[Stoves] Paal Wendelbo - Thank You

Mon Apr 14 17:14:23 CDT 2014

Dear Vetle and the Wendelbo and Cappelen Families

I received this unexpected news today with a bit of a shock because Paal was one of those people who simply was always there. I want to agree with the things you wrote, and explain why I agree.

>For almost 30 years, Paal brought attention to health and environmental issues connected to cooking and household energy for development countries. 

These days, of course, great attention is being paid to this matter. It is pioneers in a field who often get pushed aside by others with greater resources and political connections, however this is not always a bad thing. Those who lead are often not the best people to carry the heavy loads, but that is no reason to underestimate the value of their pioneering work or the persistence needed to create a broader awareness of important issues.

>Paal found other people, later friends, with similar ideas and thoughts in this stove community. 

It is always, looking back, obvious that we should have gotten together earlier and ‘done things’ but at that time the world was far less connected, things were much harder and many people found themselves working alone, ‘doing right’ where they could. We all found Paal to be sincere and fair-minded and interested in getting the best to people, without prejudice. 

>Despite arguments about stove design, function, and whom had the better stove. 

There is nothing wrong with spirited debate! From the clash of differing opinions comes the spark of truth. Sparks of truth ignite the fires of change and progress.

>No doubt he was a pioneer, teacher but also he was a student.

We should be all three, as often as necessary. He often told us stories about his youth and the things he learned from woodsmen – there is very little new under the sun other than people who re-discover things already used somewhere in the world, even if it is not in ‘the literature’. Learn, share and continue to explore. This he did.

>The world have knowledge the problem Paal raised already in the mid 80's. His simple Peko Pe stove invited people think new. He was also a pioneer of TLUD stoves.

We are happy to have had a chance to recognize his works and to have done it when he was around to hear us say so.

There is another aspect of Paal’s works that I want to highlight to your families at this time.  During our lives we often try to better ourselves by accumulating enough money – perhaps even to retire! – and this is not a particularly difficult thing if that is our goal. However there is a higher calling that available to us, and that is to create wealth in the hands of others. It is something much more difficult to accomplish for it requires a great deal of consideration of the living circumstances of the person one is trying to assist.  Consider the following quotation:

“Wealth is praiseworthy in the highest degree, if it is acquired by an individual's own efforts and the grace of God, in commerce, agriculture, art and industry, and if it be expended for philanthropic purposes.  Above all, if a judicious and resourceful individual should initiate measures which would universally enrich the masses of the people, there could be no undertaking greater than this, and it would rank in the sight of God as the supreme achievement, for such a benefactor would supply the needs and insure the comfort and well-being of a great multitude.  Wealth is most commendable, provided the entire population is wealthy.  If, however, a few have inordinate riches while the rest are impoverished, and no fruit or benefit accrues from that wealth, then it is only a liability to its possessor.  If, on the other hand, it is expended for the promotion of knowledge, the founding of elementary and other schools, the encouragement of art and industry, the training of orphans and the poor - in brief, if it is dedicated to the welfare of society - its possessor will stand out before God and man as the most excellent of all who live on earth and will be accounted as one of the people of paradise.”

             `Abdu'l-Baha:  Secret of Divine Civilization    Pages <http://www.earth2844.net/2.6Wealth.htm>  25-26

I consider that Paal Wendelbo was one of those ‘judicious and resourceful individuals’ who made great efforts and expended his resources in a series of attempts to ‘universally enrich the masses’ by sharing his knowledge, his insights, and demonstrating manufacturing and combustion technologies with his own hands showing others how to live a socially and environmentally enriched life. Consider how many of the praised activities Paal engaged in: the promotion of knowledge, encouragement of industry, the training of the poor, and dedication to the upliftment of the welfare of society.

It is, therefore, why we account him as one of the ‘people of paradise’.

Be happy and lament not his passing, difficult as this is in the culture of the Western world. Rather, rejoice in his memory and recount the achievements of a devoted servant of humanity who opened doors and humbly stayed the course unto the end.

With loving regards to all

Crispin

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