Support from New Caledonia to Tahiti
New Zealand pioneer in Tahiti, Michael Vaughan, has supplied the following article to Bahá'í Aotearoa:
One of the key strategies of the Nine Year Plan is to have stronger clusters supporting clusters at an early stage of development. An element of this is for a third milestone cluster to provide practical support in every region and country.
The original intention in Tahiti was for two youth from Vanuatu to spend three months in Tahiti to assist with strengthening the institute process including supporting an intensive institute campaign for the study of Ruhi Books 1, 2, and 3 in one neighbourhood. The youth were coming from Vanuatu because the difficulties over changes to the electoral system in New Caledonia had made it challenging for youth to travel from there.
The Vanuatu youth had just applied for their visas in December 2024 when the first severe earthquake hit that country. One of the worst damaged buildings in Port Villa was the ‘embassy centre’ that includes the French Embassy.
With travel from Vanuatu halted, it was found that it was now possible for the youth from New Caledonia to travel to French Polynesia.
Preparation
The Tahiti/Moorea cluster with assistance from Emma Wayenece, the New Caledonian ‘resource person’ supporting Tahiti, had identified specific needs for learning and growth. One of the needs was for follow up and support for eight people who had spent three weeks in 2024 in Noumea cluster building their capacity mainly for conversations and tutoring.
Alicia and Cesar were chosen to go to Tahiti and they had a two-day seminar with the ‘institute resource person’ (Emma) in Noumea for orientation for short term pioneers/visiting tutors to ensure their visit was focused on the next steps for the Tahiti/Moorea cluster.
On the Ground
Alicia and Cesar have now been in Tahiti for five days which has included visiting different people and neighbourhoods for their orientation. They are now ready to work intensively with two neighbourhoods to assist local residents as tutors and as participants in Ruhi Books 1, 2, and 3. In one neighbourhood, the primary objective is to raise up a small team of children’s class teachers with the possibility of most of the younger children being able to participate in the Programme for the Spiritual Education of Children.
At times the presence of the Concourse on High is palpable and it feels like they are orchestrating everything. Each day things can change. Even for one visit it is unknown what will happen.
New Zealand support
New Caledonia and New Zealand are the two main countries supporting French Polynesia/Ma’ohinui.
New Zealand’s role has been to provide pioneers. In Tahiti there is now one family (Astrid, Amir, Elias and Ata) from Rotorua, as well as a couple of older believers (Yvonne and Michael) who pioneered from Opotiki.
Alicia and Cesar will return to Noumea in March this year after serving to support Tahiti.
Feature photo: Two youth being greeted upon arrival in Tahiti. New Zealand pioneer, Yvonne Williamson, is shown near the middle of the group.
