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Promoting Falun Dafa in Haiti (Photos)

February 14, 2009 |   By Dafa practitioner in Guadeloupe, France

(Clearwisdom.net) After being invited by my friend, I spent May to June in 2008, in Haiti, a country that is still at war.

The people in Haiti are diligent, something I observed wherever I went. The people would help each other. I was surprised to see that this small country has such a huge population of 1,950,000 (this is an unofficial statistic).

Promoting Falun Dafa in Haiti - Part 1

Week 1:

I truly felt that most of the people I met were waiting for Dafa.

Two young people from Haiti lived with me in Guadeloupe for four years. They obtained the Fa abroad and did a lot of the preparation for my trip to Haiti.

The wife of the Vice Consul General in Guadeloupe invited us to their home. They have four children (the youngest one is only 8 years old) and an elderly grandmother. We talked about Falun Gong. She told me that her whole family is now practicing Falun Gong, including their grandma. While we were chatting, the old grandmother did the 3rd exercise. We gave them a copy of Zhuan Falun and also asked the wife of the Vice Consul General to read the book. She repeated our words to her children. She felt very thankful for our visit and our talk about Falun Dafa.

We set up interviews with doctors in a hospital and a person who worked in the lab. We gave them Falun Gong truth-clarification CDs. One of them had already read the book Zhuan Falun. She had borrowed a copy of it from one of her friends before I went there. They raised some questions and we exchanged our understandings with each other. They all showed great interest in learning Falun Dafa and hoped some day they could learn the five sets of exercises.

The family that we stayed with also wanted to learn the exercises. Some of them have already read the book Zhuan Falun.

We met a young man named Magnac who is a teacher. He learned all five sets of exercises from us. He could sit for half an hour of the fifth exercise, the sitting meditation, with both legs crossed in the lotus position. He is a very harmonious person and felt very happy that he could obtain Dafa.

We also introduced Falun Gong to the police, a judge, a doctor who worked in the suburbs, a female elementary teacher, several other doctors, dentists, lab staff members, college students, and nuns.

Magnac, a young teacher, sitting in the lotus position the first day he learned the fifth exercise.

Week 2:

We went to a friend's home in the Artibonite à Deslande suburb. We went to a small village. All the children there wanted to see me, such a light-skinned lady. The next morning, we went to a villager's home (who is an 83-year-old man) to clarify the truth about Falun Gong and teach people the exercises. We also went to the elementary school in that village. It was a touching moment when we met the kids. All the children (fourth graders) were practicing a French song called "We Welcome You." (They learn French in that school.) Students in higher grades, teachers and the principle also learned the first three sets of exercises. The teacher also wrote the following on the blackboard: Falun Dafa, Truth, Compassion, Forbearance.

We took a picture with the kids and the last copy of Zhuan Falun. It was a pity that I could not give them that book. I gave their teacher my last copy of Falun Gong. I promised the kids that I would come back to visit them again by the end of the year at the latest. At that time, they will receive a copy of Zhuan Falun.

On June 1, 2008, we demonstrated the five sets of exercises. Many young people surrounded us watching. They were all family members and friends who came to learn Falun Dafa.

Students learning the Falun Gong exercises

Week 3:

We met a person from Haiti who once studied in Lyon, France and was in charge of cultural affairs at a research institute in France. We clarified the truth to him and told him that Falun Gong is a spiritual belief that does not get involved in politics. We believe that he will surely look for Falun Gong practitioners after he returns to France.

We also met a Jazz musician, a genetics researcher, a psychiatrist and psychologist, and a Buddhist scholar. She really liked Falun Dafa. She was grieved when she heard about the persecution of Falun Dafa in China. She said she wanted to learn the five sets of exercises the next time we met.

This doctor was shocked to learn about the horrifying persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China

At the French Embassy, an oversees Chinese affairs committee member met us. He was surprised to see a French girl in Haiti, a place that still has a lot of kidnappings. He accepted our truth-clarification materials.

One day, we wanted to go to the bookstore to order some copies of Zhuan Falun. But unfortunately, the bookstore was closed due to a robbery. In the evening of May 25, two security guards from the first level of the House of Representatives came to see us per our invitation. They were very interested in our talk about Falun Gong and hoped that one day they could learn the five sets of exercises.

