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	<title>lessan.info &#187; pioneering</title>
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		<title>Pioneer song</title>
		<link>http://lessan.info/blog/2009/03/04/pioneer-song/</link>
		<comments>http://lessan.info/blog/2009/03/04/pioneer-song/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:12:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>lessan</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Bahá'í­]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[joan lincoln]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pioneering]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://lessan.info/blog/?p=533</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[One of my favorite songs is the pioneer song by Joanny Lincoln. It evokes memories of life in Cameroon when I was growing up, with its vivid imagery and encouraging words. And one quote from the song, where Joanny says &#8220;you only have one life to offer in service&#8221; really stands out for me. She [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>One of my favorite songs is <a href='http://lessan.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/pioneeringsong.mp3'>the pioneer song</a> by Joanny Lincoln. It evokes memories of life in Cameroon when I was growing up, with its vivid imagery and encouraging words. And one quote from the song, where Joanny says <em>&#8220;you only have one life to offer in service&#8221;</em> really stands out for me. She also mentioned this concept in a recent talk at the gathering of staff to celebrate achievements, the idea that we only having one life to offer and that we should make the most of it. An understanding of this inspires me in planning for a life of effective, consistent service.</p>
<p>To download the full album (free) visit <a href="http://www.divinenotes.com/artists/JoanLincoln/D30A6EEE-0C24-EEB4-7FAD-735C009A0FCE">DivineNotes.com</a>. It is a digitizing of a tape from the 70s, so the quality is not that great, but is quite enjoyable nonetheless.</p>
<div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://lessan.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/sunshine.jpg" alt="sunshine" title="sunshine" width="573" height="430" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-536" /></div>
<p>Here are the lyrics, as far as I could make them out&#8230;</p>
<blockquote><p>Oh well it&#8217;s 5:30 in the morning<br />
Kids are jumping on our bed<br />
5:30 in the morning<br />
Kids are jumping on our bed</p>
<p>And that strong, brilliant sunshine<br />
That&#8217;s streaming in our window<br />
That strong, brilliant sunshine<br />
Opens our new day</p>
<p>Birds singing<br />
Roosters crowing<br />
Donkeys braying<br />
People laughing<br />
Chickens squawking<br />
Trucks are rattling<br />
The day is well on its way</p>
<p>Oh well it&#8217;s 5:30 in the morning<br />
Kids are jumping on our bed already<br />
5:30 in the morning<br />
The day is well on its way</p>
<p>Vines racing up our walls<br />
Flowers pouring over the balcony<br />
Sweet fragrances in the air<br />
Greenness everywhere</p>
<p>And plenty of strong, brilliant sunshine<br />
Streaming in our window<br />
Strong, brilliant sunshine<br />
Opens our new day</p>
<p>Dusty roads<br />
Clusters of huts<br />
Women with loads<br />
High on their heads<br />
Mango trees casting merciful shade<br />
Children run everywhere</p>
<p>Under that strong, brilliant sunshine<br />
Which has opened our new day</p>
<p>Suffering is an integral part<br />
Of Pioneering, says Shoghi Effendi<br />
Strong, brilliant sunshine<br />
Opens our new day<br />
Of suffering<br />
And pain</p>
<p>Away down here in the heart of Africa<br />
We haven&#8217;t seen a visitor in over a year<br />
It&#8217;s the end of the world<br />
Where time nearly stops<br />
What are we doing a-here?</p>
<p>What of our careers?<br />
And what of our funds?<br />
Without any job<br />
And living in these rooms<br />
With noise all around<br />
And our kids in this heat<br />
What are we doing a-here?</p>
<p>In the rainy season there&#8217;s mud all around<br />
There&#8217;s no hot water<br />
But the cockroaches abound<br />
The leaky roof<br />
Leaves puddles on our floor<br />
What are we doing a-here?</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve had Malaria<br />
You&#8217;ve had Hepatitis<br />
The kids have the runs<br />
Now what&#8217;ll it be next<br />
Nine solid months<br />
Of tests without a break<br />
What are we doing a-here?</p>
<p>We&#8217;ll stick together<br />
You and me babe<br />
These tests will pass us by<br />
Just like a parade<br />
If we&#8217;re supposed to stay<br />
Baha&#8217;u'llah will find a way<br />
Ya Baha&#8217;u'l-Abha</p>
<p>The fruits of our sufferings<br />
We may not see<br />
But Baha&#8217;u'llah knows better than we<br />
So we&#8217;ll stay at our post<br />
And continue to serve<br />
And that&#8217;s what we&#8217;re doing a-here</p>
<p>Patience, patience, perseverance<br />
Patience, patience, perseverance<br />
Patience, patience, perseverance<br />
That&#8217;s what we&#8217;re learning a-here</p>
<p>And that strong, brilliant sunshine<br />
Still opens all of our days</p>
<p>It&#8217;s a new world we&#8217;re building<br />
It&#8217;s a new race of men we&#8217;re striving for<br />
All around this world<br />
Now you only have one life<br />
To offer in service<br />
Anywhere in this world</p>
<p>So go where you&#8217;re really needed<br />
Go obeying the institutions<br />
Go and do your best to stay<br />
And as your faith is, so shall your powers be<br />
As your faith is, so shall your blessings be<br />
Go to serve your lord, your lord<br />
Go to serve your lord</p>
<p>Unity is the most important<br />
Thing that you&#8217;re working for<br />
Among the friends and pioneers<br />
Since you only have one life<br />
To offer in service<br />
Leave now or your chance may be no more</p>
<p>Go to lead a full life<br />
Rich in the love of God<br />
Rich in sacrifice and reward<br />
And as your faith is, so shall your powers be<br />
As your faith is, so shall your blessings be<br />
Go to serve your lord, your lord<br />
Go to serve your lord</p>
<p>Well, you know, life is ever so nice here<br />
I&#8217;m glad I could come<br />
Well you know, life is ever so nice here<br />
Simple, but real<br />
Simple but real</p>
<p>Matter of fact, you know I wouldn&#8217;t go back<br />
No, no no no<br />
Matter of fact, you know I couldn&#8217;t go back<br />
I&#8217;d miss it so<br />
I&#8217;d miss it so</p>
<p>Well you can have, your chocolate ice-cream<br />
And all your fancy machines<br />
You can have<br />
Your fast pace of life<br />
For it&#8217;s naught but a dream<br />
For it&#8217;s naught but a dream</p>
<p>I finally found<br />
The tranquillity<br />
Down in the depths of my soul<br />
And now my heart is here to stay<br />
My bones are here to lay<br />
My bones are here to lay</p>
<p>My bones are here to lay</p>
<p>Oh well its 5:30 in the morning<br />
Kids are jumping on our bed<br />
5:30 in the morning<br />
Kids are jumping on our bed<br />
And that strong, brilliant sunshine<br />
Is streaming in our window<br />
That strong, brilliant sunshine<br />
Still opens all of our days</p>
<p>Birds singing<br />
Roosters crowing<br />
Donkeys braying<br />
People laughing<br />
Chickens squawking<br />
Ducks a quacking</p></blockquote>
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