Valera Allen
Valera Allen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | September 19, 1902 Prowers County, Colorado, USA |
| Died | March 19, 1993 Swaziland |
| NSA member | South & West Africa 1956 - 1967 Swaziland, Mozambique & Basutoland 1967 - ???? |
| Spouse(s) | John Allen |
| Children | Dwight, Dale, Kenton |
Valera Fisher Allen (September 19, 1902 - March 19, 1993) was an American Bahá’í who pioneered to Swaziland for which she was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh. She contributed to the establishment of Bahá’í communities in the country and the development of its Bahá’í Administration.
Biography[edit]
Allen was born Valera Fisher in Prowers County, Colorado, in 1902 and she grew up in rural Idaho until 1912 when the family moved to Turlock, California. She studied at the College of the Pacific in her youth then enrolled in a Methodist Training School in San Francisco aiming to become a missionary, however she discovered the Bahá’í Faith in 1925 and accepted the religion after attending a talk given by Leroy Ioas. In 1926 she had an article published in Star of the West.[1]
Allen actively taught the Faith after declaring with her mother accepting the religion and her friend Enola Allen. She was committed to fulfill duties to the Methodist Church due to her study and moved to Hawaii where she was also active in the Bahá’í community, being elected to the Local Spiritual Assembly of Honolulu and meeting with Agnes Alexander. After returning to California in the 1930's Allen married Enola's brother John who also became a Bahá’í and they had three sons. They helped establish Local Spiritual Assemblies in Burlingame and Millbrae and served on the Geyserville Summer School Committee.[1]
In 1953 the Allen's were appointed to the Asia Teaching Committee responsible for coordinating efforts to teach the Bahá’í Faith in Asia, but the same year they attended the Chicago Intercontinental Teaching Conference and decided to pioneer internationally. They moved to Swaziland for which they were named Knights of Bahá’u’lláh. They were able to have an audience with King Sobhuza II of Swaziland at some point who encouraged them to teach the religion in the country.[1]
In 1956 the Allen's were elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of South & West Africa upon its establishment and Valera was elected as the bodies Secretary. She and her husband traveled extensively across southern Africa while serving on the Assembly and remained on the body until 1967 when Swaziland came under the jurisdiction of the newly established National Spiritual Assembly of Swaziland, Mozambique, and Basutoland.[1]
Allen remained in Swaziland for the rest of her life. In May, 1992, she made her last trip outside of Africa traveling to Haifa to attend the ceremony at which the Roll of Honour containing the names of the Knights of Bahá’u’lláh was deposited in the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh. She passed away in Swaziland on March 19, 1993 and a traditional Swazi funeral was held with the King Mswati III of Swaziland sending a personal representative. Messages from the National Spiritual Assembly of South Africa and Rúḥíyyih Khánum were conveyed after her passing, as was the following message from the Universal House of Justice[1]:
SHARE YOUR ACUTE SENSE LOSS IN PASSING KNIGHT OF BAHÁ’U’LLÁH VALERA FISHER ALLEN STALWART INDEFATIGABLE TEACHER FAITH FIRM RELIABLE UPHOLDER ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER
HER OUTSTANDING RECORD DEVOTED SERVICES OVER PERIOD SEVERAL DECADES IN NORTH AMERICA AND MOSTLY IN SOUTHERN AFRICA PARTICULARLY SWAZILAND INDELIBLY INSCRIBED ANNALS FAITH AND WILL REMAIN AS INSPIRATION FOR GENERATIONS TO COME
KINDLY CONVEY OUR LOVING SYMPATHY MEMBERS HER DEAR FAMILY PRAYING HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HER RADIANT SOUL THROUGHOUT DIVINE WORLDS
ADVISE HOLD MEMORIAL GATHERINGS THROUGHOUT SWAZILAND BEFITTING HER STATION.[1]