The next day, righteous events continued to unfold. The western chief Senator came to visit us. He held a meeting in this small town. He first gave a speech to the local residents. Then, he gave each person a chance to raise questions. Finally, before he was ready to leave, two security guards told him that I wanted to say something at the meeting. We all sat down again. I talked about the truth of Falun Gong. He was very angry when he heard about the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. We told him that although Haiti is still very poor, it should be upright and not work with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It is not that when a country is rich it does not need to maintain its moral standard. He totally agreed with my opinion. Then he asked us to demonstrate the first set of exercises. After seeing our demonstration, he said it was very good. He said we should set up a practice site. He asked when we would come again. When he heard me say that learning the exercises is always free of charge, he thought people should pay some fee if they want to learn. I told him that it is free all over the world, no matter whether one is rich or poor. People who learn it should try to follow the principle of Truth, Compassion, and Forbearance and in the meantime do the exercises. He understood and expressed admiration for what I said. He is a well-known Senator in Haiti. He is close to the local residents and has opportunities to meet with the Haitian President. At the end of our meeting, we gave him a copy of Zhuan Falun. He said he would cherish it.

I want to express my appreciation for all the people who helped me in Haiti and visited all the places to introduce Falun Dafa in such a short time, in a country that has no security and no tourists. However, with the help of everyone, we gained people's trust.

Promoting the Fa in Haiti - Part 2

In May when I first went to Haiti, I promised that I would visit that place again by the end of the year. Therefore, I went to Haiti again on September 29, 2008. I stayed there for over one month. Different from the first trip, this trip was a grand harvest.

The first day, my friend who is the conductor of the "Wake-up" orchestra asked me to watch their rehearsal. I went there and brought copies of Zhuan Falun to several musicians. They all were very happy to receive the books and were eager to begin their reading.

Magnac, the young teacher whom I met during my May trip, has been practicing cultivation very diligently ever since he learned Falun Gong. He went with us to watch the rehearsal. He felt fortunate that he has obtained the Fa, and listened to the beautiful music.

While watching the rehearsal, we met a conductor of the orchestra whose name is Daniel. While chatting with him, he told us, "We do not have only one God. The universe is much larger than what we can see." He said he was very interested in Falun Gong and wanted to read the book Zhuan Falun. I agreed to bring him a copy next time I saw him. He told me, "I know that I have a mission. But I don't know exactly what it is."

I brought 32 copies of Zhuan Falun, plus I ordered five copies from the local bookstore. I sent them all copies and it was still not enough. Sometimes, five or over ten people were waiting to read one book.

Every Saturday, when there is enough electricity, Magnac has a Fa study group in Croix des Bouquets. From June 2008, every Saturday afternoon they began their Fa study and each time they would study three lectures. But it was not so convenient for those people who live in other places. They plan to set up a few Fa study groups in other locations. At present, people in other places are all studying the Fa based on their own situation.

We contacted a local newspaper called Le Nouveliste. At that time, a reporter heard us talking and voluntarily joined our conversation. While he was learning the first exercise, he told us, "I know. I saw it in the U.S. It is persecuted in China. This is an interesting topic. I want to participate." He also told us that he would try his best to help let more people learn about Falun Dafa.

On Monday,October 6, the "Wake-up" orchestra had a performance in Croix des Bouquets. Over a thousand people heard "Truth, Compassion, and Forbearance." It was really wonderful. The show was very successful.

In the days that followed, we were invited to different places to introduce Falun Gong, teach people the five exercises, expose the persecution in China, introduce Dafa websites and tell people how to get in touch with the coordinator in Haiti if they want to learn Falun Gong.

Introducing Falun Gong on Radio Stations

We were invited by four radio stations to introduce Falun Gong and expose the persecution of Falun Gong in China.

We did a 30-minute program on Kiskeya Radio Station in Port-au-Prince.

We also did a question and answer session at Pétion Ville Radio Station.

Indigène Radio Station is located in Port-au-Prince and they do not have a time limit on discussions. We thoroughly explained the truth of Falun Gong.

Tabarre is a commercial radio station - we worked with the host and prepared a 15-minute program.

