Ridvan 2019 To the Baha'is of the World Dearly loved Friends, As the Most Great Festival has drawn closer, we have been transported by feelings of gratitude and anticipation %% Nga Ekijaguzo Ekisinga Byonna bwe kisembedde, tubuutikiddwa ebirowoozo eby’essanyu n’esuubi --gratitude for the wonders that Baha'u'llah has enabled His followers to accomplish, anticipation of what the immediate future holds. %% essanyu ku lw’ebyewuunyo Bahá’u’lláh byasobozesezza abagoberezi Be okutuukiriza, essuubi olw’ebyo ebinabaawo mu biseera eby’omu maaso ebitali by’ewala. The momentum generated by the worldwide celebrations of the bicentenary of the Birth of Baha'u'llah has only grown since. %% Amaanyi agavudde mu bijaguzo okwetooloola ensi yonna olw’okuweza emyaka ebikumi bibiri egy’Amazaalibwa ga Bahá’u’lláh geeyongedde bweyongezi. The accelerated development of the Baha'i community, its rising capacity, %% Enkulaakulana y’Ababahá’í eyongeddwamu ebbugumu, obusobozi bwabwe bugenda bulinnya, and its ability to draw on the energies of more of its members emerge vividly from a summary of its recent global attainments. %% era n’obusobozi bwabwe obw’okweyambisa amaanyi g’abagoberezi abeeyongera obungi buvaayo nnyo okusinziira ku ebyo ebiragiddwa mu bufunze ebikwata ku buwanguzi obutuukiddwako okwetooloola ensi yonna. Of these, an increase in community-building activities stands out in particular. %% Mu buwanguzi buno, mwe muli n’emirimu egyeyongedde obungi egikwata ku kuzimba abantu ab’omu kitundu gyeragira ddala lwatu. The current Five Year Plan follows twenty years of effort by the Baha'i world to systematically refine and multiply these activities %% Enteekateeka ey’Emyaka Etaano egobererwa kaakano ewerekera emyaka amakumi abari mu etaano egya kaweefube w’ensi ya Bahá’í okulongoosa n’okukubisaamu emirimu gino nga giyisibwa mu nteekateeka ennuŋŋamu --but remarkably, in the Plan's first two and a half years, the number of core activities alone rose by more than half. %% -- naye ate ekyewuunyisa, mu myaka ebiri n’ekitundu emirimu emikulu gyokka gyeyongera ne gisinga n’ebitundutundu ataano ku buli kikkumi. The worldwide community has shown the capacity to engage, at any given time, over a million people in such activities, %% Abagoberezi okwetooloola ensi yonna balaze obusobozi bw’okuyingiza abantu abasukka mu kakadde mu mirimu ng’egyo, helping them to explore and respond to spiritual realities. %% nga babayamba okunoonyereza n’okumanya embeera z’omwoyo. In the same short period, the number of gatherings for prayer nearly doubled %% Mu kiseera kye kimu ekyo ekimpi, obungi bw’enkuŋŋaana ez’okusabira awamu kumpi zeekubisaamu emirundi ebiri --a much-needed response to humanity's growing estrangement from the Source of hope and bounty. %% -- embeera eyeetaagibwa ennyo okutegeereramu engeri abantu bonna gye beeyongera okwewalamu Ensibuko y’essuubi n’ekisa. This development holds special promise, for devotional meetings infuse a new spirit into the life of a community. %% Embeera eno ezzeewo erimu ekisuubizo eky’enjawulo, kubanga enkuŋŋaana ez’okusinziza okw’awamu zibunyisa omwoyo omupya munda mu bulamu obw’abantu ab’omu kitundu. Interwoven with educational efforts for all ages, they reinforce the lofty purpose of those efforts: %% Nga ziyungiddwa wamu ne kaweefube w’ebyenjigiriza ow’emirembe gyonna, zinyweza ekigendererwa eky’ekitiibwa ekya kaweefube oyo: to foster communities distinguished by their worship of God and their service to humankind. %% okukulaakulanya abantu ab’omu kitundu abaawufu ennyo olw’engeri gye basinzaamu Katonda wamu n’obuweereza bwabwe eri abantu bonna. Nowhere is this more evident than in those clusters where the participation of large