This is a story told by Dr. Dwight Allen in 1967 at the Intercontinental Conference in Chicago :
All National Spiritual Assemblies were charged with delivering, in person, to the Head of State of their respective countries, a copy of the "Proclamation of Baha'u'llah". At the time, the Head of State of Haiti was Dr. Duvalier, known as "Papa Doc". His was a ruthless regime, kept in power through fear more than anything else. The populace was cowed through the Tauntaun Makud, a "secret service" with dark overtures of voodoo and constrained only by the wishes of Duvalier. Human rights were non-existent.
Needless to say, the National Assembly of Haiti had some valid concerns about presenting Baha'u'llah's word to such a one as Duvalier. However, after prayer, placing their trust in Baha'u'llah, they called to make their appointment for the presentation. They were puzzled when they had no problem whatsoever in scheduling the meeting with the President for Life.
On the appointed day and at the appointed hour, the members of the National Assembly of Haiti presented themselves at the Presidential Palace and were immediately taken to an antechamber adjacent to Duvalier's office. Over them stood a guard of what must have been the four largest men in all Haiti , each one armed with a machine pistol at the ready. Soon, the office door opened and Dr. Duvalier appeared, asking the members of the Assembly into his office and cordially greeting each one of them. One Assembly member noted that the expression on their guards' faces had become one of wide-eyed surprise.
Dr. Duvalier sat the Assembly in his office and dismissed the guards, which was unprecedented. He served each member tea and cakes personally and as he settled himself back with his own tea, began the interview by recounting his college days in Milwaukee , Wisconsin in the early 1940's.
It seems that housing was scarce in Milwaukee in those days and considering that he was a black man and a student, it was well-nigh impossible for him to find lodgings. It seems the only shelter he could find was with a white Baha'i couple who took him into their home and treated him as a member of the family.
Because of that hospitality, the President extended to the Baha'i of Haiti freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom from unwarranted search and seizure. We take these freedoms as a given. In Haiti at the time, no other group enjoyed such freedoms. It meant that the Baha'is could teach openly, hold Feasts, and distribute literature. The secret police were to protect the Baha'is.
Dr. Allen went on to say that we can never know how the seeds we plant will grow nor can we ever predict the result of our living the Baha'i life to the best of our abilities. This nameless Baha'i couple through one courageous act, granted an entire Baha'i nation freedom.
And another story:
All National Spiritual Assemblies were charged with delivering, in person, to the Head of State of their respective countries, a copy of the "Proclamation of Baha'u'llah". At the time, the Head of State of Haiti was Dr. Duvalier, known as "Papa Doc". His was a ruthless regime, kept in power through fear more than anything else. The populace was cowed through the Tauntaun Makud, a "secret service" with dark overtures of voodoo and constrained only by the wishes of Duvalier. Human rights were non-existent.
Needless to say, the National Assembly of Haiti had some valid concerns about presenting Baha'u'llah's word to such a one as Duvalier. However, after prayer, placing their trust in Baha'u'llah, they called to make their appointment for the presentation. They were puzzled when they had no problem whatsoever in scheduling the meeting with the President for Life.
On the appointed day and at the appointed hour, the members of the National Assembly of Haiti presented themselves at the Presidential Palace and were immediately taken to an antechamber adjacent to Duvalier's office. Over them stood a guard of what must have been the four largest men in all Haiti , each one armed with a machine pistol at the ready. Soon, the office door opened and Dr. Duvalier appeared, asking the members of the Assembly into his office and cordially greeting each one of them. One Assembly member noted that the expression on their guards' faces had become one of wide-eyed surprise.
Dr. Duvalier sat the Assembly in his office and dismissed the guards, which was unprecedented. He served each member tea and cakes personally and as he settled himself back with his own tea, began the interview by recounting his college days in Milwaukee , Wisconsin in the early 1940's.
It seems that housing was scarce in Milwaukee in those days and considering that he was a black man and a student, it was well-nigh impossible for him to find lodgings. It seems the only shelter he could find was with a white Baha'i couple who took him into their home and treated him as a member of the family.
Because of that hospitality, the President extended to the Baha'i of Haiti freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom from unwarranted search and seizure. We take these freedoms as a given. In Haiti at the time, no other group enjoyed such freedoms. It meant that the Baha'is could teach openly, hold Feasts, and distribute literature. The secret police were to protect the Baha'is.
Dr. Allen went on to say that we can never know how the seeds we plant will grow nor can we ever predict the result of our living the Baha'i life to the best of our abilities. This nameless Baha'i couple through one courageous act, granted an entire Baha'i nation freedom.
And another story:
At the time when the National Spiritual Assemblies were presenting The Promise of World Peace, which I believe was in the mid 1980's, the National Spiritual Assembly of West Germany made an appointment with then I think was Prime Minister Koll, for this purpose.
A delegation from that Assembly went to the Appointment and they were welcomed most graciously. Before they had a chance to present him with the booklet and to explain about its purpose and that the the Baha'i Faith, the Prime Minister said, "I know the Baha'is!" which shocked those who were present because nobody had any idea.
In the years following World War II, the future Prime Minister was a teenager. He and a group of his friends went on a bicycle trip around the country...and they happened upon a group of Baha'i youth who were having a summer school camp. They cordially invited the bikers to join them in this gathering, which they did. Heaven can only imagine what went on there, but this biking group had a wonderful time with these Baha'i youth. Then the bikers went on their way.
Little did the future Prime Minister nor the Baha'i youth know that he would be a Prime Minister some 40+ years later. All he remembers was the excellent and positive impression he had in that gathering. One of those Baha'i youth was Herman Grossman and it is Mr. Grossman who has shared this story with many of us Baha'is in Europe .
From the moment of that meeting in the late 1940 post-WWI-Germany to that meeting in the office in the mid-1980's, there had been no contact. After that meeting, the National Spiritual Assembly of West Germany had a special status within the country and respect was given to it by the government. I believe that this influence is still there today, even if that particular Prime Minister is no longer a part of the government. So it just goes to show you that little seeds, planted long ago eventually do have an impact.
Regarding the above story about the interview of the National Assembly of Haiti with President François Duvalier, I'm wondering if someone might have mistaken the university. In all the biographical articles I've read on President Duvalier, it only mentions him attending the University of Michigan for a year (1944-1945), not the University of Wisconsin.
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