Tea for the Children

A retelling for children, based on The Diary of Juliet Thompson (diary entry, 4 July 1909). The words in quotation marks are 'Abdu'l-Bahá's own, as Juliet wrote them down.

Juliet had crossed an ocean to be here. She was a painter from America, and she had traveled all the way to the Holy Land just to be near 'Abdu'l-Bahá. And now, on a sunny summer day, He had brought a little group of friends — and some children — out to a quiet, holy place called Bahjí.

They stepped into a small room with plain white walls. And there, Juliet watched 'Abdu'l-Bahá do something that surprised her. He did not ask a single servant to help. He made the tea Himself.

Then He sat down — right on the floor — in the middle of all the children. He gathered them close. He put the sugar in their cups and stirred it, and He helped the littlest ones drink, smiling at each one with the gentlest love. The most important person there was happily sitting on the floor, making sure each child's tea was sweet enough.

Afterward, He led everyone out into a beautiful garden. The children stayed close beside Him, holding on, as His long white robe moved in the breeze. He stopped and pointed far away, across the sea, toward all the faraway countries the friends had come from. And He said something that is still wonderful to think about today:

America and this land are one. The world is one.

He was telling them that no matter how far apart people live, or how different they seem, we are all really one big family. Juliet kept that sunny afternoon in her heart for the rest of her life — the tea, the garden, and the children gathered close to 'Abdu'l-Bahá.

This is a retelling for children. For the fuller account, see "Tea at the Holy Tomb".

Thompson, J.. (1947). *The Diary of Juliet Thompson*. Kalimát Press. https://bahai-library.com/thompson_diary