(Minghui.org) Greetings Venerable Master! Greetings Fellow Practitioners!
Although I have a full time job, I have spent most of my time and energy on the media projects since 2003. I started practicing Dafa in 1996, but I feel like my cultivation status and ability to do Dafa-related work are not up to Master's expectations. Fellow practitioners encouraged me to write this experience sharing article. I'd particularly like to share my experiences in clarifying the truth to Members of Parliament (Mps), which is a great honor for me. Please kindly point out anything inappropriate.
“Life or Death” Test on the First Day of Work
I came to Australia in February 1999. I learned how to write a resume in a free English class organized by the Immigration Department. Four months later I was offered an internship testing software at a computer company. At that time the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had started to harass Falun Gong practitioners in China. Melbourne practitioners decided to submit an open letter to the Chinese Consulate, and I was appointed to submit the letter. The submission was scheduled for the first day of my internship.
My husband was not a practitioner, and strongly objected to me submitting the letter. He said being late on the first day showed I didn't want the job. My heart moved a little but my thoughts were simple. I felt I was meant to submit the letter because I was chosen to do so, and shouldn't shirk the task regardless of any excuse. Before I went to the Consulate, I called my manager using my broken English. I told him I would be two hours late and I would explain why after I came to the office.
I was surprised to find that my manager was interested in what I was doing and agreed to give me two hours leave. After I arrived at the office, he listened to me attentively while I told him about Falun Gong, the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and my cultivation experiences. Since then he has been interested in updates about our Falun Gong activities.
I realized afterwards that this was a “life or death” test arranged by Master, and I successfully passed it with righteous thoughts and my firm belief in Master and the Fa.
The company offered me a full time job two weeks into my internship. I have continued to work for them to this day. This job provides me with a reliable income and flexible working hours, so I still have time to be involved in truth clarification projects. Many company employees have been made redundant over the past ten years, but I am secure in my position. A retired CEO from the company joked that I would be the last person to be laid off.
Thank you Master for your strengthening. When I need time to do Fa-validation projects, I can normally can finish my testing work in a very short time, and find major problems using seemingly unusual methods. The managers and programmers always feel confident that they will get their testing report on time. They often joke about why I find so many problems. My annual performance review has always been satisfactory.
I have been able to do both an ordinary job and truth clarification projects well. Thank you Master for your perfect arrangements. I have become even more determined in my belief in Master and the Fa. Several months ago most of my colleagues signed the petition to stop the organ harvesting in China.
Meeting More People through Media
I was an editor of science books in China. In Australia I test software related to newspaper printing and advertisement management. My cultivation path arranged by Master is also related to the media and publishing industries.
Because I am good at writing, I have been doing news translations for the Epoch Times website, and local news reporting for the Epoch Times newspaper since 2003. I have been in contact with many people and have had many opportunities to clarify the truth.
Through Fa study and experience sharing with fellow practitioners around Australia, I realized that clarifying the truth to MPs is an important part of the Fa rectification process. The attitudes of government officials towards Dafa determine their futures. and also the futures of the people in their electoral districts. Supportive attitudes from MPs have strongly suppressed the evil.
My sister in China was persecuted three times because she petitioned for Dafa. In 2000 some Australian practitioners and I launched a campaign to rescue our relatives who were persecuted in China. We took this opportunity to clarify the truth to all levels of government and the general public. I started to contact state and federal MPs. I introduced Falun Gong to them and the staff in their offices. The federal MP in my electorate wrote a letter to the Australian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, urging them to pay attention to the situation of my family member.
I am a straightforward, outgoing, and extroverted person. Strengthened by righteous thoughts from cultivation I am able to meet people from all walks of life without any fear. I have attended various social activities, clarified the truth to VIPs, and interviewed people at all sorts of occasions with my limited English.
I am a reporter, and am also involved with government and VIP truth-clarifying projects. Some practitioners didn't think I should assume several roles. But I get along with people easily. When I introduced the mission of the Epoch Times to them I was able to clarify the truth to them in a natural way. I have come across many predestined people in different industries, who have learned the facts about Falun Gong. This may be my path to validate the Fa.
I'd like to share how some MPs positioned themselves after they learned the truth.
MP A was elected for the first time four years ago. His electorate was not far from the Epoch Times office. There are many Chinese residents in his electorate. The previous MP in this electorate supported Dafa because of the efforts of our Western practitioners. In order to gain support from the new MP, I made an appointment with him to introduce the Epoch Times to him. He was happy to meet a reporter from a Chinese media agency. He asked many questions. I told him about the human rights violations in China from the media's perspective.
I later met him several times at Taiwanese community activities. He supported democracy and human rights. His office contacted us regularly. He sent a congratulatory letter to commemorate our English Epoch Times Anniversary. He also sent his congratulations to Shen Yun for the 2015 performances and watched Shen Yun with his wife. He was amazed by the show. When we talked during the intermission about the program where people were opposing the persecution, I clarified the truth to him more deeply. He was shocked. He was interviewed by NTD Television at the end of show and gave wonderful responses. This praise for Shen Yun came from the bottom of an awakened soul's heart.
I came to know MP B at a rally organized by the Vietnamese community to support the Hong Kong students. The MP made a speech strongly condemning the CCP. He impressed everyone. I had a brief talk with him afterward, and he agreed to an appointment in his office. A local practitioner accompanied me to the appointment. The practitioner shared his cultivation experiences and the torture he had endured in China. MP B was thankful for our visit, and he said that he would offer to help any time we needed it.
