Notes on Promoting Dafa in Guatemala (I)

Liping forwarded an email from James, an American, who is interested in learning China Falun Gong. Upon reading, it turned out to be from Guatemala. While wondering where in California this city is, I responded that if you can find 10 or so people who are interested in knowing more about Falun Gong, we are ready to come over to conduct an Introductory Workshop or hold a 9-day Hongfa seminar. To help people in rural areas in the US to learn about Dafa (the Great Fa), we often conduct Introductory Workshops in towns where they live. Usually we contact local libraries or bookstores, publish workshop notices in local newspapers, and then several practitioners will drive over to introduce Dafa and teach movements of Gong over the weekend. When the time comes, a 9-day seminar will follow. If there are locals who are interested in helping with the coordination, by sending out notices, it will be even more effective. Since September 1999, we have traveled to over a dozen cities and towns in Northern California, and over 500 Americans have attended our workshops.

A couple of days later, I was talking about this workshop in Guatemala with fellow practitioners. Guatemala? The one in Central America! I was surprised. A few more days passed and James advised us that after his inquiry, there would be at least 30 people who will attend the workshop, and all of them speak English. As this is the case, of course, we should go there.

James lives in a small city where telephones are very expensive, and he doesnt have one installed yet. It is not convenient to access the Internet either, and one round trip of correspondence will take a few weeks. Two months later, when we hit the road, I was a little uneasy. Its such a long journey, who knows if they are truly interested or just looking around. I regretted that I didnt mail the book Zhuan Falun to him to read first so that I can find how serious he is. I then calmed down and looked for my righteous thoughts. Master said, Do without seeking, thus remain constantly amid Tao. And isnt this the attitude we should hold? Further more, what a privilege it is to help Master to promote Dafa far and wide. This trip of ours will provide an opportunity for Central Americans who never had a chance to come to know Dafa to directly learn Dafa. This alone is of significance.

The three of us, Lee-Fong, my wife Zhang Fen, and I, left on Christmas Day from San Francisco to Guatemala City via Miami. The flight took over ten hours, and we arrived around noon the next day. There was a presidential election going on, and the normal tour bus from Guatemala City to the city where James lives was cancelled. We had to take a taxi to a long distance bus station. We are unable to speak a single word of Spanish, and the taxi driver didnt understand any English. With the help of gestures and guesses, we found the bus station. The bus was very old and poorly maintained, like the countryside ones in China a dozen years ago. It took us quite a while to communicate with the bus driver in our respective languages. We figured out only two words change and bus. It could be that we had to change a bus along the way. While we were hesitating, the driver carried our luggage onto his bus and stowed it in the rack. We brought along quite a few books, videotapes, and there were over 10 pieces of luggage. Lee-Fong was worrying if someone will take away our bags. She realized right away that Master once said, what should be yours will not be lost, and what is not yours you wont have it even if you contend for it. Why should I worry? As a genuine cultivator, every moment theres cultivation to do, and every moment we need to hold on to righteous thoughts.

Although there were a lot of hardships along the way, everything went fairly smoothly. Upon arriving at the place to change the bus, it was already waiting there. Our luggage was taken care of as well. A kind looking gentleman somehow was on the same itinerary as ours. He had been using gestures to tell us where to go next. Lee-Fong joked that werent we assisted by great persons.

The town James lives is a beautiful scenic one near tall mountains and a large lake. We lived in Marions home. She and James often invite people from out of town to come for classes or lectures. My first question to James was where did you hear about Falun Dafa. And his answer made me laugh, From the Chinese government. He read about the report that the Chinese government was suppressing Falun Gong in Time magazine and got interested in it. He then started searching the Internet, and found us right away. He said that without the help of the Chinese government, this Dafa would never be heard of in this place where he lives.

James seems to be one with pre-destined relationship. Throughout his life, he has taken fame and fortune very lightly, and has been seeking in Taiji, Qigong and Yoga. There were quite a few Americans and Europeans, and all of them are interested in cultivation practice. They stayed away from lives in modern cosmopolitans to come here to live a simple life. James was a little discouraged at the beginning as he thought Dafa had been spread for decades in the world, and he was having poor access to information from where he lives. When he learned that Teacher has been lecturing Fa overseas for only three years, he was very glad.

The next day was Monday. We prepared over 20 seats for the Introductory Workshop in the morning. Half an hour before the scheduled time, people started to arrive. Many of them learned about Falun Dafa from the medias coverage of the crackdown by the Chinese government. One lady was very pleased to meet us. She said, I just started to learn the movements over the Internet, and it is very slow to make progress. Then they said you were on your way here. It is just like you dropped from the sky. Marion explained earlier that people here arent punctual, and could be late. But by 10 oclock when we started, there were already about 50 people, and the room was overcrowded. We were rendering projections onto the wall, although people were squeezed so close to it. James gave up the opportunity so other people could come in. A few people had to go back because there wasnt enough room for them. We did an hour-long introduction using projected pictures covering introductions to Falun Dafa, Dafas characteristics, and how to start learning. The whole process was peaceful and easy-going, and they listened very attentively. I encouraged them to raise questions, and the mood was harmonious. After the introduction, the next hour was for teaching the movements. Over 50 people went onto the lawn to learn all five sets of movements in one shot. Marion and her husband John said that they had never had so many people come to their home for a seminar, and it was such an impressive scene. Among the newcomers, a dozen or so could sit in double lotus position. The hour of Gong teaching went by quickly, and we played the 8-minute video produced by Chicago practitioners. In the end, upon the completion of Masters big hand signs, every body was very quiet. Then some sighed, Truly magnificent and beautiful!

Almost 10 new people came to the second days Introductory Workshop. And most of those who attended the first days workshop came back as well. We focused on teaching them movements. They spent the whole morning learning. The seriousness and attentiveness is rarely seen. Lee-Fong said, Watching them is like watching someone who is learning to walk. Before they really obtained Dafa, I can stand departing and leaving them alone.

In these 2 days, there had been people coming in the evening to learn the movements and buy books. We taught Gong till 9 or 10 PM. They purchased over 30 books. Many of them came in person to express their gratitude. Some said this was the best Christmas gift they ever received. James said that no other way of practice had drawn so many people, and some of those who attended are idiosyncratic and individualistic people who he considered impossible to come.

Dafa is very humble and accessible, he said, Furthermore, you came such a long way just to teach Gong without any other purpose. This everybody has seen. Dafa will be very popular here, he said.

Two days later, we headed home as planned. Naresh really hoped that a 9-day video seminar could be held. He lived in a self-constructed house in the mountains across the lake. His hall has a 12-sided wall, named Buddha Hall, which could be used for the 9-day video seminar.

Lee-Fong made the decision to stay 10 more days to complete this video seminar. At first she was a little scared to stay here alone, and then she said it was all right. Zhang Fen was thinking about staying with Lee-Fong to complete the seminar, yet she couldnt decide one way or the other. Wednesday, we said goodbye to Lee-fong as scheduled and left town by the tour bus. Three hours later, we arrived at Guatemala City. Zhang Fen had been thinking of what to do along the way. After arriving at the airport, she was clear about her decision. She postponed the flight at the airport and went back.