Nine Bahá’í Years in Iowa–and Then to Points West, by Hannah Rishel

Submitted January 2024

To continue from “How Brad and I Became Bahá’ís”… Bahá’ís continued to nurture Brad and me in 1975 and beyond, through local community life and friendships, springtime Holy Days, a New Believers’ Conference, Minnesota Bahá’í Summer Schools, Green Lake conferences, Unit Conventions, trips to the House of Worship in Wilmette, etc.

We didn’t remain jobless or directionless for long. In the spring we did gardening work at people’s homes. We attended a naturalist-focused workshop. The leader connected us with the director of Living History Farms near DesMoines and we were hired to be the 1900 Farm couple. So we pioneered, I suppose, to a suburb with no other Bahá’ís, but mainly joined in Des Moines activities. We visited and learned from Ruth Moffett and friends.

After a year (the Bicentennial year—very busy!), we’d bought a few acres in southern Iowa, Decatur County. We rented a small farmhouse, had Ruth and entourage for a fireside on “Ruth’s Chart.” We made farm friends, taught some, and were told that a “yellow flyer” linking us to cattle mutilation was circulated. A local minister berated Brad for our heresy.

Brad worked on farms. I did housecleaning and worked as a nurse’s aide in the Lamoni nursing home. The Faith strengthened and guided us. Its principles of Harmony of Science and Religion and Equality of Women and Men, plus its emphasis on pioneering, fueled goals and direction. We decided I’d resume college part-time. In 1977 or ’78, we moved into Lamoni. Brad resumed college. My major was biology. Brad’s was Independent Study, on “Man and the Land.”

Our local and Iowa-wide Bahá’í involvement grew. Brad served on the DTC, with Karen Para and ____. Brad, along with kids’ parents and I suppose the DTC. formed the Iowa Bahá’í Youth group, which would have its own stories. I so much enjoy posts from these Youth—accomplished, serving, middle-aged parents. Curtis Mickunas and Cindy Norris Clark pioneered to Lamoni. We caught the 5 Year Plan urgency to form an LSA (we didn’t). One Graceland College student joined the Faith for awhile. We visited and were visited by Bahá’ís from neighboring Warren County. Margie Davis and her young son lived in Lamoni for a summer. A number of Bahá’ís came and joined in a door-to-door teaching project.

During Graceland College’s month-long winter break in ’78-’79, we traveled to El Salvador for a Bahá’í Youth Conference and a bit of village teaching–we provided the diversity, not the Spanish language teaching. We took a bus to Honduras and joined a Graceland College “Inter-term” group—mine on Mountain Medicine and Brad’s with a mentor on agriculture.

We’d met Les and Betty Rogers near Corning and Mt. Etna. They hosted Bahá’í meetings and became Bahá’ís! We lived with Les and Betty on their sheep farm in summer 1979. That spring, I had graduated from Graceland College. I taught a couple biology classes as a Teaching Assistant. Brad graduated in 1980. Our goal was to prepare for pioneering to a developing part of the world and live close to our families before leaving the country.

I’d been accepted to the University of Iowa medical school, so we moved, this time to Cedar County, north of West Branch, 15 miles from my parents (rural North Liberty). School was, of course, intense. Brad worked at Scattergood Friends School (See Susan Ofner’s story to get a flavor!). Brad was Food Service manager, and taught Chemistry and Photography. Later on, he was assistant Farm Manager. At our home in the country, Brad also cared for 11 of Les Rogers’ old ewes that we’d bought and their lambs. We erected a very large hoophouse and Brad grew 500 tomato plants.

I was in the U of I Bahá’í College Club, with Terry Ofner, Mehran Bashiri and others. Terry and I travel taught in West Liberty one day, door to door. Mehran grew Persian herbs in our hoop house. We had firesides and Terry composed a song, “Friends gathered in the old farmhouse / There’s music in the air. Someone’s brewing up another pot of tea. You can feel the Master there…”

During a winter break in ’82-’83, we traveled to Belize to travel teach, or so we thought—but people were too busy with holidays to be very available. We stayed in the home of Layli Foroughi Moteshami and family in the capital, Belmopan, then at Bart and Susi Mickler’s near the western border with Guatemala. Brad got malaria—but recovered quickly!

Back in Iowa, I completed my 3rd year of medical school. I was pregnant, and my parents invited us to move “back home.” We built an apartment above their owner-built basement home. We moved into it a few days before Heidi was born in September. My mom provided lots of babysitting!
I got a fellowship/grant to expand my “medical perspectives,” to experience Pacific Island Medicine. With… can you guess? Bert Marian as my sponsor and mentor! (See the story entitled “JOANNE!”). Brad, baby Heidi, and I flew to Samoa and were there for 10 weeks in the spring of 1984. Joanne took us to the most traditional island of Western Samoa, to a Bahá’í Conference in a large fale (“fah-lay”). Leveled lava cinder floor covered with thick hand-woven mats, thatched or metal roof on posts, sides completely open or walled with rolled-down woven mats to keep out blowing rain. After returning to American Samoa. I experienced healthcare on “Bert’s islands,” the big island of Tutuila, and in Western Samoa, and Brad took care of Heidi and travel taught with Pesa White.