All radio station hosts expressed their appreciation to us. They also told us to come to see them whenever we wished. One of them also told us, "I will continue talking about Falun Gong on the radio. It is very important since this is happening in China. Falun Gong is really very good. We truly appreciate that you came to Haiti to tell us about it. I will help Falun Gong practitioners here."

In the Schools

Several people in charge of their schools invited us to go to their schools to introduce Falun Gong. Within one month, we visited a total of four elementary schools and four middle schools. In each school, we spent almost two hours introducing Falun Gong and demonstrating the five sets of exercises (each class has almost 30 students.) We told them how to get in touch with the coordinator and Dafa websites in Haiti if they wanted to. We also exposed the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong. Students listened very attentively. Some of them even raised some interesting questions. For instance, at what age can a person practice Falun Gong? Why is such a practice persecuted in China? How can we set up a group practice site in the school? How many countries in the world have people practicing Falun Gong? etc.

All the people we met learned about what is happening in China, and many of them truly want to learn more about Falun Gong. Over the course of our visit we talked to reporters, radio station hosts, principles of elementary and middle schools, the dean of the office of cultural department, the director of the office of foreign affairs department of the cultural bureau, judicial police, the police, attorneys, doctors, the former culture minister, professors, a person in charge of planning of domestic affairs, mayoral assistant of Croix des Bouquets, the mayoral aid, Carrefour supermarket's advisor (located at the big supermarket in Port-au-Prince), engineers, composers, orchestra members, security staff members, teachers, and musicians.

Back to Port-au-Prince

Later on we went back to Port-au-Prince. We demonstrated the five sets of exercises while we were clarifying the truth about Falun Gong.

We went to the police station and requested a permit from the bureau chief and they asked for some information regarding Falun Gong. According to the rules, some judges of the police station were also present on site.

We visited a lady who was in charge of the cultural affairs in the cultural bureau. She understood very well about how beautiful Falun Gong is. She invited us to go to her dancing school and teach people there how to do the exercises. She also hoped that she could include the exercises in her curriculum. (A four-year-old girl followed along with us and learned all five sets of exercises. She also very naturally did the fifth exercise, the sitting meditation.)

We established the first group practice site in Haiti. It meets every Saturday morning at 7:00 a.m. in a middle school in Croix des Bouquets.

Magnac is the coordinator of that practice site. The night before the practice site's first opening day, he studied the Fa by himself and did the exercises all night long. The next morning at 7:00 a.m., he was the only one who went to the practice site at first. He then sat down and sent forth righteous thoughts. Later on, twenty-five people came. There were over thirty people standing by watching them. The principle of that middle school also came. A police team leader and her two daughters also came. Later on, she told her younger sister. The following weekend, her younger sister also came. Later on we wrote a letter to the mayor asking him to give us a bigger place to do the exercises. Everything went very smoothly.

Petit Chaperon Rouge is an elementary school. Their principle invited us to join their exercises every Friday morning at 7:00 a.m.. Now it has been included in the school's schedule.

The first Friday, there were about 80 students who joined the group practice. Many of them could do the sitting meditation in the lotus position very easily. Those children loved to do the exercises. They also became much closer to us. They asked us to correct their movements. (After I went back to Guadeloupe, Magnac told me on the phone that they now have 150 students coming to do the exercises.)

Two days before I left, a female fellow practitioner from Guadeloupe also came to Haiti. She brought several dozen copies of Zhuan Falun and Falun Gong and other materials.

A family invited us to an elementary and middle school where they practiced the Dafa exercises. We demonstrated the exercises and taught each class the exercises in both schools.

Later on, we were invited by another teacher to go to his class and teach his students the exercises. He is also a host of the local radio station. His students all heard the introduction about Falun Gong from the radio station. The students raised some very interesting questions.

Teaching Falun Gong in schools

Before wrapping up this article, we want to tell you that there will be a decorated truck driving through Haiti, which will bring Falun Gong's news to every location in Haiti. Printed on the truck is the phrase, "Falun Dafa is good." It also lists two Falun Dafa website addresses. It is very beautiful to see the truck driving by. On the truck, there are some truth-clarification materials which can be distributed when people ask for more information about Falun Gong.