New York USA Souvenir 1989 — Page 47
Nighat Ahmad was made Vice President in charge of Brooklyn Lajna for that year. I held three meetings at various houses in Long Island. Staten Island Lajna became active but the problem of lack of leadership existed in that borough. My effort was con - tinuously to try and encourage members of all boroughs to hold monthly meetings in 1983-84; or at least come to Queens month- ly meetings, but all members of various boroughs could not come to Queens and some were unable to attend their own borough meetings. In 1985 when the mission house was established our Lajna in- creased in membership since members from all boroughs found a central place to attend meetings. I combined all boroughs to one borough and named it New York Lajna. I felt th at success of Lajna New York was in implementing the U. S. A education program and other items of Lajna program. This could be ob- tained by unity of members of Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Long Island boroughs, implementing the program within the boroughs and communication within our members. From 1985 to 1987 I found other members of Lajna eager to pelp and almost all the Lajna contributed in time by cooking, handicraft, contribu- tion of their knowledge, cooperation and tolerance. Our Lajna has won handicraft prizes since 1984. We have also won 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes in education, finance, Nasirat programs, propaga- tion out of 23 active States within the U. S. A This cannot be done without Allah's Grace and help and an active eager membership. I had to be relieved as Lajna President in July 1987 as I was leav- ing New York for pursuits overseas. New York Lajna active members grew from 7 in 1981to55 in 1987. Lajna New York's effort had to be doubled since every item of Lajna program was in English, the literature was in English and the emphasis was on English in all other matters as well. All praise to Allah. A GREEK AHMADI SISTER NARRATES Sister Alia Khan Rehman By the Grace of Allah, I became an Ahmadi Muslim in August 1984, before that I belonged to the Greek Orthodox Church. The same year two Ahmadi friends were visiting-Greece and before going they looked for Islamic literature in Greek but there was none. 47