REDWOODS RETIREMENT VILLAGE HOSTS INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS ABOUT THE BAHA'I FAITH

Ten residents and two staff members attended the first in a series of bi-weekly informational meetings about the Baha'i Faith, at The Redwoods retirement village in Mill Valley on Sunday, September 9, 2007.

The series came about as the result of interest created when existing residents came to know and love their new member - Margaret Hough. Margaret moved from her home in San Rafael to The Redwoods in May 2007. Her spirit and intellect were quickly noticed and the Activities Director began calling upon her to offer talks to her fellow members. Because she is nearly blind, Margaret organized volunteers and family members to retrieve her books on Women of the 20th Century and help her write and memorize their life stories so that she could share them.

It soon became apparent that Margaret is a devoted and dedicated member of the Baha'i Faith, and questions were asked about the nature of the Faith she possessed, so she was invited to start a series of informational classes about the Baha'i Faith.

This, then was the first of such meetings which Margaret has organized which are to take place on a bi-weekly basis on Sunday afternoons.

The first talk, by her son-in-law, Bryn Deamer, focused on a core belief of the Baha'i Faith, that God has never left humankind alone but has always sent messengers with teachings that are applicable to the time and conditions in which they are sent - a concept known as Progressive Revelation. (See text of the talk here)

The 10 residents, people who have dedicated their life to social causes (some of whom are members of Seniors For Peace and carry banners every Friday afternoon) were invited to consider that the chaos and confusion of the century in which they lived was not random and unexpected, but part of an immense plan - a ploughing of the soil of human hearts so that the seeds of peace and unity can be planted therein. It was suggested that, far from being lone voices in the wind, they are part of the building of the long-awaited Kingdom of God on Earth. Their life-long devotion to social causes is a direct result of their being alive to the spiritual forces of the times.

The audience expressed interest through questions and appreciative comments and asked for literature, which was readily made available.

The next Sunday session takes place on September 23, 2007 at 2 pm in the Personal Care Center social room. For more information contact bahaisofmarin@bci.org.

Margaret Hough, painter, writer, wife to Skil executive Samuel Hough, and mother of 5 children, led an active life, always stretching to be part of the community and make it a better place. She was involved in Continuing Education classes in San Diego when her daughter, Sherna, joined the Bahá'í community and the LA Interfaith Council.

When Margaret invited Sherna to talk to her group about the LA Interfaith Council, most of the questions from the audience members were about the Bahá'í Faith, which was new to them. Margaret's interest was piqued, and, after secretly investigating and attending meetings without letting Sherna know, Margaret became a member of the Bahá'í Faith one year later, in 1979. She threw herself fully into activities and was soon elected to the nine-body Local Spiritual Assembly of San Diego, where she oversaw public relation activities. She represented the Bahá'í Faith on the Interfaith Council of San Diego and developed the Bahá'í chapter in their publication, "Bridging our Faiths".

As she matured, she began to lose her long battle with glaucoma. Before her eyesight failure went too far, she decided to leave San Diego and move closer to daughter Bonnie and sons Brian and Bill Hough, and to live in a place where shops and services would be in easy walking distance. So, in 1998, she closed down her home of some 25 years in Del-Mar and purchased a modest home in San Rafael. Although she could no longer dirve, she served the Marin community as the Bahá'í representative to the Marin Interfaith Council and attended and hosted Bahá'í functions and meetings.

After the events of September 11, 2001, she fired up her large screen, large print computer and typed up an invitation to her neighbors to join her in her home for prayers for Peace, Reconciliation and Healing. With her white cane, she circled her block, popping the invitations into mail boxes. Many members of the community turned up to join her in her home.

In 2002 her daughter Sherna and son-in-law Bryn returned from Haifa after 19 years volunteering at the Bahá'í World Centre. They moved in with Margaret and assisted her in her daily activities, as her eyesight continued to diminish. Although other health problems cropped up, and cancer and heart problems took their toll, Margaret was able to continue her active participation in the community.

Finally her failing eyesight prevented her from doing her favorite things - writing on the large print computer, painting, reading, or even finding the radio to listen to programs. With Bryn and Sherna both working, the long hours of the day began to drag. Margaret decided to move to The Redwoods in Mill Valley in May, 2007, where she has found a new channel for her continuing, dedicated service.