Allah ‘o Abha.

[written at a slant on the top left: “P.S. The Caldwells are expected in the course of a few weeks.”]

18 Ave. Alladoleh Teheran Persia. July 10, 1919

Dear Sister in His Name:,

How truly you say if it were not for [God’s?] Mercy in sending this Glorious Revelation in this day we should never have come together as we do, never even having seen each other. Already your joy in doing so much has been partly its own reward, but surely the influence of your love thus extended. will go on and on into posterity for it will have its direct effect on the receivers and through them reach their children [page 2, image 81] and their childrens’ children.

So my thanks and Doctor’s are very paltry in comparison, sincere as they are. And now, after all the other lovely thinks [sic] came that big draft - our only regret was that it had to depreciate so much at this bad time. As Doctor has told you we have opened a bank account with it – it is the only safe thing here (we have learned by bitter experience) and I shall give you a detailed account of its disposal. Twelve tomans (we have 109 and a fraction) will make up for the little Feroughieh’s year at school. Her sister (a teacher) had begged so hard and I knew they were very poor, but was mistaken about which sister she wanted. The one I thought she meant was a bright little thing - but this one is defective and I did not feel justified in spending your money when she turned out so ill; but the family has paid for her since at a reduced sum, which is better all round. The thing is to make them do what they can for their own sakes and they appreciate it more. Meanwhile certain free pupils have been admitted recently by the Committee as being unable to pay. If I see that they go along all right, I may take them on for you. If not, there are endless things in the way of furnishings and material for teaching, such as rulers, measures, crayons, etc. that we need. But the greatest setback is not having a properly built school, which must be [page 3, left side of image 80] patiently endured until we can acquire our own property, for as our Beloved promises The Tarbiat schools GOD willing, shall one day become the first schools of the world, as we are endeavoring to make them the first in Teheran - which implies the first in Persia.

It is significant that despite the Mohammedan bigotry and fanatical hatred of things foreign or things Bahai, they trust their girls to our school while there are over fifty other girls’ schools.

As to your coming! How we long for it and what a great joy that would be! Last night on our pretty veranda which we’d converted into a sitting room (the Virginia creepers of Dr’s planting almost to the top of the pillars and the moon (the wonderful dear Eastern moon!) almost at [page 4, right side of image 82] the “gibbous” - almost full - as we four Americans, our dear German Bahai friend, a Persian doctor (in fact Lotfollah’s brother), two Persian ladies’ and their husbands (related so they were free to unveil) all chanting and speaking of the building of the Mashrak-el-Azcar and the Convention, - “your place was indeed empty” - to use the pretty Persian phrase. How you would have enjoyed it. Dr. makes wonderful coffee which we drink with cream - our one great luxury here (we roast it ourselves). Despite the fact that the Persians [page 5, image 83] drink it seldom - indeed preferably at funerals as it is considered bitter & in sympathy with their sorrow - it was therefore great testimony to its goodness that they begged for another cup. The Persians serve it Turkish fashion in a cup here represented “life-size”, [sketch of a small coffee cup] thick, muddy, and sickeningly sweet usually with rose water and cardimon flavoring.

How thrilling it is to know that on the 9th of every month, encircling the globe the cry of the Greatest Name ascends – in the midst of the opposing countries of Europe in far-away S. Africa in the tiny isle of Mauritius [illegible] Hawai’ian Is. Japan - all over American - for the Mashrak-el-Azkar. What a tremendous influence - what a vibration! It was on this idea and seeing what our tiny group had been able to contribute in a few years, that I suggested the Persian women rise to serve their own kind - for to the present date, I know of no effective effort for a building fund for the schools which hitherto only the men have attempted. It irks me terribly to have to pay fifty tomans rent for the boys’ and twenty tomans for our school every month! And they can’t afford to give a two [page 6, left side of image 82] months’ vacation because they must depend on the very limited amount they can collect in dues! And a teacher in my school get five [“five” underlined] tomans a month and very little more to the sixth grade teacher. My assistant has twelve for keeping all the accounts and doing office duty and teaching writing! So here we are meeting in school (after school hours) the 9th of the moon [“moon” underlined] month inviting the Bahai women to recite for the girls’ school (as it will [illegible] one member of the Mashrak-el-Azkar). Shall write again soon - there is so much to tell you. We are also hoping Mr. Remey will come to Persia once more. Love and love In the Glorious Cause Lillian Kappes