KANSAS

After med school graduation, we moved to Wichita KS, a few miles from Brad’s parents. I did one year of a Family Practice Internship, then Pediatric Residency. Brad cared for Heidi and began taking graduate courses at Wichita State University. I ad libbed children’s classes with preschooler Heidi and some other young children. We went on Pilgrimage in November 1985. I was pregnant with Adam. I asked Dr. Ruhe how to manage work, parenthood, Bahá’í service etc. He advised regarding life in chapters of 5 years or so. Right then I HAD to prioritize Residency and motherhood (and of course serve on the LSA when elected, etc). Know that later chapters would allow shifts in priorities, and more service to the Faith. His advice has helped me through many chapters and rough patches ever since. Brad and I were LSA members. Brad was an Assistant to ABM Ronna Santascoy.

Adam was born in April 1986. Both children were loved and nurtured in the home daycare of a Bahá’í, Flora Vore. Brad had a local Bahá’í youth group. Kansas won Hand of the Cause Bill Sears’ “Fireside Contest.” Bill and Marguerite, the world music group “Do’a” and Danny Deardorff came to Wichita and Hutchinson for big events. Our goal to pioneer drew us to visit the Native American Bahá’í Institute (NABI). Brad’s Master’s thesis was on Bahá’í Radio—focused on NABI’s goal of providing Navajo Language Radio. He traveled to Puerto Rico and Ecuador Radio Bahá’í trainings (David Springer was there in Ecuador also!).

ARIZONA

In 1988, we moved with our two young children to Ganado, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation. That’s as far as we made it to pioneer in a developing part of the world. I’d had a National Health Service Corps scholarship for medical school, and the four-year “payback” options were all in the U.S. From Ganado, Brad could commute 50 minutes for 7 years of volunteer work at NABI. No radio station, since a Navajo Language station was just starting in Window Rock, capital of the Nation. Brad served as Assistant Administrator and in many other roles. I was one of two pediatricians with other primary care doctors plus physicians’ assistants serving Sage Hospital and clinics. THOSE seven years were intense! We formed an LSA in Ganado. Lots and lots of Bahá’í activities.

And then there were twins! Allen and Benjamin were born in November 1990. Joanne and Bert Marian lived in Hawaii at the time—time zones earlier than ours. From my tearful phone call late one night, Joanne could tell we were stressed–very stressed and sleep deprived from infant twins, more-than-fulltime work, etc. Joanne and Bert sent 17 year-old Jalalieh to serve as nanny. She helped us survive! She also called her parents very often and persuaded them to move to Ganado! (See “JOANNE!” for more).

In 1995 we left Ganado and moved to Holbrook, Arizona, 15 miles south of the Reservation border and just an hour drive from NABI. Lots and lots of Bahá’í activities. Brad and I started a clinic and managed it for 9 years, then sold to a community health center network. I stayed on as a pediatrician employee. Our youngest kids emptied the nest in 2009. Heidi married Keith Brakey and they’ve stayed in Albuquerque ever since. Brad and I and our three sons went on pilgrimage that same summer. Then Brad started organic market farming. We worked hard at “Daystar Farm” for 5 years—a challenge in the high desert. Our sons all migrated from their university spots in Tucson and the Phoenix area to the Pacific Northwest. Adam married Sepideh Pourpirali in 2012. They live in Bellingham, Washington. Allen and his partner Ximenna live in Seattle. Just to complete the roster of our kids: Benjamin married Mia Gronroos in July 2017 and they now have 3 grandchildren (5, 4, and 2) and live back and forth between Sweden and North Carolina.

In September 2015, Brad had a “small stroke.” After numerous transient subsequent difficulties, fatigue persisted. Very easy fatiguing. We finally realized that when we’d descend from 5000-foot elevation Holbrook and visit our sons at about sea level in Portland, Seattle, and Bellingham Washington, where his fatigue was much less. In September 2017, we moved to rural Longview, Washington, and here we stay! Although we thought were moving for health and family reasons, the various Bahá’í agencies working to advance all the Clusters classified us as pioneers to Cowlitz County! I worked my final 2.5 years before retirement in a local pediatric clinic. Brad’s fatigue improved a lot, then worsened a lot in the past year or so. In August 2023 he got a heart pacemaker, which is a huge help! A new lease on life, really.

So here we are, well and truly retired with… You got it… LOTS OF BAHA’i ACTIVITIES! Our cluster did advance to the second milestone in 2021. We are blessed by this loving community of Bahá’ís and friends. We’re grateful for these 49 years—which all started among Iowa Bahá’ís.

One Comment