(Clearwisdom.net) On the morning of June 12, 2002, we heard the news of the barring of Falun Gong practitioners from entering Iceland. Nevertheless, several of us Canadian practitioners from all over Canada determinedly started our Fa-rectification Journey to Iceland. We set off from Finland's Capital, Helsinki. No matter what might happen, we told ourselves to remember Master's words, "Whether it is a Buddha, a Tao, an immortal, or a demon, they should not move your heart. In conducting oneself this way, success is bound to be in sight." (Zhuan Falun) All of us were not swayed by the bad news from Iceland. At the same time, we knew that there might be certain difficulties on our way to Iceland. In whatever situation, we planned to handle all the troubles and hindrances with our powerful righteous thoughts.
At 8:30 a.m., our plane landed at the Copenhagen Airport in Denmark, where we planned to transfer to the plane headed for Iceland. However, something unbelievable happened. Half an hour before, Iceland Air in Copenhagen was notified by the Icelandic Ministry of Justice that Falun Gong travelers were banned from entering the country during Jiang's planned visit from June 12 to June 16. So, our connecting flight on SAS Airline could not give us the tickets to go to Iceland. Immediately we clarified the truth to officials at SAS Airline. Its senior manager, Pierre Brownt, said, "This is an immoral decision. I agree with your opinion, but I can do nothing about it. You can contact the Iceland Embassy in Copenhagen." Then the manager gave us the phone number of the Embassy.
All of us were astonished by the sudden obstacle. During the journey we had talked about Master's new poem, "The Difficult Path to Godhood." Indeed, faced with the unprecedented persecution and slandering of Falun Gong, on the Fa-rectification journey all practitioners had overcome numerous difficulties to arrive here step by step. Several practitioners managed to raise enough money for this journey to Iceland. One practitioner had only $400 on hand and had only just come up with the difference on the day before the journey. Another practitioner lost more than $1,000 because of changing his plane ticket several times. Moreover, all the practitioners faced the difficulty of asking for some days off to go on the journey.
After struggling with those efforts, could we now yield to the hindrance of the old forces, unable to join in the Fa-rectification activities in Iceland? Immediately we came to understand that the gaps in our cultivation were preventing us from entering Iceland smoothly. We were ashamed that we fell short in our cultivation and hadn't followed the teachings of our merciful Master well. Our inner grief was beyond any description. Tears even rolled down the cheeks of one of us. As a result, we also had difficulty in concentrating on sending forth righteous thoughts so that we were unable to achieve sending forth pure righteous thoughts. Therefore, we discussed this issue together. We came to an agreement that first we had to resolve the gaps in our own cultivation based on the Fa. If we could resolve the questions and close the gaps in our own cultivation, then it followed that we should have no trouble entering Iceland.
We noticed that in Helsinki we put emphasis on reading the Fa and sending forth righteous thoughts. However, in Copenhagen we also needed to study the Fa well, send forth righteous thoughts and clarify the truth. We had to meet the highest standard of being a Dafa disciple during the Fa-rectification period. So, six of us would work together doing different things. Some would clarify the truth of Falun Dafa to the media, government officials and the airline personnel. Meanwhile, one of us would look for other access to Iceland, such as flying or driving to a place nearest to Iceland and then going to Iceland by ship. Or were there any other flights of other airlines headed for Iceland? Moreover, those who could not speak English could assist by sending forth righteous thoughts in the meantime. After checking with the travel agency, the plan of taking a ship to Iceland was quickly determined not to be feasible.
However, I still felt that we were distancing ourselves from the difficult situation; we were not determined enough to cut through any hindrance on our way to Iceland. At that moment, I thought of Master's words in the article "Rationality," "Amidst tribulations, it is very difficult for a student to see the cause of a matter; but it's not that it is impossible. When he calms his mind and evaluates things with Dafa, he will be able to see the nature of the matter."
Right away I shared my new understanding of Master's words with one another, and we also discussed this and eventually came to the following agreement.
Firstly, in whatever situation we should not forget our mission on this journey and the demands the Fa makes on us. The purpose of our visiting Iceland was to send forth righteous thoughts in a close proximity to eradicate the evil in other dimensions which manipulates the head scoundrel. In this way, we offer salvation to all beings. Therefore, our sending forth righteous thoughts should not be affected by our minor tribulations. Otherwise, we would bring a great loss to the Fa and the damage could not be undone.
Secondly, as far as the geographical location was concerned, the distance between Copenhagen and Iceland was shorter than that between Helsinki and Iceland. Thus, we would be able to send forth righteous thoughts in a nearer distance and be more effective in eliminating the evil. What mattered was our righteous and pure thoughts. If our thoughts were firm and righteous, our power to eliminate the evil would not be limited by distance.
Thirdly, we had to keep Master's words in mind all the time, "Don't wait, don't rely on others." We should have confidence in our ability obtained from our cultivation and in the great power of righteous thoughts. We should believe that we would solve all the problems on our own. Even amidst our tribulations, we should give up our selfishness to the greatest extent. The Icelandic practitioners had to be in charge of the most important activities of Fa-rectification. Therefore, their energy and attention should not be distracted by our own tribulations. Otherwise, the progress of Fa-rectification would be slowed down and great damage and loss would be caused.
