Seven of the nine members of Jamaica’s National Spiritual Assembly of Bahá’ís returned home just over a week ago from Haifa, Israel, where they participated in the International Bahá’í Convention and voted for members of the faith’s Universal House of Justice.

The election, conducted once every five years at the convention, reaffirms the authority invested in the Universal House of Justice members by Bahá’u’lláh, the prophet founder of the Bahá’í faith, to consider matters that he did not specifically deal with in his writings.

Stacey Mitchell, chair of the National Spiritual Assembly of Jamaica, expressed joy at attending the convention and the opportunity to share with many people from across the world the faith’s the mission to bring lasting peace to humanity.

“Meeting Bahá’ís from all over the world and learning of the activities they are engaged in was inspiring. What was truly amazing was watching the film An Expansive Prospect, commissioned by the Universal House of Justice for the convention, seeing the impact of Bahá’í community-building efforts, seeing what it can look like when we release the society-building power of the faith and having the opportunity to speak to persons from these places where all of this is happening,” Mitchell is quoted in a news release.

Another Jamaican delegate, Dorothy Whyte, commented on her experience having served at the World Centre.

“One of the beautiful opportunities Bahá’ís have worldwide is volunteering to serve at the Bahá’í World Centre. Between 1995 and 1997, I had a unique opportunity of serving in the Investment Department, allowing me to engage in financial transactions, not for profit, but for humanity’s spiritual and social upliftment,” Whyte said.

“In addition to the joy of being a delegate for this 13th International Convention, it was heart-warming to be lovingly welcomed by staff members who are still serving at the World Centre for the past 26 years,” she added.

Before the election, delegates from Jamaica joined in a series of activities, with nearly 2,000 others representing 175 countries, intended to prepare them spiritually for the voting process. They visited and prayed at the holiest places of the Bahá’í faith in the holy land, among them the shrines of the founder and his forerunner, The Báb, and the Mansion of Bahji, where Bahá’u’lláh was buried in 1892.

Delegates also toured the International Archive Building, which houses many of the most sacred items of the Bahá’í faith; visited the Bahá’í Gardens, which have become Haifa’s most visited attraction; and the construction site of the newest shrine dedicated to Abdu’l-Bahá.

The convention agenda included reviews of the progress made in spreading the tenets of the Bahá’í faith and implementing practical aspects to improve people’s lives worldwide.

This weekend — May 27 and 28 — the Jamaican Bahá’ís are engaged in their National Convention at the National Baha’i Centre on Mountain View Avenue in Kingston. The highlight of the convention will be the election of the nine-member National Spiritual Assembly to look after the spiritual and administrative affairs of the Bahá’í community of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands for this year.