaching the Faith (19) and establishing new communities. At present (May 2002) there are 35 or 36 pioneers in the country. (20) Throughout the years, seven pioneers have passed to the next world and left their bones in Salvadoran soil. (21)
In 1947, the Faith was established in Santa Ana, (2)2 the second largest city of the country. (23) However, they did not elect their spiritual assembly until April 1956. (24)
In all parts of the world, the Bahá’ís are organized locally under councils, like boards of directors, called local spiritual assemblies, which are elected yearly. The first in El Salvador was elected in 1942 in San Salvador, (25) the capital, and was legally recognized by its incorporation in 1948. (26)
The next local spiritual assembly wasn’t elected until April 1951. (27)
In the early years, meetings were held in private homes, (28) and in October of 1955, a National Bahá’í Center was purchased (29) with the financial help of the well known Amelia Collins who donated money to the Guardian to help various countries. (30) There is a framed rug from the Shrine of the Báb hanging in the National Center which was a gift to El Salvador from the Beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi. (31) During the Holy Year, 1992, a new National Center was acquired, (32) near the Metrocentro mall. Bahá’í Centers and land have been purchased in all parts of the country. (33)
In 1961, the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of El Salvador was elected. (34)
Two of the early believers, Miss Amanda Mena, who declared in 1953, (35) and Mr. Gabriel Torres, who accepted the Faith late 1958 or early ‘59, (36) are still active in the Faith (May 2002). (37) Mr. Torres, learned of the Faith through a Bahá’í youth club while he was still in high school. (38) He was elected a member of the first National Spiritual Assembly (39) and is at present, 2002, the Chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly. (40)
The growth of the Salvadoran Bahá’í community had been very slow until the 1970s (41) when there was a period of rapid growth (42) due to new pioneers and groups of youth who proclaimed and taught all over the country and a large number of people became Bahá’ís. (43) Today there are Bahá’í spiritual assemblies in almost all of the cities of the fourteen Departments of the country. (44)
Television production and transmission of programs started in 1978 (45) (radio had been used extensively before, as early as the 1940s) (46) and in 1985, weekly TV shows started and continued for several years. (47) El Salvador sponsored and hosted the first International TV Conference in June 1988. (48)
By 1982 the Community was practically off the International Fund (49) – this means the believers of El Salvador paid for everything themselves and the Universal House of Justice did not need to continue to give financial support.
Salvadoran Bahá’ís have helped the Faith in other countries beginning in 1944 when Miss Ofelia Montalvo went to the Dominican Republic (50) and helped to establish the first Local Spiritual Assembly of that country. (51) When she returned she was active until the ‘60s. (52)
Many Salvadoran Bahá’ís have gone as “Pioneers” and travel teachers to various parts of the world during the ’70s and ‘80s (53). In the early ‘90s Salvadoran Bahá’ís, especially youth, had been in the vanguard of taking the Bahá’í Faith to Western Europe. (54) Recently (2002) youth have gone to Central and South American countries to give their time of service.(55) There are more than a dozen Salvadorans serving as pioneers in other countries around the world. (56)
El Salvador has hosted many International as well as National Bahá'í Conferences, Summer Schools and Winter Schools. (57) The youth have held five International Youth Conferences starting in 1974 and the most recent in 2000. (58) There have even been several national pre youth conferences – organized and carried out by the pre youth (10 to 14 yrs. old) themselves. (59)
There have always been many activities with, by and for the youth. In the early 1940s we find youth groups and youth symposiums in San Salvador. (60)
Instituto Bahá’í Nuevo Jardín (The New Garden Bahá’í Institute) started in 1974 (61), Colegio Ridván (the Ridván School) had its beginnings July ‘84 by a pre-youth (62) and Instituto Bahá’í Jamaliyyih (the Jamaliyyih Bahá’í Institute) property was donated in 1985. (63)
There was a twelve year Civil War in El Salvador (Peace Accords were signed on 16 January 1992), (64) and in November of 1989, exactly on the day planned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Faith in this country, the war became active in the capital. (65)
The country has been blessed by many visits of Hands of the Cause of God. There have been ten Hands who have visited including Amatu’l Bahá Rúhíyyih Khanum who came in February of ’81. Some came more than once so that there were at least twenty visits. (66) In addition, Amelia Collins in 1946 (67) and Dorothy Baker in 1950 (68) visited before they were named Hands of the Cause of God. (69)
El Salvador has published various Bahá’í pamphlets and books over the years (70) and actively supplies Spanish Bahá’í literature internationally. (71)
A Dance Workshop began here in 1998 (72) and El Salvador was the first Central American country to have a “Brillo del Espíritu” Project. (73)
The Bahá’í community here has been blessed throughout the decades with a strong National Spiritual Assembly, which gives loving guidance and supervision. (74)
It is interesting to note that the name of this country, El Salvador, means “The Savior”. (75)
Prepared for the “Brillo del Espíritu 2002” project in El Salvador
By Naomi Dreyer - June 2002
With the approval of the El Salvador National Spiritual Assembly
Forthcoming:
Documented footnotes
Pictures
Ridvan School
Visits of Hands of the Cause
