Baháʼí Faith in South America
The Baháʼí Faith was introduced into South America in 1919 when Martha Root made an extended trip to Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Peru.
[7] It mixed national music forms with public service features (lost and found, messages to individuals, official communications, but looking to develop more.)
[8] FUNDAEC, the acronym in Spanish for "The Foundation for the Application and Teaching of the Sciences", is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that focuses on training and development in the rural areas of Colombia and other countries in Latin America.
It was created in 1974 in Colombia by a group of scientists and professionals led by Farzam Arbab, who was then a visiting professor to the University of Valle.
[9] According to Gustav Correa, director of FUNDAEC, it was originally inspired by a quotation from Baháʼu'lláh – "Baha'u'llah talks about man as 'a mine rich in gems of inestimable value.'
[11] FUNDAEC was officially instituted as a private development foundation based in Cali, and has developed a number of development projects[12] centered around a goal that rural populations should not only benefit from higher education, but should also actively participate in creating and generating knowledge and technologies, to improve their quality of life and standard of living FUNDAEC sought to dispel the image of the poor farmer whose life must be planned and managed by more privileged members of society.
[14] The general idea of an institute in Baháʼí terms originates with the beginning of the Nine Year Plan (starting in 1964) designated by the Universal House of Justice.
[15] Since its founding the program of courses developed first in Colombia has been adopted for work around the world and across age groups and studied in a variety of applications.
[16][17] The Baháʼí Faith and Native Americans has a history reaching back to the lifetime of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, the head of the religion near the turn of the 20th century, and has multiplied its relationships across the Americas.
An informal summary of the Wayuu (a tribe living in La Guajira Desert) community in 1971 showed about 1,000 Baháʼís.
Another inspiration for the Trail of Light was the concept of promulgating the religion among the indigenous peoples in the Pacific Rim that was described by the Hand of the Cause Rahmátu'llah Muhájir in 1978.
The first Trail of Light traveling trip by 22 members of the religion occurred spontaneously immediately after the council.
[24] The first Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assembly was elected in La Paz in 1945[25] and the first Indian formally joined the religion in 1956 which soon spread widely among that subculture.
The Association of Religion Data Archives (relying on World Christian Encyclopedia) estimated some 42,211 Baháʼís in 2005.
The Association of Religion Data Archives (relying mostly on the World Christian Encyclopedia) estimated some 26,000 Baháʼís in 2005.
[37] The Association of Religion Data Archives (relying mostly on the World Christian Encyclopedia) estimated some 70,000 Baháʼís in 2005.
[46][47][better source needed] The Baháʼí Faith in Paraguay begins after ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, then head of the religion, mentioned the country in 1916.
[48] The first pioneer to settle in Paraguay was Elizabeth Cheney late in 1940[27] and the first Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assembly of Asunción was elected in 1944.
[52] The first pioneer to settle there was Wilfrid Barton early in 1940 and the first Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assembly of Montevideo was elected in 1942.
