Nur’s Nook—Light of Truth: Make a Lighthouse
“The light of truth kindled in your hearts will shine out to the distant horizon!” —‘Abdu’l-Bahá
My family and I love to soar over and hang out at the beach! At night, it’s fun to watch the lighthouse shine in the night sky. Its lantern flashes on and off in a pattern that tells sailors where they are. Even when sailors navigate using satellite signals, lighthouses still help them find their way and steer clear of dangers like rocks.
The lighthouse reminds me that truth is like a powerful light, too. Especially when I talk honestly about about tough things like prejudice and racism. Sometimes our neighbors come over for “Unity Talks & Treats” night. It isn’t easy to listen to people’s struggles with racism, but it’s a great way to learn. It helps us see how we can navigate challenges and sail toward justice.
Make your own mini lighthouse with me. Use it in your prayer gatherings or to light up your dialogues about reaching race unity.
You’ll Need: Two 16 oz. (473 mL) paper drink cups with one lid, black, white, and colorful paper, scissors, pencil, tacky glue, ruler, plastic 20 oz. (591 mL) water bottle without label, small paper plate, nature items (e.g., small rocks, pebbles, sand, sea shells, decorative moss), battery-operated candle
What You Do:
Step 1: Cut side and base seams of one cup, removing cup’s bottom. Trim to smooth edges.
Step 2: Press cup flat on white paper. Trace with pencil and cut out. Repeat with colorful paper.
Step 3: On colorful paper, draw evenly spaced lines about 1" (2.5 cm) apart that follow curves at top and bottom of shape. Cut along lines to make stripes.
Step 4a: Glue a few stripes to white paper so they’re centered and evenly spaced.
Step 4b: Glue striped paper to second (uncut) cup.
Step 5: With adult help, carefully cut off top of bottle, just above widest portion. Cut off bottom of bottle to make lantern section that is 3 ½" (8.9 cm) tall.
Step 6: On colorful paper, trace bottom of cup’s lid. Cut circle out, and cut a slit to circle’s center.
Step 7a: Wrap cut ends of circle around each other to form cone-shaped roof. Secure with glue. It should be large enough to cover top (smaller end) of lantern.
Step 7b: Tightly roll a stamp-sized paper and secure end with glue for lightning rod. Glue rod to tip of roof. Glue roof to lantern’s top.
Step 8: Cut out black or colorful paper shapes for windows, doors, and guardrails. Glue to tower and lantern.
Step 9: Glue bottom of tower to top of cup’s lid. Glue bottom of lid to plate, and let dry. Glue nature items around plate.
Step 10: Place battery-powered candle on top of tower. Fit lantern on tower’s top and watch your lighthouse shine!
For a printable version, download a PDF of this craft.
Characters466 Arts and Crafts203 Crafts201 Nur143 Light11 Truth17 Ships16 Honesty17 Elimination of Prejudice113 Justice130 Race Unity219 Play and Create741 Openness39