(Minghui.org) I joined the French language Minghui project in 2012. During these years, I became very busy, especially after the birth of my two children. I was also more actively engaged in translating articles. Although I experienced many challenges, I still managed to successfully traverse the globe and meet the French language Minghui team members. I grew mature by learning from my experiences, and it also made me more determined to continue. I’ve increasingly come to feel that I am involved in a very sacred project.
Balancing My Ordinary and Extraordinary Thoughts
When I first joined the Minghui team, I had just started a new job and was full of enthusiasm. In the months to come, I worked at a small farm. After exerting all my physical strength during the day, I would start translating articles at night. I needed to improve in a lot of areas, and the editors’ feedback helped me.
When I learned that the 2014 New York Experience-Sharing Conference would be held in May, I really wanted to go since I received a sum of money from my previous job. I faced some challenges, though. I had already requested a few weeks off because my wedding would be held that September. In addition, I also helped with truth-clarification in two cities, so I requested many unpaid days off. I felt very uneasy requesting even more days off.
I remained very calm and firm. I thought about how the great enlightened beings regarded earth as a tiny particle–traversing the earth would not be a big deal for them.
Master said, “the appearance stems from the mind” (“Fa Teaching Given at the Epoch Times Meeting,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. X).
I felt very nervous while walking to the principal’s office, and I kept telling myself that the effort I’m involved in is very sacred. As I expected, she was surprised by my request to take more days off, but she still approved it.
My next challenge would be facing my family members in New York. My family would think it odd if I did not visit them if I traveled to New York. In order to save time, I decided to book a flight to New York, then fly to Canada. After staying for a couple of days in Canada, I was lucky enough to carpool with another practitioner and drove back to New York. I still remember those moments, and it inspired me a lot.
During this process, I eliminated many attachments and became more mature. I stayed in a hotel room with three other practitioners. The day before the New York Fa conference, a local practitioner told us that it was hard to get tickets to the conference. A Canadian coordinator also warned us that traffic was very bad in New York City and that we should take the bus instead of driving. That evening while I was sending righteous thoughts, I saw two big, golden gates open in front of me and I knew that I would be able to enter the Fa conference.
The next morning, one practitioner said that she did not want to take the bus. At first I disagreed with her and felt nervous. However I immediately thought about how everything should be fine if I unconditionally cooperated with other practitioners. I took on the challenge of driving on the streets of New York. This was impossible for me in the past because I was always afraid of driving and did not put much faith in myself. After arriving at the conference venue, I was able to find practitioners from our area and received my ticket to enter. Everything went very smoothly.
The second day, I met with other practitioners from the same project. It felt really good to share about little things. I felt really touched, as if we were all a family.
On the way to the airport, I experienced sharp pains in my stomach. I felt that Master was helping to purify my body after my xinxing improved.
A Second Opportunity to Upgrade Myself
Four years later, I had a second chance to elevate myself. My second son was about a year old when the editors decided everyone should get together for a meeting in a certain country. I really wanted to attend, but my human side kept telling me that I should not go. I had excuses, including that I was still breastfeeding and not doing so well financially. I silently asked Master for help by asking if I was going to extremes and whether I should go.
My husband is usually very supportive, but this time he wasn’t sure. Were we too attached to money and sentimentality? Or did we really not have the time and money for this trip?
One day, I asked my husband his opinion, and he expressed his doubt. It was then time to send righteous thoughts. As I closed my eyes and held my hands in the Jieyin position, I had the following thought: “I have already given you the money.” I felt as if money had been deposited into my account and it was already pre-arranged long ago for me to attend this meeting.
I decided not to worry and have confidence that everything was arranged.
Master said:
“Cultivation is not hard,It’s attachments that are hard to part with.When will you sever those many attachments?All know the sea of hardship has no shore.If your will is not firm,The hurdles are like mountains.How will you transcend this mortal life?”(“Severing,” Hong Yin II, Translation Version A)
I still felt uneasy due to our financial situation. At that time I was staying home with the children. I decided to look for a part-time job. For certain reasons I decided not to work in the field I once specialized in.
When the European team members had all confirmed they would attend the meeting, I also bought my tickets. Buying my tickets and traveling across the world I thought might inspire other practitioners to participate.
After chatting with a lady from another field of work, she confirmed that I could still work in my specialized field. I decided to be self-employed.
Before starting this job, I emailed another lady who also specialized in this field near my area. I wanted to ask her suggestions and wanted to let her know that I did not intend to compete with her. That lady was very surprised and thought it was impossible to hire someone who would come to an outer district. She also told me that she always wanted to hire a person to work part-time. This arrangement could not have been better, and I could hardly believe it myself.
Two weeks later while I hung up the laundry, my husband rushed outside and told me that I had received some assistance from the government. The amount was nearly the cost of the plane tickets! I didn’t know what to say. Master had indeed arranged everything. When we truly believe in Master, believe in the Fa and not compete over personal profits, miracles will happen.
Master said:
“There is no affect between master and discipleThe Buddha’s grace remolds Heaven and EarthWhen disciples have ample righteous thoughtsMaster has the power to turn back the tide”(“The Master-Disciple Bond,” Hong Yin II, Translation Version A)
This meeting was pivotal because the operation mode was completely reorganized to have a greater impact on saving sentient beings. I treasured the time spent with other team members, especially talking with editors. We looked inward together and became one entity.
Master let me feel the power and strengthened my faith in Dafa after being a member of the French-language Minghui team for all these years. In the beginning when I translated Master’s greeting cards, there were very few people involved and it was rough. But, I always feel a strong energy field rotating above my head, and I know that this is a very sacred project.
One year I spent the New Year in Canada and worked very late. I really wanted to publish Master’s greeting cards on time. Master does so much for us and we can never repay him. I worked alone, and it was already 1 a.m. I thought I’d stop by 2 a.m. However when 2 a.m. came, I still had several articles to translate. It seemed like an eternity, but I knew I could not stop. I started to feel very drowsy. Perhaps my heart was not pure since I wanted to stop at 2 a.m. I decided to ignore my sleepiness and continue working. As I worked, I sat in the double lotus position. After finishing my work, my legs felt very warm, and I knew that Master was encouraging me.
Master said:
“This is the first time man has been given such an opportunity, and it is the whole purpose of the world’s creation. And then when you consider that you, out of all the simply countless, unimaginable numbers of sentient beings that exist, got to be a disciple of Dafa, how could you not do well at this? Follow Dafa’s requirements, and fulfill the vows you made before the dawn of history. Validating the Fa and saving sentient beings look, from the appearance, just like things that occur in ordinary society. But what you are doing in this case is true cultivation. The goal behind this is different from that behind ordinary people’s actions; what ordinary people want to gain is altogether different from what you want. What cultivators seek is to elevate their realms, to fulfill their vows, and to ultimately achieve Consummation. The goal is completely different.” (“Fa Teaching Given in Manhattan,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. X)
Participating in Minghui has helped me eliminate many attachments, such as showing off, complacency, depression and being attached to personal fame and money. To help eliminate my attachments of zealotry and showing off, I usually recite a poem from Hong Yin.
Conclusion
The French language Minghui website is a platform that Master left for us to save people. I need to remind myself not to get caught up in everyday life and to strengthen my faith. A recent article on Minghui encouraged me to extend the length of time I practiced the exercises, and my energy increased as a result. Through our experience sharing let us encourage each other, do better and return to our original, true selves. Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners.
