Born to a renowned architect and his wife in Montreal, the intrepid Baha’i Mary Maxwell later became known by the honorific title of Amatu’l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum, meaning “handmaiden of glory.”

As a young woman, she married Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith, cementing the close ties between East and West called for by the Baha’i principle of the oneness of humanity, exemplified in this passage from the writings of Abdu’l-Baha:

… in this age of splendours, teachings once limited to the few are made available to all, that the mercy of the Lord may embrace both east and west, that the oneness of the world of humanity may appear in its full beauty, and that the dazzling rays of reality may flood the realm of the mind with light.

RELATED: Tunupa, the Aymara Messenger of God from Lake Titicaca

A world citizen, a world traveler, and a great lover of Indigenous peoples all over the world, Ruhiyyih Khanum crossed Africa and South Asia by foot, car, train, and plane. She inspired and educated Baha’is and those interested in the Baha’i Faith in cities, small towns, and remote villages alike. In her later life, she followed the yearnings of Abdu’l-Baha, who said “Oh! that I could travel, even though on foot and in the utmost poverty, to these regions and … in cities, villages, mountains, deserts and oceans, promote the Divine teachings!”

Despite the shock of Shoghi Effendi’s sudden passing in 1957, Ruhiyyih Khanum fulfilled her yearning to “promote the Divine teachings” and travelled the world announcing the coming of Baha’u’llah’s revelation to the people she met.

The Baha’i communities in Latin America grew rapidly in the 1960s and 70s. To reach out to the Indigenous peoples there, Ruhiyyih Khanum decided to make another extraordinary journey in 1975. She had travelled in the air and on the ground, but this time she would go a whole new and much more adventurous way: by water. 

The Amazon is the largest river in the world. It discharges more water into the ocean than the next seven largest rivers in the world combined. Twenty percent of all the river water that flows into the ocean comes from the Amazon. North of the Amazon is another mighty river: the Orinoco, the fourth largest river in the world and one of the longest. Flowing through the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, and Suriname, many Indigenous people lived along it in lush forests. 

Ruhiyyih Khanum decided to go upriver on the Amazon and the Orinoco, and called her riverine travels The Green Light Expedition. She believed that Shoghi Effendi would have wanted her to make a special effort to meet Indigenous people all over the world. As the last living link to the holy family of the Baha’i Faith, she had already helped to uplift the hearts and visions of the Baha’is across more than thirty African countries. 

Before going to Africa for the first time, Ruhiyyih went to pray at Shoghi Effendi’s grave in London. On her way back to Haifa (where the World Centre of the Baha’i Faith is situated) after an absence of more than three and half years, she once again went to bow her head in gratitude at the resting place of her beloved husband. When asked about her previous African trip and its physical challenges she said: 

I am a widow, sixty-two years old; I have no children, no sisters, no brothers, no parents. The only reason I have come to Africa, at this age, is in response to the beautiful words of Abdu’l-Baha, and because the only time the beloved Guardian gave any indication of what I might do after him, was one day, when suddenly, he looked at me and said, ‘What will become of you after I die …?’ This distressed me very much and I pleaded with him not to say such a terrible thing, that I would never live after he was dead; but he continued and said, ‘I suppose you will go and visit the [Baha’i] friends in different countries and encourage them.’ 

Ruhiyyih Khanum told the Baha’is “If I can do this at my age, of course you can do it too.” Her account of what came to be called “The Green Light Expedition” in South America tells the amazing stories of her arduous trip up the Amazon and the Orinoco to meet and greet the Indigenous people who lived there. She mischievously named their little 60-foot barge “The Queen Mary,” and minimized the arduous nature of the trip as she reported on her party’s progress upriver:

Every evening our boat was moored on a sand bank for the night. Our first job in the morning was to roll up our hammocks and get them out of the way. Life aboard the Queen Mary was in no way difficult. In fact, the only real inconvenience were the black flies which in this particular moment were so vicious that I wore my mosquito net hat. Wonderful as the water was for drinking it was usually very dangerous to swimming. 

The [Indigenous people] always seemed to know where is safe to go in and our captain strongly advised the men that they should only bathe from the rocks. We soon found out why. I caught three man-eating piranha fish in less than two minutes. Every morning we held prayers for the success of our expedition and that we would be guided to do the right thing and meet the right people during the day. 

Along the Orinoco River and also in the neighbourhood of Puerto Ayacucho itself there are a great many Baha’i communities … Over and over again after we had had prayers we found that the door would open in the most remarkable ways for us to meet the people that we wanted to see. The Piaroa […] invited us to their village, as it was an hour’s walk from the river they agreed to come back and take us there. The Mataco or Wichi are a group of tribes that speak the same language and live in Argentina and Bolivia. The Piaroa are an Indigenous people who have lived in the Orinoco River so that in this case seemed to be to make a great river journey up the Orinoco. 

