2023 DRBI DB-Challenge Event Overview
As you may know, the Guardian viewed the Dawn-Breakers as one of our greatest weapons to develop Baha’i identity and fight against the false materialistic identities that rush into culture in the absence of true religion.
The “Dawn-Breakers Challenge” program is a full and deep dive into that book, with introductions and reminders about the hundreds of characters, reviews and previews to keep the timeline straight and historic and geography explanations to clarify the story. We try to accomplish in one week as much learning as might be expected from several complete passes through the book.
Regarding the Dawn-Breakers and the Iqan the Guardian stressed that “every Baha’i should master these books and be able to explain their contents to others.” And that is what we are setting out to do. The Guardian’s standard is the challenge.
“…Every Bahá’í should master these books and be able to explain their contents to others.”
Attendance
The retreat was graced by 34 resident guests along with 10 local participants, with transient visitors pushing the peak headcount to 51. This vibrant mix of individuals from various backgrounds contributed to a rich and diverse learning environment. Most of the participants heard about the program through word of mouth generated by our summer tour, several others from my email campaign and at least one person through social media.
Accommodations
Our new housing facilities were completely filled, encompassing 10 apartments and 5 studios, totaling 21 private rooms (which were in addition to our dormitory space). In order to stretch the housing further, we created a shopping cart and rented out individual private rooms in each two-bedroom apartment. This worked well and allowed us to take full advantage of all 21 rooms. While some participants chose to pay more for a private single-bedroom flat, many others enjoyed sharing a kitchen and living room with a fellow participant.
Venue Setup
The DRBI “Round-house” was transformed into a large classroom. This space, arranged with a welcoming circle of couches and tables, facilitated engaging discussions and collective study. Future events could benefit from additional seating and study areas to accommodate another 10-20 more students.
Program Structure
The event’s schedule was thoughtfully structured, consisting of two four-hour reading blocks (with a break in the middle). An extra hour was provided following breakfast and lunch allowing attendees ample time for rest, reflection, and volunteer help in the kitchen. The spirit of service was palpable, with many participants volunteering their time and skills to ensure the smooth running of communal areas, particularly the kitchen.
Culinary Experience
Meals, which everyone praised for their exceptional quality, were masterfully orchestrated by Peyjman Vafadari. The food was amazing!
Financial Overview & Projections
The cost of food and facilities for this initial program was pre-funded by a generous donor, so we were able to put aside our registration revenue of $6,500 for the next program. Participants enjoyed the program and have already donated over $2000 to support the programs. Thus, we are already within $3,000 of pre-funding our next year’s programs.
Looking Ahead
Considering the enthusiasm shared by participants of the Dawn-Breakers Challenge, we can go ahead with organizing another retreat as soon as possible to continue momentum. We believe we can expand housing capacity further by April to accommodate another 10-15 participants. Don’t forget our ongoing Amazon Wishlist, there is still a lot of work to do!
Participants have expressed interest in a number of similar programs such as a Kitab-i-Iqan-based introduction to the Bible and Qur’an, a Qur’anic Arabic program for beginners and a reading of Taherzadeh’s “Revelation of Baha’u’llah” with maps and character disambiguation similar to what we do with the “Dawn-Breakers”.
