(Clearwisdom.net)
Greetings Master!
Greetings Everybody!
I am here on behalf of several fellow practitioners who have been setting up booths in Chinatown in New York City, to share our experiences in clarifying the truth about Falun Gong to the Chinese people. Since July 20, 1999, some Chinese media in our area have frequently published untrue articles that slander Falun Gong and deceive their readers. The Chinese Consulate has also attacked and slandered Falun Gong practitioners. They created propaganda and got involved in the local communities, deepening the misunderstandings and inciting hatred toward Falun Gong.
1. Losing No Time in Clarifying the Truth
With our firm belief in Dafa and Master we decided to step out and let people know the truth about Falun Gong. Carrying the truth-clarification materials with us, we went to subway stations and the busiest streets to distribute them. To make sure we have good effects, we studied when would be the best time. We discovered that in the morning when people rush to work, most of them would not take the materials. When people leave work they would most likely accept our materials as they have time while waiting for the train or on the train.
We do not stop distributing materials even when it rains or snows. On Sundays several of us display posters and distribute materials in Chinatown. We also take turns practicing the exercises.
At first, the vendors nearby had misunderstandings toward us. They drove us away, cursed us, and even spit on us and kicked our display boards, saying that the information on the boards was not true and that we were damaging the image of the Chinese people. Some even walked toward us, stared at us from the head to the feet, cursed us and then left. Facing the misunderstandings and knowing the fact that Chinatown is the focus of the Chinese communities in New York City, we asked ourselves, "How do we do better to help people learn the truth?" Master said:
"Your cultivation is absolutely not a personal, simple matter of reaching Consummation--your cultivation is saving the countless sentient beings in the cosmic body that corresponds to you and who've put infinite hope in you. The cultivation of you all is saving the sentient beings in every single gigantic cosmic colossal firmament."
"You've got to try hard, and you've got to do well, because what you want is to consummate everything, and you have responsibilities--you have come with the mission and responsibility of saving sentient beings."
(Touring North America to Teach the Fa)
Through studying the Fa and sharing experiences, four of us who do not need to go to work started to take turns to display truth clarification pictures and distribute materials five days a week in Chinatown. On weekends, other practitioners do it. We overcame many difficulties and obstacles and finally we are got a permit from the police to establish a truth clarification booth on Canal Street, the busiest street in Chinatown. Every day there would be two practitioners there displaying and distributing truth clarification materials. On Saturdays we all go to the Chinese consulate to send forth righteous thoughts.
On the noisy and busy Canal street people can hear from a distance the music of "Pudu" and "Jishi" and other music made by Dafa disciples. Once there was a middle-aged man standing beside us quietly. We handed him the materials and he asked us where to buy the tape. He thought the music very touching and harmonious. We told him that currently he could not find them in the stores. A while later he came back with a new blank tape he just bought and asked a practitioner to record "Pudu" and "Jishi" for him. He said that he would pick it up next time. He was very happy and grateful to us. Another time a passer-by accepted our materials and said to us: "I come to Chinatown once every several months. I heard the beautiful music from far away, so I came over. Thank you for letting me know Falun Gong. It is so good." There are many examples like these.
Through continuous Fa study, we also pay attention to our speech and our behaviors, realizing that the purpose of clarifying the truth is to do our best to save beings. We should be compassionate. What we say and what we do should let people know how good Dafa is.
Along with our truth clarification, the environment improved. The vendors nearby became friendly with us. They also accepted our materials and VCDs. Sometimes when some people with deep misunderstandings came to us with anger and talked about the fabrications from the newspaper, we would send forth righteous thoughts, which helped calm them. We would explain patiently that if Jiang did not persecute Falun Gong practitioners in China and kill so many good people, and that if Falun Gong practitioners were not sent to prison, we would not need to stand here in cold or heat to explain the truth to them. It is very comfortable to stay at home. They would calm down, look at the pictures, and even accept the materials and VCDs. Some people come from time to time to see if there are newer editions of our "Qingliu" paper or new VCDs. In order to clarify the truth more effectively several practitioners brought a DVD player to play the truth clarification VCDs at the site, which had a good effect.