RELATED: Bochica, Indigenous Messenger of God in Colombia

Masud Khamsi, a devoted Baha’i from Iran who served as a Baha’i Counsellor in South America helped organize this extraordinary trip. They began in the country of Venezuela, which borders the Atlantic Ocean. The Green Light Expedition became an amazing voyage, all recounted in Ruhiyyih Khanum’s own words: 

The small Baha’i community of Puerto Ayacucho met us at the airport and helped us load our provisions onto the truck. It took us over an hour to reach Venado a huge flat hunk of rock into the Orinoco river. This is the place where all traffic above Puerto Ayacucho leaves for the interior. Some weeks previous to our arrival, Mr. Khamsi had rented a large river barge which was waiting for us and for our 60 pieces of equipment, baggage and provisions. This was the ship that was going to take us 1700 km to visit 8 different Indian tribes in the interior. This is to be our home for 32 nights and we named her the Queen Mary. …

We met a Piaroa Chief. We invited him aboard our boat to have coffee. He said that fifteen years before he would have been afraid to go on a boat that was owned by white men … this shows how much people are changing. It also shows how the spirit of the Baha’is gives people confidence. He was a widower whose wife had died when their last child was born and he was bringing up a group of small children himself. The attachment of the children to the father and the extraordinary tenderness that he showered upon his children was very, very touching … 

We discovered that eight years ago the Piaroa Chief was already in contact with some of the Baha’is … If a man such as this accepts Baha’u’llah’s teachings he will not only be a very fine believer but instrumental in bringing in many, many of his people into the Cause of God. The Makos as a tribe have never been converted to Christianity. We were fortunate to meet their more important chief, who called a meeting to hear about the Faith … 

The Green Light Expedition continued for many months, and Ruhiyyih Khanum later called it one of the greatest adventures of her remarkably adventurous life.

This article is excerpted from the new biography Ruhiyyih Khanum, by Hussein Ahdieh and Hillary Chapman. If you’d like to read more about Ruhiyyih Khanum’s life and adventures, the book is available here and here.

The post The Green Light Expedition: Meeting Indigenous Amazonian Baha’is appeared first on Minds Valley.

1/3

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, chair of the National Governors Association, speaks at the annual NGA summer meeting at the Hard Rock Hotel in Atlantic City, N.J. on Thursday. Screenshot by UPI

July 13 (UPI) — Governors agree that outdated policies and systems stand in the way of meeting the needs of the nation, based on the discussions at the National Governors Association’s summer meeting in Atlantic City, N.J., on Thursday.

Governors from across the country met at the Hard Rock Hotel to share their concerns and map out plans for addressing the youth mental health crisis, disaster response and training the next generation of workers.

“There are no Democratic problems or Republican problems. There are issues that impact the people of our states,” said New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, chair of the NGA. “When governors get around the table and talk, we can get things done. Isn’t it great to see Democrat and Republican governors coming together during this crazy time?”

‘Strengthening mental health’

Murphy opened the meeting by unveiling what was titled as Strengthening Mental Health: A Governor’s Playbook. It is a compendium of best practices and actions that states can take to address youth mental health, highlighting 35 policies that can be implemented.

The CDC reported last month that suicide rates among people 10 to 24 reached a 20-year high in 2021.

“We know exactly what we need to do. The question is, do we have the will to execute, and where we need to fund it do we have the will to fund it,” Murphy said.

During a roundtable discussion moderated by Jeanette Betancourt, senior vice president for U.S. social impact at Sesame Workshop, Murphy singled out actions taken in Utah and Colorado as examples of directives other states can adopt.

Utah launched the SafeUT app in 2016, which lets students, including students in higher education, speak directly to licensed counselors. Gov. Spencer Cox said the app has hosted 1 million interactions in the last year, equating it to “two lives every day saved.”

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed a law in 2021 to establish a new Behavioral Health Administration. This restructuring was aimed at improving access to services.

New Jersey first lady Tammy Murphy focused on maternal and infant health, noting that the U.S. ranks 55th internationally in maternal mortality rates.

“As the wealthiest country in the world, we should rightfully assume that every mother and baby has the same chance to be born with joy and health. Sadly, that’s not the case,” she said, adding that maternal mortality rates are two to three times worse for women of color.

Sean Robbins, executive vice president of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, said mortality rates for women of color may actually be six to seven times worse.

“The good news is 84% of those deaths can be prevented,” Tammy Murphy added.

Robbins said the healthcare system has to adapt to a model that meets people “where they are” rather than making people come to it.

“Where kids and youth are is very different from where they were in the 20th century,” he said. “The country is going in the wrong direction on maternal and infant health. The healthcare system is antiquated.”

Disaster response reform

Another system that the governors and industry leaders agree is antiquated is the federal coordination of disaster responses. Juliette Kayyman, a faculty chair at Harvard Kennedy School and who served in President Barack Obama’s administration, said she believes the framework for disaster response needs to be reformed after remaining stagnant for decades.

Specifically, Kayyman was critical of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Stafford Act, signed into law in 1988. The act dictates the responsibilities of federal and state governments, as well as local officials, in response to major disasters and emergencies.

