Source Materials / **News** # **Pioneering on Mauritius Island** ##### Baha'i News, No. 338, April 1959, Pages 9–10 [↓ PDF]() *** **Maurititus Island Forms Eight Assemblies in Four Years, Expects More This Ridvan** When she responded to the Guardian's appeal at the outside of the Ten-Year Crusade, set forth at the Chicago Intercontinental Conference in 1953, Ottilie Rhein knew that she was destined for the far-off island of Mauritius. Searching in vain for information about her goal, she had to fall back on the encyclopedia, which gave her only a summary sketch. Although she was German by birth, and had lived in America for many years, the Bahá’í Faith called her to the tropics! East of Madagascar, in the blue waters of the southern sea, the island of Mauritius, called "the star and key of the Indian Ocean," was the place where this miracle was to be performed. Ottilie Rhein arrived there in December 1954, lived first at the Park Hotel, and then at the Residence Club of Phoenix. A month later she settled at Belle Rose, which would be, henceforth, a center of attraction for interested friends that would soon become the first adherents to the Cause. At this crossroad of races, where mingle streams of people from China, India, Africa, and Europe, and where each guards jealously its traditions, customs, and manners, Mauritius lends itself with difficulty to a religion that would fuse, into a homogeneous whole, the qualities that two centuries of everyday intermingling had not succeeded in uniting. The task proved to be arduous, but the faith and indomitable courage of a woman were about to triumph over the obstacles erected by the ignorance and selfishness of mankind. A Persian, Mr. Shayani, who was passing through Mauritius, was fluent in French, a language better understood by the Mauritians, and gave her great assistance. **Pioneers who were neighbors on Réunion Island, Leland and Opal Jensen, finding themselves refused an extension of their permit to remain there, came to lend a helping hand. The ways of God are mysterious! After the trials they had suffered on this sister island, they expended themselves with additional ardor.**\[1] The results were not long in coming. Ridvan 1956 saw the formation of three Baha'i assemblies: Port Louis, Beau Bassin-Rose Hill, and Belle Rose. No one can measure at this time what their precious cooperation had brought. Let us say simply that their names will ever be associated with the history of the Faith on Mauritius, for their counsel, their solicitude, and all they have endured for us are to this day a source of inexhaustible inspiration. Naw-Rúz of 1956 was the first great Feast, and brought together more than fifty believers. We had the pleasure of having with us Jalál Nakhjavani, who was making his second visit to Mauritius, and who would return in April 1958. In order to help us resolve our problems at the beginning, John Robarts came to pay us a visit in 1956. A year later two doves stopped on our island, Robert Quigley and William Sears. They gave us precious help for the registration of the Port Louis Assembly. Registration of the assemblies of Beau Bassin-Rose Hill, Rose Hill, Quatre Bornes, Belle Rose, and Vacoas had to come the following year with the warm-hearted cooperation of Jalál. Delegated by the National Teaching Committee of South and West Africa, Gilbert Robert spent a full year with us at the beginning of the year. His brilliant talks stirred enthusiasm among the Mauritians. At Ridván 1958 two new assemblies were formed: Riche-en-Eau and Stanley. Our hopes for the coming year are Goodlands, Palma, and Castel. Will we raise the number of assemblies to nine? Will we reach this symbolic number? We ask our friends to help us reach it with their prayers. — MAURITIUS ISLAND TEACHING COMMITTEE APRIL 1959 *** **Source:** [Baha'i News, no. 338 (April 1959), p. 9–10.]()(PDF) *** **Endnotes** **1.** \[Editor's note: Emphasis added.] *** **See Also** - [[1955-09 Baha'i News, Naw-Ruz|Reunion Island Naw-Ruz Feast]] — March 1955, Baha'i News (September 1955) - [[1955-11 Baha'i News, Election|Reunion Island First Spiritual Assembly]] — April 21, 1955, Baha'i News (November 1955) *** [Site Guide](site%20guide.md)  |   [Sitemap](sitemap.md)  |   [Downloads](downloads.md)  |  [Contact Us](contact%20us.md) **Dr. Leland Jensen**: Teachings and Commentaries Archive © 2026 Baha'i Council of Dane County, all rights reserved.  [Copyright & Usage Policy](copyright.md) ***