Something luminous amid the ruin

Seven months after catastrophic flooding in eastern Spain, communities have discovered deeper capacities for unity, service, and resilience amid ongoing recovery.

When the skies opened over Spain’s eastern Valencia region on October 29, 2024, no one imagined the devastation that would follow. In just 24 hours, the AEMET meteorological station in Turís recorded an unprecedented 771.8 mm of rain—almost a year’s share poured down in just three hours. The Poyo ravine swelled, unleashing catastrophic flooding across 75 municipalities in eastern Spain.

The floodwaters claimed more than 230 lives, affected 1.8 million residents, and destroyed tens of thousands of homes and businesses. Seven months later, signs of the physical devastation remain visible. But alongside this destruction, another reality has emerged: a profound transformation in how people and entire communities relate to one another.

“Amid so much material and emotional ruin, we have also witnessed something luminous,” reflects Shirín Jiménez, member of the Regional Bahá’í Council of eastern Spain. “The crisis has enabled many to set aside habits of individualism and revealed our capacity for genuine mutual support—a love of neighbor that has guided our recovery.”

Moving beyond material response

The initial response focused on meeting immediate physical needs—removing water and mud, distributing food and supplies, and providing shelter. Young people from affected areas and across Spain who are engaged in Bahá’í community-building endeavors that build capacity for service, assisted with clearing debris and supporting affected neighborhoods.

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Spain offered the Bahá’í Centre in Llíria—a municipality of Valencia city—to house security personnel responding to the disaster. Over seven weeks, the Centre accommodated 476 police officers from 46 different localities across Spain, with 24 volunteers working daily to provide meals, laundry services, and a comforting environment during a traumatic time.

The Centre became a space for meaningful connection. “What began as practical aid transformed into a shared journey of learning,” notes Shabnam Majidi, a volunteer who helped at the Centre.

She added: “Officers would return each evening exhausted from their work in devastated communities, finding not just physical rest but genuine human connection. Many commented that the atmosphere of care and common endeavor gave them strength to continue their difficult work.”

In neighborhoods where people had previously been engaged in Bahá’í community-building initiatives, there emerged a response that addressed both material and spiritual dimensions of recovery. Some formed teams to provide spaces for residents to process their experiences and find meaning amid their suffering.

In a conversation with the News Service, Jéssica Álvaro, an Auxiliary Board member, stated: “In their conversations, participants of community-building initiatives tried to create space for both expression of grief and reflection on hope. Many found comfort in discussing not just what was lost, but what was being discovered—the capacity for compassion, the strength found in unity, the possibility of building something better together.”

Strengthening educational initiatives

In the days following the disaster, facilitators of Bahá’í moral and spiritual educational programs began improvising classes for children in Algemesí—one of the hardest-hit areas, where schools had been destroyed.

“They created a learning space amid extraordinary circumstances—at times using the hood of a damaged car as a makeshift desk,” recalled Mrs. Álvaro. “Despite the challenging conditions, they engaged the children in activities that offered not just moments of distraction from the devastation but genuine joy. When parents saw their children laughing and learning after days of distress, they immediately asked if these classes could continue.”

What began as an impromptu response evolved into regular moral educational activities for children and youth in the neighborhood.

“These educational spaces helped young people recognize their capacity to contribute meaningfully to their community’s recovery,” explained Gloria Ulloa, who facilitates one of the youth groups that formed during the crisis. “They’re discovering that even in uncertain times, they can be sources of hope and positive action in their families and neighborhoods.”

Fostering collective patterns of community life

In contemporary Spanish society, as in many parts of the world, the rapid rhythm of daily life has gradually weakened neighborhood ties. The October floods sparked an immediate wave of solidarity, yet what is most striking is how that first impulse has been cultivated and sustained through community-building initiatives. Regular devotional gatherings and moral educational classes for children and youth offer spaces where residents pray, consult, and plan acts of service, strengthening habits of mutual support and care.

“Before the floods, there was often a certain reserve between neighbors—people might live beside each other for years with limited interaction,” Mrs. Álvaro reflected. “What we have witnessed is a remarkable opening of homes and hearts. People who once barely exchanged greetings now readily welcome each other into their homes and genuinely inquire about each other’s wellbeing.”

In these places, priorities have shifted. Material possessions seem less important than human connection and shared responsibility. Bonds of friendship have strengthened among many neighbors to the point where they function as extended families.

“The crisis has revealed what truly matters,” Ms. Jiménez explains. “Many resources that were once considered private are now willingly shared. Now the question is not ‘What’s mine?’ but rather ‘What do we need together?’”

Two participants of youth groups, Reyes and Ricardo, observe this transformation each week: “Hope comes from seeing unity in action,” they said. “We draw strength from one another. The joy lies in serving—sometimes alongside people we had never met before.”

SOURCE: https://news.bahai.org/story/1799/community-building-spain-enhances-res…