2. Put Falun Gong Materials on a Weekly Magazine to Coordinate with Truth Clarifications
In July 2002 we realized that we should clarify the truth in various ways such as to broadcast advertisements through radio stations. It would have a great effect. The cost was significant, but in order for people to quickly learn the truth and call up their conscience and kindness, even 1, 2 or 3 times are helpful.
We went to a radio station. After we explained our purpose, their attitude changed at once. They gave us many requirements, such as they would need approval from above. They asked us to leave our name, address, and telephone number and said they would notify us later, so that we would leave. We went to another radio station. When we arrived at the office the person in charge had just left for the day. They told us to come back the next day. We went there the next day and explained that we wanted an advertisement about Falun Gong. The person in charge said that he would not broadcast anything about the sensitive topic of Falun Gong. What should we do? One practitioner suggested we put our advertisement in a free weekly magazine published every Saturday. When people get the free magazine they would see truth clarification materials. We found a relatively good magazine -- Weekly Programs. When we explained our purpose to the owner, he showed support to us. The magazine has a distribution volume of 20,000 per week. He gave us a discount, saying that he also wanted to do good deeds. We asked him to put the truth clarification materials closer to the front paper and not to mix them with bad content. He agreed. One practitioner was responsible for selecting one or two articles from Clearwisdom that were related to the topics people ask about when we clarify the truth, and send them the magazine. Once one practitioner's neighbor said to her: "I read an article from a weekly magazine about Falun Gong. It is very well said, very different from those in the [Chinese language] newspapers." The practitioner was very happy. As long as we clarify the truth, people would use their mind to think. Seeing the good effects, many practitioners from our site joined the project, as well as practitioners from Brooklyn. From 1 edition to 10 editions, it has lasted two years with the support and good cooperation of practitioners.
3. Clarifying the Truth to Overseas Chinese
We also helped to clarify the truth at tourist sites. Two practitioners regularly go to Battery Park to distribute materials to tourists from China. Most of the tourists are on business trips, and are usually the people in charge at work units in China. Their trips usually include visiting the Statue of Liberty. When they stand in line waiting for the tour boat, we hand them materials. When they see that the materials are about Falun Gong, they dare not to take them. Some would accept them and put them in the bags right away, as before they came over they have had meetings warning them not to accept Falun Gong materials. Being isolated and misled by the fabrications made by Jiang Zemin's regime and the media for a long time some of them cursed us and made fun of us. We walked away, thinking: Forget it. These people are so mean and could not be saved. Master says:
"It's because of the evil's slanderous propaganda that people have bad thoughts in their minds. When people become clearheaded, that's when those evil things are eliminated and disintegrate." (Touring North America to Teach the Fa)
Through studying Fa we understood that they are also beings to be saved. It is not accidental that we met them. We should clarify the truth to them with compassion and eliminate the bad thoughts in their minds. Master says:
"As Dafa disciples tell people the facts,
It's like sharp swords shooting out together from their mouths,
Shredding apart the rotten demons' lies.
Lose no time and save them, hurry up and tell them."
("Hurry Up And Tell Them")
So we spoke to them, and showed them the Witness publication. We talked to them from the past political movements in China to the persecution of Falun Gong. We also compared China with other countries -- they live in an isolated environment controlled by totalitarians, and we live in a free and democratic country, etc. Their curses dwindled down. Some listened quietly. When they were about to board the boat some extended their hands to ask for materials. They put them in the bags right away. We realized that with a pure and righteous mind, whatever we want to say the words would come out from our mouth. We know that Master is helping us.
We also use the time at night to call and fax to China, clarifying truth to the Chinese people. Many practitioners at the Chinatown practice site mail letters, materials and VCDs in a large amount to China. Master says:
"Don't underestimate your sending even one flyer or one booklet to China, making one phone call there, or sending one fax there or sending all sorts of information--the effect is quite significant, and its effect in frightening and eliminating the evil is huge, truly huge."
