(Clearwisdom.net)
Recently, a relatively large local media outlet published a detailed report about us. It took more than a month from the first contact with the reporter to the publishing of the article. The process is worth cherishing, because it helped us to understand the professional spirit of a reporter, and also provided a chance for us to cultivate.
For a long time I had hoped this newspaper would write an article about us, because it is the largest newspaper in our area, and has always had an impact in political circles (it is one of the rarely seen newspapers in Congress). In recent years, the only acknowledgement letter published in this newspaper was one in the section, 'letter to the editor' last year. Since then, wherever there was news worth sending, I would contact the editor who would publish our letter. In March this year, a few fellow practitioners were leaving for Switzerland; I contacted the newspaper and was told to wait until the practitioners came back. I had not contacted the newspaper after they returned. Two months ago, a western practitioner went on a hunger strike upon hearing Charles Li was on hunger strike in a Chinese prison, and like Li it was also for 9 days. Moreover, I was unable to be tranquil when I heard that a policeman had raped Miss Wei Xingyan. Therefore, I contacted the editor of this newspaper again, hoping she would publish the practitioner's petition while conducting the hunger strike, and report on this matter. She said she would pass on the message to the news department. On the second day, I received a phone call from reporter S, and we worked together. I immediately told him the telephone number of the practitioner on the hunger strike. He told me he planned to do a report. The next day as soon as he heard of the gathering regarding the symbolic trial of Jiang in Washington DC, he wanted to go. Under normal circumstances, our local media don't cover news in DC, but I found that once the reporter was interested in it, he was certainly able to go.
The next day, I asked a few local practitioners to be ready for the interview, but he did not show up. This was a little test for me; I just hoped in my mind that fellow practitioners could understand. I felt I should forgive the reporter, as something might have come up. One day later, I gave him a call. He told me that he had gone, but he had been late. I described the event for him, and then asked if we could go to his office and have a chat. He happily agreed to meet in the afternoon.
I quickly started to look for people to go with me, but my human notions came out. I was attached to finding a practitioner who could clearly explain the lawsuit against Jiang Zemin and Charles Li's situation. But I could not find a suitable person. At last a practitioner comforted me on the phone, saying, "You just go, the most important thing is to let them see we are a group of kind people." His few sentences calmed me down. My understanding is that our pure hearts are what is most important in doing Dafa work. If I could take this opportunity without hesitation, it shows I am responsible to the Fa, and we do not need think too much about the details of how to do things. Eventually, a fellow practitioner with whom I work well accompanied me.
We talked for 3 hours in the newspaper office. Once I arrived there, I became very tranquil and actively interacted with the reporter. I really did not feel the need for any preparation. The reporter talked to practitioner Q and was very interested in her story. Practitioner Q's story is really touching. Her husband, her parents-in-law and she are all practitioners, her mother-in-law has been detained in a forced labor camp for one year. Her husband and her were well situated in China, but because of the persecution, they had to leave their hometown and came to America in difficult circumstances. I quietly sat there and sent forth righteous thoughts. Reporter S was very patient; he did not give Q any pressure in order to not break her thoughts, and looked for what he wanted from her story. The reporter made lots of notes, and spent one third of the time verifying and supplementing what he had written down. When we were done, he told us he had another interview with westerner practitioner P. P's story is very touching as well, Dafa saved her life. She had also gone on a hunger strike for two days in order to rescue Charles Li.
The next day, the reporter phoned and wanted to know my story. My mother was also persecuted in China, so I told him her story. He asked me to introduce him to one more western and Chinese practitioner. I remembered he was interested in coming to our study group, so I reminded him. He said he had to go away this week, then I asked if he would be available on the following day. He agreed. At that time I only wanted to let him take photos earlier. I quickly informed fellow practitioners to study the Fa one day earlier, but unfotunately, the reporter did not come. Even though nobody complained, they quickly left. When I apologized to a western practitioner, he said: "Don't be attached to it." Really I was too attached to it. Practitioner P also came; she did not mind, and said everybody had only learned the Fa more. It was probably practitioners' understanding that eliminated the interference of the old forces. I was even more confident to continue. That was only a test of our patience, and an opportunity to show the the reporter our moral qualities. A few days later, the reporter came back and contacted me. I then found out that he had left me a message explaining that he could not come, but I did not receive it. Then we set another time to go to the study group, and it was our normal study time. This time I just notified everyone, and made no special requests of anyone, and made it as natural as possible.
This time he and his cameraman came on time. The western practitioners I had invited the last time all came as well. It was very natural, and three little girls joined us as well. The reporter asked practitioner Q and me a few questions, watched us practicing the exercises for a while, and then left. I shared my experience with the cameraman for a long time, and gave him an exercise instruction tape. He was interested, as he had filmed other Falun Gong activities before.
It seemed the report should come out, but it did not. One day, he called me to confirm an activity at the Chinese Embassey on Saturday. I was calmer. Even though it took a long time, isn't it a good chance to let him fully understand the truth? Even if he does not write the report, he can find out the truth of Dafa. I also thought it was worthwhile. On that Saturday, he really went to the Embassey. He said the report would be published in a few days, and he would notify me.
A few days later, still no report. It was close to our July 20 events, so I phoned him. He asked for the event schedule, and told me his report would come out on Sunday, which happened to be July 20.
On July 21, the report came out and it was very positive. There was a big photo on the front page, and the title was good. Three full pages about us. On the second page, there was a photo of practitioner Q reading the book, and another photo of a young practitioner. Q is very beautiful and serene, the young practitioner is pure and lovely, also with a book in the hand. There were two more photos and an article about our July 20 activities on page three. After reading the article, we then learned that reporter S also interviewed several other practitioners; therefore the content was extremely rich. It used the story of practitioner Q as a clue and introduced the powerful effect of Dafa in curing diseases and keeping fit, and used our family members' stories to expose the bloody facts of the communist party persecuting Falun Gong practitioners. It ended by quoting practitioner Q's words, "If you see something good, do you want to see it slandered, or do you want to spread the truth"
The process of working with the reporter for more than a month was actually the process of showing Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. Although we are not professionals, I believe as long as we are guided by the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance, all the principles and techniques in the human world are included. But this does not mean we do not prepare at all. For example: when I went to see the reporter, I had to find a practitioner who could speak English relatively well, so we could communicate together well. During the interview, we should not talk at too high a level, say little about indefinite matters, try to provide stories that include human affection; otherwise it is hard for everyday people to accept. This is to clarify the truth in a way that people can accept, and actually manifests the mercy of our practitioners.
