13. The 4-Step Year of Service
It is recommended that young Bahá'ís be given an option of a 1-step Year of Service (12 months), or a 4-step Year of Service (four Summers). In my opinion, the Year of Service should be a material benefit to people; NOT spending a year stuffing donation envelopes for some race-based organization like the NAACP. Perhaps an agreement can be reached with AmeriCorps or Volunteers of America for Bahá'ís to serve four consecutive Summers; thus not interfering with their college months.
Once Baha'i Industries are established, then the Servants can serve in the following areas:
First Summer: Ridwan City (cleaning, transportation, building, secretarial, food services, planting, maintenance, etc.
Second Summer: Baha'i soup kitchen (males) or thrift store (females)
Third Summer: Teaching Campaign in a Mission.
Fourth Summer: Ridwan City (supervising new Servants).
Ideally, the Friends on their 4-step Year of Service would do different things in different locations; with at least one Summer teaching the Faith in some location away from home; as Mormon missionaries do (for 24 months). My suggestion is that a fourth of the Year of Service should be used for teaching the Faith to others in Bahá'í Missions.
Until Baha'i Industries and Missions are established, I recommend that the NSABUS contact Vounteers or American and/or AmeriCorps to inquire about Baha'is serving during the Summers, or one full year, with those organizations.