numbers in Baha'i activities is being sustained %% Embeera eno tewali walala wonna we yeeyoleseza obulungi okusinga mu bitendo ebyo omuli okwenyigira mu mirimu gya Bahá'í mwe kuwanirirwa and the friends have passed the third milestone in their community's development. %% era n’abeemikwano mwe basukkulumye eddaala eryokusatu mu nkulaakulana y’abantu ab’omu kitundu kyabwe. We are delighted to see that the number of clusters %% Tulina essanyu okulaba nti omuwendo gw’ebitendo omuli enteekateeka y’enkulaakulana where the process of growth has advanced this far has already more than doubled since the beginning of the Plan %% wano wetuuse gimaze okwekubisaamu emirundi ebiri okuva ku ntandikwa y’Enteekateeka and now stands at around five hundred. %% era kaakano biwera nga ebikumi bitaano. This brief survey cannot do justice to the scale of the transformation that is under way. %% Okubalirira kuno okutonotono tekuyinza kumalayo bugazi bwa nkyukakyuka egenda mu maaso. The outlook for the remaining two years of the Plan is bright. %% Ekifaananyi eky’emyaka ebiri egisigaddeyo egy’Enteekateeka kitangaavu. Much has been achieved this last year by widely disseminating lessons learned from the stronger programmes of growth in clusters that, %% Bingi ebituukiddwako omwaka guno oguwedde nga tubunyisa wonna amasomo agayigiddwa okuva mu nteekateeka ez’enkulaakulana ezisingako mu maanyi mu bitendo, as we hoped, have become reservoirs of knowledge and resources. %% nga bwe twasuubira, ezifuuse amaterekero g’amagezi n’ebikozesebwa. The International Teaching Centre, the Counsellors, and their tireless auxiliaries have stopped at nothing %% Ekitebe Ekikulu ky’Ebyenjigiriza eky’Amawanga Gonna, Abawi b’Amagezi n’abayambi baabwe abanyiikivu bakoze kyonna ekisoboka to ensure that friends in all parts of the world can benefit from this acceleration in learning %% okukakasa nti abeemikwano mu bitundu byonna okwetoloola ensi yonna basobola okuganyulwa okuva mu bbugumu lino mu kuyiga and apply the insights being gained to their own realities. %% n’okussa mu nkola amagezi agafuniddwa mu mbeera z’obulamu bwabwe bwennyini. We rejoice to see that in a growing number of clusters, and in neighbourhoods and villages within them, %% Tujaganya okulaba nti mu bitendo ebigenda byeyongera obungi, era ne mu miriraano ne mu byalo ebirimu, a nucleus of friends has emerged who through action and reflection %% akabondo ak’abeemikwano kavuddeyo nga bayita mu bikolwa n’okufumiitiriza are discovering what is required, at a particular point, %% bagenda bazuula ekyo ekyetaagisa, mu kiseera ekigereke, for the process of growth to advance in their surroundings. %% enteekateeka y’enkulaakulana esobole okugenda mu maaso mu bitundu ebibeetoolodde. They are drawing on the potent instrument of the institute, %% Babeera beeyambisa amaanyi n’obusobozi obw’ettendekero, through which capacity to contribute to the spiritual and material prosperity of the community is enhanced, %% nga muno obusobozi bw’okwenyigira mu nkulaakulana y’abantu b’ekitundu mu by’omubiri n’omwoyo mwe buyisibwa n’okunywezebwa, and as they act, the number of those joining them is increasing. %% era mu kukola bwe batyo, omuwendo gw’abo ababeera babeegattako gubeera gweyongera. Naturally, conditions vary greatly from place to place, as do the characteristics of growth. %% Kitegeerekeka nti embeera zaawukana nnyo okuva mu kitundu ekimu okudda mu kirala, nga n’embeera z’enkulaakulana bwe zibeera. But through systematic striving, everyone can make a more and more effective contribution to the work at hand. %% Naye mu kulafuubana okw’emitendera emirambike obulungi, buli omu asobola okweyongera okwenyigira obulungi mu mulimu