It was a warm summer morning in Okinawa; the family had just finished their morning prayers together. Mother and Father were showing pictures of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and children. There were photos of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá with children in Paris, London, America, and Israel. The children’s favorite photo was the one with ‘Abdu’l- Bahá walking away from some poor children in Akka, after He had given them some sweets.
“I wish ‘Abdu’l-Bahá would come to Okinawa!” little Anisa said longingly.
“Silly girl!” shouted Riaz. “That photo was taken a hundred years ago!! Do you think ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is still around now?”
“‘Abdu’l-Bahá traveled all over the world;
did he ever come to Okinawa?” asked Shahla.
All the children looked at Mother and Father. “No,” said Mother, “‘Abdul- Bahá did love Japan, though, and mentioned it in many of His letters to people. He often said He would like to come to Japan. He met many important Japanese people and sent many people to Japan in His place. But He was never able to come Himself.”
“‘Abdu’l-Bahá sent people to come and live in Japan, so that they could tell people here about Bahá’u’lláh and His teachings,” explained Father. “In 1908 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá asked several American Bahá’ís to come to Japan. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said that Japan was very important! ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said that they could, ‘through the love of God give life to the people’ of Japan.”
“What does that mean, ‘give life to the people of Japan’? Weren’t they alive already?” shouted Riaz.
“It means spiritual life, silly!” explained Mona.
“Yes, I guess there are stages of being ‘alive’,” Asma said thoughtfully. “Animals are alive, but physically, not spiritually, and we can be kind of alive spiritually, but not as much as angels, or ‘Abdu’l-Bahá…. Is that what He meant?”
Mother and Father smiled at each other and nodded. “Sounds good to me, Asma!” said Mother. “Civilizations are growing and learning to be more and more spiritual with each Manifestation of God.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá told one of the Bahá’ís to go to Japan and tell the people there that, “The world of nature is darkness but the heavenly Sun dissipates by its light this darkness that prevails over 
the world. Likewise the world of … souls is a dark one and nothing will illuminate it save the rays of the Sun of Truth.”
“That mean’s Bahá’u’lláh is like the sun, right Mom?” said Riaz.
“Absolutely!” agreed Mother.
“The Japanese flag is the sun!” Shahla said, “Did they know what ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said?”
“Probably not!” laughed Mother, “But it is a strange coincidence.”
Father put in, “In one letter ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote to one of the Bahá’ís living in Japan and told him to unfurl the Divine flag in Tokyo and yell at the top of his voice; “O ye people. The Sun of Reality hath appeared and flooded all regions with its glorious light; it has upraised the Standard of Oneness of the world of humanity and summoned all mankind to the refulgent Truth…’”
“Wow!” said all the children. “Did the man do that? Did he go and yell in Tokyo?” asked Shahla.
“I don’t know,” answered Father smiling. “Maybe not, because there still aren’t that many people in Japan who know about Bahá’u’lláh.”
“Well, I’m going to do it!” shouted little Anisa, jumping up. “I am going to start right now, here in Okinawa!” Everyone laughed and clapped their hands.
Mother smiled and said, “When Mona was a little younger than you, Anisa, we lived way out in the countryside, in Hiroshima Prefecture. One day, little Mona came in from playing outside, and announced, ‘OK, I went to all the neighbors and told them they should all become Bahá’ís and not drink beer and not eat chocolates!’”
“Mona!” all the kids shouted in surprise.
“I don’t remember that at all!” said Mona, defensively.
“What’s wrong with chocolates?” asked Asma.
Mother laughed and said, “When she was young, we wouldn’t give her any candy because we said it wasn’t good for her, and we had said the same thing to some adult about alcohol, so she thought Bahá’ís couldn’t eat chocolates. I had to go around to all the neighbors and explain and apologize.
“Yeah, I think that we shouldn’t be afraid to tell people about Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, but moderation is important, right?” Mona said smiling.
Father put in, “‘Abdu’l-Bahá said that Japan had a great capacity. And that Japan would eventually Turn Ablaze!”
“Turn Abaze? Japan will catch on fire?” asked Shahla looking frightened.
“Not physically, silly,” said Asma, “it means spiritually, right Mom?”
“Yes, this is what ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said at a Japanese church when He was in California.” Mother picked up the book with the photos of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the children in it, and started reading, “Ye must shine as stars radiating the light of love toward all mankind. May you be the cause of love amongst the nations. Thus may the world become witness that the Orient has ever been the dawning-point of illumination, the source of love and reconciliation. Make peace with all the world. Love everybody; serve everybody. All are the servants of God. God has created all. He provideth for all. He is kind to all. Therefore must we be kind to all.”
“I bet if everyone listened to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and did that, this world would be a really nice place; with no war or fighting,” said Riaz.
“Yeah, too bad they don’t act like ‘Abdu’l-Bahá!” put in Asma.
“Well, people don’t even know what ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said, unless we tell them!” shouted Shahla. Everyone smiled and nodded.
Then Father said, “In 1912, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá talked to a Japanese ambassador and warned him that there was in existence a stupendous force, as yet undiscovered by man. He said, to pray to God that this force would not be discovered by science until the spiritual civilization catches up with the material civilization. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá told the diplomat that in the hands of men of lower nature, this power would be able to destroy the whole earth…. It sounds like He was probably talking about atomic energy,” said Father sadly.
“Wow, and there were two terrible wars that happened because people didn’t listen, right Dad!” said Asma.
“Oh, wars are so, so scary!” said Shahla, in a sad voice, and everyone agreed.
“Well, that’s why we all have to work so hard now, to tell everyone about Bahá’u’lláh’s message of how to have world peace and unity!” explained Mother.
