Enidia Alfaro Rinaldi

Enidia Alfaro Rinaldi was born on January 20, 1954 in the small colonial town of Ginebra, Colombia. Her parents and five older siblings lived in various farms, working as caretakers and later her father supported the family working as a butcher. When she was just a child, her father tragically passed and her mother took over the butcher business. Shortly after, Enidia’s valiant mother moved the family to the larger town of Jamundi. Around the same time, a Bahá’í pioneer from Michigan named Thomas Simmons and his Colombian wife Ines Sarmiento from the capital city had recently moved to Jamundi to teach the Faith. Enidia and her mother Odilia were the first to become Bahá’is in Jamundi. This town is now home to a mature and steadily growing community and also the home of the Simmons Bahá’í School that has been operating for a few decades. In 1973 she married Wiley Rinaldi who was traveling around Latin America sharing the Bahá’í message. This marriage became a catalyst for service and community building. Even their honeymoon on the Colombian coast was spent teaching classes to children and holding meetings for the study of the Bahá’í Writings. Soon after, Enidia and Wiley became instrumental resources for the beginnings of the Ruhí Institute, which build capacity in individuals and communities to serve humanity. Aside from dedicating much of her time to activities of the Ruhi Institute, Enidia served as Auxiliary Board Member, Regional Council Member, and as a member of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Cali. Enidia and Wiley had three daughters and one son: Kendra, Zorana, Katherin, and Daniel Badí. The second child, Zorana, passed away in a car accident in Seattle, Washington in 1996 at the age of 18. As a result of her passing, the family moved to the United States where they lived in Salt Lake City, Utah and then Tucker, Georgia. Enidia was instrumental in aiding the implementation and dissemination of the Ruhi Institute courses when they were first introduced in the United States. She dedicated much of her time to service while she worked as a teacher and counselor. Although she served to varying capacities throughout her years in the U.S., she would dedicate most of her energies to the upliftment and empowerment of the Latino population. In February 2016 she was diagnosed with stage three pancreatic cancer. She underwent several months of chemotherapy and alternative healing approaches, but her condition was too advanced. She passed away on November 7, 2016 in Orlando, Florida, surrounded by abundant prayer and song shared by her husband, two daughters, son, her children’s spouses, seven grandchildren, and two of her best friends since childhood.

Enidia Alfaro Rinaldi

January 20, 1954 - November 7, 2016