ogubeerawo. In every setting, there is pure joy in engaging other souls in meaningful and uplifting conversations %% Mu buli mbeera, waabeerawo essanyu erituukiridde mu kuyingiza abantu abalala mu mboozi ez’amukulu era eziyimusa that lead, whether quickly or gradually, to the stirring of spiritual susceptibilities. %% nga ziyinza okututuusa, mangu oba mpolampola, ku kusikirizibwa kw’embeera z’omwoyo. The brighter the flame kindled within the heart of the believer, %% Omuliro ogukoleezeddwa mu mutima gw’omukkiriza gye gweyongera okwaka, the greater will be the force of attraction felt by those exposed to its warmth. %% n’amaayi agasikiriza agawulirwa abo abafuna ebbugumu lyagwo gye ganeeyongera. And to a heart consumed with love for Baha'u'llah, what more fitting occupation can be imagined than to seek out kindred spirits, %% Era eri omutima ogwo ogumaliddwawo okwagala kwa Bahá’u’lláh, mulimu ki oguyinza okuzuula okulowoozebwako ogusinga abalala bwe bafaanaganya endowooza, to encourage them as they enter the path of service, to accompany them as they gain experience and %% okubakubiriza nga bwe bayingira mu kkubo ly’obuweereza, okubawerekera nga bwe bafuna obumanyirivu era --perhaps the greatest joy of all-- %% -- mpozzi n’essanyu erisingira ddala byonna -- to see souls become confirmed in their faith, arise independently, %% kwe kulaba nti abantu bakakasibwa mu nzikiriza, nga bagolokoka bokka na bokka, and assist others on the same journey. %% ne bayamba abalala mu lugendo lwe lumu. These are among the most cherished of all the moments that this transitory life affords. %% Bino bye eby’omuwendo mu bulamu buno obw’oluwuguko bwe busobola okutuwa. The prospects for advancing this spiritual enterprise are made the more thrilling by the approach of the bicentenary of the Birth of the Bab. %% Emikisa egy’okukulaakulanya kaweefube w’omwoyo ono gyeyongera okusanyusa ennyo olw’okusembera kw’emyaka ebikumi bibiri eby’Amazaalibwa ga Báb. Like the bicentenary that preceded it, this anniversary is a moment incalculably precious. %% Okufaananako ekijaguzo eky’emyaka ebikumi ebibiri ekyasookawo, ekijjukizo kino kibeera kiseera kya muwendo ogutenkanika. It provides all Baha'is with marvellous opportunities for awakening those around them to the great Day of God, %% Ekiseera nga kino kiwa Ababahá'í bonna emikisa egy’ekitalo egy’okuzuukusa abo ababeetoolodde bategeere Olunaku lwa Katonda, to the extraordinary effusion of heavenly grace signalled by the appearance of two Manifestations of the Divine Being, %% okutegeera okufukibwako ekisa kya Katonda okutali kwa bulijjo okwabonesebwa okulabika kw’Abo Abaayolesebwa ababiri ab’Oyo Omulamu Omutuukirivu, successive Luminaries Who brightened the horizon of the world. %% Abaluŋŋamya Abo abaddiriŋŋana ne baakaayakanya olukungirizi lw’ensi yonna. The measure of what might be possible in the coming two cycles is known to all from the experience of the bicentenary two years ago, %% Ekipimo eky’ebyo ebiyinza okusoboka mu bisanja ebibiri ebijja kimanyiddwa bonna okuva ku bumanyirivu bw’ekijaguzo eky’emyaka ebikumi bibiri emyaka ebiri egiyise, and all that was learned on that occasion must be channelled into the plans for the Twin Holy Birthdays this year. %% era ebyo byonna ebyayigibwa ku mukolo ogwo biteekwa okuyingizibwa mu nteekateeka mu Mazaalibwa Amatukuvu aga Nnabansansaana omwaka guno. As the two-hundred-year anniversary draws near, we will offer frequent supplications on your behalf in the Sacred Shrines, %% Ekijjukizo eky’emyaka ebikumi ebibiri nga bwe kisembera, tujja kuwaayo okwegayirira okungi ku lwammwe mu Biggwa Ebitukuvu, praying that your efforts to befittingly honour the Bab will succeed in