“And tell them how ‘Abdu’l-Bahá showed us to act with kindness and love for everyone!” put in Shahla.
“So then there won’t be any more wars!” shouted Riaz, and all the children nodded.
Trying to cheer the children up, Mother said, “Bahá’u’lláh told us that there should be Houses of Worship everywhere so that we can remember how to act with kindness and love.
“I know! A House of Worship has 9 doors so that anyone from any religion can come and worship!” said Riaz.
“And a dome for the roof!” added Shahla.
Father explained, “The real name is Mashriqu’l-Adhkár; it means the Dawning Place of the mention of God. Around the Houses of Worship will be schools, and hospitals, orphanages and Homes for the Elderly.”
Someday, in the not too distant future, there will be a House of Worship near Tokyo! There already is land put aside for it. In fact, in the distant future there will be Houses of Worship in every city here in Japan!”
“I read that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá placed the first stone, the ‘corner stone’ in the first House of Worship in America!” said Mona.
“Oh… ‘Abdu’l-Bahá won’t be here to help us build Japan’s House of Worship, though!” said Shahla sadly.
“He will be here in spirit!” assured Mother smiling.
“I wonder what the Japanese Houses of Worship will look like,” said Mona.
“I bet the Japanese Houses of Worship will look very Japanesey!” said Asma. “All the Houses of Worship around the world look like their country’s culture, so the Japanese ones should fit in with our culture, too.
“Yes, I think you are right, Asma. Maybe one of you can design one of these Houses of Worship,” suggested Father.
“And the Okinawan ones will look very Okinawan!” added Mona
“I want to design the Okinawan one!” said little Anisa, and everyone looked at her in surprise.
“Okinawa will always be my home, and I want to make the House of Worship for it!” she said with force.
“Maybe you will,” nodded Mother, and all the children smiled.
“It feels like ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is right here with us!” said Mona happily.
At that everyone laughed and clapped. Mother went to the cupboard and handed sweets out to each of them, saying, “This is from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to you!”
“Yea! We are ready for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit!” shouted Anisa.
Everyone clapped and laughed as they happily ate their sweets and thought of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
*all the quotes and information came from the book “Japan Will Turn Ablaze” compiled by Barbara Simms
For more children’s stories on ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Japan, please see Hiru no Hoshi #233
English http://hirunohoshien.weebly.com/233-the-covenant-abdul-baha–japan-noahs-ark.html
Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’
Quiz
1. Whose photos were the children looking at when the story begins?
__________________________________________________________________________
2. Did ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ever go to Japan? ___________________________________________________________________________
3. Did ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ever go to America?
___________________________________________________________________________
4. Why did ‘Abdu’l-Bahá want the American Believers to go to Japan?
___________________________________________________________________________
5. What did ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ask one Bahá’í to yell at the top of his voice in Tokyo?
___________________________________________________________________________
6. What did ‘Abdu’l-Bahá tell a Japanese church in California that they should do?
___________________________________________________________________________
7. What did ‘Abdu’l-Bahá warn an important Japanese ambassador about? __________________________________________________________________________
8. Why did the children become sad?
__________________________________________________________________________
9. What will be built in every city of Japan in the future? ___________________________________________________________________________
10. How many sides (and doors) does a House of Worship have, and what is on top of it? ____________________________________________________________________________
How did you do?
Answers are below
Coloring Page
Design a House of Worship
(for where you live!)
Materials:
*Clay
*9-sided polygon
*Waxed paper
*Ruler
*Imagination
Method:
*Put waxed paper over the 9-sided figure below
*Put clay over the waxed paper, smooth the edges with the ruler,
and build your House of Worship.
*Remember, 9 doors, and a dome roof, then as many windows
and decorations as you want!
*You can color beautiful gardens and ponds around your House of Worship.
*Take a picture and show everyone your Mashriqu’l-Adhkár!
Japanese http://hirunohoshijp.weebly.com/233-
Parents’ Page
Tablet of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to Miss Yuri Mochizuki in 1920
“Japan is like unto a farm whose soil is untouched. Such a soil as this has great capacity. One seed produces a hundred-fold. Now, praise be unto God, ye have found such a farm. Ye must develop the lands; ye must free them from thorns and weeds; ye should scatter the seeds of the love of God thereupon, and irrigate them with the rain of the knowledge of God. Rest ye assured that heavenly blessing will be bestowed!
It is my hope that in that farm ye will become divine farmers. The enlightened people of Japan are tired and disgusted with the superannuated and putrefied blind imitations. They are assured that these blind imitations are pure superstitions without any truth. Therefore they have capacity to hear the Call of God. The land is untouched. We will have to see what the divine farmers will do!
At present thou hast started a journal. It is my hope that this journal will shine as the Star of the East. In the journal write thus:
When the horizon of the East was covered with immense darkness; when dark clouds were predominant, and when all the heavenly stars were concealed to the eye, His Holiness Bahá’u’lláh, like unto the sun shone forth from the horizon of the East and with radiating splendor He illumined the Orient.”
Quiz Answers; 1) ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and children in different countries. 2) No. 3) yes. 4) Because Japan was very important. He wanted them to, “through the love of God give life to the people of Japan.” 5) Unfurl the Divine standard and yell “O ye people, The Sun of Reality hath appeared and flooded all regions with its glorious light; it has upraised the Standard of Oneness of the world of humanity and summoned all mankind to the refulgent Truth…” 6) “Ye must shine as stars radiating the light of love toward all mankind…” 7)That there was a stupendous force in nature that could destroy the world if used by greedy men. 8) Because of the terrible wars that happened even after ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s warning. 9) Houses of Worship. 10) 9 sides and on top a dome roof.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]