At the end of a recent retreat held in Ranchan Pool Resort, about 70 km from the state capital Kuching, four additonal clusters have been considered for possible launching of Intensive Programme of Growth (IGP).

Presently, there are only two clusters which have launched IGP, namely, Kuching and Miri clusters, which started their first cycle of growth in March and April this year, respectively. Both clusters are now nearing the end of their first cycle and will soon be preparing for the launching of their respective second cycle.

After much preliminary discussion, consultation and preparation, the first ever Intensive Growth Programme (IGP) for Sarawak was successfully launched for the Kuching-Padawan-Samarahan cluster in the evening of 25 March 2005 amidst much fanfare in an inspiring candle-lighting ceremony. More than 60 friends came for the launching held at the Kuching Baha’i Centre.

This launching was the culmination of many meetings, the first of which was held on 5 March at the start of the fasting month of Ala. In that first meeting, held at the Kota Padawan Baha’i Centre, Counsellor George Soraya spoke and inspired the more than 40 people present to realise the potential and capability of the community to launch an Intensive Growth Programme for the cluster.

91 believers of all ages turned up for the cluster reflection meeting held on 28 September 2003 at Kampung Mayang Tea. This is the first time we have a good turn up for the cluster meeting and every community present took part actively in the meeting. We registered 44 people pledging to organize devotional meetings in their homes once a week and go up to higher level of institute courses within the period of three months.

Clusters at the next level of development, characterized in the 9 January message as having “a few isolated localities and groups,” often encompass a broad spectrum of Bahá’í activity, depending on the country, the history of growth in the cluster, and whether the area is rural or urban.

Two different conditions have predominated in this category. There are a number of clusters that experienced large-scale growth in the past but had no functioning Local Spiritual Assemblies and very few active believes. Also prevalent are clusters that had, in addition to isolated localities and groups, functioning Local Assemblies, some with only basic capacity and others with longstanding experience and active communities, but with minimal or no institute activity. The general approach in both these types of clusters has been to strengthen the institute process, but the means and pace have differed according to their particular circumstances.