The framework for disaster response — was founded on the idea that disasters are random and rare,” she said. “FEMA, their hands are legitimately tied. It is the most frustrating thing and everybody knows what needs to be done. This was built in the 1970s. It’s not working for anyone anymore.”

Kayyman said the Stafford Act leaves response teams ill-equipped and understaffed. She proposed an increased focus on mitigation and disaster resilience zones.

Disaster resilience zones emphasize the needs of disadvantaged and vulnerable communities that are most at-risk to experience a natural disaster.

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott joined the meeting virtually as he remains on the ground in his home state while it confronts widespread flooding. His office and home have been affected by the floods, and he reported that more than 200 rescues have been made so far but another 2 inches of rain were possible on Thursday.

“It doesn’t matter if you’ve been in office for seven months, every governor comes face to face with multiple crises,” Scott said. “We never know when we’ll be called upon to assess a situation and provide leadership and direction.”

First lady Jill Biden

First lady Jill Biden addressed the governors during the Governors and First Spouses Lunch Session to discuss preparing future workers. While success, to her, meant pursuing at least a four-year degree, she said that track is not right for everyone.

While touting his work to strengthen the middle class, President Joe Biden has encouraged workers to pursue apprenticeships and two-year degrees with lower costs of tuition.

“Preparing our workforce is much bigger than a blue issue or a red issue,” Jill Biden, who teaches at Northern Virginia Community College two days per week, said. “You all seem to get along so well. There are things we can agree on. And you understand that education is about the economy.”

Jill Biden encouraged the governors to support programs to train workers and provide childcare options.

Though she jokingly said that she hates the name, she promoted the Workforce Hubs initiative, which partners local officials and employers with students and workers to create access to “good-paying jobs.” Five cities serve as the hubs for this project: Phoenix, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Augusta, Ga., and Columbus, Ohio.

“Let’s find innovative ways to connect students and employers so that every student in every community can find the path that works for them,” Jill Biden said.

The meeting will conclude on Friday.

If you or someone you know is suicidal, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.

Source link

The post Bipartisan meeting of governors addresses mental health, disaster response, worker training appeared first on Minds Valley.

Mental health services for children and teens continue to be a pressing need in New Hampshire in the wake of the pandemic, according to providers and advocates who spoke at a roundtable in Manchester Monday.

Depression and anxiety among youth rose during the pandemic, and services have struggled to keep up.

“We have some young adults here that have spent their entire high school in this traumatic situation – addiction crisis, layered with COVID, layered with mental health,” said Mary Forsythe-Taber, the executive director of Makin’ It Happen, a youth-focused organization in the greater Manchester area.

Sen. Maggie Hassan and Loreley Godfrey, a Portsmouth resident and advocate, during a roundtable discussion on youth mental health Monday in Manchester.

The speakers – who included advocates, representatives of mental health providers and the head of the state’s behavioral health division – described various ways they’re trying to meet that need, supported by recent infusions of federal funding.

More: Teens tell their truth about social media and mental health. ‘I always have my phone.’

That includes planned investments in community mental health, efforts to better integrate mental health services in schools and a new University of New Hampshire graduate program that aims to train school social workers.

But high demand and shortages of staff continue to leave some families waiting months for services. The Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester is booking some intakes six months out and has about 350 families on the waitlist, according to Director of Child and Adolescent Services Jeanna Still.

“A lot of people are deterred by the very lengthy waits,” she said in an interview after the event. “And they think, ‘Well, six months, I can’t wait that long.’ ”

But, she said, there are ways to get in the door faster – and families should still reach out for help. The center offers first-come, first-serve intakes at certain times on Wednesdays and Thursdays. It also has clinicians in local schools. For kids with the most urgent needs, staff can quickly connect them with Hampstead Hospital or other services.

Story continues

“We have relationships that allow our most vulnerable populations in the community to have immediate access,” she said.

Sen. Maggie Hassan, a Democrat, organized Monday’s event.

“When I travel around New Hampshire, [mental health] is one of the first things, if not the first thing, almost everybody wants to talk to me about – regardless of where they’re from in the state, what community they live in, what kind of work they do, whether they have family members with mental illness or not,” she said.

Loreley Godfrey said schools could do more to educate students about mental health and make sure they know what resources are available. The 18-year-old Portsmouth resident began advocating on the issue after a friend of hers had a panic attack in her car.

“I had to pull over and I did not know how to help her,” she said. “I was looking up on my phone, you know, ‘how to help someone with a panic attack.’ Because I had never learned that essential skill of taking care of someone who was going through a mental health crisis.”

Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis in New Hampshire can call or text 833-710-6477 for the state’s mobile crisis services or 988 for the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. These articles are being shared by partners in The Granite State News Collaborative. For more information visit collaborativenh.org.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: NH youth mental health needs remain a challenge to meet

Source link

The post Meeting youth mental health needs remains a priority – and challenge – for NH providers appeared first on Minds Valley.