I invited him to make a speech at our rally to support Chinese people who had quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. His personal assistant confirmed that he would attend. His speech told of his support for Chinese people who had withdrawn from the CCP. He had a deep understanding of the nature of the CCP.
His office invited me to a fundraising dinner. I accepted immediately to show my support for him, even though it was expensive. He was very thankful. I met several other MPs and the leader of his party at the function, which laid a foundation for me to clarify the truth to them later on. Thank you Master for your wonderful arrangements.
I have been in good relationship with MP C for eight years. I came to know him through an interview. Though he was not in the same political party as MP A, he was also frequent guest at Taiwanese community events. He strongly supported democracy and human rights. He sent a congratulation letter to Shen Yun every year. He gave me good advice on how to clarify the truth to MPs.
Because we had a good relationship, I developed an attachment of relying on him. I contacted him recently but didn't get a good response. He refused to meet me twice. He said that he was not able to help. I looked inward to find the loophole that the evil had exploited. I must have hoped that he would do more for us. This is the attachment of pursuit. I sent forth righteous thoughts to clear the interference. I also realized that I must be strict with myself and shouldn't have thoughts about relying on everyday people. If the evil took advantage of my human attachments and pushed a saved being to the opposite side I would be forever regretful. I must rectify myself and clarify the truth to him with wisdom, and with help from fellow practitioners, to make up for any losses.
Getting to Know More People Through Social Media
With the popularity of social media, MPs have turned to the Internet to reach the public, promote their policies, and get votes. They are very active on the most popular social media. I think social media is a good platform to get to know MPs and exchange information with them.
Sometimes it is time consuming. I surf social media like Facebook to click the ”like” button on their posts to show my concern and support. This research into what sorts of things they post could also be a topic of conversation if I have an opportunity to meet them. Falun Gong would not be the only topic in that case. In an urgent situation, publishing information on their social media could also serve as a direct way to communicate with them.
As per MP C's suggestion, I had been following MP E, who is from a rural area, on Facebook for some time. I recently left a message on his Facebook requesting an appointment with him. I started the conversation by praising some scenic photos of his electorate that he had posted. I then presented the real reason I was requesting an appointment. He replied to me briefly several hours later. Though it was a courtesy reply, I got the message that he was considering my request. Because I followed him, he also followed me. This laid a good foundation for me to clarify the truth to him in the future.
Attending Everyday People's Activities
In order to meet more MPs and VIPs, I have attended many dinners, forums, and celebrations over the last few years.
The tickets are expensive, and there are events each month. But through those activities, I promote our media and get to know sentient beings from all walks of life, including VIPs. I invited many VIPs to attend Shen Yun and they all praised the show during media interviews.
A recent event made me realize that all everyday people's formats are for Dafa practitioners' use.
I recently went to Sydney to attend the forum on organ harvesting held in the New South Wales Parliament. I wanted to meet more legal professionals so I could lay the groundwork for Victoria to have similar forum. A commercial lawyer suggested that I contact the Victoria Bar Association. I discovered that they would be holding an annual luncheon and invite Victorian MP F to be a guest speaker. This MP didn't accept our invitation for attending the Matas' forum held at Melbourne University in July. I felt that this was a good opportunity for me to talk to him. Though the ticket was expensive, I registered my name.
The result of the luncheon was beyond my expectations. Thank you Master for your strengthening.
Though the organizer arranged the table for the guests, we were able to sit whereever we wished, and I sat at the same table as the MP. The person sitting beside me was the secretary of the Bar Association. When she heard that we hoped that the Victorian parliament would hold a similar forum as New South Wales, she introduced me to a senior female lawyer at the luncheon. She was a member of the Human Rights Commission. Through emails she later agreed that she would raise the issue in the Human Rights Commission meeting in two weeks time, and discuss if the Bar Association should be involved.
The President of the Victorian Bar Association hosted the luncheon. I showed her the photos published by the Epoch Times, of a New South Wales Green Party MP, and talked with her briefly about holding a forum. I hoped to make appointment with her. She agreed, and her secretary made an appointment several days later.
When I was waiting for a tram in the city, I saw a famous human rights lawyer pass by. I gave him my business card and told him that I would like to have a coffee with him soon. He politely agreed. The same day his secretary made an appointment for me. Fellow practitioners had been trying to invite him to attend our Dafa activities, but he refused with the excuse that he was busy. I met him for half an hour. I kept sending forth righteous thoughts during the meeting to awaken his knowing side. Thanks to Master's strengthening, I felt him change. At the start he said that he was not sure if the persecution was real because he hadn't done any research. He later agreed to arrange his intern students to do some research and report back to him. He finally agreed to meet me again in October, after he returned from overseas. He asked for information about the Bar Association forum. He read the materials and some paragraphs of the book I gave him. His knowing side accepted the truth.
Though I talked with Victorian MP F for less than a minute during the luncheon, he agreed to consider my request for an appointment. After this Fa conference, I will contact him again.
I would like to end my sharing with Master's Fa from “Fa Teaching Given at the 2014 San Francisco Fa Conference”:
“The situation is pressing, and so many lives are waiting for you to save them. I am extremely anxious!
The beings that have come to this world, [including those that] couldn’t become human beings and became animals or plants—all of them are waiting for Dafa disciples to save them. If you don’t do well, it’s not just a matter of you yourselves not doing well—the beings that you have vowed to save will lose their chance. Your responsibility is great. The future is waiting for you, and numerous beings in the cosmos are waiting for you.”
Thank you Master! Thank you fellow practitioners!
(Presented at the 2015 Australia Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference)