(Touring North America to Teach the Fa)
4. More and More People Are Eager to Learn the Truth about Falun Gong
Many tourists from Mainland China will come to Chinatown and pass our booth. They are very surprised to see the pictures. Some stop to look more carefully. One lady was shocked. She told us that she taught English in Beijing, and that she came to visit her family during vacation. In China, Falun Gong related news is broadcast on TV every day, but it is totally different from these pictures. This is the real Falun Gong story. It is wrong that the Chinese government persecutes Falun Gong. She asked us for more materials. She would take them back to China to her students and let them know the truth about Falun Gong.
In late 2002, a friend of the fruit vendor close to our booth came to help him. We talked to her about Falun Gong and gave her some truth clarification materials and VCDs. She gladly accepted them and said that she would definitely watch them at home. Three months later she came to tell us that she just got back from Mainland China. She had shown the materials and VCDs to her former coworkers and told them the truth about Falun Gong. Hearing this, we were so touched. Master says:
"Chinese people who are living abroad have countless ties with Mainland China, as their relatives and friends are all in China, and there are a lot of people who travel back and forth often. When they see the situation with Dafa around the world they'll talk about it when they're in China, talk about it with their family and friends--they're a form of one-on-one media channel. Regardless of how much they understand about Dafa, whether they're able to comprehend it or not, they'll go back and tell people about the situation." ("Explaining the Fa During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference")
Last November she came again and told us that she would go back to Mainland China for three months and she would take some materials and VCDs with her. Several days ago she came again, having just returned from China. She said that her friends and family fought for the materials and 12 VCDs she had taken back, so they had to take turns. They asked her to bring more next time. There are more and more people longing to know the truth.
On one day a while ago it was very cold. Two practitioners at the booth forgot to bring their gloves. A lady passed by. She took some materials, chatted a bit and left. Ten minutes later she came back. She had just bought two pairs of gloves for the practitioners. We were touched and offered her the money, but she would not accept it. Practitioners said that they would not accept the gloves if she would not take the money. She said: "You are wonderful people. Even the vendors did not set up outside on this cold day, but you quietly contribute and forbear just to let people know about Falun Gong. Won't you accept this little appreciation?" After she left, we realized that more and more people are learning the truth.
5. Overall Understanding and Improvement
Over the past nearly five years of Fa-rectification, we continued to set up booths to clarify the truth no matter how cold or hot it was. At the beginning our families did not understand us, friends and relatives thought we were strange, and there were conflicts among practitioners due to different understandings and behaviors, etc. Master says: "the whole process of cultivation is a process of constantly getting rid of human attachments." (Zhuan Falun) We continue to study Fa, measure ourselves with the Fa, look into ourselves and increase our capacity. Master said in "Teaching the Fa at the Washington, D.C. Fa Conference":
"People's different grasps of and comprehension of the Fa lead to different perceptions of the current situation, and all that's happening is targeting different human thoughts. Those who do well will change the environments around them, and those who do poorly will make the environments around them change according to their states of mind."
Now I get more understanding and support from my family. Some practitioners' family members even help with truth clarification. Their friends and families resumed contact with them, calling them or meeting them for brunch, etc.
Our efforts could not have been sustained without the cooperation of all those at the practice site. We have all contributed quietly. Some practitioners go to the consulate to practice and distribute truth materials, some are responsible for folding fliers, and some set up the booth - everyone cooperates with each other.
Master says in "Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Atlanta Fa Conference:"
"Also, with those people that you run into by chance, who you run into in daily life, and the people you run into at work, you should all clarify the truth to them. Even when in your daily life you pass by people so quickly that you don't have a chance to talk to them, you should still leave them with your compassion and kindness. Don't lose those who should be saved, especially those with predestined connections."
We still have a lot of shortcomings to be eliminated through Fa study so that we can reach the standards set by the Fa.
To close, we want to share "New Year's Greetings from Master" with everyone:
"On the rest of the journey,
may you fulfill,
with godlike righteous thoughts and righteous actions,
the grand vows you made before history!"
Thank you, Master!
Thank you, everybody!