Fourthly, we were not in an unfavorable situation. On the contrary, we were in a "more favorable" situation to clarify the truth of Falun Gong to human beings because we were faced with hardship we could more easily clarify the truth to interested parties.
Finally, we made a decision to comprehensively clarify the truth of Falun Dafa in Copenhagen and to get on board the plane headed for Iceland with our righteous thoughts. In the meantime, we decided to stay at the airport until we boarded the next plane for Iceland.
One practitioner then suggested that wherever there was a problem, we should clarify the truth and solve the problem in that place. I also shared my deeper understanding of sending forth righteous thoughts with others. I said, "When I first arrived here, I felt great hardship when sending forth righteous thoughts. And I could not help but ask for Master's help. But now I have a new understanding. Since Master has already borne so many tribulations for us, we should no longer leave our own tribulations to Master. If Master bore all of my tribulations for me, then it would not be my cultivation. We should have complete confidence in our own ability." After listening to my words, they gave me an understanding grin.
We decided to pass through the boarding entrance with our righteous thoughts. Unfortunately, Mr. Billnie Staigson from the Iceland Consulate stopped us at the boarding entrance. Mr. Staigson showed us the ban from the Icelandic Ministry of Justice. During June 12 and June 16, Falun Gong travelers were banned from entering Reykjavik Airport in Iceland. Also there was a letter from the Ministry of Justice to Iceland Air with the similar content. After listening to our truth-clarification, Mr. Staigson said, "I agree with your opinion." He also expressed regret and helplessness for having to uphold that decision.
Photo 1: Mr. Billnie Staigson, Consul of Iceland (middle) carrying out the orders from Icelandic Ministry of Justice at the Icelandair boarding entrance at Copenhagen. Official from the Taiwanese Embassy (left) and an official from the Bureau of Public Security (right) were also in the picture.
We proceeded to draft a statement entitled "Falun Gong Called Upon the Icelandic Ministry of Justice to Reverse Its Wrong Decision--Canadian Practitioners' Sincere Appeal at Copenhagen Airport." We then sent the statement back to Canada by e-mail and asked a Western practitioner to revise the draft. Very quickly we received the revised statement.
Photo 2 and 3: Practitioners took pictures with a well-known photographer in Copenhagen, Mr. Morgans Forlint, at the airport.
At 5:30 in the evening a B.T. newspaper reporter, Mr. Yakbi Anderson, and a photographer, Mr. Morgans Forlint, came to interview us at the airport. After hearing of our situation and decision to stay at the airport, Anderson and Forlint expressed their admiration and sympathy for us. The next day B. T. newspaper reported on our appeal at the airport using a color picture and an eye-catching title, "Chinese Activists Stranded at the Airport--Falun Gong Travelers Being Denied Entry to Iceland."
Photo 4: On June 13, The B.T. newspaper in Copenhagen covered our appeal.
I called upon Mr. Billnie Staigson from Iceland Embassy. I told him the truth of Falun Gong, the escalating persecution of Falun Gong in China, the reason why we wanted to visit Iceland, and the wrong decision of the Icelandic government. I also expressed our firm determination to enter Iceland. When I talked about our decision to spend tonight at the airport and to stay at the airport until boarding on the next plane for Iceland, he seemed a little touched. He said, "I respect your decision." He then repeatedly emphasized, "It is very unfortunate that the Icelandic government made this decision." But self-contradictorily he added, "I am a public servant, and I am supposed to follow the order." I replied, "You can tell the Ministry of Justice what Falun Gong practitioners are in your opinion, and that Ministry of Justice made a wrong decision." Feeling his inner changes and conflict, I went on saying, "If Hitler ordered to kill people, would it be better to follow the order or to defy the order? Now, the wrong decision of Ministry of Justice goes against the public will. The wrong decision is also testing everyone's morality, and everyone has to take the test without any exception." Having been silent for some moment, he repeated, "It is very unfortunate that the Icelandic government made this decision." I went on to say, "Did you see the movie 'Schindler's List?' If you could perform well this time, you could be greater than Schindler because this is an important choice related to the eternity of your life as well as the eternity of Icelanders." Mr. Staigson repeated again, "It is very unfortunate that the Icelandic government made this decision."
I saw the divine side of this being; everyone had their consciousness to understand the truth. I also saw the power of truth-clarification. This was the right timing to invite him to talk to us face to face at the airport. I said, "It is not very easy for us to travel for such a long distance to come here. We sincerely invite you to talk to us at the airport. We have many touching stories to share with you." He kept silent for some time, and then said, "I can not see you tonight." Knowing that he was moved, I said, "We can also take a taxi to your home to talk to you; just half an hour will be O.K." He was silent again, and I said, "Or you can choose one location and we could meet each other there." At that moment, he answered in a very friendly way, "Let's stop here for tonight. Let me take a good sleep and think about it. I hope that you will not call me again." At that moment, it was almost time to send forth righteous thoughts. I said, "I hope that you can think about it again. I am not trying to be impolite. It is just that this thing is very important for you."
(To be continued.)
