May 10
2012
Cleaning our environment
By Nathalie Thirlwall
Over 50 people of
five different faiths came together early evening on Wednesday, May 2,
2012 to clean up Mooney’s Bay Park. “Spring Cleaning the
Capital Together” is an annual initiative organized under the auspices
of the Capital Regional Interfaith Council, of which the Ottawa Baha’i
Community has been a member for many years. Baha’is have been involved
in the park clean up since the start of this initiative. Recognizing
that work is worship, if done in the spirit of service, enabled this
year some 28 Baha’is of different ages to work shoulder to shoulder
with people of a variety of faiths.
A youth from our community was invited to offer the opening
prayer. She selected a prayer for unity by Baha’u’llah which
starts:
“O my God! O my God! Unite the hearts of Thy servants, and
reveal to them Thy great purpose. May they follow Thy commandments and
abide in Thy law. …”
During this year’s cleanup members of the following faiths were Sikh,
Catholic, Islamic, Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints and
Baha’i, who collectively managed to fill up approximately 11 yard waste
bags and 10 garbage bags. Individuals had the opportunity to work
together, share light refreshments, get to know each other and speak
about their beliefs. A feeling of friendship and solidarity
filled the air as we learned to work together to make the park a
cleaner environment.
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