advancing the Cause He foretold. %% nga tusaba nti kaweefube wammwe ow’okuwa Báb ekitiibwa ekisaanidde anaavaamu ebirungi mu kukulaakuanya Enzikiriza Ye gye yasuubiza okubaawo. The close of the first century of the Formative Age is but two and a half years away. %% Enkomerero ky’ekyasa ekisooka eky’Omulembe Omukulu ebulako emyaka ebiri n’ekitundu. It will seal one hundred years of consecrated effort to consolidate %% Kijja kukomekkereza emyaka kikumi egya kaweefube atukuziddwa okunyweza and expand the foundation so sacrificially laid during the Faith's Heroic Age. %% n’okugaziya omusingi ogwabangibwawo mu kusaddaaka okungi ennyo mu Mulembe gw’Enzikiriza ogw’Obuzira. At that time the Baha'i community will also mark the centenary of the Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Baha, %% Mu kiseera ekyo abagoberezi Ababahá'í nate era bajja kukuza emyaka ekikumi egy’Okulinnya mu Ggulu okwa ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, that moment when the beloved Master was released from the confines of this world to rejoin His Father in the retreats of celestial glory. %% ekiseera ekyo Ssenkulu omwagalwa lwe yasumululwa okuva mu mikugiro gy’ensi eno ne yeegatta nate ku Kitaawe mu bifo eby’omu ggulu eby’ekitiibwa. His funeral, which occurred the following day, was an event "the like of which Palestine had never seen". %% Amaziika Ge, agaaliwo ku lunaku olwaddirira okufa Kwe, gwali mukolo “ogwali gutalabibwangako mu Palestine”. At its conclusion, His mortal remains were laid to rest within a vault of the Mausoleum of the Bab. %% Ku nkomerero yaagwo, ebisagalirwa Bye byagalamizibwa munda mu ntaana engumu mu Kiggwa kya Báb. However, it was envisaged by Shoghi Effendi that this would be a temporary arrangement. %% Naye nno, Shoghi Effendi ye yali yakiraba nti eno yali nteekateeka ya kiseera buseera. A Shrine was to be erected, of a character befitting the unique station of 'Abdu'l-Baha, at the appropriate time. %% Ekiggwa kyali kya kuzimbibwa, nga kiraga ekifo kya ‘Abdu’l-Bahá eky’enjawulo ekyali kimugwanidde, mu kiseera ekituufu. That time has come. %% Ekiseera ekyo kituuse. The Baha'i world is being summoned to build the edifice which will forever embosom those sacred remains. %% Ensi ya Bahá'í eri mu kukoowoolwa okuzimba ekizimbe ekirikuuma ebisigalirwa ebyo ebitukuvu emirembe gyonna. It is to be constructed in the vicinity of the Ridvan Garden, on land consecrated by the footsteps of the Blessed Beauty; %% Kiteekwa okuzimbibwa okumpi n’Ennimiro ya Riḍván, ku ttaka eryatukuzibwa n’ebigere by’Oyo Omubalagavu Eyaweebwa Omukisa; the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Baha will thus lie on the crescent traced between the Holy Shrines in 'Akka and Haifa. %% Ekiggwa kya ‘Abdu’l-Bahá bwekityo kijja kinaateekebwa ku kawulungujjo akali wakati w’Ebiggwa Ebitukuvu mu ‘Akká ne Haifa. Work on the architectural plans is advancing, and more information will be shared in the coming months. %5 Omulimu gw’okukuba ppulaani y’ekifo kino gugenda mu maaso, era amawulire agasingako gajja kubunyisibwa mu myezi egijja. Feelings of surpassing joy now surge within us, %% Embeera ey’essanyu eritagambika kaakano libimba munda mu ffe, as we contemplate the year ahead and all that it promises. %% nga bwe tufumiitiriza ku mwaka ogujja n’ebyo byonna bye tugusuubiramu. We look to every one of you %% Tutunuulira buli omu ku mmwe -- those who are occupied with rendering service to Baha'u'llah, labouring in every nation for the cause of peace -- %% -- abo abeenyigidde mu kuweereza Bahá’u’lláh, nga mukola butaweera mu buli ggwanga ku lw’okuleetawo emirembe -- to fulfil your high calling. %% okutuukiriza okuyitibwa kwammwe okw’ekitiibwa.